Suddenly, being articulate, polite, and well-educated is snobbery. Prefering a glass of orange juice to coffee and doughnuts is effete. Dressing formally in a tie and jacket (rather than a tee shirt and sweats) is pretentious.
Good grief! -- what are we looking for? A world leader or a bowling buddy?
It has been a very long time since America had a world-class president: Wilson the academic from Princeton, Roosevelt the patrician from the Hudson Valley, Kennedy the sophisticate from New England, and Eisenhower the beloved World War II hero. Other than that, we've had a haberdasher, an actor, a peanut farmer, a few lawyers, and a failed businessman and military drop-out. None of them brought any great degree of intelligence or imagination to the highest office in the land.
And still today, we're just looking for a hand-shaker: someone who we think can chummy up to coal miners, factory workers, farmers, inner-city minorities, pregnant teens, and high school drop-outs. Who can kiss babies, chug-a-lug beer and shoot pool; can eat whatever the locals are dishing out and use two-syllable words that are easily understood. A candidate today has to be as common as the common man (or woman). Well then, let's elect our next-door neighbor.
This is the dumbing-down of America and the dumbing-down of our candidates. It is what Jacques Barzun, one-time dean of Columbia University, alluded to nearly 50 years ago in "The House of Intellect": many Americans, clinging to an exaggerated sense of 'democracy', actually fear or envy or are suspicious of excellence. It's about time we had an excellent president in office. Not a political hack, not a self-indulgent clown, not a smooth-talking hypocrite, not an empty-headed puppet, not a pompous super-patriot, and certainly not a fuzzy-brained war monger.
Americans living and working and studying overseas somehow have a clearer perspective on American politics -- they are not inundated by the Washington-controlled media -- and they see first-hand what is happening around the world. In the overseas Democratic primaries held in February, Barack Obama got 65% of the vote. The overseas delegates to the Democratic National Convention will faithfully represent this majority. Will they be branded "elitists"?
Barack Obama is a gentleman and a scholar, and if America isn't prepared to elect this kind of person, then America deserves to get another Bush or another Carter or another Nixon, or worse.
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Mediocrity has always been the Achilles heal of democracies. The brain-dead masses always crave one of their own kind. The irony is that the real powers behind the scenes can always find some good old boy to front for them. You know, like Bush standing in for Cheney.
but the real question is, why does the MSM suggest that a democratic candidate must pander to rust belt blue collar voters? They elected bush and in my opinion, no matter how they vote in a primary will vote for McCain in the general. This is a group that has proven, unlike any other, to be willing to vote against its own self interest. Their kids are dying in Iraq, their jobs are gone, they are left with little hope for anything better in the future, and they vote for who has the best bowling score, or who will drink 'boilermakers' with them... It makes me want to cry.
Al Gore was possibly the most qualified candidate ever to seek the presidency. Instead, we got Dubya. Why? Polls suggested that we would rather have a beer with Dubya. We would rather watch the Super Bowl with Dubya. We like Dubya. We don't like Gore...Now, look at the mess that "good ol boy" has gotten us into. This time, lets factor in things like competence and intelligence when casting our votes for president. (and lets do away with the electoral college)
I, too, am totally disenchanted, and discouraged, by the notion that we, as Americans, should be wanting our President to be "just like us". While I want my President to have the capacity to identify and empathize with those facing hardship and oftentimes insurmountable obstacles, I want my President to be intelligent, analytical, diplomatic and fully capable of listening to those with differences of opinion. He/she does not need to be able to shoot Crown Royal nor bowl without bumper pads. If he/she grew up with or without guns matters not and what his/her pastor has preached in the pulpit is neither here nor there. What does matter is this...Can I depend that my President will tell it like it is, no matter whether it's "popular" or not. What matters even more...my President must have the integrity not to throw people, or issues, of import under the bus when it is politically expedient.
Suddenly? Ok as a dem I will say despite disliking Bush Sr. he acted responsibly at the job, refusing to unseat saddam, reducing the trade deficit and raising taxes despite it being political suicide.
