Barack, We Hardly Know Ye: A Question For Sen. Obama

By RJ Eskow
Created Jan 17 2007 - 9:31am

It's Candidacy as Celebrity, as reported by our "American Idol" political
press. The resemblance to another Presidential candidate is striking: The
good looks, the swooning crowds, the swooning reporters, and the eloquence
all bring to mind another charismatic Democrat. Unfortunately it's not John
or Bobby Kennedy.

It's Jerry Brown.

When Brown ran in for President he drew the same screaming fans and the same
enthusiastic coverage. He was a late entrant in 1976 but was given more of a
real chance in 1980. Still, but at some point his campaign failed to
coalesce on the ground. Voters weren't able to get a grasp of who this
enigmatic candidate was, or what he stood for.

Is Jerry Brown's experience a cautionary tale for Barack Obama? It's too
early to tell, and of course there are significant differences between these
two intelligent and compelling politicians. But, like Obama, Brown had a
knack for defying left-right differences. He replaced ideology with enigma
and liberalism with language. In the end, it didn't work.

This is a high-risk moment for Barack Obama. He's the most famous new
politician in America, and nobody really knows him. The left is disappointed
with his lack of a clear stance on critical issues, his votes for Condi
Rice's confirmation and a usurious bankruptcy bill, and his use of religion
to separate himself from other Dems (thereby reinforcing the impression that
Democrats are too secular for America). (David Sirota lays out the case
against Obama here [1]and here [2].)

Obama for his part has defended each of these actions. I don't know what to
make of him, other than to respect his intellect and obvious communication
skills. I will say this: his skill at evading the left/right category could
be his triumph - if it doesn't destroy him first.

I think I understand what he's trying to accomplish, but he's so intent on
not being labeled that he risks getting the label he leasts wants: that of
an evasive man, a holographic candidate designed to change in appearance
depending on where the viewer stands. If that label sticks, his candidacy
could prove as ephemeral as ... well, as a holograph.

There's danger in a McLuhanesque candidacy where the medium (or the media)
is the message. At some point, the presence of no information becomes
information - and damaging information at that.

I'd hate to see that happen. Obama has extraordinary gifts as a politician,
and it would be gratifying to see him show similar ability as a leader. He
has the potential. His writing is thoughtful and deep. His recovery from
drug addiction may also be source of insight and growth for him.

People familiar with the recovery process know that it often brings with it
a sense of purpose in life, a desire to be of service. Attaining electoral
office is a purpose, I suppose, but not a higher one. Political office is
not a form of service, however, unless it's deliberately used as a platform
for it.

I think Americans sense a yearning for higher purpose in Obama. I also
suspect they would like to hear more about that purpose, and what he's
willing to risk in order to accomplish it. Americans may yearn for a
Celebrity Candidate and an end to partisan campaigning (which they
nevertheless often reward with votes). But they're also yearning for
purpose, and for leaders who are genuine"profiles in courage."

JFK faced many of the same criticisms Obama faces today, and for some of the
same reasons. But Kennedy made a tactical decision early in his Senate
career to find one cause and stake a strong position on it. He chose
Algerian independence and the right of national self-determination.

It was a canny move. Kennedy was able to claim a generational stake for
social progress that was not threatening to Americans' core issues of
prosperity and anti-Communism. In that sense, Algeria was a symbolic issue
for Kennedy, but it was an effective symbol for communication courage and
change.

Obama hasn't even chosen a symbolic issue, and as a result he leaves a
strong impression of excessive caution, with a suggestion of Hamlet-like
over-deliberation over difficult choices. It might not be a bad idea for the
Senator to find at least one slightly controversial cause, if he wants to
change the impression that he's never able to take a stand.

There was a rash of books about JFK after his death. One took its title from
the old Irish folk song, "Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye" - a song that,
ironically, lamented the terrible injuries suffered by a war veteran. As
Americans continue to fight and die in Iraq, and suffer from poverty and
lack of healthcare at home, it would be good to hear more specific policy
proposals from him on those subjects.

As far as the primaries are concerned, Obama's fate may rest on the next few
weeks. The left is about to coalesce around John Edwards if no other strong
progressive appears, thereby splitting the "anti-Hillary" vote between the
Party's progressive wing and its "Hillary is unelectable" wing. (And yes,
there's overlap between the two groups.)

Obama's campaign team roster [3] reads like a Who's Who of centrist
Democratic campaigns. Thatraises the possibility that he'll tack far enough
to the right to split the anti-Hillary Democrats and see some critical
support siphon off to Edwards. I'd love to hear the Senator's thoughts about
the campaign, and about the dynamics of the first few primaries.

But if I could only ask Sen. Obama one question it would be this one,
offered with respect and courtesy:

What do you consider your highest purpose in this life, the purpose for
which you would sacrifice everything?

I suspect he has an answer. Before coming to any conclusions about his
candidacy, I'd like to hear it.

The Sentinel Effect: Healthcare Blog [4]

A Night Light [5]
_______

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"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson