This bit from Kathy Lopez at The Corner speaks to at least some of us who view Obama’s historic candidacy through a slightly different prism than other conservatives:
I tell you, he almost had me tonight until he talked about the war that shouldn’t have been authorized and reminded me there are real policy issues at stake in this election! But listening to his inspirational, rallying speech tonight it’s clear and obvious that if he’s the nominee, he will be tough to beat.
I too have felt the pull of the man’s personality. And despite the fact that there is an element of media creation in his candidacy, no amount of glowing press coverage can obscure the fact that Barack Obama is a special person with special gifts and it is my belief he is destined to achieve special things – some day.
James Antle at AmSpec Blog:
I also think Barack Obama is a good and decent and honorable man. I think he represents liberalism at its best, rather than its worst. To a certain extent, I would view his triumph over the awful Clinton machine as a triumph of all Americans of good will. I am as proud of him as I am ashamed of the Clintons. Nevertheless, I think Obama’s candidacy is a threat to conservatives in a way that the nauseating Clintons are not. He has the potential to revive liberalism that is as strong as the Clintons’ ability to discredit it entirely. He is every bit as wrong on the issues as they are, if not worse. Should he somehow slay the giant and win the Democratic nomination, conservatives must oppose him with all their might.
Antle is talking about an ineffable quality found in Obama that has not been seen in a liberal since perhaps Hubert Humphrey – a joy and pride in being American and a liberal. Those of us who inhabit the internet know full well that a happy liberal is largely a misnomer. Indeed, in Congress and elsewhere, happiness and liberalism appear to be mutually exclusive concepts.
But as Dave over at Race42008 points out, Obama’s kind of liberalism – he refers to it as Liberalism 2.0 – is seductive to independents and even some Republicans because it speaks to what people think they need in their own lives:
Just when liberalism was thought dead and buried, it appears to be rising like a phoenix from the ashes. The new version is not your father’s liberalism, to be sure. It’s post-racial, optimistic, and it’s not ashamed of America nor her greatness. Like I said before, Obama is liberal, but he’s not angry about it.So why are millions of disaffected Independents and Republicans, as well as millions of new voters, embracing a liberal candidate, even one of a Liberalism 2.0, given the failures of liberalism in the past? The answer can’t be fully described in a single paragraph. A changing world combined with neither a Republican nor a Democratic establishment capable of addressing those changes effectively has much to do with it. On foreign policy, the failures of Iraq, combined with the fact that the failures of Vietnam have been all but forgotten by now, have leveled the playing field between the two parties for the first time in forty years. On economics, the center of gravity in the U.S. and throughout the Western world has shifted leftward over the past few years due to middle class economic angst caused by globalization, which requires up to a decade of post-K-12 education in order to remain economically competitive as an individual, as well as to the rising costs of health care and declining fertility rates that threaten entitlements and retirement security. And culturally, while most people just want their government to implement practical policies that help families, such as making sure marriage isn’t punished in the tax code, the fact that many “pro-family†social conservatives continue to rail against gays and Hollywood has left many families thinking that these folks are concerned more about their own pathologies than about the actual concerns of most families. And, thus, the search begins for a new approach to governance.
A “new approach to governance” is Obama’s biggest weakness.
Andrew Sullivan once referred to Obama as a liberal version of Ronald Reagan. While there are some immediate and obvious similarities between the two, Reagan spent 25 years thinking, talking, and writing about the nature and role of government in society. They both might share a superior ability to communicate optimism and hope, but in the end, it is crystal clear that Obama simply isn’t ready to be president because he hasn’t thought about “governance” very long or very hard.
I have often referred to Obama as an empty suit. The analogy is apt because despite his obvious gifts, Obama has not fleshed out many of his basic, fundamental principles and how they would play a role in his presidency. Just what exactly does he stand for besides the vague platitudes about “hope” and “change” that pepper his speeches like little dollops of whipped cream? Where is the rock to which he tethers his beliefs?
