Obama and the Courage of our Convictions

A year or so ago I wrote a book entitled The Courage of Our Convictions. It urged Democratic leaders to restate the principles that guided the party successfully through the age of Roosevelt (1932-1968): commitment to national community, security alliances, citizen obligation, and equality and justice. Only when our principles are clear can voters know who we are and identify with us and can we develop persuasive and effective policies,and programs. Principles, policies, programs.

The Iowa caucus results seem to support this ideal. Senator Obama is a man of principle. He is committed to restoring a sense of national community to America. He believes in restoring our security alliances through active diplomacy and engaging those who disagree with us in constructive dialogue. He restates the requirement that we all give something back to America, to become engaged in the public arena, in the national interest. And, most important, he is the walking embodiment of equality and justice.

Already the Obama candidacy has sent a powerful message around a watching world: The torch has been passed to a new generation of American leaders, and we don't care what color it is.

As one who has struggled throughout a lifetime for restoration of idealism to American politics, I can only smile, and perhaps shed a tear of happiness, that our time may have come.

This is a new day in America. Let's call it hope.

Comments

[rodeogirl]

why won't anyone bring Bill Richardson into the dialog?

[cloudy]

URGENT REPOST:

When are the pundits going to start confronting the issue of how the primaries being front-loaded favors the previously well-known contender -- the one who was considered the presumptive nominee when the process started -- over ANY possible challenger or upstart, even one that might be at least somewhat well-known before the campaign began?

Obama could very well demonstrate his superior strength AS A CANDIDATE, w/ voters who are familiar with the candidates & have heard a lot (both + and -) about them -- winning not only Iowa but New Hampshire & S Carolina as well. This isn't a far-fetched prediction, and indeed, Obama may be at least an even bet to do just that. (Of course, the results in MI, FL, and NV are another matter).

But then comes Tsunami Tuesday ("TT" I like to call it for short). Here, the inertia of the campaign is given full swing, and even the momentum built up by Obama with three major victories in the heavily campaigned-in states would leave him at a disadvantage in what amounts to essentially a national primary.

Curiously, the circumstances in MI and FL, the two LARGEST states to vote before TT, is such as specifically to PRECLUDE major campaigning on the part of any candidate that doesn't want to outrage the Democratic Party establishment; hence they are more like the TT states than the 'big three' of January. ALL OF THESE FACTORS SEEM TO FAVOR THE CANDIDACY OF HRC, ALMOST INSURMOUNTABLY, AND ALL ARE PREDICTABLE RESULTS OF THE WAY THAT THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY SET UP THE ELECTIONS.

It's time for the grass-roots and net-roots Democrats to start SERIOUSLY grappling with this issue. If this setup insures an HRC nomination, as it seems clearly to have been intended to do, AND THEN SHE LOSES, I think that progressives will REALLY have to think seriously about completely overhauling the Democratic Party. And no more dancing to the tune of the DLC and their 'why doesn't the Democratic Party dump its pro-choice platform?'(Al From) after the 2004 elections.

please RSVP

[ChimpmasterDJ]

Ah the courage of one's conviction­s... not very useful when a candidate's only perceivable conviction is their sense of entitlement to the office they seek.

(Yes, I mean you, Hillary)

[CSE]

Hope and change? The tear you shed?

Then explain the advisors surrounding Obama..

Vote for Change? Atrocity-Linked U.S. Officials Advising Democratic, GOP Presidential Frontrunners

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/3/vote_for_change_atrocity_linked_us

...then take a peek at the remainder.

[Sidewhispers]

Mr. Hart is it not too soon to get carried away with Mr. Obama's chances? I fear that when the racists are done with him, he might even be waterboarded. I received an email today listing these racists' ideas of Obama's Jihadi credential­s/potentia­ls: Father, Black Muslim; Mother, white atheist; stepfather, radical Muslim; educated in Muslim schools--even in Wahabism, the religion of the Jihadis. It is sad that this garbage will sway many feeble minds. The same recipe is being used on Mitt Romney. We have too much of a long way to go before we see the end of this sort of racism and religious intolerance to hope...sig­h.

[unchainthedogs]

At the top of this post, people are asking why Fox News, Media, Various Republicans groups, etc. are pro Obama.

