Obamamania

A couple of months ago I posted about Senator Barak Obama, linking to a report in the Des Moines Register. Then last month, I noted that Obama was on the cover of Time magazine. Now the Economist talks of Obamamania.

It's clear now that Obama is a likely candidate for President. From tomorrow onwards you are going to be hearing a great deal about him. There's still a tremendous amount that we don't know. As The Economist puts it:

Mr Obama's political philosophy is all about blurring boundaries where it is not pure waffle. Politics involves making difficult decisions, not dodging them.

Well, blurring boundaries is usually a very good electoral position. And Obama shows every sign of being very good at it indeed.

A recent speech on his religious convictions and on the battle over Christianity in politics was superb. It was enlightened, basically correct and a fantastic piece of positioning.

This guy is dead serious.

Comments

[jonathan Bracey Gibbon]

Obama is impressive indeed. But, as Americans are more likely to elect an openly gay, black, muslim, liberal woman than an atheist - I found his references to non-believers at the end of his lists of voting demographics, somewhat worrying. As an atheist it is discomforting to see yourself portrayed as a social outcast in the context of an election in the land of the free. It was ever thus, but Obama's line blurring of the secular state and the church is worrying. And dishonest.

Clearly Barack knows he has to wear his religion on his sleeve to get to the White House, as he surely will, and one hopes he never gets more God-fearing than this. However, the slip at the very end of the speech as written, reveals what I suspected a quarter of the way in.

The last line - the prayer before bedtime - as quoted in the first draft, is clearly changed for the second. Maybe the recently-pious Barack said both prayers. Either way clearly Obama is politician first, a man of faith second, and, as such, is not beyond playing politics with believers every bit as cynically as did Bush. Amen to that.

[partyrichter]

Not only is this guy serious, he is seriously good. If he runs, which is looking increasingly likely, he will beat Clinton and could go on to clinch the Presidency. I think the Clintons are beginning to realise this.

Danny is right about the speech, it is a very slick piece of positioning. Clearly he is brilliant at the subtleties and nuances of message politics. The positive reference made to the “African-American religious tradition” was a classy touch, particularly when one considers that being of mixed-race parentage can be difficult for a politician in the sometimes bizarre world of American racial politics. Every so often Obama will have to covertly wink to the African American lobby without invoking the ire of the Latino caucus. It will be a tricky path to tread.

What I want to know is whether he has the guts to fight a vicious national election? How ruthless is he prepared to be? Can he fight dirty?

[Joe Bolser]

I can't speak for JC, but JB would vote for Barack Obama. Probably.

You're right to tip him. He seems to be, for me at least, the most (only?) impressive and instinctively inclusive politician for the Dems at the moment. Hilary Clinton is too divisive, despite her obvious abilities. And of course she’s missing a Y chromosome. Gore is a busted flush, and any illusions that Kerry might have had about running again must surely have bitten the dust. Thank God.

Imagine if Obama could somehow reconcile Christian America with Liberal America. Surely impossible? Only a brilliant or truly sympathetic orator could do it, and then only temporarily perhaps, but it would take them all the way to the White House.

Do you think he may get the VP slot in 2008? For sad but obvious reasons Hilary couldn’t pick him…

[Simon Chapman]

Thanks for the link to his speech Danny - it was excellent