More on poverty

Why doesn't Obama talk more about poverty on the campaign trail? And why, specifically, won't he make this the core of his campaign in Pennsylvania? What he has said on poverty is more profound, more heartfelt and more moving than anything Hillary is saying.

In a speech in July, Obama said: "The moral question about poverty in America - How can a country like this allow it? - has an easy answer: we can't. The political question that follows - What do we do about it? - has always been more difficult." Is he stumbling over the fact that he can't answer the question? I would say to the campaign: it doesn't matter. No one can answer that question at the start of the process. Map out a beginning, let's talk about the details of the problem--the role education and joblessness and isolation and hopelessness and federal policies on wages play--and then let's commit ourselves to change. When JFK promised we'd land on the moon before the 60's ended, he knew less about rocketry than Obama knows about poverty. His starting points are right on target: Make sure that every child in America has good schools. Make sure every worker earns a living wage. Make sure the disintegrating social fabric of our poorest and most desperate neighborhoods is repaired. And these goals can be achieved, or at least targeted, with federal legislation in the first 100 days of his administration. Make that the pledge. And then pledge to eliminate poverty in 30 years, as Edwards has.

Oh. And get Edwards' endorsement.