But look at our popular culture name me a sophisticatd intelectual star role model. Wheres the clark gable's that are considered real men despite being suave and sophisticated. Media holds up beer swilling womanizing sterotypical shells of manhood not noble archetypes. It's what our culture has come to see as men and a very low yardstick to measure men by.
I can't remember where other than in the US, being part of the elite is a bad thing. I though we aspired for our children to be smarter so that we could remain the best in the world, but no... we seem to idolize mediocrity nowadays.
What is being a snob is assuming that those who disagree with your ideas are doing so because they are clinging to their guns or thier bibles.
People cling to all kind of things when their bitter, and guns and religion are two of them. I've always believed, that many people cling to religion because they are unhappy, whether it's because of their finances or personal relationships. Unfortunately, people can't handle the truth.
I can honestly say that of this moment I am ashamed to be an American. When I read racist, bigoted comments on huff post, I'm aghast. I want a president who is articulate, savvy, and well-mannered, at the same time understand the hardships of the average American. Obama's background is proof he came up the hard way. Neither Clinton or McCain experienced the kinds of hardships Obama has.
Bush was born with a silver spoon in his mouth,but he's a lowlife, inarticulate critan whose embarrassed America. This inarticulate critan who got us into a war that is draining our financial resources. I would never sit down and have a beer with George Bush....what in the world what we talk about, barney and being 'born again'?
What's wrong with a candidate who orders orange juice instead of coffee and donuts. Everyone knows that coffee is not good for you; sure I still drink it cause I'm addicted. I like the fact the Barack realizes the importance of good diet. 'We are what we eat'. Food affects not only our body's immune system and nervous system, but it affects our emotions as well.
I've always appreciated smart people; I learn from them.
What you call snob, I call very observant. You'd hate to admit it, but I think Obama was spot on about that.
Are you willfully misinformed, or are you willfully misspeaking?
Anyone who heard or read the statement for themselves, and understood what it meant would not be saying something that dumb and dishonest.
Ugh! You're do a little projecting here Joan. The "elite" thing came from Obama essentially belittling anyone who owns, I'm sorry, clings to guns or religion (as opposed to a wine glass and a tofu sandwich I guess). "Being articulate, polite, and well-educated"?! I suspect you'd put that at the top of your bio! Nothing beats your "sophisticate from New England" line. I haven't laughed out loud at such pathetically shallow elitism since my college days. Did I mention that I graduated from an Ivy League college? I'm with you. Screw the miners and farmers.
Senator Obama may have conflated two issues, but his answer is in line with decades of political analysis on the reasons for the "working class Conservative" movement. The very people who lives are routinely made worse by Conservative administrations are in the vanguard of the voting block that put the Conservatives into power. The idea that you win the votes of the working class and poverty class by appealing to the "3 G Platform" was not an original idea with Karl Rove, nor with any of the analysts from either side of the spectrum whose books take up several shelves. And political campaigns have used it for years.....because it works.
Elitism? This is new? When I was a kid, one of those "conversation stoppers" applies by those in power to those without power was" You don't want to be treated like some kind of privileged character, do you?"
30 years later I heard a school superintendent justify the beating of a boy with "he shouldn't have admitted getting a better grade. Kids don't like that. It's only natural.."
There are a number of theories as to when we, as a culture started to extol the virtues of mediocrity, but it's clearly nothing new.
I want my President to be smarter than I am. I want my doctor to know more about medicine that I do. I want the people who who run our education system to know more about education than I do.
I'm a farmer's daughter, I have an advanced education.
and I'm part black.
I think it's time for American's to quit Cubby-holing skin color, hair texture, and education.
Yeah, verily! No argument there. Correct me if I'm wrong, but most of the pundits who bring up skin color are on the left, no?
"It's about time we had an excellent president in office. "
Excellent!
I agree but I don"t think we are quite there yet. Were it not for the "macaca" incident, George Allen of Virginia would be queued up right now to be our next POTUS.
Affable dumb ass ???
In spades !!
AMEN!
