I realize, as I listen to some of my friends, co-workers, frenemies, and Democratic Co-conspirators, that we have collectively slid into a weird position.This is almost more execrable than the Vegan Al Qaeda, or the P.E.T.A. paint-huckers. A "don't spook the horse" hive mind-set is the functional equivalent of the judicial doctrine of prior restraint. In short, I can no longer challenge anything Obama does or did, or suggest that he faces enormous challenges. And even during the election, criticism was regarded with suspicion. I had a large number of spirited debates here--in the comments section--with a long-time reader, Kev, on the merits of an Obama candidacy. And yet he never tried to shoosh me/ He always came back at me with facts, figures, and appeals to my Democratic heart. He convinced me that Barack was some kind of singular combination of Jesus, Mario Cuomo, Bobby Kennedy, FDR, and Socrates. I was often critical of Obama in the election, particularly during the protracted battle with The Clintons; as much as I admired his politics and oratory, he wasn't my first choice. Or even my second (that was VP Elect Joe Biden). I love the guy, and I indeed under-estimated his ground game. I knew he was an awesome wholesale politician, but I never believed he had the talent for retail politics. As it turns out, he had it all: the ground game, the brilliant organization, the wonderful family, the cash, the masterful Chairman Dean, the internet, and, yeah, even the ability to master retail politics.
Now, however, critical discourse is sidelined in the don't spook the horse mindset. Everyone is celebrating and everyone is happy to have broken both the race barrier and the republican electoral stranglehold. "Don't jinx it. Don't spook the horse. Don't get him off his game."
I just want to say to the Democratic Taliban. . .remember that Obama is a debater, and is open (at least I think and hope he is) to debate and honest discourse. Obama's followers. . .not so much. We need to be open to discourse, argument, debate, and political give-and-take. Because that is how things will be accomplished over the next eight years. If President Obama can really become a master of bipartisanship (and I truly believe he will...we ain't seen nothing yet), we will move mountains. So quit grumbling and don't have a cow if I say something nice about John McCain, and look. . .it's time to drop the Sarah Palin and Bill Clinton are the Devil talk too. Now is the time to forgive and forget. If we do, there is no end to what we can accomplish and in a year or so, Barack will truly become everyone's President in a way we haven't seen since the Roosevelt cousins. Or maybe more.
---o0o---
3 comments:
Heh heh..you could have just written to me directly! Actually, I don't mind critical discourse about Obama at all - and I think there are pitfalls galore to avoid in the coming years. Not afraid to jinx him or anything - in fact, I'm afraid of what the Dems could do with all of this new power if they're not careful. Especially since the fed govt. now has a big stake in the banks, etc.
When it comes to McCain, though, I really was disgusted by his shameless presidential ambition, his broken promises, his cynical and irresponsible choice of running mate Palin and the way he took dirty politics to a whole new low. Sure, Obama changed his mind on some things and sure he spun some things and stretched the truth. But running on politics of fear, letting your VP candidate call him a terrorist, plus all of the racist stuff, the Hussein stuff and the anti=patriot stuff was where McCain was shameless and really repulsive to me. The stupid way that he thought women would respond to Palin, and then the way he threw her under the bus after the election were just the icing on the cake. Not to mention the way he generally gets other people to do his dirty work.
One "gracious" speech after it's all over doesn't make all of that go away, at least not to me. Even Michele Bachmann made one of those!
Obama, though, has proven to be far more forgiving, as he keeps his eye on the prize...so I agree with you that we might see some pretty significant collaboration between him and McCain.
No - I really wasn't referring to you specifically. I don't think you're one of the people who mind critical thinking about where BHO will go...but you definitely let McCain get under you hide. He did do all the things you said.
I;m still not so sure he threw Palin under the bus. Last night, he very specifically praised her. His staff, though, has been mercilessly slagging her. And we know from the election, his staff was often running rogue.
The more I read in the NYT, it is utterly amazingly the things she herself is saying. There was a good piece today in the national section.
Obama will let it all slide away. He's on to way bigger and better things. I hope.
I share Daryle's disgust for JSMcIII. He may not be the devil but he is a self serving scoundrel who hasn't put “country first” in years, if he ever did. His selection of Palin proved to me that his reputation for straight talk, cultivated since the Keating fallout, was nothing more than a marketing ploy to support his long nursed desire for the WH. Given the gravity of the times I don’t like to think about a McCain/Palin administration. It would have been a disastrous farce of bellicose self righteousness and primping narcissism from a pair of phony “of the people” hacks. But McCain can atone, let’s see how willing he is to reach across in bipartisanship to “that one” and the DEMS. He isn't off to a great start, stumping for GA senator Chambliss who he called reprehensible for the Max Cleland ad 6 years ago. Maybe McFaust sold his soul to the GOP. Would go some way toward explaining his expressed support for the fairytale of Wasila.
"I could have been someone"
"Well, so could anyone" also.
ThePogues
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