Joe Klein, in his last two columns in Time, makes two important observations about Barack Obama's recent performance. The first (1, below) was how adroitly he handled his questioning of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker in the recent Senate hearings. Taking his questioning of them on the Iraq War--and the stardards for our departure--to a more incisive, more effective level, Obama appeared to leave Petraeus agreeing with him and Crocker either "semi-speechless" or nonresponsive. Obama left little doubt about who offered both an understanding of the situation and the incisive thinking and reasoning skills to properly challenge and reveal the administrations circular and purposefully misleading reasoning for just what it is.
The second (2, below) has two elements to it. The first and most impressive was Obama's speech on race. It was partly in response to Billary's racial innuendo and oblique insinuations that started in the South and continued from time to time. But more immediately, it addressed Obama's pastor of many years and the news of some of his incindiary and regrettable earlier remarks and sermons. Obama resonded with the most principled, honest and frank speech on race, the Black and white experience, and the Black community, that any candidate has ever given. He spoke to the American people as though we were all adults, something presidential candidates rarely do. And whether you liked the speech or not, whether you thought it effective or wise or not, soon after, the campaign and the dialogue for the most part moved on.
The second element, and more troublesome, is the so-called Patriotism Problem. Obama, Klein opines, insufficiently addressed the unpatriotic language his pastor used to express anger and disappointment with America's social and political failure to understand and address the challenges of the Black American community. And in the process, he left questions with some about his own patriotism. His pastor's language registered as un-American with many people, especially white people. And while Obama distanced himself from these statements and stressed his repudiation of them, he apparently did not effectively erase questions of his patriotism--not in some quarters, anyway--and it appears he really needs to. As Klein suggests, he is implicitly patriotic: everything about Obama, his multi-ethnic experience, his success, and his promise, is so very American. And he is very grateful for it. But, as Klein concludes, "Obama has to make the implicit explicit."
(1) http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1729525,00.html
(2) http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1727502,00.html
2 comments:
I feel that those who would still question Obama's patriotism will never receive an answer on that topic which will satisfy them. "Patriotism" is, after all, such a nebulous and subjective term that its use in rational debate or description is all but useless. It is not enough, obviously, for a person to be smart, show themselves to have a conscience, and devote themselves to the service of their country. They must still, beyond that, somehow prove their "patriotism" to millions of people, each of whom may harbor a different definition of the term. It's a mug's game, won only through empty platitudes and a strict avoidance of anything smacking of radical thought, which is not what I would personally want from a leader. I suppose some might disagree.
Hi Greg, enjoying the heck out of your blog so far. Keep it up!
Good points all, Jason. And I agree with them. Everything about running for president is such a blood sport and provides such a demeaning view of most all who run for the office.
But Barack Obama has given us such a refreshing alternative and...hope? Maybe he is "the one." I'd like to think so. But he's still got to get himself elected, and that means continuing to appear selfless in his reaching out to connect with every doubting or dissonant voice--even when it is unlikely to change many of those minds. I thinks its about appearing to do your best to address all and serve all--a near impossible task--and strengthening the respect of existing supporters and those still on the fence.
Thanks for the comments.
Post a Comment