What In The Hell Is Going On?
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, Barack, Media
If Obama gets the nomination, will he simply destroy the Republican candidate?
The reason I ask is because I’m reading stuff from all these hardcore Republicans about how they’re being moved to tears by his speeches. It is literally unbelievable, but there it is nonetheless.
Check out what conservative stalwart Bill Bennett is saying:
“There’s clearly a matter of heart going on here,” Bennett says after his morning radio show. “He’s a cool guy, a handsome guy, has a fabulous voice. A leading Democratic candidate, a black man in America, and he does not talk about race, does not play the race card. It appeals to the better angels of all our natures.”
And from the more moderate Joe Scarborough:
“I get e-mails from Republicans, who’ve never voted for a Democrat before, saying they were tearing up during his Iowa speech,” he says from New Hampshire. “I don’t think they’re being calculated and cynical. This is so damn great for America.”
Even those getting shots in at him, still end up praising him…
[...] even as a “self-absorbed” Obama spouts “airy cliches,” [National Review columnist Rich] Lowry says, he found himself standing on tiptoe at a recent Obama speech. “It’s really something magical,” he says. “You’re almost not an American if you don’t feel stirred by what his victory would represent symbolically. Here’s a guy who 50 years ago couldn’t have gone in certain restrooms and motels.”
And there it is. Race. That’s what the hell is going on.
But what makes it truly special and unique is that it’s race without race. Obama is smart enough to know that people aren’t color blind and they see that he’s a black man. But what he’s saying is let’s come together and forge forward together as a unified country, free from the demonization and anger of the past. And honestly folks, only a person of color can do that.
And so the tears. And so the hope. And so the unity.
At least that’s my guess.
What’s yours?
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January 8th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
If Huckabee or Romney or nominated, Obama’s got another vote. As independent as I like to claim that I am, this would be the first time that I vote for a democrat for president.
January 8th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
One conservative, one moderate’s opinion and some of their listeners do not make up the whole Republican Party.
Don’t hold your breath for me to switch parties.
Speeches alone don’t move me. If others don’t care about what he’s to offer besides clichés, I do.
What we are witnessing is similar to the Beatles’s success. People screaming and crying, acting like in a trance. While that makes for good entertainment, it doesn’t translate in the qualities and core needed by the leader of one of the most influential countries in the world.
January 8th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Obama exudes hope in a way few candidates can — not just because he says a lot of pretty things but because there is something fundamentally dynamic about him, he’s not moribund like so many of our politicos. People believe he can change America because he himself seems changable, in the very best meaning of that word.
Or maybe it is the race element. Cynically speaking, whites see Obama as the great guilt healer, as if electing him president would bring a kind of wound closure to our nation. Cynicism aside, he does represent a post-racial-politics America where color is only one aspect of identity rather than the driving force behind who we each are.
When I read his “issues” section of his website I think “very typical liberal.” But when I hear him speak — there’s something powerful. Either he’s one hell of a charlatan or he’s one of those “right men at the right time” we Americans have proven so adept at finding throughout our history.
January 8th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Actually, it’s his foreign policy, but thanks for the ad-hominem. Whether or not he can deliver is another matter entirely (same being true for all candidates) but in my opinion, if the majority of republicans are foolish enough to nominate Romnabee, I’m out.
Paul is the only fiscal conservative and he’s not going to go the distance. I can get the same tax n spend domestic policy from the democrats that I can get from the current crop of republicans, except that since I make less than 250k annually I become the primary beneficiary of the dems’ spending. So for me, foreign policy is the defining issue.
And listening to their stance on that issue leads me to Obama. IF Paul actually had a chance I’d vote for him despite his foreign policy, because his domestic policy is in my opinion the one thing this country needs most.
January 8th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Rob, who are you accusing of ad-hom?
January 8th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Alan, that’s a very broad brush “whites see Obama as the great guilt healer.”
Admittedly, there are some, and they are democrats.
January 8th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
You notice that all of this Obama talk in the media has nothing to do with any controversial positions he holds, or any positions at all for that matter. Its about him making you swoon and feel good about yourself. People project what they want him to be onto him, as ASC said above.
Maybe if he pulls that act across the Islamic world, terrorists will become happy, and feel “hope” and “change” and stop attacking us. Or maybe they will want to kill him because they believe he is an apostate Muslim. =P
January 8th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
“whites see Obama as the great guilt healer.” You painted with a wide brush. The only whites I know that feel that way are democrats.
January 8th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Justin, my initial comments don’t post. Only do after I rewrite them. Feel free to delete #1 again.
Next time it happens, I’ll wait 10 minutes next time it happens.
January 8th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
My theory: Barack Oblique’s Smooth Talk Express is about to be torpedoed out of the water by Bush waging war on Iran… That’s what the near-conflagration yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz is all about.
Hope I’m wrong. But Bush & the GOP will do anything. Anything.
January 8th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
“But Bush & the GOP will do anything. ”
ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz You are wrong. However, don’t let facts get in the way of your conspiracy theories. Just because it’s in your head, doesn’t mean it’s not true. ;)
In the event, his chance for the nomination implodes look no further than Hillary.
Not to forget, EVERYBODY has not fallen for the guy, so maybe you ought to lower your expectation a tad. NH, like IA the whole country do not make.
January 8th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Yes, Mr. G, he does transcend the race factor with his message and he doesn’t sound like a politician with his tone.
Another factor may be how strong of a contrast there is with him then to the previous 8 years we’ve had to endure. Let’s see how opposite – how much of a 180* swing we can create with our next choice for president. And such is how our politics go.
