Obama Had Better
Define Himself - and Do So Quickly
"For example, he needs to
start wearing American flag pins on his lapels. It may seem ridiculous to the
Brazilian public, but for Americans, demonstrating patriotism every second is crucial
for any candidate. … Obama must prevent Republicans from placing him on the
wrong side of what American commentators call the 'cultural divide.'”
Maureen Dowd, perhaps the
most bruising American political columnist, invented a way for Barack Obama to
punish Hillary Clinton for everything she has said during the internal fight of
the Democrats. Just name her as Vice President, suggested Dowd in The New
York Times .
The way she is, continues the
columnist, Hillary would have a stomach ache every day she wakes up knowing
that it's Obama and not her who is head of the American nation …and she would
console herself by recalling that 14 American Vice Presidents ended up assuming
the office.
But for Dowd, the joke stops
there. She points out that Obama isn't even in Hillary's league in terms of
aggressiveness, tenacity and political stature - which seems to paralyze him -
while he has proven great at delighting the public. This may have been the main
“service” provided by Hillary during the political campaign, albeit
involuntarily.
OBAMA-HILLARY ELECTION PARODY
CARTOON FUN
It's
now clear that Obama has to hurry up and say who he is - although one might
ask: why is it that at this point in the campaign, Obama has yet to say who he
is? Precisely. A national election is completely
different from a dispute between Democrats. Hillary seemed very strong when
compared to Obama, in exactly those populous states that make the difference
between Republicans and Democrats in the national vote count.
Hillary made it quite clear
to the Republican campaign machine on which points Obama appears vulnerable:
for example, he needs to start wearing American flag pins on his lapels. It may
seem ridiculous to the Brazilian public, but for Americans, demonstrating
patriotism every second is crucial for any candidate.
But more than the polls that
show voter intentions, researchers into American electoral behavior recently
discovered that 45 percent of voters identified with “Obama’s values” (still,
very vague), but 54 percent of the electorate better identifies with “McCain’s
values.” The Republicans will be able, based on these results, to mount a
campaign based on “values,” brushing aside the situation with the country’s economy,
which in political terms is frankly poor.
Several American commentators
over the past few days have struck the same note: even in the case of recent
declarations about race made by Reverend Jeremiah Wright - which Obama was
quick to repudiate - there was still an air of doubt about whether the phrase
“I understand the situation of Black Americans, just like I understand the
situation of White Americans" is enough.
When the Republicans talk
about “values,” what do they refer to aside from issues that are clearly
ethical and moral, such as gay marriage or abortion? The Republican electoral
machine speaks mainly of things like a commitment to work (rather than
assistance programs funded by the state), sympathy for the victims of crime
(instead of “understanding” the social situation that led someone to be a
criminal) and the protection of borders (instead of tolerating entry of illegal
immigrants).
Whether or not this is part of
the American myth, there is something more that the United States electorate
values greatly - and here [in Brazil] this would be called the appeal exerted
by the Armed Forces and the projection of American power (defined as imperial,
decadent, or whatever the reader may choose). The fact is that a good part of
the electorate that both McCain and Obama want to conquer considers it
essential in terms of foreign policy for the president not only to talk tough,
but to promise to act tough.
Essentially, Obama must
prevent Republicans from placing him on the wrong side of what American
commentators call the "cultural divide” - the thin line that if crossed,
the voters he needs to win over (for victory in the elections) would consider
him unreliable.
Victory is not guaranteed for
Obama. And many of those in Brazil who are enthused with him are likely to be
disappointed with what I believe he will begin to say next.
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