What An Obama Presidency Would Mean

A friend of mine just returned from a trip to Michigan. She reported to me that, in the Lansing area, McCain signs abounded. Michigan has a Democratic Governor, Jennifer Granholm. The City of Lansing has a Democratic mayor, Virg Bernero. But McCain's campaign apparently looms large in the city of the Oldsmobile brand.

I try, at times, to empathize with Republicans. At least the rank and file ones that I believe have been sidelined by the Bush crowd and that family's nearly Shakespearean obsession with power at any cost. Not to mention the damage done to that party by the creationists, who will hopefully stay home on election night, having never been too cozy with McCain. I wonder if real Republicans see where they went wrong. That was in not choosing John McCain back in 2000.

John McCain's time has come and gone. The noble soldier who, at some intermittent points in his career, actually was a maverick, had to sit back and stare, dumbfounded, as his party chose Bush over him. Bush, the know-nothing, do-nothing, back-slapping frat boy: in. McCain, the great war hero and US Senator: out.

Maybe McCain believed, as Hillary Clinton perhaps believes about her own recent race, that his primary opponent would lose the general election, setting up a run in only four years. In fact, Bush did lose to Gore and the Supreme Court decision that selected Bush as President cost McCain his chance to run in 2004. Bush's eight years in office have been a national (and international) nightmare. They have also been the passing of John McCain's last useful years as a presidential candidate. Although many leaders in the Republican party believe that the GOP can run anyone for office and their supporters will fall in line, whether they are qualified or not (look at the California governorship), many Republicans I know believe McCain is done. And Palin didn't help. Palin is a charming and facile woman. But she was a devastatingly poor choice for VP. She will probably cost the GOP the election.

Add to the list of things destroyed by the Bush family the presidential hopes and dreams of John McCain.

On another note, another friend turned to me recently and said, "If Obama is elected, we will have witnessed something truly great in our lifetime." I agree. We will also witness, I would argue, the death of the civil rights movement as we have understood it these past sixty years. The last, great obstacle to meaningful racial equality in America will vanish, and with it, the yoke, real and perceived, of the limitations of the black experience in our country.

Many things are changing in our society today, even dying. With Obama, we not only accept that change, we seek to turn it into a positive.

Comments

[tbrock]

I think those signs in lansing might be for Brian McGrain, a democrat running for Ingham County Commission....just a thought. Caught me off guard at first, also...

[DawnW]

I'm from Michigan and I have to say having a democrat as Govenor who has increased taxes at a time when Michigan was hurting (way before the rest of the states) actually sent small businesses running. As Independant contractors my husband and I only make 45 thousand a year before work related expenses. The people that create work for us make 250,000.00. They are going to have to make cuts if they are being taxed heavily at both federal and state level. My family gets cut.
Why would someone want to earn 250,000 and get taxed heavily. What would be the intiative for someone to break that barrier? If they have no intiative to than who will be paying these taxes for all the programs Sen. Obama has planned.
Michigan largely votes Democrat because of Unions however they are more conservative in their views than say new york or california.

btw-We dont owe any taxes, we pay for our own health insurance yet still owe for medical bills. My daughter has a library fine and we have about 3 grand in credit card debt. Oh and we had to leave the state along with many many other contractors.
My vote is for McCain

[canwe]

dear bb,
seems like the endeavor to "keep in touch with the positive" is paying off
bravo
me

[Lillycomm]

Hi Alec

You are wonderful and I respect your opinions and I LOVE your work on 30 Rock. I have one question - can you tell me why you (and Tina) agreed to appear on SNL w/ Sarah Palin?? I understand that you were all (including Amy's rap) getting your message across, but just appearing on the show with her (or in Lorne's case, allowing her on the show) increases her likebility for some people.

You were great on Real Time w/ Bill M. You really made good points against Christine Amanpour's comment that Sarah deserves credit as a woman on the ticket. Was she out of her mind???? SP is an embarassment to any woman that is trying to hold her own in a still male dominated corporate world. Winking her way through the debate??? OMG!! Please explain why you went on SNL with her.

[cnobody]

I have enjoyed your writings here, Alec. I think many of us here saw you last night on SNL, standing next to Gov. Sarah and hoped that you'd really take it to her. You did, sort of, but I think you guys let her off the hook, giving her some undeserved reverence. She has done nothing, absolutely nothing, to deserve an ounce of reverence from us, the American people. From the moment she came on the scene, she has been a negative, divisive force. You know this, and I know I'm just "preaching to the choir" here, but it would have been one of the greatest moments in live television had the cast pulled the rug out from under her. Of course, then she may have gotten the sympathy vote, so maybe it was the right call. I don't know. Keep checking in here at Huffpo, Alec. Your input is greatly appreciated.

[Tim-JLJ]

Hey Alec,

We are fans from Australia. We made a song about you.

Check it out if you want:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=njUsop4HmfY

Cheers,

Tim.

[wbarley]

Oh yea, Alec baldwin is so shiny! I bow to your awesomeness.

