With general election fervor rising and articles such as Mr. Ballesteros's (Advertiser, June 29) appearing, I have witnessed a continuing trend of young voters being urged to vote for Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president. I find it somewhat troubling that those doing the urging tend to use circular logic along the lines of "We're young, he's young, we're for change, he's for change, we're great, he's great, change, change, change!" — never looking beyond Sen. Obama's rhetoric.

Presidential elections are matters of great importance — especially in these uncertain times — and it is the duty of voters to rigorously examine the candidates and to resist the pressure to conform to the popular mindset or to be swept away by captivating oration. Actions speak louder than words, and it is imperative that voters, particularly young voters, compare a candidate's words with his actions, and not confuse eloquence with the ability to govern. Huey Long was a charismatic speaker — George Washington was not.

Today's candidates rose to national prominence in two very different ways, each offering us insight into the two men. After a brief career in Illinois state politics, Sen. Obama rose to national fame through the power of his rhetorical ability — first gaining the national spotlight in 2004 as the keynote speaker at the Democratic Convention. Since then, Obama has frequently stressed his uplifting mantra of "hope" and "change." With vibrant rallies, a youthful appearance and eloquent, well-rehearsed speeches, he has gained the support of many young voters. In essence, Obama has gotten where he is with words, not actions — his political career prior to 2007 was brief and not particularly distinguished. In contrast, John McCain has gotten where he is through his actions — including a brutal five-year stay in Hanoi as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, and a notable 20-year Senate career.

Americans have long desired an end to the partisan wrangling that impedes real progress and problem solving, and both candidates promise to reduce partisanship. Obama claims to be the candidate who can unite us and bring about "change we can believe in." Is there anything in his record to support this claim? During Obama's brief Senate career, he has never crossed the aisle or compromised with Republicans — not once. There is not a single issue on which he has ever voted against the official Democratic Party position. This is not encouraging to anyone who wants a unified future, free from rigid partisan and ideological lines. McCain, on the other hand, has frequently worked with Democrats and gone against the grain of the Republican Party for the sake of passing legislation and solving problems. He has demonstrated a willingness to challenge his own Party — and the powers that be — when he felt it was in the best interest of the American people.

Because it is our duty to examine the candidates, we should be given the opportunity to see them in an unrehearsed, unscripted environment — where they can spontaneously field questions and directly address the concerns of the American people. Sen. Obama has said that he will meet McCain "anywhere, anytime" in debate. Yet Obama has pointedly avoided debates, especially open-ended town hall meetings, even rejecting McCain's modest proposal of 10 joint town hall appearances. What could tell us more about the candidates than an open-ended, off-the-cuff question-and-answer session? We can only learn so much from scripted, prepared speeches. And Obama is determined that these types of speeches remain the primary way we get to know him. John McCain, to the contrary, has attended hundreds of town hall meetings throughout his career, and allowed anyone and everyone to ask him tough questions that let us know who he truly is.

Americans deserve a clear look at both candidates, and I hope that later this year we will have the opportunity to question the candidates and hear their answers in an informal environment, free from the careful packaging that has become an unfortunate feature of American politics. Unless Sen. Obama gets out of the stadiums and levels with the average citizen, many voters will be buying their tickets on the Straight Talk Express.

Graham Hawes, a Hale'iwa resident, is home-schooled and will be a high school senior this fall. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.