CHICAGO--(10 February ‘07) Senator Barack Hussein Obama’s campaign to become President of the United States seems to be getting off to a confused start in Springfield, Illinois. This confusion is amplified by the mainstream media.

We hear from the media that Senator Barack Hussein Obama has a chance to become the first black President. Yet, was it not so long ago that William Jefferson Clinton was spoken of as being our first black President by this same media?

And what of the other Clinton? Hillary Rodham Clinton has her eye on the presidency, as well. There are at least three reasons why she will win the Democratic Party’s nomination: she has all the money, the Clinton’s still control much of the Democratic Party, and this is her last chance, it’s either do it now, or never.

That leaves us with two unanswered questions: Why does Hillary Rodham Clinton want to be President again, and what’s in this for Senator Barack Hussein Obama? The answer to the first question is obvious, but the answer to the second could lead to confusion and a Democratic Party defeat.

If Senator Barack Hussein Obama has his eye on being Vice President, that is to share the ticket with Hillary Rodham Clinton, then he’d better reconsider. A Clinton/Obama ticket would never win against a Guiliani/whomever.

So, what is Senator Barack Hussein Obama up to? Perhaps he just likes to confuse things or wants to be seen as a progressive son of Illinois. But that is confusing because we already had a progressive daughter from Illinois run for President. Have we forgotten about Senator Carol Mosely Braun so soon? Perhaps Senator Barack Hussein Obama’s ambition is to be just Senator Carol Mosely Braun lite.

We hear also that Senator Barack Hussein Obama wants to build up our military and make America strong again. He also wants to have a new generation spreading freedom across the world, yet he thinks the war that removed the evil dictator Saddam Hussein was a mistake and that we ought to retreat from victory in Iraq. This is certainly confusing.

Senator Barack Hussein Obama wants to bask in the light of Abraham Lincoln, too. How much more confused can you get than that? Lincoln was a state legislator from Illinois who went on to become President, a beleaguered President who fought a difficult civil war to victory. Will someone from the mainstream media please tell Senator Barack Hussein Obama that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican!

Robert Klein Engler lives in Chicago. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago Divinity School. His book, A WINTER OF WORDS, about the turmoil at Daley College, is available from amazon.com.