I was in the supermarket a couple of weeks before school started and two men were debating whether the Giants could beat the Cowboys in the playoffs. The tone and substance of their conversation made it clear to me that they were your typical casual fan. They watch the games, maybe listen to a little sports talk radio and that’s it.

Now I consider myself informed, I read multiple websites, listen to podcasts, and read the papers. I was fairly certain that the Giants could win. But then one of the men in the supermarket dropped the hammer.

In a way meant both to punctuate and end the conversation then and there, he said, “Look, I want the Giants to win as much as anybody, but they played the Cowboys twice and lost both times. They can’t beat them.” I realized that no one could argue with this man’s simple logic. I felt that I know better, but who is to say that what I have read trumps the actual real-life results.

And I think this is a perfect analogy to the Democratic primary. That might seem contrived and silly but not if you look at how things often play out. Politics is like sports times 100. The same ferocity of opinion exists but the stakes are higher. You have Hillary Clinton, who represents the established Democratic party and Barack Obama, a new face to the party. I read about this election on a daily basis. I read CNN, Slate, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and the top stories on Yahoo! and Google News.

So I feel informed. I don’t think there’s any shadow of a doubt that Obama can win. But some people aren’t so sure. My mother isn’t so sure and neither are some of her co-workers. This makes me somewhat exasperated but then she throws out one of those logical bowling balls. “There has never been an African-American President. I don’t think the country is ready.” And she’s right. At least about the first part.

In the history of the United States there has not been a black candidate that was this viable. The status quo is easy to maintain. Change is hard. I don’t mean change like the increasingly dull buzzword adopted by every candidate after it resonated with voters taken by Obama’s campaign. But real change. A seminal moment when our electorate puts our country on a refreshingly new path.

But are we ready? The answer is a resounding yes. Consider what Obama has come back from. He faced a difficult situation when he was deciding if he should declare himself a candidate. Declare too soon and you appear to be opportunistic, someone who used the Senate as a stepping stone. Declare too late and you risk giving Hillary too much of a headstart. Despite starting late he raised $103 million compared to Hillary’s $118 million in 2007. He raised a primary-record $32 million in January of 2008 alone. He did it with lots of small donors, young people and lower income people. Hillary is doing it with fewer big-money donors.

People see an African-American man and worry about his electability in the general election but the myth of a racial disadvantage was dispelled on Jan. 2 by three words: Obama wins Iowa. A state whose population is 94% white said he was good enough to be their President. That works for me.

Recent polls show Obama closing the gap with Clinton. Polls have been derided for their dubious reliability but they can be helpful in highlighting trends. A Washington Post poll from Feb. 3 shows that Clinton is favored nationally by 47 percent and Obama by 43 percent. A lead that was once in the high double-digits is now at less than five percent. With Obama flexing his newfound financial muscle, the race appears like it will only get closer.

Many people mistakenly think that the results of Super Tuesday will leave us with a Democratic nominee. By all accounts, neither candidate will get enough delegates and this will be a protracted battle for the nomination. Hillary and Obama will continue to wage epic campaigns against each other. So vote on Tuesday, and if you think that Hillary is the best candidate then vote for her. But when evaluating Obama’s candidacy look anywhere but to the past. Because the future is now. Obama can win.