I hate to be the skunk at the ball. I also am happy that the junior Senator from Illinois and his young-at-heart acolytes bested the junior Senator from New York and her Rasputin Mark Penn.
But now that Mr. Obama has a victory under his belt, surely it's appropriate to give his positions on issues some closer scrutiny.
Should he get a free pass just because he's tall and dances with Ellen?
Africa Action doesn't think so. They gave Obama a B for his commitment to providing universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS.
That's "B" as in, "Better study harder for the next exam."
Edwards, Richardson, and Clinton got an A. Their report cards are here.
It seems that unlike his Democratic rivals, Senator Obama would not commit to $50 billion in new funding in coming years to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis & malaria. He also would not to commit to the goal of universal access to treatment.
Reading the candidates' statements on the issues one can't escape the feeling that Obama's answers are (Bill) Clintonian. He feels their pain. Where the other candidates make specific commitments, Obama offers vague phrases. All hat, no cattle, as Jim Hightower used to say.
Africa Action says Obama's plan "does not go far enough, for instance, instead of debt cancellation, he talks of reducing debt, instead of universal access to treatment, he talks of increasing the numbers; does not commit enough money."
In contrast, Governor Richardson, in addition to supporting $50 billion, has a specific plan that includes 100% IMF debt cancellation and trade policies that support access to generic drugs.
Senator Clinton, in addition to supporting $50 billion, says she will ensure "universal access to treatment and care" and champion "universal basic education."
What about Senator Edwards? In addition to supporting $50 billion, universal access to treatment, and reforming trade policy, he has pledged to lead a global jihad for universal education. This is from his website:
Edwards will endorse the goal of universal basic education by 2015 and commit $3 billion a year to this cause--enough to enroll 23 million children--and encourage our allies to provide the remaining $7 billion needed. Edwards will invest in effective public education where available and community-based schools in other areas. Countries and schools receiving aid will be required to eliminate fees for attendance, books, and uniforms that bar millions of students from enrolling [my emphasis.]
Sign me up.
Other candidates have talked about universal access to education, but only Edwards, as far as I know, has pledged as part of his campaign to work for the abolition of school fees, a brutal legacy of IMF and World Bank bureaucrats indoctrinated with economic dogmas that they don't understand. Without abolition of school fees, there cannot be universal access to education. I searched the campaign websites of the other candidates and could find no reference to this issue - even on the campaign website of Representative Kucinich, which is very surprising because his office gave key leadership to Congressional efforts to compel the US Treasury Department to stop supporting IMF and World Bank policies that endorsed school fees.
There is popular but unexamined notion that in terms of policy, Mr. Obama is Mr. Africa. It's time for the free pass to expire.