Patriot Games: Short Memos to the Would-be Presidents
Who is a true patriot? Defining patriotism isn't just a tussle over words. No concept more completely challenges us to describe what we believe America means. To frame patriotism is to frame a story of an ideal America -- and its ideal leaders. In that spirit, here's some advice to the three presidential contenders.
TO: Senator Obama
You are the new hope for millions of Americans. But frankly, you are in danger of becoming John Kerry. The controversies about your patriotism and that of your wife and pastor are but a taste of what would come your way in a general election. Swift boats lie in wait. And you have not done remotely enough to identify, preempt and neutralize them.
Your March 18 speech, in which you deftly fused your identity and family with America's identity and family, was inspiring and perhaps the best speech on race in a generation. But it was still, at bottom, a defensive play, a reaction to your pastor's incendiary remarks. We believe you must go on offense now. You must articulate -- for yourself, your party and your country -- an affirmative case for why patriotism is progressive, and why progressives must embrace patriotism.
This is why: while this most recent controversy seems to be about race, it reinforces an equally potent political narrative that says, "Deep down, Democrats and liberals don't really love America." This storyline has been peddled by the conservative movement since at least Vietnam. To break it, you must do more than explain the divisions of race. You must offer a new narrative of nationhood.
Face the right first, and tell the GOP that you -- and all Democrats -- will no longer accept their jingoistic claim to the flag; that their narrow and negative conception of freedom -- as a permission slip for unchecked selfishness -- is fundamentally un-American; and that true patriotism -- the idea of "country above self" -- leads to a set of moral values like mutual obligation, shared sacrifice and a fair shot, values that are inherently progressive.
But then face left, and tell liberals that they must get over their decades-old ambivalence about embracing patriotism. Too many on the left think that proclaiming love of country implies support of George Bush or the war in Iraq. So they keep mute -- and allow the right to claim patriotism as its own. Too many other liberals think voicing criticism is the full measure of one's patriotic duty. Dissent is vital, but not sufficient. A true progressive patriot can say in heartfelt terms what is great and special about America and is not content merely to point out or explain its flaws.
This, more than speaking out on race, is your mission at this moment. Keep your eye on this prize.
TO: Senator Clinton
Congratulations. You live. You have landed on campaign narrative as the fighter, the candidate who won't quit and who'll always fight for those who won't quit either. But already you are wasting this new image. Already you are reverting to the kind of national Democratic candidate who has always failed on the big stage: a candidate who believes that leadership is the mere agglomeration of the wants of many small groups. You are becoming again the candidate of microtrends.
We applaud your command of policy detail, and we recognize that this is a tactically useful way to underscore your experience. But we submit to you that most voters cannot and will not reverse engineer from your detailed policy positions what your core values and principles are. And further, we believe that in a general election, it won't be enough that voters prefer your policies to those of John McCain. That's because too many voters will say he has a clearer moral framework than you do -- and even if they don't agree with his, they may prefer his something to your perceived nothing.
We are not asking you now to play a word game. This is not about tactics, or seasoning your speeches with a "moral" phrase here or there. Your challenge -- indeed, your opportunity, to wrest the mantle of principled leadership from Senator Obama -- is to express your deepest personal values within a framework of public morality and patriotism.
For example: what deep strategic gain is there in arguing with Obama about your health care proposals? You are the candidate with a mandate in your plan, and he is not. Fine. You get wonk points for that. But you would get much more if you were seen as the candidate with a principles framework for your plan. Your plan requires individuals to purchase insurance because of the simple idea that everyone should contribute to the pool, the healthy and sick, young and old. That moral principle is called mutual obligation. It is called shared sacrifice.
Talk about health care (and every issue) in such terms. And then wrap the discussion in two protective layers: one, a personal layer about how you came by these values honestly as the daughter of Midwest parents who believed in hard work but also believed that rugged individualism never got a barn built; and then second, a more mythic and national layer that describes these values not as Hillary's values but as American values -- as the living core of true patriotism.
You get to define patriotism anew, as emanating from the values of progress and a fair shot that made this country great. And that's a lot more compelling than a raft of microproposals.
TO: Senator McCain
We know that your first priorities, now that you are the nominee, are to act presidential while the Democrats bicker and to open up the GOP ATM with GWB's PIN. But we would caution you about the dangers of coasting.
It is tempting for you to assume that as the only candidate who served in the military, as the only one who is son and grandson of admirals, as the only one who survived an epic POW experience, and as the one who had the guts to propose a surge and to watch it work -- that with all this you get to own the title of patriot-in-chief in 2008.
