I voted for Hillary in the primary. I was a strong supporter but little by little I began to drift over to the Obama camp. The Clintons relentless approach is something I can admire. Mainly when they are going after people with opposing politics. But I was put off by the way they went after Obama, a fellow Democrat.
One incident that I think accurately captures the different approaches of the Clintons and Obama was Bill Clinton's following comment:
"Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in '84 and '88. Jackson ran a good campaign. And Obama ran a good campaign here."
Bill was trying to say Obama was a joke "black candidate" like Jesse Jackson. His intention was to dismiss Obama and try to tear him down by linking him to a (nationally) unpopular black figure who didn't amount to much in national Democratic politics. Clinton was trying to use race as a way to bring down a fellow Democrat. The message he was sending was "You know how those black candidates are. They all win South Carolina. Don't take them seriously."
Obama played hardball too, but never so blatantly against fellow Democrats.
I remember the moment I crossed the line and became a full fledged Obama supporter.
It was around noon on March 18, 2008. I happened to be home and I turned on CNN and saw Obama giving what is now known as his "A More Perfect Union" speech. In that address Obama took on the issue of race in our nation and he presented a balanced, nuanced view of the issue. He understands how both black people and white people feel about the touchy subject and communicated those concerns without simplifying or misrepresenting those real concerns.
-Election day-
November 4th, 2008 was an historic night for all Americans.
In the same nation that had once enslaved black people a black man was elected leader of the free world.
Barack Obama's election doesn't mean the end of racism. It also doesn't mean our nation's racial rift is healed. What it does mean is that race is not an automatic disqualifier. Just a few decades ago race would automatically mean certain people were not allowed to use certain restrooms or sit in certain parts of the bus or apply for certain jobs.
But Obama's election is about more than just race.
I supported Obama because he articulated the vision of America that I believe in. When Barack Obama says things like "[t]his union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected" I hear someone who shares my view of our great country.I am comforted that Obama shares my values when he says "In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and nothing less, than what all the world's great religions demand - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let us be our brother's keeper, Scripture tells us. Let us be our sister's keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well."
He also impresses me by his actions. On election night Obama reached out to his opponents:
"As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too."
To me Obama's election is proof that in America anything IS possible.
I still find myself getting choked up about it.
What does Obama's election mean to you?
15 comments:
> Barack Obama's election doesn't mean the end to racism. It also doesn't mean our nation's racial rift is healed. What it does mean is that race is not an automatic disqualifier.
I really like how you put that. It's a very apt analysis.
I did not vote for Obama but he is the president and I will support him. I sure hope that he is up to the job at hand.he has a tough job at a difficult time for any president. If he doesn't straighten out some of the problems that we have at this time in America in another four years there will be a different president in office. If he does a good job he gets to stay in office another eight years In either case I sure hope that he succeeds.....Avi
His election reminds me of an episode in Cheers where Frasier his compatriots that he can get Woody 10 percent of the vote: "All you have to is keep using the word change."
This is from Wikipedia:
In Cheers, Frasier also expresses cynicism for the political process. The eleventh season episode "Woody Gets an Election" describes Frasier's insistence that politics in general is a superficial popularity contest, full of insincere candidates who only care about re-election, rather than the promises they make to attain their positions. He makes a bet with Sam that even Woody, a man completely oblivious of the workings of politics could receive 10% of the vote in the upcoming Boston City Council election through utilization of standard campaigning procedure. "Just get up there and say the word 'change' a lot," is a sample of some of the advice Frasier gives Woody. In an unlikely twist, a scandal mars Woody's opponent, and leads to a shocking victory for the dark horse candidate, which causes Frasier some anxiety about the consequences of his experiment (as he visualizes Woody giving the go-ahead for full scale nuclear war).
Despite some of the strong rhetoric about Obama that I've used in debates on this site in the past, the fact is that I voted for Obama in the Primary and was quite enthusiastic about his candidacy early on. It was only when people started taking on this messianic perception of the man that my reservations about his politics and background came to the fore.
In any case, I likewise am very happy to see that a new chapter on race relations in America has begun. I saw a nice little sign at work after the election that went like this: "Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Barak could run. Barak ran so now our children can fly." I understand what this means to Black America and I am glad to live in these positive historic times.
I still have that handful of reservations about Obama, but he's shown a nice amount of tact and good leadership so far and so I remain hopeful. I don't have faith in the man like others seem to maintain but he has always seemed like a good man to me, inexperienced sure but I think his heart is in the right place. He'll be my president just like any other American's and so he has my loyalty. I remain somewhat tentative to see what this means for the future, but confessingly I'm not as wary as I would be if McCain ever showed signs of poor health. The idea of Palin as president was seriously frightening.
Orthoprax, Sarah Palin is far more qualified to be president than Obama.
Lubab, Here we are a month past the election and all you can say positive about Obama is that he can read platitudes from a teleprompter.
There's something more that's involved here than the image he projects or how he makes you feel good about yourself?
Now he has the job. He's going to have to do something that he hasn't done before--make decisions that affect the world.
So what does he do--he's just appointed Hillary as Secretary of State, for heaven's sake. On climate change he's going to listen to Al Gore. As for the economy he's going to emulate FDR, who turned a recession into a major depression. You don't mention any of this. Yet this is seriously scary stuff.
Ichabod Chrain
Yisroel & IC,
I get that you didn't support Obama. That's fine. But let's get back to the original question:
"What does Obama's election mean to you?"
IC,
"Orthoprax, Sarah Palin is far more qualified to be president than Obama."
Yeah, right.
From what I know of her and how she acted during the campaign, she gave me absolutely no confidence in her ability to even speak sensible English in the event of an international crisis much less be any kind of effective leader. The very idea of her facing a potentially nuclear Iran or a belligerent Russia literally kept me up at night and was enough for me to seriously consider changing my vote.
