Obama's "Disney" Realpolitik

In his column in today's New York Times, David Brooks argues that Barack Obama's speech in Berlin extolling unity and hope offered nothing more than "Disney" because it did not address "hard realities."

In fact, it is Brooks who cannot understand the hard reality -- that after eight years of George W. Bush, America's relationship with Europe and the world is critically strained. So strained, in fact, that before the U.S. can start telling them what's good for them, it must first establish trust. And that requires exactly the kind of diplomacy Brooks dismisses merely as "saccharine" fairytales. Ironically, Obama's speech was necessary precisely because the U.S. has spent the last eight years pompously dictating its demands to the world, without any regard for its allies. By emphasizing the commonality of the U.S. and Europe's destinies above all else, Obama is beginning the healing process. Without that, Obama could spew all the hard truths he wanted, and no one would listen.

Incidentally, Obama's background as a Black American makes him perfectly positioned to understand these hard realities. To get themselves taken seriously by anyone in the mainstream, establishment white community, Black Americans have to bend over backwards to demonstrate not only that they are non-threatening, but also that they are simply normal human beings like anyone else, that their humanity transcends race. That unity must come before division. It's a very profound burden for them to bear. And for one of the first times in our history, it also happens to be the burden which the entire U.S. bears in the context of the international community. Thank God Obama understands that.

So Obama's "saccharine" speech was about as realpolitik as it gets. If anything, Brooks's view is the one that's disconnected from reality.

Comments

[LightUpAmerica]

Thank you for this article. David Brooks has become sooooooooooo cynical of late, like he can't wait to jump on O for being inspirational. I almost feel sorry for him. What happened to him?

[ADVOCATE4ZPG]

Obama will likely win in November, but Brooks has it about right describing the speeches content. It's tone was about that of a valedictorian's exhortation at an American high school, but that works for his supporters--even those on HuffPo; its content could have easily been leached from a jumble sale copy of Campaign Rhetoric for DUMMIES...­..(probabl­y not published....yet?)

The 200,000+ would have turned out for almost any, black American celebrity.....or even Hanna Montana, Jolie & Pitt. Pre-vacation boredom was in the air; the town was full of tourists; and Obamee conjures "rock-and-roll," "peace," "unity," "love, "sandals," "party," and "LUV"?

[egal]

That's bunk, but I only say it from the military, political, social, and international standpoints. It might be true in fantastical places and mindsets, though.

Obama conjures images of common sense, unification, tolerance, inclusion, discussion, diplomacy, intelligence, concern, and numerous other qualities absent from our government under Bush. THIS is why he draws crowds, not some rock or pop sensation.

Thinking like yours is exactly WHY Obama and his nuanced, complex, realistic, hopeful, and specific speeches, policies, history, and candidacy attract so many of us.

[bluestatelib]

"Black Americans have to bend over backwards to demonstrate not only that they are non-threatening, but also that they are simply normal human beings like anyone else, that their humanity transcends race."

Are you kidding? I'm just amazed at the sheer audacity of the blanket generalizations that people make, seemingly with the utmost sincerity. I'm a black American and I've never felt that I had to "bend over backwards" to demonstrate that I'm "non-threatening" and a "normal human being." What year do you think this is? If black Americans were still in such dire straits as you allege, I seriously doubt that Barack Obama would currently be the presumptive Democratic nominee for president of the United States.

[egal]

Are you rich? If so, then you don't count, because, to paraphrase "rich families are all wealthy in the same way, but every poor family suffers differently".

Take a poll; most black people who aren't completely oblivious or defective at reading social signals will agree with the statements you disclaim, and most white people will admit that this is true, as well.

Just about every black person who does great things still has to follow those archaic rules (watch any black comedian or actor give their true-life story) because of bigotry and ignorance. And even though they may not be aware how pervasive these attitudes are, every black American who has failed to make it big--from those who contribute to or cause their own destruction to the innocent victims--will tell you that they had to play meek, nonthreatening roles to keep from having the cops called, to keep from being fired when they deserved a promotion, and just to go through life without getting anxious looks from the white mother who sees them across the street.

The straits are far more dire than this author alleges, mainly because the racism has become internalized so that it still hugely impacts things like public perception and police brutality, but because it's more subtle, many aren't observant or aware enough to recognize it and therefore assume parity when an objective viewer would know better.

[zurcl]

absolutely.