America faces challenges that require the right combination of steady, visionary and optimistic leadership. Sen. Barack Obama has shown he has the temperament, the judgment and the strength of character to get us through these hard times and reclaim America's leadership position in the world.

At home, Barack Obama has aggressive but pragmatic proposals for healthcare reform, energy independence and public education. Over the course of the campaign, he has laid out a set of policies to protect our middle class and strengthen our economy.

He wants to give 95 percent of workers and their families a tax cut, eliminate income taxes for seniors making under $50,000, bring down the cost of healthcare for families and businesses and create millions of new jobs by investing in clean energy.

And he knows we face an immediate economic emergency requiring urgent action. That is why he has introduced a four-part Rescue Plan for the Middle Class to immediately stabilize our financial system, provide relief to families and communities, and help struggling homeowners.

Strange and frustrating as political campaigns may be by nature, they are a test of leaders' abilities to keep their minds clear, their feet on the ground and their sense of purpose resolute. We have seen time and again Barack Obama shut out the noise, stick to the point and run a disciplined campaign that grew enormous support.

We observed during the debates that he was balanced, knowledgeable and clear. As the mortgage meltdown began, he displayed a command of the issues, an understanding of the politics, and a sense of calm and proportion that gave many of us comfort and confidence. And finally, in his most important decision as a presidential candidate he selected a highly qualified and wise running mate in Senator Biden, while his opponent took a different path.

For those of us who have been involved from early on with the Obama campaign, it has been amazing to see the diversity of people engaged in the effort, especially the outpouring of young people who until now seemed distant from politics. Tens of thousands of new Hawai'i voters are feeling that they can make a difference — that their vote, their work, their contributions matter.

It's with particular pride that we elect a president from Hawai'i, who will periodically return here to see family and friends, enjoy a shave ice and some fun in the ocean. Others are surprisingly dismissive of this aspect of Obama's candidacy, but it has to be said: Senator Obama has Hawai'i in his head and in his heart. We heard it in his message of inclusiveness. We see it in his fair and open style, and his complete ease with diversity. And most of all we feel that Barack knows that we all have more in common than we have dividing us — that we are all in this together.

Barack Obama will bring America energy, intellect, vision and a steady hand. He is a remarkable leader, just a vote away.

Brian Schatz is chariman of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i and spokesperson for Obama for Hawai'i. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.

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