The Thicket at State Legislatures touches on an issue that occurred to me as a difference between Obama and McCain. The Thicket notes that it is rare in modern politics for the President to have past state legislative experience. (The Thicket’s entry mentions a tongue-in-cheek remedy for this problem).
Obama served for eight years in the Illinois legislature and was a grass roots organizer at the local city level. McCain seems destined to have gone pretty much from cradle to grave within the confines of the federal government. His grandfather and father were admirals in the Navy. He was employed by the Navy and almost immediately entered the United States Congress. He had a brief stint employed by the father of his mistress-turned-wife.
State and local government is really where the rubber meets the road in terms of how government affects our daily life. On the occasions when I’ve seen federal government employees interacting with the public (federal flood relief representatives, for example), their demeanor and approach was generally imperious and unresponsive. State and particularly local officials are closer to the people they serve and are, therefore, much more responsive to their needs. Obama’s state government experience would be an asset to the nation if he were to win the Presidency.
Could it be that we see few State Reps jump to high level Fed posts exactly because of the reason you cite that Obama’s time at the State level will help him.
That State Politics is closer to the voter and therefor much messier.
But surely that can’t be an issue for a Chicago politician, can it?
From my experience living in Chicago for several years, Chicago politics is very local and community oriented. Your alderman is your person of contact and if you want something done,call his office.More often than not,there is action.
When I moved to Chicago, first visit was from my ward alderman,giving me contact information, making sure he knew me and I knew him.
I would say therefore Chicago is very grassroots and community oriented.
Obama could not have worked as a community organizer without knowing and being known by everyone in a wide circumference.