Does anyone have any idea from Obama’s history if he actually can bring people together? He makes himself sound like a moderate, but all I hear from others is liberal. I need proof, as well – time to crank up that search engine!
January 8th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Elisabetta: a purposefully wide brush. I was just delivering an explanation from a cynical viewpoint, not something I necessarily believe.
BenG: you’ll be looking a long time if you’re looking at policy. Other than bucking the teacher’s union and supporting merit pay for teachers, he’s been a pretty predictable policy liberal in his time in office. However, being a senator lets you (sometimes even forces you) to keep behind party lines. Primaries also tend to hold candidates to their bases. If he gets the nom, I’ll be watching closely to see if he starts breaking away from the standard Democratic line. I don’t know how he expects to create unity with a platform that has proven divise time and time again.
January 8th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Alan, I thought so. Just looking for confirmation.
January 8th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
If Bush and the GOP are bold enough to send suicide-bombing Iranian speed-boats to attack their own Navy, then watch out for that grassy knoll, Obama!
January 8th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
“In all great changes of established governments, forms ought to give way to substance.” James Madison, 1788
January 9th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Gee, Elisabetta, I’m white and Democratic, and I don’t feel in need of healing my supposed guilt. And it seems to me your party nominated and elected a guy with far less “core” and experience than Obama has to be leader of the strongest nation in the free world (the governorship of Texas being notorious for having very little actual governing authority), and look where that’s gotten us: in an interminable war, in debt, and in denial of our own Constitution. Your comment about form giving way to substance is well taken, but look at the field on the Republican side – I don’t think you have any more to brag about there in terms of hard-core wonkiness than the Dems have. Huckabee? Romney? 9ui11iani? I can sum up their messages as follows: I’m religious; I’m a businessman; I’m a tough guy. The way all the other pols in BOTH races have suddenly ‘discovered’ and taken up the need for change as their own heartfelt cause says to me that many, many people on both sides recognize that there is something fundamentally broken about our political system – something for which 43, flanked by his henchmen Cheney and Rove, is primarily responsible. Your brushing off many fellow Americans’ anger as being “conspiracy theories” and “all in your head” truly sends me over the edge. Those of us who value the ideas of rule of law, transparent government, and participatory democracy have good reason to dislike this administration. Face it, huge chunks of the American populace don’t trust Bush for a reason – the reason being that the members of his administration have lied, repeatedly, in order to justify whatever ends they wanted to achieve. Oh, and I like the way you take ASC to task for using a wide brush – and then wield it yourself. Nicely done.
January 9th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
My statement didn’t say “All” dems indulge in the guilty trip for politial correctness, rather, than those that do are dems rather than conservatives. There is a difference.
Also, my remark to Alan was to gain understanding of where he was coming from. I didn’t rant and he didn’t take offense to my question.
Incidentally, this thread is about Obama, but I see how you conveniently turned it into a Bush-bashing session.
January 9th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
After posting my comment I realize it’s not as clear as I intended. It should read.
“My statement didn’t say “All†dems indulge in the guilty trip for politial correctness, rather, than whites that happen to be dems are more prone to feel the way Alan described than conservatives.
January 9th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Ceci: “Your brushing off many fellow Americans’ anger as being “conspiracy theories†and “all in your head†truly sends me over the edge.”
Where did you come up with that red herring?
I dismissed one thing and one alone. The outlandish charge made by David D. that if anything were to go wrong with “Barack Oblique’s Smooth Talk Express” it’s President Bush’s doing. HOW?!
He attempts to correlate a potential President Bush’s response to the Iranian’s provocation to the destruction of Obama, in the likelihood the latter loses. Harebrained, in the least!
This is the exact reason why many people think dems – in general – are kooks. No matter WHAT goes wrong…blame Bush.
But there’s more. Instead of disassociating yourself from that mindset, you criticize me for something I never said and you fabricated. Go figure!
January 10th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
“No matter WHAT goes wrong … blame Bush.” You said that, did you not?
A lot of Republicans do the same thing on the other side – when questions arise, find a Clinton to bash. Let’s face it, the gridlock we are currently enjoying requires TWO sides to maintain.
I agree that the Iranian naval conflict is not connected to Obama’s candidacy in any way. But you referenced conspiracy theories in general, not one specific one. And I stand by my contention – that the reason many people may see (admittedly extreme) conspiracy behind every Presidential action is because the current administration has given them reason to see one, beginning with the closed-door energy policy meetings in 2001. I appreciate your clarifying the intention of your prior comment.
January 10th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Yes. I said it, in the context of what I was commenting.
The rest was: “In the event, his chance for the nomination implodes look no further than Hillary.
Not to forget, EVERYBODY has not fallen for the guy, so maybe you ought to lower your expectation a tad. NH, like IA the whole country do not make.”
Although, I only quoted the end of David D.’s comments, his previous allegation was at the center of my response.
Sometimes, I rush to post before I proofread. Thanks.
You seem a reasonable individual and I value your candor in the last paragraph.
I concede that mistakes have been made by this administration, as have all the previous ones.
However, the tarring and feathering, the constant besmirching that has gone on for the past 7 years, to make President Bush out to be an evil man, while democrats – in Congress and elsewhere – lied and deceived to promote their own agenda, aided by the MSM has been blatantly overlooked.
I offer that as a reason many believe a mountain of untrue things about President Bush and the majority of republicans are distrustful of democrats and the media.