[hector74elp]

I to believe that McCain’s time has come and gone. McCain had a chance with me to vote for him. Why? I was taking a World Religion course and had the unfortunate pleasure to have a Baptist preacher as a teacher. He impressed me on the first night, but that was it. He is still a very kind person but his true colors came out. I found it very difficult to take serious a person that believes that dinosaurs and man walked together. He said it. He even mentioned some place in Texas (I forget where) there wer’e tracks side by side which was evidence to prove it. And he truly believes that the world is 6,000 years old. And the science that says otherwise is duped by the devil. One evening he mentioned that he is not happy with McCain. He said that McCain is not conservative enough or not his type of republican. It was a validation for me to think that if McCain wins – we just might be okay. My concern would be if he picked Mitt Romney as a VP. I’m thinking if he gets Romney there is 4 years of Bush ultra-conservative politics still on the table. Instead we got Palin. McCain – you lost any possibilities of getting my vote. Yes Texas is a red state, but I didn’t vote for Bush and I’m sure not voting for McCain/Palin. Mr. McCain you’re not a maverick anymore.

[kayatarms]

Alec, just love ya on Real Time, what a hoot! Commented here before and you are always so right on target. Speaking of ..people vote against their own best interests, like Joe the non-plumber never ceases to amaze me,, and truly a Obama presidency would shape America in ways that would only be something for the history books. He just has "that", innate, but I just caught the Michigan part, and I am feeling Michigan is going to lean Obama. I live in Michigan and I would be truly surprised if it went Mc way. That would be interesting, The climate here is really bad with the highest foreclosures, I am a realtor for many years and its taken a big toll here. O is doing wonders with a ground crew here. Soon (swear scared to death of the Hatefest duo) we shall see. John is not the man period anymore, and their campaign is horrendous in nature. It will take so much healing. Half the nation will think he is a Arab elite terrorist if he wins, and if were to lose (arghh can't reconcile even the thought ) the other half will be just as unhinged because Mc painted him as one. Just awful!

[popples]

"The last, great obstacle to meaningful racial equality in America will vanish, and with it, the yoke, real and perceived, of the limitations of the black experience in our country."

Well, it will certainly be an accomplishment and a huge step forward, but I disagree that the last obstacle will vanish with this election. What Obama's win will prove is that a vast majority of Americans believe a black man (or rather, /this/ black man) is capable of running this country, and that's wonderful.

But I don't think any racists will change their views (in fact, they may become more incensed). I don't think ignorant people will suddenly trust their black neighbors more. Racism in this country is subversive. It's in the justice system, the school system, it's ingrained in the nooks and crannies of our country. It will take time, work, and the shifting of cultural views to change all that.

Obama is an extraordinary person who has and will continue to break racial barriers. But he's only one man, and even the President has limits.

[Nicky]

Hello Mr Baldwin

I often read what you write and I think you have very Good points.
I am new here don’t know so much about this site yet do you know how you put up your blog and how I can put up a pictures of me on my huffington post profile?
Thaks Nicky.

[UFGator4Obama]

Alec, please do something about your brother. Seriously, this isn't even remotely funny. I do find it interesting however that you're a far superior actor whose got quite a bit in the bank I'd imagine, while your bro probably doesn't have so much. A tax plan like Obama's would benefit Stephen a little bit more wouldn't it? Yet you're the one voting for Obama. I'll never understand Republicans with wishful dreams of one day being in that 1% and getting taxed less than all of us. Some people say "well anything is possible." If that is the case, next time you go on a show, will you bring me with you? I'd love to meet some celebs and talk politics. Hey anything is possible right?

[JazzPuff]

WOW, I saw the first signs today...Mc­Cain/Palin­., they were in 2 yards. I was pleasantly surprised, that people were making that stretch and expressing political views, in their yards, mine just have Halloween decorations. Not getting complacent for the DNC is the right idea as I am sure alot can still happen in less than 17 days, especially in those states where the margin is close.

[akiko]

Nice to see you.
I hope you'll have a good luck on your work.

[sugarbaby gal]

I believe that an Obama presidency will be a step in the right direction, but the fight for racial equality is hardly over.

McCain's time being done and gone? Not exactly.

The majority of McCain's party are cogs in a wheel, nothing more than cyborgs on a mission, guided by fiction and they LOVE it. They love not having minds of their own or their own identities and they talk the script they are given and have disassociated their consciences from their work.

[wwwilly]

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen." It seems reasonable to me that listening to others is a viable way of expanding and enlightening our collective world view. Fresh perspective seldom comes from breathing one's own exhaust.

What strikes me most about the ongoing political campaign is the hubris and absence of self-reflection in the Republican strategy. Why do they think that repackaging their decades-old exhaust -- and delivering it in loud, obnoxious, gas-guzzling, environmentally unfriendly, "I-got-min­e-now-you-­get-yours" style -- is going to breathe new life into our national dialogue?

In stark contrast, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden are thoughtful, introspective, and inclusive in their world views. They listen before they speak. They think before they act. They exemplify emotional maturity, strength of character, leadership, and a true appreciation of diversity -- as opposed to the often reckless ambition and disregard for others exhibited by the "RepRovian" machine.

As President Clinton observed at the DNC this past month: "People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power." As imperfect as he may be, Bill is acutely intelligent, one of the most well-read persons on the planet, and an astute statesman. "America the Beautiful" is not "America the Only." We live in a global community. We need to act like it.