Who is the real Barack Obama? Undoubtedly, he is a brilliant writer, an eloquent speaker, a rock star of a candidate. But, setting aside Sen. Obama's charisma and lofty oratory about "hope" and "change," do any of us know what the man actually stands for -- if anything?????

Yes, we do know that Obama opposed the Iraq war from the beginning and that he now favors diplomacy with Iraq's neighbors, including Iran. And that, if elected, he'd advocate allotting $2 billion or more to help Iraqi refugees. And, oh right, that he'd withdraw one or two U.S. combat brigades each month, with the goal of bringing all combat brigades home within 16 months -- though keeping a residual force to protect American diplomats and target al-Qaida.

But do we know the senator's stance on how to construct a working public-library system in Baghdad? What about his views on establishing an off-track betting site in Kirkuk? And can any of us pretend to know how Obama plans to get Sunnis, Shias and Kurds to agree on a recycling program?

For that matter, can anyone decipher Obama's ideas on environmentalism here at home?

Sure, the senator may discuss a "market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions" by "80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050." And that he wants to institute a new National Low Carbon Fuel Standard, increase funding for the Conservation Security Program, eliminate traditional incandescent light bulbs by 2014, create a Green Jobs Corps, fight for a 25 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard and blah, blah, blah.

All well and good, but what does Sen. Obama believe should be allowed in the American people's blue bins? He has been curiously mum about glossy paper.

But let's not talk about Al Gore-created issues, but about real ones. Like race in America. Turns out Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, has said some pretty awful things about this country.

How can we be certain Sen. Obama doesn't feel the same as Wright does? Has Obama done anything whatsoever to repudiate Wright's sermons and articulate his own ideas? Anything at all? Something along the lines of a well-crafted, from-the-heart 40-minute, 5,000-word speech, perhaps? I've been working nonstop on this piece the last three days, but I'll check after I hand it into my editor.

And how about more bread-and-butter campaign issues. Like abortion. We may know Obama believes in upholding a woman's right to choose. But think of all we don't know. For instance: Has Obama ever performed an abortion? Has he ever needed one himself? And, comb through his record all you want, but I defy you to find the senator's take on the abortion scene in "Dirty Dancing."

Then there is the issue of health care. Obama may have a "plan," and it may be "long," and it may on his "Web site," but could someone from the Obama camp please explain why the senator doesn't read the entire plan at every primary victory speech?

Indeed, how in the world are you supposed to know anything about Obama if you don't have access to the Internet (or do have a special Web browser that doesn't let you type "Obama and issues" into Google)?

For the sake of argument, let's say you do have Internet access or know someone who does. Even then, how can you believe that what Barack Obama says he believes is actually what he believes and not something he wants us to believe -- and that, even if elected, he'd continue to espouse and act upon these so-called beliefs until his time in office were over and then, many years later, perhaps on his death bed, he'd reveal that, in fact, he all along believed something entirely different?

Sen. Obama, it's time to stop hiding. It's time to come over to my home and repeat to me everything you've ever said, written or thought. I'm dying to meet you!

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Mark Bazer can be reached at mebazer@gmail.com.
(c) 2008, Mark Bazer. Distributed by Tribune Media Services