Arts Endless Obama
posted by on November 3 at 14:53 PM
These are a few notes and points that I failed to push into the limited space of my review of Barack Obama’s new book The Audacity of Hope.
1) The book is easy to read because the life of Obama is, as a whole, interesting. Many years ago, one reason or another led me to read the biography of George Bush Sr.. All I can remember of that experience is a story about how he discovered chicken fried steak in some small town in some empty state and an almost mythological account of his “wildcatting days.” The life of Obama is global (spans three continents); his is a life that makes sense to our age of jet travel and what Steven Shaviro calls the “network society.” George Bush’s life is as meaningful to us as the giant life of Paul Bunyan.
2) Of the four reasons that white Americans like Obama, one of the biggest is this: he is not a black American in the historical sense. His pronounced African side (it’s something his publicity team promotes with no hesitance) removes a historic sting that, say, a white African (or European) would instantly feel if Obama was in power in Africa.
3) Although I admire Obama, his politics are not revolutionary enough to excite me. He is too practical, too reasonable, too pragmatic to inspire a truly original vision of what being an American can mean, can become, can bring to the community, history, and future of humans. And besides, if he were to become the president—and the only reason why he would be allowed to become the president—nothing would really happen to the capitalist power structure that exploits every living soul that is within the world-wide money extraction system. His would only be a soft version of Bush’s hard rule. (Admittedly, soft rule is much better than hard rule.)
4) In the book, Obama has a wonderful passage that describes the beauty and luxury of flying in a private jet. He writes:
“Then the plane took off, its Rolls-Royce engines gripping the air the way a well-made sports car grips the road. Shooting through the clouds, I turned on the small TV monior in front of my seat. A map of the United States appeared, with the image of our plane tracking west, along with our speed, our altitude, our time to destination, and the temperature outside. At forty thousand feet, the plane leveled off and I looked down at the curving horizon and the scatterd clouds, the geography of the earth laid out before me—first the flat, checkerboard fields of western Illinois, then the python curves of the Mississippi, then more farmland and eventually the jagged Rockies, still snow-peaked, until the sun went down and orange sky narrowed to a thin red line that was finally consumed by night and stars and moon.Obama admits that private jets make his busy life easier, but they are also the source of guilt. They separate him from the masses, from the stories of the commoners. Obama wants to be a man of the people.
I ask this question in all seriousness: Is it really possible at this time in America for a man whose middle name is "Hussein" to be elected President?
The past 6 years we have seen injustice and little regard for intelligent thought, human life, or the "law". Not to mention the fact that most people in the country don't really pay attention to anything going on around the world or politically. I honestly wouldnt be surprised if we elected a dolphin for president named 'Bin Laden Hussein Arafat'.
People would be like, "hum, Arafat, that sounds familiar. I'll vote for him".
of course the dolphin would have to be tough about national security. Then he'd be sure to get the red state electoral votes.
Charles, it is an odd coincidence that you end your post dwelling on the notion of "a man of the people."
I was just at a screening of "Bobby" a movie about the day the RFK was assassinated.
During the movie, my mind kept gravitating toward Obama. Kennedy (still a one-term Senator, like Obama, when he was running for Prez in '68...he was elected in '64) had the same rock star power that Obama has...that few politicians have. Good looking like Obama too.
The theme of this movie was certainly just that: "A man of the people." Kennedy, like Obama, eloquently gravitated toward the soothing middle in ultra-polarzied times. (Yes, he was the anti-war candidate... but Eugene McCarthy, obviously, was the anti-war activist candidate.)
To make the point that Bobby was a man of the people, he is barely in this movie...Mostly, the film features a Robert Altman-style assortment of characters who are living their lives—in some way anchored around the Ambassador Hotel that day: the door man, a hair-stylist, the kitchen staff, couples who are staying there, getting married there that night, the hotel manager, RFK's campaign staff). RFK is assassinated, of course, at the Ambassador that night after giving his pivotal California primary victory speech in the hotel's ball room.
The cast of characters are all living their serious, trivial, mixed up common lives and—political or not—all find a sliver of hope and salvation in Kennedy's calm, measured message of hope.
It struck me that this movie was a Barack Obama campaign film.
Informative take on Obama Charles, in particular about his politics.
I recall some gross naivete on the slog regarding an article in Harper’s which focused on Obama’s fundraising acumen among the NYC/DC financial sector, rather than the usual charismatic feelgood stuff. As if it was a bad thing. On the contrary, it signaled his early arrival as a major player, as someone who could conceivably run for president.
To be elected president, a candidate must have the support of a significant portion of the business community. If you’re a Democrat, that means one of only a few options: multinational corporations, the financial sector, or maybe tech money, because Republicans have the rest.
We have way too many Democrats who are either good at raising the moolah, or good at the feelgood stuff, but not at both. Obama has both, as did Clinton. Bill I mean.
Besides, Charles, what USA President has ever met your standard for revolutionary politics? Lincoln? After the Gettysburg address, of course.
"The book is easy to read because the ass of Obama is, as a hole, interesting."
There is just something about this man that is preventing me being sold on his viability as a Democratic leader. I don't quite know what it is...he is obviously an intelligent and thoughtful person...some underlying artifice or condescension, perhaps. Unheard of for a politician, I know.
Charles, I believe the white american romance with Obama doesn't extend beyond the blue states. Has Obama gone to places like Idaho? Arizona? Texas? Tennesee:)? The love affair strikes me as a superficial golly gee whiz reaction among white americans who aren't used to seeing articulate and intelligent black males. Given the intractable nature of racism in america, I would be pleasantly surprised if Obama's charm and smarts translated to victory in a general election.
"The love affair strikes me as a superficial golly gee whiz reaction among white americans who aren't used to seeing articulate and intelligent black males."
Skeptical black male, you're sort of right, but it's not "golly gee whiz". White people who don't like racism feel a sense of relief when they see a black male who they can relate to and who isn't beholden to the undermining standards of "authentic" blackness imposed by ghetto culture.
If you listen to Obama for ten minutes, however, it becomes obvious that his talents transcend race. With the exception of Bill Clinton, no one can articulate liberal values as simply, clearly, and compellingly as he does. He makes liberal philosophy sound like common sense. He also has the potential to motivate black voters to the polls like Clinton did. These things could carry him to the presidency.
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