"I don't usually cite George Will on anything, let alone Democratic party matters. However, the column in Thursday's Washington Post merits serious consideration"...
tpmcafe.com
Will argues that the time is right for Obama and that if he waits eight years, his moment will have passed. Will also assumes that Democrats will win the next two Presidential elections making it unlikely that Obama will win a 3rd Democratic term in 10 years. (In other words, a Dem will win in '08 and '12 and lose in '16 leaving Obama out in the cold).
It makes sense. I also like the way Will makes the case that Obama is the best articulator of traditional Democratic values and positions. He compares his appeal to that of Ronald Reagan. Reagan's personality and persona allowed him to win a landslide while Goldwater had lost overwhelmingly with the same positions.
Some will argue that Will is trying to set us up, that he wants us to run Obama and lose. I think not. Will is a patriot and I honestly believe he'd prefer both parties to nominate decent people.
In any case, take a look at the piece.
One last point. The whole "experience" argument is absurd. I served on the Hill and in the administration for 20 years. I can tell you that the things that matters with a politician are intellect and instinct -- plus the ability to hire the right people and then pay attention to what they say.
Obama has that.
Being a senator is irrelevant to the job of the Presidency anyway, which is one reason only Harding and JFK were elected directly from the Senate.
So, in judging candidates who happen to be senators, we have to make our choice based on intangibles like brains and character.
I don't see another candidate in either party who beats Obama on that score.
One last point. I strongly believe that a candidate who comes from nowhere demonstrates simply by his success alot of what it takes to be President. The dynastic candidates and the millionaires may turn out to be good Presidents but, in general, I prefer the self-made.
I include Reagan in the self-made category. Imagine what it took for a poor shlep from Eureka, Illinois to get himself to Hollywood, the governorship and the Presidency. I abhorred his policies but his very rise from nothing demonstrated the kind of grit that helped make him an effective President. Compare him to "W," the ultimate dynasty candidate although neither the first nor last).
Imagine what it took for Obama to get where he is. One has to go back to Lincoln or Garfield to find a President from such an improbable background. They were desperately poor. He is not white and half-Kenyan. Imagine! |