And at first blush, you do benefit from the framing that your party has created in which "patriotism = love of the military," or "patriotism = loyalty to your president." But we've read your books. We know that your beliefs on patriotism, forged in the Hanoi Hilton, are deeper and subtler than that. You have written powerfully that freedom alone is not what makes the life worth living; what we do with freedom is what matters, and how we summon a sense of common cause to make the doing great.
So here's the opportunity for you. You alone, and you uniquely, can be the candidate who tells Americans that patriotism isn't just about serving in the military or supporting the troops; that true patriotism is not about "my way or the highway," or labeling dissent as un-American. You uniquely can tell us that true patriots can be found not only in the armed forces but in our public school classrooms; in the everyday work of caring for someone other than yourself.
In short, you can be Nixon going to China. Only Nixon, the die-hard anti-Communist, had the standing to make peace with Mao. And only you can command the country to grow beyond the tinhorn phony patriotism of this administration. You can be the man with unimpeachable uniformed credentials who broadens our conception of patriotism beyond militarism or jingoism, beyond lapel pins and flag-waving. You can appeal to independents not only with the charm of the rebellious maverick -- because in the end, that's still all about you -- but rather with a story that flatters us all: a story that says we all can be patriots.
This will help you win the election. More important, it will be true.
Eric Liu, a former speechwriter and policy adviser to President Bill Clinton, and Nick Hanauer, technology and civic entrepreneur, are authors of "The True Patriot." You can reach them -- and read their book -- at www.truepat.org.
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Wow...Terrific Article!!! You have great insight and I applaud you. I hope each candidate reads this. The best advice yet. Although, I hope my candidate reads it first and will win. Patriotism is not a myth. It is a real, deep feeling that shows we love our Country -- with all its warts.
Patriotism does not need to be redefined by Democrats. It needs to be recovered.
Republicans have spent the last 5 decades seducing the country into exchanging patriotism for competiveness. Specifically, a self deluded, selfish, win at all costs with or without honor competiveness.
Democrats need to re-introduce patriotism to the people of this country.
Patriotism is love for your country. Love for the people of your country. Like the love extended to your family, since really, your country is your extended family.
Most people know in their hearts that this is what patriotism really is. They will eagerly embrace real patriotism.
Interesting and modestly thought-provoking... but why pretend to offer 'advice' to McCain? He's already discovered his formula -- wrap himself so tightly around Junior's thighs that everyone thinks it's still just Junior, and pray, every night, that the brain-dead media continues to vacuously refer to him as a "war hero".
... even if he WAS bombing people he couldn't see in North Vietnam, from 10,000 feet in a multi-million-dollar chunk of death-dealing technology, and is entitled ONLY to our sympathy for those years of abusive confinement at the hands of locals who tend to frown upon such pranks.
When did everyone's patriotism become so fragile and delicate. Is it unpatriotic to point out that we are a great country when we do great things, and a not so great country when we do bad things or remain complacent in the midst of horrible things.....
I think all three candidates love their country, they wouldn't run for President if they didn't. It's not a question of what they want, but how they want to get there.
Starting a pre-emptive war on a country that did not threaten our security is one of the most anti-american sins in our history....
WAKE UP PEOPLE.....
Thank you
Yeah, guys, Obama really needs to be taking tips from you two about how to win this thing.
BEST I'VE EVER READ ON THE HUFFINGTON POST!!!
As a Clinton supporter I hope she heeds your words. When she shows who she really is, she shines.
The other candidates would do well to also read your post, but selfishly I hope only Hillary does -- it could make all the difference.
Yes, I guess that this was the first time someone wrote an intelligent suggestion FOR Clinton. The rest of the writers out there only shout abuse and give advice to Obama. Heck, even Karl Rove of all people has a plan for Obama to beat Clinton, (so that McCain can beat Obama...)
A pair of racist idiots.
how old are you?
Are republicans who would hand over the treasury to the crooks on Wall Street while turning their backs on everyday Americans, suffering under the weight of the banking/lending catastrophe more patriotic than democrats? These are very same republicans who voted for the laws that enabled this mess.
Are republicans who would vote to send troops to war when the defense department was not prepared more patriotic than democrats?
Are republicans who voted to send troops to war, who at the time of their votes didn't have a single son, daughter, niece or nephew in the military more patriotic?
Are the republicans who have allowed Halliburton to fleece the government on defense contracts, while doing everything shady from failing to provide our troops with safe drinking water more patriotic than democrats?
Are republicans who lied about the Sadam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction and the need to invade Iraq, which has led to the deaths of more than 4,000 troops hundreds of suicides, tens of thousands of mentally and physically maimed soldiers, more patriotic than democrats?
Are the republicans who sent our troops of to a war without proper gear and armored vehicles more patriotic than democrats?