The answer: because Obama will be a yes man to all. He will ride the middle of the fence, not rock the boat, not call wrongdoing out by Corporate America who are robbing the American people all in the name of record profits (and very little, if any, change will be made. When the heat gets hot, Obama will fold.
EDWARDS 2008!

[sassafra]

"As one who has struggled throughout a lifetime for restoration of idealism to American politics"

i'm sorry mr. hart, but i still haven't forgiven you for your betryal of trust when you ran for president.
it's interesting to see you try to continually associate yourself with idealists now via blogs.
why now?

[cseper]

Anybody else notice that Rush LOVES Obama?
Anybody else notice that FOX News LOVES Obama?
Anybody else notice that Hannity and O'Reilly LOVE Obama?
Anybody else notice that the American whore media LOVES Obama?
Anybody else worried about their motives besides me?

When the racist sons-of-dogs talk nice about a black man
it means they have a hidden agenda - I wonder what that is?

[EvaJammer]

Obama cares what color he deals with. Look at the church he belongs to. He has refused to address some issues that need to be addressed.

[Superfelo]

This is something worth pondering:
"I mean, you'd think the guy had won the general election, rather than a relatively meaningless caucus."
It is worth pondering because if someone else had won in Iowa then the caucuses are important and even some sort of "weathervane"
for America.
It must be said why the Iowa’s Caucus system is so important. The Iowa Caucus system is very important, and only right, that it be the first in the nation, because it is true Democracy in action....­.the candidates have to meet up the people up close; they have
to add the "personal touch" and thus it can be seen who they are, and who the people are going to vote for.
Then people must stand up for the courage of their convictions, risking alienating their neighbors, and gaining enemies in the process.
It is a process which is a true test of fire
for the candidates; and for the people to boot. Think of the pressure of having to go to the candidate of your choice with everyone else looking...­and in this case
a person of color at that.
It is not Iowa's fault to have the awesome power of the first winnowing process-but they are up to the task. If the rest of America does not follow in lockstep, it is not Iowa's fault. Maybe the rest of America's lack of involvement with the candidates, and issues, has a lot to do with that. But a great number of Iowa, though not a great percentage of the population, perform their civic duty, and participate in the Democratic Process, which cannot be said as much for many in the rest of our great country.
Enough said.

[Driver125]

"restoration of idealism to American politics,"

I can only imagine how superfluous a statement like this must seem to someone like Dick Cheney. So completely outside of the bounds of reality as he knows it that it would not even rate one of his infamous smirks. And there are many, many who are just like him. People for whom the acquisition of wealth is their only idealism. And, like vampires, they have drank so very, very deeply for the last seven years from the bounty provided by their creature in the White House. They have become accustomed to it. And you can bet that they are not going to give it up easily, Barack or no Barack. But, as the Chinese say, a journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step. Maybe this is that first step.

[DisgustedTexan]

I said in 2004 that the most qualifed person in America to be Pesident was Gary Hart It is even more true today.

[The Hedonistic Pleasureseeker]

"I am absolutely certain Connecticut is going to have the good sense to send Joe Lieberman back to the U.S. Senate."

- Barak Obama

GAAAAARRRG­GHGHGHGHGG­GGGGGGGG!

[starboymikey]

I think the chief value of Obama's victory is that it put at least a temporary halt to the de facto cornoation of Hilary Clinton as the Democrats' candidate.

I may not be sold on Obama, but he does seem to inspire young voters as no one has done since JFK and RFK, and that is saying a great deal.

Since the 60's, American youth have been mostly apathetic to politics, and given the caliber of candidates on both sides it's not hard to see why.

Right now I support Edwards, though my wife is leaning toward Obama. Fine by me. I'd probably be happy with either one, and if either is out of the picture by the time of the California primary, I could easily vote for the other ... at least as things stand now.

My ultimate dream is a hopelessly deadlocked Democratic convention and a "draft Al Gore" movement. He is the one Dem I think would be unbeatable. But I'm not holding my breath in hopes that this will happen.

[foolchild0]

I'm still having trouble seeing Obama's "convictio­n." He goes through the motions, but I still don't see the substance. He's got to win me over.