I was thinking about Obama's attitude, what makes it feel so young to me. Sure, he is cocky, self-assured to the nth degree, even arrogant. But that's not unique to very successful, very smart men. Look at Rudy Giuliani. Look at George W Bush.
But something in Obama's attitude feels young to me, more so than with Bush. I think it's his seeming confidence that he can carry all before him, his tendency to get petulant when checked or questioned, a petulance that seems born of surprise. Bush isn't like that, but then Bush has experience of failure. Bush ran a failed oil business. Bush has had political failures - the Iraq War (a huge political failure for the administration however it turns out militarily), Social Security reform. Bush doesn't get petulant over failure. He's not surprised by it. He just puts his head down and soldiers on if soldiering is possible. There is a dogged quality to Bush's stubborness.
Does Obama have it? What will Obama do when some political storm bursts in his face? Will he scold us like Carter did or will he soldier on like Bush? How can we tell? His only life failure is one congressional race. His political life has been an ascendant track with others (Emil Jones, the DNC) lofting him upwards and luck breaks (his opponent imploding over a messy divorce) helping him on. He seems almost outraged that anyone would ask him hard questions, though he has learned to cover the reaction, being a quick study. |