Are the republicans who voted to close Walter Reed during a time of war, not because they were concerned about the condition of the installation but simply a land give-away to republican real-estate developers (this vote came before The Washington Post ran it's articles about the deplorable conditions) more patriotic than democrats.
Are republicans who voted for, but refuse to fund, No Child Left Behind more patriotic than democrats?
The list could go on.
WHAT MY FRIENDS IS YOUR DEFINITION OF PATRIOTIC?
Brilliant, (change the mind set of war is the answer)
China has over 1.5billiom people. mostly a male population. Our middle class jobs start leaving with Nixon/Kissinger working with the communist. Keeping us the fear them.
The communist now have to loan us money (hand-out or welfare with interest) called a stimulus packet.
Just what does this speech writer in detail me who did serve my country, Pro-life is good so we can kill them later when they are older?
Obama says mind set that got us into this war needs changing vs experience of mccain
It's difficult to take this promo for the authors' book as anything other than that. Oddly constructed post, it's aim wasn't true political commentary.
Hey instead of sending that memo to Obama maybe you need to send a memo to the MSM networks about showing the american people the full context of the sermons, instead of five second soundbites
LOL! If the MSM did it's homework and showed the full context of Rev Wright's sermons and the church doctrines, America would be even more horrified! Rumor is that there is video out there of Obama being baptized by Wright, and reciting the church creed, including #8 about pledging to be against "middleclassism". It falls neatly in line with Obama's tax policies, spending programs, even his wife's views that young people shouldn't go to college to learn to be lawyers or brokers. It's the same old class-warfare rhetoric we've been hearing for ages. No wonder the GOP has such an easy time hanging the Liberal tag on the Democrats. The Dems go out of their way to place the nail.
Doubtful, people are more liberal then they think its just that the media has trained them to think that liberal is a bad word.
I saw the sermons they are mild when you see the whole thing
This is the pathological argument that can wait until after the dust settles on the Dem primaries.
First of all, patriotism is slop for pigs. The true measure of one's commit to the public is to transcend nationlism and serve the people. Instead too many people serve the narrative, not the public welfare. They serve the national mythology and tug at the heartstrings of people with jingoism and flag-waving.
What I see from Obama is a call to collective civic duty... to participate with your feet. We can't see ourselves because we are all wrapped in flags.
I would steer away from the patriot games and stay on the message of service, duty, and hope.
I appreciate the attempt you have made to define "what patriotism means in America", but you seem to be using the mind-numbing "he said, she said" model that passes for credible jounalism nowadays.
I'll agree that language can be twisted to mean whatever you want it to mean - so would George Orwell. Whether you want to call it patriotism or something else, the ideals this country has long stood for (but not always lived up to): equal justice, the rule of law, personal, economic, and religious freedom - the reasons many of our grandparents left everything behind and immigrated to this country - these are the ideas that I associate with American Patriotism.
Don't know if you were responding to me or to the bloggers. I'd say your definition of American ideals is essentially synonymous with itmaybetoolate's definition of patriotism. And I agree with both of you. My point, which I apparently didn't make well, is that while most everybody on this site would say that they support the constitution (as well as they might know it) as our institutional common denominator, their individual/collective value system allows for more/less latitude in the definition of those guidelines, as well as ephemeral terms like patriotism, civil disobedience, or critical thinking. Thus, from one point of view: HRC is a scurrilous, self-serving, political whore; and, on the other, BO is a scurrilous, self-serving, political whore.
No matter what the Constitution says.
please don't spoil the flow of good reading, thank you
hello everyone
You should have written that two years ago and given some advice to Kerry. Nobody, of any significant number to do anything, believe's all of that old republican crap anymore. After they got bush and figured out what he was, all of that went out the window.
"In my mind, a true patriot is loyal to the Constitutional principles upon which the country is built," is how itmaybetoolate defines true patriotism. I think that's an accurate definition.
With all the vitriol on these pages, steeped in partisan rhetoric, it's obvious that our collective perspectives are just not synchronous. Sort of the "One man's terrorist is..." paradigm. Each side in this debate fervently believes in their candidate, and many arguments, on both sides, can be compelling. But it's obvious that those in both camps do not see eye to eye with the other, so trying to appeal to another's sense of 'patriotism' would seem a difficult task, at best. We simply value different things.
It would be good for Senator Obama to deliver a speech about patriotism. Those with open minds might hear something that changes their mind, and the Senator needs all the votes he can get. But, he'll primarily be preaching to the choir because his critics in MSM or in other camps will be calling the effort pretentious, disingenuous, mendacious, racist, misogynist and a slew of other terms that they'll dig out of Roget's. They'll focus on the teleprompters or on his reptile scales, or his horns...
I'd like to witness some real patriotism. But, forgive another cliché, actions speak louder than words.
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