There is an ex­citement in the air that hasn’t been felt in a long time. The two remaining candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination are locked in a hotly contested battle, with a Republican waiting to see who will ultimately emerge.

Additionally, California voters sud­denly became meaningful when the state’s primary elections were moved to a date closer to the start of the primary season, instead of toward the end, when west coast votes might have been less meaningful.

Each of the remaining candidates is non-traditional. Even though she is iden­tified with her husband’s administration, Hillary Clinton’s gender clearly sets her apart. Although she is already a national office holder and thus by definition, part of the “establishmen,” Clinton is the first female to have a legitimate opportunity to lead our country.

As a policy maker, she is prob­ably best known for her unsuccessful and much maligned attempt to craft a universal health care plan during her husband’s administration. Whether through legislation or as an advocate, she also focused on children and family issues while in office.

Clinton has been a polarizing figure in American politics. While her husband occupied the Oval Office, she shunned the traditional First Lady role by play­ing a significant role in shaping White House policy, with many believing she overstepped her role. Her push for universal health care did not endear her to the Republican Party. Additionally, some accused her of carpet bagging in her initial New York senatorial cam­paign.

As a candidate, Barack Obama’s message thus far has focused on a message of hope and change and bringing back a lost sense of optimism. Yet, his strongest statement is unspoken. Obama’s ethnicity is striking reminder of how far we have come. His name and his face are clear testament to the fact that Americans may be ready to accept the greatest change of all—a black presi­dent, and with it, the hope that things will be different and better.

In California, Asians chose Clinton over Obama by a 3-1 margin. Why is Hillary so popular among Asians? The Clintons are a known commodity and democratic Asian voters lean conserva­tive. Golden State voters seemed less swayed by a nebulous promise of change and more drawn to substantive experi­ence and concrete policy knowledge.

Given the failures of the Bush Ad­ministration, they want change, just not too much of it and they don’t know Obama.

The Clinton campaign also reached out early to Asian politicians, who tend to have significant influence in their communities. Obama supporters, now more aware than ever that every vote counts, are catching on and stepping up their outreach to the Asian community.

Obama’s appeal is more difficult to pin down. His legislative accom­plishments do not stand out nor does his agenda differ substantially from Clinton’s. Some have said that Obama is the political equivalent of Tiger Woods. The child of a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Kenya, Obama was born in Hawaii and grew up partly in Indonesia.

However, the comparison is not entirely accurate. Tiger earned his respect with his extraordinary talent and his lineage only accentuated his accomplishments.

The same cannot be said for Obama. His ethnicity has distinguished him from his peers. He has yet to show that the promise of Obama will be matched by the reality of Obama. Instead, he may be the political equivalent of the Macarena. He’s now, he’s hip. But what will he be like in four years?

Looking across the political aisle, John McCain seems to be the typical Republican candidate. He’s white, con­servative and spent much of his adult life, more than 25 years, in political office. In practice, McCain has tried to create an image for himself as a political maverick, tilting against the establish­ment/special interest windmills.

He even calls his presidential caravan the “Straight Talk Express,” a backward slap at the perception that everything coming out of Capital Hill is either not what it seems or is self-serving.

Not traditionally conservative, Mc­Cain’s agenda can cross party lines and could attract Democratic voters who may not be happy with their party’s nominee. He broke ranks with the Republican Party on several notable is­sues, including an immigration reform proposal, which he co-sponsored with Edward Kennedy, a favorite Republican whipping boy. He also supported a suc­cessful effort to implement campaign finance reform, adding to his image as a reformer.

This election has been a long, bitter, and bruising campaign. It has tested the mettle of each candidate, with accusa­tions and recriminations flying across the airwaves and in print. Each has been forced to develop and clearly state their agendas and to defend them when incon­sistencies become apparent. As a result, Americans will know exactly what they are getting in their candidates. May the best man or woman win.
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Joe Soong writes from Alhambra. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.