So Barak has made it official. The Junior Senator for Illinois who only ran for the Senate as a last grasp at politics is now taking aim at the highest office in the land. And the man is riding a feel good wave that hasn't let up and in most cases has built since his delivery of the Keynote address at the 04 Democratic National Convention for John Kerry.
That last grasp is in his words mind you not mine. You will find out about it in his book "The Audacity of Hope". So what did I think of the book? Well first off the man is humble. He clearly understands how fortuitous his present position is, he appreciates how fragile it is and how it it could all come crashing down in an instant. He has magnetism and it flows from his words. He clearly lays out where he stands on the major issues without unnecessary digs at the opposing view point. He points the finger of blame for many of our current messes at ALL involved not just one side or the other. He pays homage to the history and foundation of the US governmental process in a erudite but not condescending manner. He regrets our departure from true bi partisan conversation and the cheapened/simplified sound byte culture we have allowed to infuse politics.
That is the good, and there is plenty more to like about his book. However, there remains one thing sorely lacking from his heartfelt dialog. Details. Plans. Courses of action. Some marks of what he will do as the man in charge. Granted he is the first to admit these things are not to be found on the pages twixt the covers of his book. To some extent I understand this and if he could honestly say he did not write the book with an eye to the presidency I might understand it even more. But accepting that this book was not written with that possibility in mind takes a great leap of faith I am unwilling to make. And in any case even if it has simply been written from the standpoint of his future as a Senator I think he should have gotten down to brass tacks on at least a few issues. He blasts the simplicity of the current public debate and then coasts through his book with middle ground platitudes and soothing calls for compassion and compromise on divisive issues.
So in the end this book will at least make you feel like you know the man a bit more... but in a way where you are not terribly sure what his leadership would be like. It is very easy to fall into reading what you want into Barak Obama. Personally I still have reserved my judgment of his presidential bid, but on the whole I like what I have seen so far. I look forward to seeing how he progresses.
There was one thing in particular that did catch my attention. His discussion about his faith. Perhaps it is just my well honed sense of cynicism when it comes to political professions of faith... but I really thought that section is the one that rang most fake, the most contrived to me. No body seems to doubt a female or minority can make a serious bid for the presidency... but the unspoken understanding for political candidates in the US is that you cannot win without being a clearly professed Christian. To win as a non-Christian you have to avoid the Christian activists groups voting against you en-mass. No one knows how hard that would be but suffice it to say they think it so hard that no major party candidate for president has not been a declared Christian to date. Considering how agnosticism tends to track with higher education levels and that the presidential talent pool has routinely come from the top educational backgrounds available it is laughable to think there have not been Christians of convenience elected in the past. I can just imagine Obama involved in arguments with his advisor's over how to handle that section. I think it is a serious part of his life. However, by and large people of true faith have little need to clearly state the conditions of the their faith such as is done in "The Audacity of Hope". True or not, heartfelt or not, it seems inserted entirely for the reason of establishing his bona fides as a card(cross?) carrying member of the J.C. crowd (not to mention the well chronicled Civil activism of the African American Church community) while clearly limiting its level of effect on his decision making or questioning nature. The statements seem a cold calculated move and rings hollow compared to most of his other sentiments.
It isn't that I think what he does is wrong. This is a standard play to the Strongly Christian element of the electorate. They are not stupid and realize what is often the reality of the situation. One might call it the most basic (and easiest) political career compromises for US politics. However Obama goes to great lengths in most of the book to not come across as the 'Standard' politician. His history of involvement in the church community in Chicago is MORE than enough to speak for itself and available to counteract any claims against his status as a Christian. In fact the man has more credibility in this department than any candidate in recent memory for me. Yet here he lets his well groomed 'not a standard politician' facade slip with a bog standard passage straight out of a national US politics 101 book. And it is that which bothers me. How much of him is Image? How much of him a solid man of consequence ready to lead this nation in troubled times? Is he a light weight thrust into the limelight by circumstance ridding his popularity wave for all it is worth... perhaps all the way to the white house? Or is he the the right man in the right place at the right time? The times are troubled and the people are looking for someone they think can pull us around. I think a great deal of that is what is driving the buzz surrounding Obama... not to mention the palpable feel in not a few democratic minds that Hillary has some SERIOUS electabillity issues. To date the Obama camp hasn't made any mistakes, but playing it safe and staying non-specific will only get them so far. Sooner or later he is going to have to start showing his substance... his leadership inclinations etc... In short he is going to have to present himself as Presidential in the true sense of the word... not just the helmet headed smooth talking baby kissing political sense, but in that way which each American feels down in their gut. If the electorate can't envision him has president he won't stand a chance and to get there he has got to start defining himself with more than platitudes about having a real political conversation (much as I agree with that sentiment personally).
So to make a long story short... I like him but I wouldn't vote for him yet.
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