I am 100% relieved to know that I don't need to worry about that anymore.
OP,
I'm curious,
- What did you like about Obama in the primary?
- Why didn't you vote for Hillary?
- And what about McCain or Obama made you feel that your should risk a possible President Palin?
If you were a registered Republican, or if you had voted for Hillary in the primary, I wouldn't be asking these questions. The fact that you voted for Obama and then switched is very interesting to me.
LNM,
"What did you like about Obama in the primary? Why didn't you vote for Hillary?"
I liked that he showed depth of thought in his views. He convinced me more that he was willing to work on both sides of he aisle and be a good leader as opposed to Hillary which I have believed since she ran for Senate - and still believe - is just in politics for the glory and vanity. I'm not convinced she has a genuine bone in her body.
"And what about McCain or Obama made you feel that your should risk a possible President Palin?"
Despite what the talking heads may lead you to believe, the most effective role that the President plays is purely in his status as the Commander in Chief. All of the nice plans on healthcare and social security and blah blah blah needs to first pass through the 535 members of Congress before the President signs off on it and what comes out of Congress is unlikely to look much like what was discussed during any of the debates.
So I very strongly disagree with Obama's stated plans for the Iraq war (which luckily appears to be turning moot), his concilliatory stance with enemy regimes and his general vascillating European intelligentsia-esque way of discussing foreign policy. In short, he made me uncomfortable in the one role where his will most likely becomes reality. Oh he'll likely succeed in improving our image among our European friends, but he does not represent the firm resolve and confidence in our cause that a McCain presidency would show to our enemies.
I didn't really think McCain would become disabled as President but I perversely kinda felt better voting for McCain (at 8pm on election day) knowing that he probably wasn't going to win. He had also really disappointed me by his campaign conduct during the last couple of months.
LNM,
Check it out:
My words, 2/8/08:
"I kinda like Obama too, he stands out as a man of real character - I even voted for him in the primary since I'm a registered Democrat and I would be ok with him as president. But at the end of the day I feel like I see more eye to eye with Mccain, who I believe is also a man of real character and very long on experience, on most of the issues that I care about and that the president has power over. If the election happened tomorrow I'd probably vote for Mccain.
Hopefully Obama will beat Hillary for the nomination and we'll get to have a very interesting year."
http://lubabnomore.blogspot.com/2008/02/higher-purpose.html
Orthoprax,
"Yeah right" isn't such a good argument.
Fact of the matter is that Palin actually ran something and by all accounts has done it pretty well. Obama wasn't ever responsible for running anything. If the thought of Palin facing Iran or Russia scares you, shouldn't the thought of Obama facing them leave you quaking in your boots?
Lubab, the best answer I can give to your question is to quote from
Bookworm Room, who pretty much nailed it:
"In a way, Obama is the ne plus ultra of this selfishness phenomenon. He is, after all, someone whose whole career is devoid of any actual accomplishments other than self-aggrandizement, at which he is a master. His needs are so preeminent in his own mind, that he’s willing to sacrifice an entire country to his inexperience, simply because he thinks it would be a fine idea for him to get the recognition he feels he deserves simply because he is who he is. What’s sadder than his narcissistic desire for the fulfillment of his own selfish need for aggrandizement is that a little more than half of our citizens displayed the same traits in voting for him: they didn’t cast their votes because they thought he’d be good for America; they cast those votes because they wanted to make themselves feel good about voting for a black man. The Hell with America; it’s all about me."
www.bookwormroom.com/
I don't think I'd go quite that far, but it's close. I think she's nailed the reason for the Obama mystique, although she probably goes too far when it comes to the average voter. Many of those who voted for Obama probably really did think he'd be good for America. But I think those people have been brainwashed (as illustrated by your statement about improving our image among the Europeans, or have rationalized away their vote.
Still now that he's the president, I won't be taking cheap shots at him like many of Dems did to Bush. But I will criticize him when I think he's made a mistake, like appointing Hillary and giving credibilty to Al Gore.
Ichabod Chrain
>>I get that you didn't support Obama. That's fine. But let's get back to the original question:
My answer is that Frasier Crane is right!
IC,
I'm not sure if you really answered my question but I get that you think people voted for Obama because they were brainwashed (all 66,882,230 of them).
FTR, I didn't say anything about Obama improving our image with the Europeans. You have me confused with someone else.
Yisroel,
> My answer is that Frasier Crane is right!
This also doesn't really answer the question but, OK.
As far as Obama's campaign strategy: "Change" as a slogan/campaign platform is almost as old as politics.
Interestingly, Lincoln and Bush have both used the opposite of "change" as a slogan. They both used the line "Don't change horses mid-stream".
"Change" or "Don't Change" seems to be a basic element of democratic politics. That said Obama's message of change was backed up with substance behind the slogan. Granted you probably don't agree with Obama's policies but they were there.
IC,
""Yeah right" isn't such a good argument."
Oh, you didn't pick up on the sarcasm? Sorry.
"Fact of the matter is that Palin actually ran something and by all accounts has done it pretty well."
Yeah, she's up there keeping her eye on the narrow maritime border to protect America. Fact is that despite her CV, she still ran the public stage like a drunken moose. As a McCain supporter I cringed constantly when she'd be on TV. It was embarrassing! Even if I grant that she wins the resume challenge, I saw her actual dismal work on the job. McCain later on had to chaperone her for public interviews!
"Obama wasn't ever responsible for running anything. If the thought of Palin facing Iran or Russia scares you, shouldn't the thought of Obama facing them leave you quaking in your boots?"
Indeed, no! I might disagree with how he'd manage the crisis, but he wouldn't stand there rambling on incoherently. If nothing else, Obama is sharp.
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