Well I could possibly say this is because I have just started blogging, but history tells us the gods punish such hubris. No I am of course referring to the election of Barack Hussein Obama. If I was a betting man and could go back in time I’m sure if I approached the local TAB they would have given me any odds I wanted on the next president having the name ‘Barack Hussein Obama’. With retrospect, who could blame them? Even pundits and Washington insiders who knew of his gifts, talents and potential didn’t give him the slightest chance of winning the primaries, let alone the White house.
So what happened?
Well here are a few of my thoughts (as humble as they may).
Firstly: the political climate in the US over the past decade or so has changed dramatically. As minority populations have grown in size and influence; these usually democrat voters have begun to change the make up of the south and mid-west.
Secondly: George Bush, while the current President may struggle to put two sentences together (he can be credited with spurning an entire industry built solely on ‘bushisms’), he must have appealed to a large proportion of Americans at some stage. The reason I believe is two-fold:
1. He appeared to be one of them
2. He was a man of conviction, who didn’t care what the polls said
The first idea is something the Republican party was able to sell very effectively in 2000 and 2004 and tried to sell again with the ‘Palin Fiasco’. Unfortunately, as time has progressed, these two qualities that President Bush most definitely possesses, became more of a liability than a plus. America forgot for a while, that exceptionalism is needed to run an economic and military hegemonic power. This leads me to my final point, and the primary reason why John McCain, a patriotic, experienced senator, though Maverick he was not, did not win the election.
Barack Obama is exceptional. His background, his life story, his demeanour, abilities and talents, all exceptional. While much has been made of his oratorical ability, (and this should not be devalued, words can change worlds) Obama’s real gifts lie in understanding his times, listening, accepting and driving people to their best as well as communication, both one on one and oratory.
As the intriguing transition months fly by with stories of staff appointments, new presidential security restrictions and new senators and congressmen settling in, we are faced with a hard and unchanging truth. Obama is facing exceptionally hard times; with the greatest global market meltdown since the great depression, two complicated and protracted wars, an aging unemployed workforce and the emergence of new world powers in India and China. No President has been under this much stress since FDR, and he certainly did not have the expectations that must surely be weighing on Obama’s shoulders.
Let’s pray for the man, he’s going to need it.
Posted by ooza 
