The Obama Fairy Tale
Before Democrats voted in South Carolina (which Barack Obama won), Bill Clinton denounced Barack Obama and his campaign as a fairy tale. At first, one might give Barack Obama the benefit of the doubt because the Clinton’s are widely known for dirty politics but after closer examination just the opposite appears to be true.
2007’s most liberal senator, Senator Obama has been making waves as the “non-establishment” candidate of the Democratic party and a candidate that could heal partisan wounds and move the nation forward. His charisma even has some unhappy Republicans defecting under the “hope” of a truly uniting political figure. While I respect Barack Obama for political brilliance and excellent speaking skills, I agree with Bill Clinton - he is a “fairy tale”.
Obama has done a lot of hard campaigning with the renewing “hope” in Washington mantra. How could somebody who has an extremely partisan record in the Senate truly heal partisan wounds? Fixing Washington and renewing “hope” have much more to do with getting a moderate candidate than anything. We need a candidate who isn’t afraid to deviate from party lines and to reach across the aisle to get things done. Barack Obama who votes with the Democratic establishment in the Senate 96.4% of the time, clearly doesn’t have this sort of ability.
It is also a “fairy tale” that Barack Obama is a “non-establishment” candidate. If how he votes in the Senate isn’t enough to prove it, just look at who has endorsed him. He has endorsements from Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Patrick Leahy, Moveon.org and a lot of support from the loony left in Hollywood; just judging him based on who supports him makes him look throughly establishment and throughly liberal.
Barack Obama is smart because with his campaign focusing on hope and unfocused change he took his liberalism off the table before it even became a problem. I hope voters are smart enough to see past the facade. If they do, the Democratic party is in big trouble no matter who the nominee is since they’ve failed to get moderates from the party to run. Indeed, one of the party’s biggest moderates, Joseph Lieberman, endorsed John McCain.
Posted under Politics by Will Gries on Saturday, February 2nd 2008; 10:51 pm