Obama and his need to show the love
In his ongoing bid to reassure Americans that he, as an American, really truly does love America, what will Barack Obama feel compelled to do next? Dress up like James Cagney and sing "Yankee Doodle Dandy?" Sh
Obama and his need to show the love
Dick Polman, Inquirer National Political Columnist
In his ongoing bid to reassure Americans that he, as an American, really truly does love America, what will Barack Obama feel compelled to do next? Dress up like James Cagney and sing "Yankee Doodle Dandy?" Show up as a guest on the Food Channel and share his personal recipe for all-American apple pie? Turn up this month at the All-Star game so that he can croon the National Anthem, preferably while dewy-eyed? Sew an American flag with his own needle and thread?
His first national TV ad was aimed at proving to Americans that the mixed-race guy with the funny name was sufficiently patriotic, and yesterday he plucked almost all the chords ("our heart swells with pride at the sight of our flag...we shed a tear as the lonely notes of Taps sound...America is the greatest country on earth") during remarks in swing-state Missouri, billed by his campaign billed as a major address. Presumably, skeptical voters will not fault him for failing to mention the purple mountain majesties and amber waves of grain.
I have no problems with patriotic sentiment. I'm merely struck by the fact that Obama feels the need to keep stating the obvious (yesterday: "I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given"). Thanks in part to his exotic background, thanks in part to the lies mass-circulated on the Internet, thanks in part to the credulous ignorance of millions of potential voters, and thanks in part to the perception, still broadly held, that Democrats are weak national security stewards, Obama has no other choice.
So he sought yesterday to make the most of his situation. In his latest attempts to innoculate himself against future conservative attacks, he spent considerable time reassuring swing voters that he's not a stereoptypical '60s liberal.
For instance, consider this putdown of antiwar radicals: "Some of those in the so-called counter-culture of the '60s reacted not merely by criticizing particular government policies, but by attacking the symbols, and in extreme cases, the very idea of America itself; by blaming America for all that was wrong with the world...There is nothing smart of sophisticated about a cynical disregard for America's traditions and institutions...I believe those who attack America's flaws without acknowledging the singular greatness of our ideals, and our proven capacity to inspire a better world, do not truly understand America."
Most of those remarks could easily have been uttered by Ronald Reagan, who in 1980 and 1984 used those arguments to successfully woo swing-voting independents and conservative Democrats. And elsewhere in the speech, he echoed conservative sentiment (although this sentiment should not be limited to conservatives) with his complaint that schools today have stinted on civics, thus leaving "too many young Americans without the most basic knowledge of who are forefathers are, or what they did, or the significance of the founding documents that bear their names."
Obama also took a not-so-veiled swipe at moveon.org for its autumn newspaper ad assailing General David Petraeus, and he rebuked Wesley Clark, his own surrogate, for suggesting on a Sunday talk show that John McCain's POW status was an insufficient qualification for the presidency. (Obama: "no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign...We must always express our profound gratitude for the service of our men and women in uniform. Period.")
Will wary voters warm to his recitation of patriotic childhood memories? It would not be a surprise if these anecdotes turn up again in his Democratic convention acceptance speech on Aug. 28. The line about how he handled his grandfather's World War II dogtags...that could work. The line about how, when he was a child in Indonesia, his mother would read to him by quoting from the Declaration of Independence...well, I wonder whether the wary will buy that one. By all accounts, his mom was indeed a unique woman, but that particular anecdote, told as proof of his patriotism, just seems a tad too perfect.
But then he made a daring pitch for himself: "For a young man of mixed race, without firm anchor in any particular community, without even a father's steadying hand, it is this essential American idea - that we are not constrained by the accident of birth but can make of our lives what we will - that has defined my life...That is why, for me, patriotism is always more than just loyalty to a place on a map or a certain kind of people."
Translation: "You can love America even if you didn't grow up as a white guy rooted in the heartland. Patriotism is in the heart, not in the soul. It's portable, you can carry it with you, sort of like COBRA health insurance."
But the meat of his speech - and, arguably, the theme with the greatest potential - was about the need to meld the two traditional views of patriotism: the conservative impulse to revere our glorious past and traditions; and the liberal impulse to revere our ideals, in the belief that America can be made better. His argument - a no-brainer, and one that fits with his bid to be a consensus-builder - is that we should be able to entertain both impulses simultaneously.
However, Obama stressed that the conservative impulse was dominant: "As I got older...in my mind, the joys of American life and culture, its vitality, its variety and its freedom, always outweighed its imperfections." No doubt he will hit this point repeatedly this summer, if only to counter the persistent viral whisperings. Which means that this whole exercise in patriot games arguably says more about our culture than it does about Obama.