I don’t think this is a question of intellectual laziness but rather it is a matter of not having spent enough time confronting, questioning, strengthening, and ultimately adopting in his own mind the bedrock foundation of a political philosophy. This is especially true because Obama, more than any other liberal politician in a couple of generations, really does want to re-define liberalism.
But to this point, there simply isn’t any “there” there. There are position papers. There is a nebulous appeal to some idealistic “crusade” to remake politics in America. But there is nothing behind the curtain of campaign platitudes that would lead one to believe that Obama has given any serious thought about how these concepts play into an overall framework of beliefs that he can call his own.
For this reason, at the present time, Obama would make a terrible president – beyond the fact that I believe his policies to be wrongheaded and even dangerous. And given the perilousness of the times, it is very possible that an Obama Administration – like the Bush Administration – would find itself eventually crashing on the shoals of history; battered and bruised by the inconstancy and contradictions that would afflict a basically rudderless chief executive.
Another term in the Senate or perhaps a turn as governor will give Barack Obama the kind of experience in government that would be beneficial to deepening his understanding of what I sense is his biggest deficiency – a better comprehension of the relationship between the government and the governed and how that fits into his own personal political belief system.
7:20 pm
I like the quote from James Antle:
“I also think Barack Obama is a good and decent and honorable man.”
Stop right there. The reason so many indies and republicans may be embracing Obama is that America really does want a decent and honorable man in the white house. Something we have been sorely lacking in the past 7 years. Look at where we are and where we stand in the world. Decency and honor is not how the world describes us now. They used to.
Second – What’s all this fear about so-called “liberalism 2.0”? Personally I hate the word “liberal”. The way I see it, this goverment has been a liberal clearinghouse, only instead of handouts to the poor, we’ve been doing it for the rich. How much richer have the top 1% become since 2000? A whole lot richer. What is this? Wealthy welfare? When goverment policies enable one sector to reap wealth while 99% of the rest of the country is stagnant – what’s that called? Sorry guys but if conservatism is so great, we should be flying high right now. Democrats only won congress a little over a year ago. It has had its chance.
Let’s ditch the labels and do what’s right. I’m not one to champion liberalism but please don’t preach to me the beauty of conservatism – atleast not until your party somehow proves they can get it right. Ordinary Americans deserve much better than this. And anyone can do it better than the 108th, 109th congress, George W. Bush and this crop of republican candiates. Don’t fear the “D” so much. Mcain is pandering to a past that didn’t work, Obama could be a bright future. The liberal label is misleading.
7:30 pm
Rick, I couldn’t agree with you more. As I listened to his speech at the ‘04 DNC Convention, I knew Obama would try to make a run for President in ‘08. His address spoke volumes regarding his lack of experience, and they still do. Sure, he could have potential after serving the public for several years in Illinois, but he is far from it now.
As you put it, nobody knows who this man behind the curtain truly represents. What are his plans for the United States? What about global relations? Homeland Security? Social Security? He sure does talk a lot, but has very little to say. This does not make a Commander In Chief, this makes a lobbyist. Yet nobody knows what he is lobbying for.
8:59 pm
[...] Barack Obama (via RightWingNutHouse): I have often referred to Obama as an empty suit. The analogy is apt because despite his obvious gifts, Obama has not fleshed out many of his basic, fundamental principles and how they would play a role in his presidency. Just what exactly does he stand for besides the vague platitudes about “hope†and “change†that pepper his speeches like little dollops of whipped cream? Where is the rock to which he tethers his beliefs? [...]
10:43 pm
BHO is a breath of fresh air as far as I’m concerned, Rick. I also think he’d make a lousy president. Much as I want to vote for him, not gonna do it, but he is a huge step in the right direction for Dem’s. The Barack phenomenon is very generational. He seems to represent a lot of what those of us living in the boomer shadow all these years have had to deal with. Technically, he’s a boomer but acts like an X’er.
Agreed, he needs more seasoning.
