The Crux of the Problem

EATONVILLE -- About 500 people rose to their feet in a standing ovation worthy of a rock star as U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., hit the stage Saturday at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church.

The charismatic black politician from Chicago, who at 43 has achieved almost icon status since his wildly popular speech at last year's Democratic convention, was in town to bolster the upcoming Senate campaign of his colleague U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.

The occasion was Nelson's eighth and final town-hall meeting around the state during the past week.

"This is your meeting," Nelson told the racially mixed crowd from around the area. "Barack and I want to hear from you."

But the mood was more love fest than town meeting.Dozens of cell-phone cameras in the audience framed the lanky Obama as he described Nelson as an "honest, hardworking and insightful senator."

Nelson, 62, who faces a tough re-election campaign next year against U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Sarasota, returned the favor, calling Obama "a rock star who carries himself with dignity and humility and is so smart.

"They were preaching to the choir.Only seven people stood to address the senators during the hourlong meeting. But everyone listened closely as the two men responded to issues that ranged from worries over the out-of-power Democratic Party to the rising cost of health care and Florida's inadequately funded pre-kindergarten program.

The most provocative question was the first.

"I see a Democratic Party afraid to say they're Democrats, who voted for the war in Iraq and voted for tax cuts for the wealthy," said Glenn Anderson of Orlando. "Why should I remain a Democrat?"

It was a tough question. But Nelson and Obama tried to answer it.

"The Democrats at times have lost their way," conceded Obama. "We are trying to decide what our core values are."

The criterion for judging the party isn't whether it's to the left or right, "but are we true to our core values," he said. Nobody defined core values.