Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says personality more than policy distinguishes him from other Democratic candidates. He cites his ability to unite the country, his experience living overseas and, when asked, his race.

"I can convene a forum with Muslim leaders, and I will be heard differently from some of the other candidates," Obama, a first-term U.S. senator from Illinois, told Monitor editors and reporters during an hour-and-a-half interview this week. "I can go to a country like Indonesia, where I spent four years as a kid, or Kenya, where I still have a grandmother who lives in a tiny village with no running water and no electricity, and deliver a message that's tough but compassionate."

Obama's time living abroad made him appreciate American freedoms and better understand other cultures, he said.

"You have an appreciation of the backbreaking poverty in other countries and the desperation people feel, and the anger and resentment that can arise from that kind of poverty," he said, pointing to the desires of Iraqis who want "freedom from want and freedom from fear."

He also learned how other countries view America. "At times we don't show our best selves to the world, and I think our hypocrisies are amplified when you're standing outside," he said, highlighting President Bush's stance on nuclear weapons. "For us to suggest that we can do whatever we want and not be bound by the language of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, and expect we're going to have leverage with the international community in dealing with Iran and North Korea, is an example of not being able to see how our behavior looks from the outside."

Obama also discussed his identity as an African-American. "I'm part of a generation . . . who benefited from a lot of the struggles of the civil rights movement but wasn't an active participant, which means I don't have some scars that an earlier generation still carries with them," he said. "That doesn't mean that I'm not as committed to those values that the civil rights generation fought for."

Obama said the country has made enormous progress on race relations but still has a long way to go, and he hopes to address those shortcomings as president. "The overwhelming majority of Americans today believe in the non-discrimination principle in a way that was not true to a

previous generation. On the other hand, the majority of Americans don't spend a lot of time thinking about, and aren't affected by, the gap between our ideals and our reality," he said. "Black kids are, in substandard schools, or the young men down in Jena were, and those who are impacted by the criminal justice system."

Obama said his election could improve race relations. "If I go visit a classroom as president of the United States, it changes how black kids think about themselves, it changes how white kids think about blacks," he said. "It means also that I can say certain truths that might be more difficult for other candidates to say. . . . I've talked about the need for more responsibility among black fathers. I've talked about the need for parents to do more to instill a sense of educational achievement in black kids."

The major difference between himself and the other Democrats that Obama has stressed throughout his campaign is a belief in his ability to unite the country and work with Republicans.

"You've got to break out of what I call the 50-plus-one pattern of presidential politics, which means you have nasty primaries where everyone's disheartened, then you divide the country 45 percent on one side, 45 percent on the other, 10 percent in middle, all of whom live in Florida and Ohio," he said. "Then maybe you eke out a victory of 50 plus one. You can't govern." Hillary Clinton is a "50 plus one" candidate, he said.

Obama cited his experience working with Republican senators on bills relating to arms control, government accountability and fuel efficiency standards. He also cited his 55 percent approval ratings among Republicans, despite his reputation as a progressive Democrat. He said building consensus and minimizing negativity does not mean being a wimp. "When I arrived in Chicago, I didn't know a soul," he said. "Twenty years later, I'm one of the most powerful Democrats in the state. I know how to throw an elbow if I have to."

Obama's emphasis on procedure was most apparent when he discussed his health care plan - which he says will be a top priority during his presidency, second only to Iraq. He called the plans of the three Democratic front-runners "95 percent identical" and said the only substantial difference was that he would not mandate universal health care. He believes government must first make health care affordable before implementing a mandate.

"The truth is, Edwards, Hillary and myself all essentially have the same health care plan with some very modest tweaks around the edges. The question then becomes who can actually deliver on it, and I believe I can deliver on it in a way the others can't," Obama said.

He particularly criticized Clinton's health care failure as first lady. "She says . . . it was a lonely battle," Obama said. "Well, 80 percent of the American people at that time wanted universal health care. So if she was lonely with 250 million people on her side, it was because she closed the door to negotiations that alienated potential allies, as well as didn't bring the American people into the process."

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