diddy, they are called "clandestine operations" for a reason. If we are attempting to cause a disruption in Iran, then hooray for the Dems to have the guts to authorize it. I love how using Obama's middle name is racist and demeaning, but what Clark or Beers said about McCain, or the "General Betray Us" was not an attack against anyone. If Obama does not want anyone to use his middle name, then he should change it. Is he ashamed of it? Exactly what is racist about using his middle name? After all, we use Hillary Rodham Clinton, we use George W Bush, and George H W Bush, as well as many others. Next thing you know, the media will be referring to Obama as Barry instead of Barack.— tom - wilmington, de- Djoko Pritza, how is the fact that Obama has very little experience and no real legislative accomplishments a talking point? It is a legitimate concern. Each voter has to make the judgment for themselves, but I simply feel that Obama is far too inexperienced to lead this nation. McCain has a long track record, and though I disagree with a lot of what he has done, he at least has a record by which he can be judged. Further, he also has enough experience that I would trust him to sit down with the leader of a foreign nation, which I cannot say for Obama.— jfar86
- The talking point, my good man, is to name the number of accomplishments, which when comparing a young man with little time in the legislature with an old guy who's live most of his life there is kinda inane. Experience, also, is a heavily qualified attribute. But it's a concept easy for the right-wing spin-bloggers to pedal and for their dupes to grasp.— Djoko Pritza
- Tom - The problem is that the people who are in charge of overseeing military operations and funding are being shut out by the White House. The Bush administration has so blurred the distinction between CIA operations and military operations that Congressional oversight committees are now authorizing covert ops without even knowing what they are authorizing. This is a source of tremendous tension inside both the White House (this is a big reason why NSA chief Negroponte resigned) and in congress. We have a situation where neither congress or our foreign ambassadors have access to the details of what U.S. forces are doing inside Iran. Some inside Cheney's office are so upset with this state of affairs that they were willing to leak information to Seymour Hersh. Recently the funding took a huge jump to $400 million, money that is being used to fund anti-American, Islamic fundamentalist groups. The fear is that the White House is trying to goad Iran into provoking an American attack. People are so caught up in Bush's unpopularity and trashed reputation; we need to realize that a U.S. attack on Iran might very well happen before Bush's term in over. Hersh even goes so far as to say that this is exactly what is going to happen - and Hersh is not known as as chicken little.— p-diddy
- jfar86 - The truth about Obama has become a "right wing talking point" because there is no other defense of the truth about his record, his friends, his accomplishments, his goals or his methods than to ridicule you as an idiot. As soon as you write the truth his supporters will personally attack you. They are just very bitter about Bush and are lashing out.— jwad56
- One of my favorite quotes...."Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Samuel Johnson. keep it in persrective. The patriots we admire most are the guys who railed against their country, practiced "treasonous" behavior, revolted against the lawful authority of the time. Does that make the cranks and malcontents the real patriots?— JimR
- jfar86 -- I think you fall in the dupe category.— Djoko Pritza
- Djoko Pritza, are you suggesting that anybody concerned about Obama's lack of experience is a "dupe?" It seems to me to be a rather valid concern. JFK admitted that he when he met with Khruschev, Khruschev took advantage of his inexperience. Aren't the same concerns about Obama meeting with foreign leaders appropriate? Experience, either as a political leader, or as a leader in the private sector, is certainly a real asset, and certainly a legitimate qualification by which to evaluate a presidential candidate.— jfar86
- Oops, jfar86, my apologies. The dupe comment was intended for jwad56 (are you two related?). jwad doesn't seem up to the spinner level yet.— Djoko Pritza
- Djoko Pritza, there is no need to resort to name calling. I have attempted to engage in a civilized discussion, which you are either unwilling or unable to do. By all means, question my logic or my positions. But engage in discourse.— jfar86
- djoko, did you forget Clinton signed a tax cut in 1997, which included a cut in the capital gains tax as well as the $500 per child tax credit? That is when the economy under his presidency really started to take off. As for Obama's experience being a talking point, I believe that is the best argument against electing him president. There is nothing to either criticize or commend. He is an empty suit, sort of like Peter Sellers character (Chauncy Gardener) in the movie "Being There". Did all you McCain flip flop bashers note your guys big one today? Suddenly Obama is in favor of expanding Bush's faith based initiatives, when before he was opposed to them. Seems like he has a change in his positions on a daily basis now. People on this site say they are against McCain becaue he flip flops, but Obama does so as well and he gets a pass. People on this site were against HRC because she would do and say anything to get elected, but Obama is doing the same and gets a pass. Obama moves two Muslim from where they could be seen on camera and needs to be pressured to apologize, but using his middle name is racist. Seems rather hypocritical to me not only of Obama but also of his supporters. But I guess that is just another republican talking point, right Djoko?— tom - wilmington, de
- Exactly my point. Don't debate any facts since you can't, just attack the person.— jwad56
- By the way, for the record, no relation to jwad.— jfar86
- Tom, back in January of this year, in response to Polman's column "Flight of the Phoenix", you wrote: "Today I am sending off my $1,000 campaign contribution to Barack Obama. Just in case McCain does get the nomination, I need an alternative." What happened? You're a McCain supporter now? But $1000 - ouch.— p-diddy
- If Obama actually had a proven record, he wouldn't have to prove so hard that he's patriotic, not a radical, not a liberal, not inexperienced, able to make tough decisions, not a muslim, not an empty suit, not just a teleprompter reader... If he can't even get out of the starting block, he's not qualified to be president.— thelastRepublicaninPhilly
Cited by the Columbia Journalism Review as one of the nation's top political reporters, and lauded by the ABC News political website as "one of the finest political journalists of his generation," Dick Polman is a national political columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is on the full-time faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, as "writer in residence." Dick has been a frequent guest on C-Span, MSNBC, CNN, NPR and the BBC. He covered the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 presidential campaigns.
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