And yet..I notice here there are six comments. Where is the outrage? Dobn't people want a President who is SMARTER than they are? What we have come to is an emarrassment to the world. And as I type the 7th comment here, there are 749 comments on The Washington Post article about Jeramiah Wright. Here's a sample:
"Shaniqua Obama is scary. I hope she doesn't have watermellon dinners in the White House or put curb feelers and rims on the Presidential limos."
Yep. We've still got a long way to go.
Aren't some of the Washington Post posters some of the saddest, least intelligent group of people in the world? It is embarassing to even read the comments and I feel smarter since I gave up going on that board and attempting to discuss issues with people who claim to be CEOs and/or have PH.D's and sound like their degree came with a free meal at Denny's.
I hope that we want and crave an intelligent, bright, articulate leader for our country. We should after what we have gone through with this "beer buddy" for 8 years.
I certainly agree with the basic premise of your piece, but I think that you have gone a little overboard denigrating at least a couple of ex-presidents. That peanut farmer was also a nuclear engineer (and he even knew how to pronounce it!) , and is probably the intellectual equal of any president of the last 60 years. And as for intellect, this Bill Clinton guy was a Rhodes Scholar. Back when he was being a president, as opposed to his current job as a political hack, he was widely respected around the world.
Perhaps you are just a little disoriented, like many of us, from the effects of living through the past seven-plus years of a president who acts like he has a room-temperature IQ. And may indeed have.
Otherwise, right on! I think that the Leader of the Free World ought to be a bit special.
You might wanna look up that bit about the "rhodes scholar' - you might be surprised with some of the lies that went along with that claim also. I'm not saying Bill Clinton wasn't a smart guy, but he may have been a bit too enamored with his own intelligence, rather than actually doing something with it.
See Obama really was the Harvard Law Review President. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/28/at_harvard_law_a_unifying_voice/
Big Deal. Very BIG DEAL.
Being a Harvard Law Review President is a very big deal. It just about says you are the smartest law student. '
Beyond his appearance, what set him apart was his approach to argument, the lifeblood of the law school and the constant occupation of the young lawyers-in-training. While other students were determined to prove the merits of their beliefs through logic and determination, Obama preferred to listen, seek others' views, and find a middle way.'
"A lot of people at the time were just talking past each other, very committed to their opinions, their point of view, and not particularly interested in what other people had to say," said Crystal Nix Hines, a classmate who is now a television writer. "Barack transcended that."
Barack's diplomatic skills are impeccable, that's why he's attracting Republicans. They may not agree with him on many of views, but they know he can repair America's image throughout the world.
He's not black enough. No wait he's *too* black. He's not Christian enough. Wait, he's Christian, but he's a *bad* Christian (read: Muslim). He's too inexperienced. Wait, no he's too smart -- and smart people always have an evil plan that's confusing and scary to the regular folks. He's an elitist. Wait, but he grew up relatively poor and just finished paying off his college loans and doesn't have a fraction of the wealth that the other candidates have. Well, maybe so, but that mean's nothing in light of the fact that he's not a very good bowler.
It's trial and error. Throw everything there is at him and see what sticks. Funny, he still seems like straight "change" to me.
The point is, Obama doesn't fit the 1950's cubbyholes, or pigeonholes. A lot of the population of the United States in the year 2008 doesn't either.!!!
Our previously held stereotypes are defunct. It's time to realize that this man (who is one of 3 candidates for President of the United States), has what it takes to lead our country.
american voters need to realize that they will never actually sit and have a beer with the president, so making a decision on who you most want to hangout with is probably not a great idea. this is what happens when you have a media culture which revolves around infotainment, dumbing down absolutely everything is key to the success of the industry. it's amazing that somewhere along the line it became an oddity to want a thoughtful and intelligent person running the country you live in, it's frightening actually. let's face it none of these candidates spends their time hanging out on the farm, no matter how many times you see them in a plaid shirt and jeans standing next to a pickup truck in a campaign ad.
You're absolutely right!! The anti-intellectualism in this country is sickening...We're going to hell in a handbasket!!!
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Posted April 28, 2008 | 04:59 PM (EST)