Watching Barack Obama during the debate last night I was struck by the notion that here indeed, the torch of leadership was being passed to a new generation of Democrats. In many ways, it’s the same coalition of unions, special interest groups, and race and class warriors who have dominated the left since the 60’s that make up the bulk of Obama’s supporters. But there is a decidedly centrist thrust to his candidacy - a welcome rejection of some of the outward manifestations of New Left politics in favor of a more inclusive, less abrasive style of governance.
What I find in Obama that I never expected were echoes of the kind of classical liberalism that I admired in my youth but was eventually corrupted by the radicals who captured the Democratic party and turned it into a haven for those who preferred to make America the scapegoat for the world’s ills while playing off one race against another, one class against another.
Where those Democrats sought to divide and conquer, it appears to me that Obama really is making an effort to unite the center and center left - not by trying to hide his true intentions but rather by appealing to what most can agree are broad national interests using admittedly non-specific language and platitudes to get his message across.
Of course, the devil is in the details and Obama’s health insurance plan for example, is just as statist in nature as any other Democrats. But with an almost certainly augmented Democratic majority in the House and Senate being seated in January 2009, one wonders if even a Republican president wouldn’t be forced to deal with some kind of statist approach to health insurance given the huge support for it among voters.
If it sounds like I admire Obama, I do. And given the distinct possibility that John McCain will be the GOP standard bearer next November, I thought it might be interesting to take a closer look at my home state senator. If I am going to hold my nose and vote for the GOP nominee, before I punch a hole by his name it makes sense to look closely at the other candidate in the race to see if he is any more viable.
If it were between Hillary and McCain, that would be no contest. But try as I might to dismiss them, there are certain personal and even political aspects to Obama’s candidacy that I find appealing. Would he have a chance to get my vote?
Not likely. Obama would have to demonstrate an understanding of the threat posed by radical Islam and a willingness to confront it before I would seriously consider voting for him. I would guess that there are many who feel the same way - that there are some things about Obama that are deal breakers when it comes to supporting him. For myself, it is the War on Terror. For some it may be national health insurance. For others, it would be his decidedly squishy approach to border security and illegal immigration.
But I feel confident that a Republican minority would be able to block most of the onerous proposals coming from the Democrats. They have proven adept at doing so to date and I have no reason to believe that they wouldn’t be able to muster the unity to defeat mandated health insurance or any kind of amnesty legislation.
When it comes to the War on Terror, however, there is little the Republicans would be able to do to give Obama a different perspective on the nature of the threat and why we must continue to confront it rather than sit back and wait to be hit again. Obama is a weak sister when it comes to the War on Terror and unless he is able to convince me and others that he understands what is at stake and will take the steps necessary to protect us, there is no way I could see myself voting for him.
But he is an interesting politician nonetheless. And if he fails in his bid this time, I fully expect to see him make another run in the future. He is an immensely gifted man with a compelling story. A little more seasoning, perhaps a rethinking of some basic issues, and he could very well make it all the way to the oval office.
10:05 am
Rick, thank you for saying what I’ve been thinking. Is the harm of his liberal policies more worrisome than the amount of racial healing that could take place? Especially if the difference between he and McCain is fairly narrow on many issues. The Rezco stuff doesn’t really bother me too much, that’s fairly typical Chicago politics (and not even in the ballpark of Keating).
My biggest concern is that he would adversely effect the outcome in Iraq before sensible leaders got him to understand reality.
10:53 am
[...] Lots of folks were evidently keeping score during last night’s Democratic debate, with points awarded (or subtracted) for any number of categories: foreign policy, Iraq, health care, and immigration reform, for instance. [...]
10:54 am
Like the other two top contenders unfortunately for him he is a current member of the worst Congress in the history of the United States. As the next coming years increases the Misery Index it will be hard for people to forget that through his actions not his ‘feel-good’ words, as a member of the worst Congress in the history of the United States which will bring about the misery we are all about to receive.
He might want to run for Governor first then try for the White House like Bobby Jindel is doing.
12:21 pm
Obama said one thing that I like, about the stupid HR question that was asked in one of their debates, about “What is your worst feature” or some such. He answered that he has a messy desk and is sometimes disorganized. They all had typical BS answers to the question. Afterwars, he said that being a normal guy, he answered the question, if he had gone last and knew the rules, he would have said his biggest fault was always helping little old ladies across the street.
A streak of honesty isn’t a bad thing on either side of the isle.
2:49 pm
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - Web Reconnaissance for 02/01/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
2:57 pm
Having Obama lead black people to a more empowered, self-reliant and less victim-oriented mindset than their mainstream leadership is extremely appealing. It would almost justify the fight it would set up in congress to ward off the inevitable avelanche of socialist policies.
However, he vows to pull out of Iraq at any cost. This would leave a power vacuum more dangerous than 2001 when we had Sadam in Iraq kicking out inspectors and Osama bombing embassies and attacking the trade centers and the pentagon.
4:31 pm
…he is a current member of the worst Congress in the history of the United States.
This is so far over the top I’d be interested in your justifications for this statement. In case you haven’t noticed, the Democrats don’t even have a Lieberman-proof majority in the Senate, so the Republican Senate minority has been free to block most legislation, and has.
I expect to see some actual filibusters when (OK if) the Democrats gain a few Senate seats.
2:48 am
I’m also a conservative who admires Obama (but I can’t see myself ever voting for him for the same reasons Rick points out). I’ve mentioned that I admire Obama to some of my conservative friends, and they look at me like I’m nuts. His “non-specific language and platitudes” are not unlike what I heard from the candidates running for Student Body President in high school - so in that respect he is hard to take too seriously at this point in his career. But, watch out. He is a very effective communicator, and projects a hope (like you know who) that resonates with many. When he gets more experience and if he can steer clear of a legitimate scandal, he will be tough to beat in 4, 8, or 12 years.
8:59 am
If it were just the Obama we see in debates, and the Obama we read, you would make sense.
But the real Obama I fear is the Obama hooked into some of the worst of Illinois politics.
That Obama isn’t fully fleshed out yet, but he’s coming and he’ll make the issues irrelevant when we finally see the man. Madigan wasn’t kidding when he called Obama Messiah. It’s just Obama incarnate is going to look ward-heeler; not savior-healer.
1:12 pm
Rick, look at some of his actual positions and you’ll see that supporting him over McCain is crazy. He believes in the Living Wage, for example, a nutty concept that would require teenagers at McDonald’s to be paid enough to support a family of four.
Don’t let your bitterness over Fred’s loss lead you to Coulterville.
5:10 pm
I love Osama. What a compelling story. A man who struggles with the silver spoon that gags him, who must defy the odds of priviledge and strives to better himself by gaining entrance to the best and most elite of schools on the basis of his race. Ah so compelling, what sacrifice, what valor, what willpower.
And when listens to his speeches one wonders, where’s the beef? The only thing I hear is the same fluff that someone from Nigeria sends me before explaining why I need to send a check for 5,000 before I can get my 46 million.
No doubt we will hear from him again. The Clintons never seem to tire of their tricks and always turn up. Why shouldn’t Osama?
10:01 am
cheep temporary health insurance…
variance paraded Britisher cuddled slid….