The idea of Obama has taken on a life of its own that exists quite apart from the actual man, and that has always been bigger, and much more alluring, than he. It is not what he does, but what he is and implies that has been so compelling, and one thing he is is not-white. Or he is half-white--a black man, who was brought up and raised by his mother's white family--which makes him still better: as a genetic mixture of Kenya and Kansas, he emerged as the literal symbol of national union, the two racial strains merged as one ....See also, William Jacobson, "The Official Guide To Obama Kitsch" (via Memeorandum).
For the past six years, if not more, the implication of everything written in the Times, Time, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, and the New Yorker was that if only they had one of their own in the White House, he could really ace this whole president business, which only seemed hard because Bush was so clueless, so Texan, so lacking in intellect (at least as defined by their editors' standards). But Obama's first weeks have not been promising. The Daily Telegraph (U.K.) writes that Obama is "overwhelmed" by his office, and "surprise[d] at the sheer volume of business that crosses his desk." This has not gone unnoticed. "In ways both large and small, what's left of the American establishment is taking his measure and, with surprising swiftness, they are finding him lacking," as Howard Fineman reports. What if he turns out to be no more able than Bush was to figure out how to calm down the markets, how to close Gitmo without causing more problems, what to do about Russia and Pakistan, and how to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon without risk of starting a war? How sophisticated will Klein feel if the Dow hits 5000? Where will Warner and pen pals go with their fantasies? The shower they wanted to take with Obama may be a cold dousing quite soon.
Commentary and analysis on American politics, culture, and national identity, U.S. foreign policy and international relations, and the state of education - from a neoconservative perspective! - Keeping an eye on the communist-left so you don't have to!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Idea of Barack Obama
Noemie Emory's got a new piece at the Weekly Standard on Obamessianism, "Showered with Praise: The Media's Love Affair With the Idea of Barack Obama":
Interesting. I posted on a different topic Miss Emery talked about in today's DC Examiner. About the failure that is the Obama administration and how we were told how awful it would be if Sarah Palin were a heartbeat from the presidency. Great read. Did you see the pres today at the OC Fairgrounds?! I can not believe how many insiped people actually waited in line to get the tickets to get into the "town hall".
ReplyDeleteI saw that one too, Mark!
ReplyDeleteWhat if he turns out to be no more able than Bush was to figure out how to calm down the markets, how to close Gitmo without causing more problems, what to do about Russia and Pakistan, and how to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon without risk of starting a war? How sophisticated will Klein feel if the Dow hits 5000? Where will Warner and pen pals go with their fantasies? The shower they wanted to take with Obama may be a cold dousing quite soon.
ReplyDeleteIf the Obama administration can't do it, then we are in deep doo-doo because the right surely has no idea what to do. Lord Barack's rule is less than 2 months old at this point, and the Dow is heading away from 5000. That said, I don't put as much stock in daily, or even weekly, changes as you folks on the right seem to.
I didn't expect that he was going to snap his fingers and solve any of the problems listed in this snippet. OTOH, 50 some odd days into his administration seems a bit early to judge it a failure as the gang here are wont to do.
As a Democrat, let me apologize because not everyone has gotten their pony yet.
I could turn the question around and ask what will you guys do if the Dow hits 15,000?
ReplyDeleteI would be thrilled if that happened.
ReplyDeleteHellooo...
I'm still trying to figure out how raising taxes helps the economy though...
What's with the time-wasting speculation?? How about the insanity that actually exists right now? These morons in Congress and the White House rush through a bill without reading it (and admitting it), and then feign outrage because of the retention bonuses that some people at AIG received? Chris Dodd put the amendment in there himself! Barney Frank & Nancy Pelosi want to tax these guys at 90% because of it?? This is insane.
ReplyDeleteDLB,
ReplyDeleteIf the Obama administration can't do it, then we are in deep doo-doo...
My advice? Invest in a portable septic tank, and a couple of pairs of chest waders.
because the right surely has no idea what to do.
Wrong.
We should do what has gotten us out of every government-caused recession in our history. Cut taxes across the board and have the government get out of the way. It was government meddling in our economy that created this mess. More government meddling isn't going to "fix" it. It never has.
I could turn the question around and ask what will you guys do if the Dow hits 15,000?
ROFLMAO!
That's a joke, right?
You think that the market is going to hit 15k with a man in the White House who is busying himself destroying the free-market system in this country?
Dude, you need to climb out of that Obama Kool-Aid tub, before you drown in it.
-Dave