Can Obama Pull Off a Historic Presidential Double Play?

''On or about December 1910," Virginia Woolf wrote, "human character changed.'' We can be much more specific: "On November 4, 2008, just after 11 pm Eastern, America changed" (human character remains rather intransigent).

The change was driven by two things: our country's remarkable capacity for regeneration, and Barack Obama's remarkable ability to tap into the better angels of our nature.

You know something extraordinary is happening when even Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, and Joe Lieberman trip over themselves -- and their hastily discarded invective -- to say nice things about Obama and the "tremendous signal" sent by his election.

Sure, it's easy to see their encomiums as purely tactical attempts not to be on the wrong side of history, but they are more than that. They also demonstrate how certain moments and certain individuals are able to bring the best out in people -- even people who have shown us some of the worst aspects of human character. Because, hard though it may be to accept, the best and the worst reside in each of us, side-by-side.

As Alexander Solzhenitsyn put it: "The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart." And the greatest leaders are those who inspire us to reside on the good side of Solzhenitsyn's line.

Obama does more. As David Brooks wrote recently, Obama's fractured childhood "is supposed to produce a politician with gaping personal needs and hidden wounds. But over the past two years, Obama has never shown evidence of that."

Here is someone whose childhood could have easily led to a life in shambles. But Obama has somehow -- and without, as far as we know, thousands of hours of therapy --succeeded in not letting circumstances dictate his life and reactions.

During the campaign, Obama was an object lesson in equanimity. Insinuate he's Muslim or sympathizes with terrorists, and he brushes off the mud. Hammer him with trumped up charges -- "sexist," "socialist," un-American" -- and he rolls with the punches. He simply doesn't let it in. He demonstrates that we have the ability to master whether we allow setbacks and attacks to throw us off course.

A lot has been written about Obama's calm in the face of adversity over the course of the last 21 months. Less noted has been how he displays that same centeredness in the face of triumph.

On Tuesday night, he could have waxed transcendent, he could have wrung every last tear and every last cheer out of the adoring crowd at Grant Park. But he chose not to. Instead, his speech gracefully touched the clouds a few times then soberly came back to earth, focused, as always with Obama, on moving forward.

To their great credit, the American people have responded to Obama's example by remaining remarkably focused as well. Despite the seemingly endless parade of meaningless sideshows trotted out during both the primaries and the general campaign, the public refused to be distracted. These kinds of tactics had worked well in 2004 -- but not in 2008. Obama's focus, his sense of purpose cleared a path through the carnival of clownish attacks and chamber of horror scares. And voters followed.

After eight years in which it has felt like the very foundation of our country was under assault, it is a testament to our democracy's inherent capacity for regeneration -- our ability to course-correct -- that Americans responded the way they did to a campaign so premised on an appeal to our greater selves.

A country can change only to the extent that the individuals within it change (and some changes come slower than others, as evidenced by Prop 8 and the other gay marriage bans that passed on Tuesday).

So it's back to Solzhenitsyn: "If you wanted to change the world, who should you begin with: yourself or others?"

Our president-elect is obsessed with Lincoln, who changed the country both by changing government policy and by using the bully pulpit to help us change ourselves. And our president-elect is endlessly being compared to FDR, who gave us both the New Deal and one of the most famous life lessons in history: "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."

Now it's Obama's turn to pull off this rare presidential double play.

Comments

[aicon]

Totally agree with Mrs Haskell points

I would add the question about reaching out to the other side. I agree that we have to refer to Americans as us/we and not Dem or GOPs. But what is the extent and limit of reaching out to the other party? Someone like Lieberman and Mc CAin should never be allowed to join an Obama team. What was said during the campaign by Lieberman is unacceptable and unforgivable (where is accountability in what Politicians say?). McCain allowe Palin to raise fear and hate with divisive and dangerous comments. McCain should not be in any way on an Obama team. I like all the real smart people Obama is calling on his team.. plus

1. Fair, transparent national elections as a legislative priority;

2. close the barn door on big money elections AND tax/fine churches and non profits who fund and influence political issues.

4. The role of media reform in restoring (what passes for) American democracy. create tougher media conglomerations rules and oversight.

