Obama in Kenya

Barack Obama is in Kenya, visiting the place of his father's birth. He has seen family, including the grandmother he had not seen for fourteen years, and has received a hero's welcome. He also has been saying the sorts of things that many of us have been arguing for some time. For example, in a speech at the University of Nairobi, he told his audience:

"Kenya and other African nations will never thrive if their citizens cannot count on government to deliver services fairly, regardless of their tribal background or ability to pay bribes."

Indeed, not to keep shamelessly pimping it, but I would like to think that Obama might really like this.

I'm absolutely willing to take Obama's trip at face value. But he is surely garnering invaluable publicity, and as a consequence, a more-than-ancillary benefit of the glow in which he is basking in Kenya is that he will accrue serious gravitas points for his almost inevitable run for the presidency, whether that comes in 2008 or beyond. I am a big Obama booster, and am excited about what he might be able to do for Africa if ever given the opportunity.