Every decade or so, a liberal politician bursts onto the forefront of the American political landscape and achieves stardom among young, optimistic voters. This politician uses lofty rhetoric, promises major social change and instills confidence in the progressive potential of America. Bobby Kennedy was this politician in the 1960s. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is this politician today. The enthusiasm Mr. Obama has inspired among the collegiate is nothing short of astounding. The crowds he attracts on campuses are always big and loud, and his Facebook group now has almost 350,000 members. It seems the idealistic sons and daughters of the liberal middle class everywhere are jittery with excitement over their candidate. UW is certainly no exception. Hundreds of students attended the Students for Obama kickoff meeting last Thursday. Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, former chair of Students for a Fair Wisconsin, was one of many who endorsed the Illinois senator at the meeting. He said, "Students are resoundingly in favor of Obama" and that he is "a really great advocate of students on a national level." Significantly, it was announced that the senator will make an appearance in Madison within the coming weeks. Perhaps it's time to inject this annoying love fest with a dose of reality. Although Sen. Obama's oratory skills may be superior to his opponents', his record as a progressive is not. What's worse, many of his positions contradict the very ideals for which he claims to stand. This was not always the case. After graduating from Columbia University in 1985, the young Mr. Obama settled in Chicago to begin work as a social justice advocate. Inspired by radical organizer Saul Alinsky, Mr. Obama became the head of the new Developing Communities Project, which operated on Chicago's Far South Side. His annual salary was $13,000. According to The Nation, he organized more than twenty church congregations in three years. After his graduation from Harvard Law School in 1991, Mr. Obama returned to Chicago to practice law. Working for the civil rights firm Miner Barnhill & Galland, the lawyer Obama "represented community organizers, discrimination victims and [disenfranchised] black voters," according to the International Herald Tribune. Mr. Obama became an inspiring figure. Through his tireless efforts, he became an effective spokesperson and fighter for the poor and oppressed. He engaged with radicals throughout the country, including famed Palestinian-American intellectual Edward Said. Mr. Obama bears little resemblance to his former self. Once the champion of the dispossessed, he is now the champion of political opportunism. Let's briefly examine his not-so-progressive record. Initially opposed to the invasion of Iraq, Mr. Obama has assured the warmongers that we must not "abandon" the troops. His voting record on Iraq is almost indistinguishable from his chief rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. He remains a strong supporter of the invasion of Afghanistan and the increasingly ridiculous farce of the war on terror. Mr. Obama's commitment to equality apparently doesn't extend to poor Mexican immigrants. While publicly stating, "there isn't a stronger friend to the Latino community than me," his voting record says otherwise. In 2006, he voted for the Secure Fence Act, which authorizes the construction of a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border. He also opposes amnesty for undocumented workers. With regard to the Israel-Palestine conflict, the senator's position can only be described as a flip-flop par excellence. Once a critic of U.S. policy in the region, he has since assured the Likud faithful of his support for Israel. Israel is "our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy," Mr. Obama said at a recent American Israel Public Affairs Committee convention. He also said the United States must continue to "fully fund military assistance" to Israel and defended the nation's blitzkrieg in Lebanon last year, stating that the Jewish state has a "legitimate right to defend itself." Regarding the occupation of the West Bank and dehumanization of millions of Palestinians, Mr. Obama had nothing to say. On gay marriage, he is simply on the wrong side. He supports civil unions, but as he said, "My religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman." The absurdity of the former chair of Students for a Fair Wisconsin endorsing this candidate speaks for itself. It should be noted that Mr. Obama's position on the issue is the same as that of Vice President Dick Cheney. If I had more room I could detail his support for Clintonian neoliberalism, hawkish position on Iran and support for limits on the right to sue corporations. Mr. Obama, once a friend of Edward Said and admirer of Saul Alinsky, is now an AIPAC whore and wannabe Bill Clinton. Many blame Mr. Obama's degeneration on the U.S. political machine. Does it matter? Either way, the notion that he is the candidate of progress must be buried once and for all. Kyle Szarzynski ([email protected]) is a junior majoring history and Spanish.