From Bush to Obama: The Politics of Fear, Experience, and Change
I think that Obama has really hit the nail on the head in terms of the present American political theme--voters want CHANGE. This isn't the kind of flip flopping change debated among the Republicans candidates, particularly about wedding cake icon Mitt Romney, where politicians try to shape their values to match preconceived notions about how they think voters idealize their lives. Rather, CHANGE means out with the OLD and in with the NEW, and Obama personifies this very nicely. If elected president, his face would represent not only an Oval Office change in complexion but also self-perception a change in the appearance of the American voter, and maybe even the world citizen. Remarkably, though nobody can deny the importance of the president as model citizen of the world, Obama's candidacy isn't merely cosmetic change. The type of real change yearned for is replacement of Bush inspired zenophobic attitudes with hopeful worldly and pragmatic perceptions and constructive judgement about serious national and world problems.
As a male who has worked his entire career within famale dominated field of education, Hillary Clinton, appears as the ever so prepared elementary school teacher, prepared with an overly detailed program of controlled activities for the American nation for which she cares. Hillary's campaign emphasizes "hard work" and "experience". Interestingly, the most experienced candidate--Bill Richardson--has a lack luster campaign. If any candidate is experiences among the field, the bottom single digit Richardson is the man. Hillary's vicarious experience by spouse reminds me at least of some of the most intractable of problems in politics--nepotism. The nation has just suffered through eight grueling years of a president who arrived at that position in large part because his father had also been president. Does the American Democratic voter really want to seek revenge against Bush and Republican party for all their excesses? If they do, then Hillary is the candidate with experience to wage battle. But, I personally think that America would better avoid this Peronist populism by recognizing that even the best times of Bill Clinton's presidency cannnot be relived. Moreover, women voters who yearn for a woman president ought to think twice about how Hillary will have done it--on the coattails of her husband. Think about it ladies: Should the husband of a woman president earn office by virtue of his association with his wife's acheivements? While Hillary was certainly one of the most hardworking First Ladies in American history, she still was gifted a huge lift because of her husband Bill.
Of course Hillary argues tearfully that she has worked hard to bring change to America and that she doesn't want American to go "backwards". She brings out the old Walter Mondale salvage, "Where's the beef?", in her efforts to disparage Obama's general message of hope. But, Hillary is overly prepared. To continue the teacher analogy, her "lesson plan" ignores the fundamental social conflict found in her class. In contrast, Barack seems to understand that the greater chore at the moment is in compromise and political analysis, not policy details. So, a more serious problem with the "hard work" message right now is that in a flagging economy, the American voter would rather not be reminded about how hard they work to pay of their home mortgage and this year's Christmas credit card bills. Eventually, Hillary's stern lecture turns off middle-class white voters looking for a fresh face and smile. Meanwhile, after Iowa, African-Americans, trained to be fearful, and previously worried that only Hillary could beat the Republican's come fall, are suddenly hopeful. Is is possible that a black candidate can win? Yes, I think so, and he doesn't have to do so with so much hard work and bitter experience.
What's most dramatic about the Obama theme of change though isn't in the backlash toward the Clinton legacy, but rather toward the eight years of tormented politics of fear. Axis of Evil, Guantamamo, Iraq, Iran, and Osama Bin Laden--these were symbols the Bush presidency taunted Americans with for so long. In the end, the American voter wants change because of weariness of being conned, of being told that the whole nation is at risk and our international neighbors are also our enemies. The sham is over, argues Obama. We don't need to be told that we can't acheive our hopes and dreams. Change indeed!