11:10 pm
I’m nost sure whetehr this Barack Obama would make a good president or not. What does seem clear is he comes accross as an honorable and decent man and this what Ameridcans want in a president. Specifically they want soemone who can repair the damage done by the Bush Administration. The Bush Administration may not have received fair coverage in the media but is clear that the results of the policies of theBush Administration have undermined America’s position in the world. Clearly Aemricans want and need a change in course. Many people think the honorable and decent Barack Obama will repair America’s global positon.
While I do not know if Obama would be a good president or not, it is clear that America cannot afford another failed Presidency. America’s global position is already precarious. America may already be finished as major world power. Even if the US is not currently done as a major world power, it would be after another failed presidencey.
At best another failed presidency would finish the United States as a major world power. At worst, the very survival of the country would be placed in grave danger or the country might not survive at all. In summary, who ever wins the next Presidental election needs to be successful. The country cannot afford another failed presidency. The voters need to vote as though the survival of the country depends on the choices they make becuase it does.
12:54 am
Tim you’re right, Obama isn’t a Liberal he’s a Socialist.
Even so, I still find it odd that a black person would vote for Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger’s “Negro Project” but who ever said Socialists made any sense when utopia is all that’s in their collective head; the man voted to continue sucking out fully-developed babies brain, not sure this is considered decent but there it is.
I doubt Obama even knows who founded Planned Parenthood or that she was a noted racists who preferred to rid the world of those dirty, unwanted and poor; the consequences of revising history makes people repeat bad mistakes.
12:57 am
What’s even stranger is that a black Methodist minister is endorsing Obama; like doesn’t this minister know what he is endorsing or is his decision based wholly on Socialist’s miserable identity politics?
1:08 am
Rerun all the Dem debates if they are still on your DVR or whatever and one thing comes across. On any issue during the debates the only quickly glossed over the large implications and bogged down in the mechanics of the legislation and which fine point of it each was working toward.
News flash to those people, you are running for the President of the USA this IS NOT as Senate campaign.
Obama wants to talk to everyone…yeah Pelosi showed us how well that all worked.
Only a short while later Israel had to do a little adjustments to a place in Syria and make the place a remodel job for the Syrians. Which BTW they are rebuilding.
9:46 am
[...] In a post published yesterday, Rick Moran argues that: … despite his obvious gifts, Obama has not fleshed out many of his basic, fundamental principles and how they would play a role in his presidency. Just what exactly does he stand for besides the vague platitudes about “hope†and “change†that pepper his speeches like little dollops of whipped cream? Where is the rock to which he tethers his beliefs? [...]
6:00 pm
If Obama’s biggest shortcoming is that he has few policy accomplishments and no executive experience under his belt, then (assuming he loses the nomination or general election) what kind of candidacy could he have after a few more years?
Obama might lose now, but his 2012 attempt (2016 if we vote ourselves a President Hillary) will be a juggernaught!
11:16 pm
If all you want is a decent man than Mike Huckabee is a good man!! I do like him best. I am a republican but at this point I thank we need another party!!
6:02 am
[...] I have waxed both seriously and clownishly about Barack Obama’s “Cotton Candy Candidacy†and the fact that his nebulously formed ideas make him something of an empty suit when it comes to trying to figure out where he stands on many issues. [...]
11:04 am
[...] I have waxed both seriously and clownishly about Barack Obama’s “Cotton Candy Candidacy†and the fact that his nebulously formed ideas make him something of an empty suit when it comes to trying to figure out where he stands on many issues. [...]
1:12 pm
[...] I have waxed both seriously and clownishly about Barack Obama’s “Cotton Candy Candidacy†and the fact that his nebulously formed ideas make him something of an empty suit when it comes to trying to figure out where he stands on many issues. [...]
10:40 am
[...] ODS sufferers miss no opportunity to deem him an “empty suit” and a “liar“, often putting themselves through remarkable rhetorical contortions [...]