President Obama and a School for Service

In an e-mail message sent today, backers of the proposed U.S. Public Service Academy are careful to point out that they do not "support or endorse any particular candidate running for any political or elected office." But they clearly would like to win the front-runners in the presidential race over to their side.

The message, in fact, is an effort to launch a grassroots campaign to encourage Barack Obama to back legislation to create the academy. So far, Obama has offered "rhetorical support" for the idea, the e-mail notes, but hasn't signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. On the other hand, his rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, was one of the earliest proponents of the measure.

Clinton hasn't backed out of the race with Obama yet, but the academy's e-mail seems to treat her defeat -- and, indeed, Obama's eventual election to the presidency -- as something of a foregone conclusion. Exhorting supporters to call Obama's office, the message says they should "explain that the Public Service Academy will embody the spirit of service and the culture of compassion that Sen. Obama stands for. What the Peace Corps was for JFK, the Public Service Academy can be for Sen. Obama -- a national initiative that institutionalizes the idealism of his incoming administration."

Of course, the e-mail also notes that academy backers "are working to win Sen. McCain's support as well" for their proposal.