The recent ascension of Barack Obama to likely Democratic Party nominee has been accompanied by the usual banality associated with political campaigns. Without the vigor, excitement and gratuitous regularity thrusting him into the spotlight, this supportive palaver of acolytes and fans would probably be uneventful in an election season.
Irrespective of the emotional plea, we have history to help guide us towards a more sober and wise reality; that platitudes and prosaical commentary are never a solid basis for judging a candidate. Nonetheless, we witness the following comments;
.. remarkably pleasant in feature as if his nose, his lips, his teeth and his eyes had had their separate life while he was growing but could now live in family peace. Yes, he was quiet in his charisma, and no massings of energy rose like thunderheads from his brow. You could come near him in a room before you were aware he was there. Nonetheless, his aura was hardly the same as other people's. Happiness came off him. It was as if he knew that God had given him intelligence and good work that would make sense, and so he could give his strength to the world and get new strength back. The emotional meat of the heart might be free of the common bile.
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Or furthermore, this;
..the flattering intensity with which he talks -- and listens -- to individuals. There is his reassuring sense of himself, his evident intelligence, his successful projection of worthy goals beyond his own private ambitions. Then, of course, he lacks the scars of national politics; he seems free of entanglements with party bosses, special interests and power blocs. His is a fresh political face at a time when there seems much weariness with familiar ones.
If replicated often enough, it is easy to see how such glowing commentary would assist or propel a candidate towards victory in the primary and perhaps a general election. After all, everyone likes a winner, a person with personality and force of will. Someone who will change the landscape and set us on a new course. But taking a reflective step backwards, there are many other observations to be made which determine the perspicacity of that decision. These include the proven ability of a candidate to deliver on their vision, the honest principals they hold dear and what has been achieved in order for us to believe they can accomplish explicated promises.
Unquestioned platitudes accentuated by fervor and emotion yet unaccompanied by intellectual observations have produced some of the most disastrous consequences throughout history. In this respect, I would offer the preceding quotes are not about Barack Obama: they were written about Jimmy Carter. The first excerpt is commentary by Norman Mailer and the second from a 1976 Time Magazine article.
President Carter’s success in winning the election was in no small part due to the countries dissatisfaction with political, social and global affairs. In a world of post Vietnam vestiges, Watergate denouements and deteriorating economic conditions our electorate pined for change. Arguably, Mr. Carter represented what people reflexively thought they wanted and his rise to prominence was touted as a godsend by liberal factions outside the party intelligentsia. Nonetheless, a deeper exploration of President Carter’s role as Governor or his real proclivities in an economic, military or social sense could have revealed the impending disaster which became his legacy; the deterioration of our military, the rise of dangerous states such as Iran, economic turmoil and oil prices that spiked to 100 year records.
Whether real or perceived, we find ourselves back at the edge of a political precipice. The war in Iraq, while defensible as sagacious remains controversial. Our political situation is subject to all time popularity lows. The world situation remains dangerous albeit not of our own doing. The economy while troubling of late has been strong for the better part of our last eight years and of course oil prices are high due to global demand.
The impulsive response of our populace is to achieve change all costs. As a rather calculated response, Mr. Obama’s campaign has adopted this theme in an attempt to harness our anger, anxiety and desires. Yet in reality this is another specious, politically calculated act attempting to distract us from his lack of credentials, achievements and proven fundamental beliefs. For all his faults and failures, Mr. Carter was a Naval Officer, Governor and popular with Evangelicals. In contrast, Mr. Obama does not even have a fraction of those accomplishments or support. Nor does Obama have any tangible evidence he can deliver on any of his agenda. In fact, whether it is his sophomoric opines on world affairs, questions about his financial backers and mentors, pervasive inability to vote wisely on important matters or recent designation as the most liberal Senator, there is more unexplored evidence to the contrary. Yet, calamity marches on and will continue unabated unless wisdom and patience triumph over impulse.
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