[Vinit]

HuffPost's Pick

Like most Americans I have been awestruck by Barack Obama's capture of the White House. I have also been pondering the significance of this historic event. Of course the first African-American as President is historic, especially in light of America's history of slavery. The outpouring of congratulations and celebration from around the world has been equally astonishing. Why are so many people inspired by Americans' choice of President-elect Obama?
My grandfather came to the US in 1947, accompanied by my father who was 17. Invited by the US government, my grandfather, a soil physicist, came to the midwest to Kansas State University. My father recounted an incident where my grandfather and he were told to sit at the back of the bus in the colored section. India had just got its independence from British rule and 300 million Indians were now free of colonial rule. To now suffer discrimination on the basis of skin color was unacceptable to him and he eventually got off the bus rather than comply.
Though the second world war accelerated the demise of colonialism, my contention is the colonial era has truly come to its conclusion with the election of Obama. It has taken America, a post colonial power, to bring about its end, with the free election of the first non-white leader of the West. This is what is resonating around the world, especially in many emerging countries who were colonised: India, Brazil, and African countries.

[vew]

Most of the talk and advertisements on television are about big oil and big power generators getting involved in the green economy. Well, most of my money has gone to big oil and big power. Homeowners have been hammered by rising mortgage rates, big power rates and gas prices to support Exxon's 14.8 billion quarterly profits. No rocket science here, just do the math.

Let's start the green economy by giving homeowners who still have homes a grant to place solar panels on their roofs and produce power at the source of consumption. What's not used can feed back to the grid. They are doing this in Germany. Give the small companies who ARE producing electric cars the money to expand production and build affordable cars for guys like me. Let's support Neil Young and his efforts in Hybrid power plant replacements for ALL vehicles. Meanwhile clamp down on the insurance industry and it's excessive profits on the backs of consumers.

[Findley]

AH...please look at Bush and GOP against GM/FORD bailout...why? 3 million Jobs! Union jobs, cascading effect on related industries: GOP wants to wreck economy and blame Obama/Dems. 2010 and 2012 in their sights. Screw the country, party first. Need true oversight/transparency with all bailouts, but the auto industry =JOB losses too severe not to damage USA and DEMS. Please put Jim Cramer on the show--beat the drum so public calls Congress! give GOP hell! Hard pill to swallow bailing out the GM/Ford stick-in-the-muds who didn't innovate but will be worse if we don't.

[dynagirl]

I would like to see you discuss whether Obama plans to do anything to reject the unitary executive and reestablish traditional checks and balances. What does he plan to do about detention without charges, warrantless spying on Americans, disregard for the law through signing statements, etc?

[4wehttam]

Get Jon Meachum in to talk about how to keep the far left from going cuckoo everytime Barack does something they don't like or think is to the right of center. I'm a liberal myself, but some of my people take it completely overboard.....like Kos regarding the Lieberman issue. Get a grip people. Barack is trying to govern from the center, let him DO so. Obviously our progressive ideals are important, but we have to remember that he belongs to ALL OF US....not just some of us.

[NotMcCain]

The # 1 issue is the CRIMINAl conduct of the Bush/Paulsen team in doling out our $700 BILLION in defiance of Congressional goals and taxpayers' wishes.

People really need to understand the scam that is being run and get Congress to stop this before it's too late.

I'd love to see Paul Krugman and Randi Rhodes talk about this with you.

Really, something must be done. QUICKLY before this giant "F-U" to America, Obama, and the world community has even worse consequences......

[kcgeezer]

I would like to hear a discussion on President Obama's plans for infrastructure and energy projects that will give American workers jobs and hope. Lets look to the future not the past.

[researcher]

the true data on the iraq war

what it will cost in the long run

what it is costing now

why a rush to war will bankrupt this country

many iraqis are being killed while americans worry about their pocket books

materialism at its best

get pass the surge is working bull

[harrykel]

I worked to get Obama elected. I'm hoping there will be a way for me to feel as engaged in the work of the administration. I'll miss making phone calls and canvassing. What's next? How can the new administration keep people engaged in doing the work that time and history require of us now?

[Ozarks]

Bring up topics like 4th amendment and Fisa
Bring up topic of "forged letter" in Ron Suskind's book
Bring up topic of the two torture memo's at White House meeting of Cheney, Rice, Ashcroft and Rove
Discuss possible criminal indictments on violation of 4th Amendment, violation of Geneva Convention on torture and possible criminal act of "Forged Letter" linking Saddam with Atta and Al Qaeda
Bring up subpoena of Rove and White House Counsel

[Ono4Hoopono]

Re: Brainstorm Alert

Personally, I can't hear enough about the Constitution. As a guest, Jonathan Turley comes to mind, but any Constitutional expert who can give a take on President-Elect Obama's view of the Constitution would be great to hear from.

And congratulations, Arianna. We'll be watching!

[Stephennnn]

What are the possibilities of the Obama administration creating a Cabinet level Department of Peace, possibly using monies from the Department of Defense?

[SpaceGopher]

I would like to have Jim Cramer on the show to talk about the possible auto bailout and who would and wouldn't be good Treasury secretaries.

[peaceplez]

Arianna,

I would love to see you interview Rahm Emanuel!