How to Come Down From Euphoria

I first voted for an African-American for President 40 years ago yesterday. The man was Eldridge Cleaver, then a well-known author (Soul on Ice) not yet having gone to jail or introduced a line of trousers with codpieces. He was a protest candidate, and a vote for him, running against Nixon and Humphrey, was the only way to vote against the Vietnam War.

That's how far we've come. In 1968, an African-American man represented a throwaway protest vote, yesterday an African-American man won the presidency.

In the long view, there's a karmic irony at work here. After slavery, the American upper class used race to blind poor white folks to the causes of their economic woes. Yesterday, economic woes blinded a lot of folks to the race of the candidate who promised change.

President-Elect Obama is clearly a very smart guy and a very good politician. Unlike the last Dem with those credentials, he's also exceedingly disciplined. Those qualities will come up against a couple of very major problems. First, as daft as the Iraq adventure was, propelling us into a tragicomic repetition of Britain's experience in Iraq in the second and third decade of the last century, Obama has possibly been trapped into another daft adventure. Yes, we should have stayed and finished the job of wiping out al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. But now, seven years later, to propose a large infusion of troops into that country may propel us into a tragicomic repetition of Britain's and Russia's follies in Afghanistan. It's not a place where foreign troops normally come out with anything remotely resembling success.

But even though he might have had political cover from the Rand Corporation study that came out this year reporting that war is not the way to deal successfully with terrorism, Obama knew too well that a Democratic candidate bearing that message would be committing political suicide. Winning the office means now having to figure out how to look strong while backing away from another senseless war. And, by the way, Obama will be in charge when all the pent-up tensions in Iraq, held down by our payoffs to Sunni fighters, Sadr's cease-fire and Maliki's posturing on the Status of Forces Agreement, come roaring back to life.

Domestically, the dog that didn't bark throughout this campaign was the issue represented by the twin failures of the bridge in Minneapolis and the levees in New Orleans -- both the result of design failures. Our bridges, highways, dams and levees are crumbling, and, with an economic crisis facing us, we don't appear to have the money (or the political will) to face up to that challenge. No debate moderator thought that was an interesting subject to bring up, and the candidates, honing their message to poll-tested issues, saw no percentage in mentioning it.

Maybe the networks could figure out a gee-whiz virtual-reality hologramish way to depict issues, as well as election results. Every post-election, after all, journalists sit down at mock-serious forums and pledge that never again will they become so obsessed with the horse-race aspect of campaign coverage. That's a spectacle sadder than a street beggar swearing that the money you give him won't go for booze. This campaign, with interest (and ratings) running sky-high, was like a full-employment program for out-of-work political "strategists," and all we heard for the last year was endless bloviating about tactics, ads, "ground game" and "air war" -- TV talking heads pretending they were campaign managers.

I already have a puppy. I'm going to go play hoops.

Read more reactions from HuffPost bloggers to Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election

Comments

[DHFabian]

Why not deal with the crumbling infrastructure the same way we dealt with US poverty? First, place the blame squarely on motor vehicles, not people. Cars and trucks are the cause of the problems, so let it be their responsibility to fix things. Declare the success of infrastructure reform, and then ignore the problem, simple as that. Censor out ALL mention of deteriorating roads and bridges, and should there be any complaints, remind drivers that they must take personal responsibility and accept the consequences of their own decisions. Remember, throwing money at a problem is not a solution.

There. Problem solved.

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

I would disagree slightly with your comparison of Bill Clinton to President Obama.

This election is so much more meaningful that Clinton's 1992 election. While I was happy at the time Clinton was elected, President Obama's victory is so much meaningful. Mr. Obama has done much more this election cycle with substance, intelligence, and brilliance. Clinton was too often willing to throw aside his intelligent and principles in order to be liked, especially by Republicans, who he constantly courted and who constantly thrwarted him. Clinton is intelligent, but he's all over the map and self indulgent, lacking the discipline (a quality that has been mocked for a long time) to make full use of his intelligence.

Clinton's legacy will be that he was a good old boy who sold out to the Republicans constantly (it was Bill who said John McCain would make a fine president, and Bill appeared on Limbaugh's show during the primary), was incredibly self destructive, couldn't keep it in his pants, and tarnished his legacy by playing the race card (something you thought a modern Democrat would never do). It's nice that we aren't going to be subjected to the Clintonian drama of the 1990's now.

Now, onto Peter Brotzmann's free jazz insanity (The Machine Gun Sessions for those who are interested).

[tbone99]

I did hearRahm Emanuel mention three different times in an interveiw today that rebuilding the infrastructure was a way to jumpstart the economy. Not once, not twice , but three times.

[violimo]

Posted a day after the election, when someone tried to throw cold water over the euphoria.
"dude yr buzzkill is harshing my mellow.'

[ThePeacemakers]

Bless your heart, Harry...I wasn't around for 1968 election, before my time. I understand your protest, but I don't think I would've wasted that vote.

[Yermammy]

I'm not going through withdrawals. The ONLY reasons I voted was to end the illegal war in Iraq and to punish those that led us there throught lies. I'm not going to kiss and make up about seeing this Administration pay for their despicable crimes against humanity and the Rule of Law. Never, is too kind a word.

[SoD1]

The "Others" sure have and are making it very hard fora "black" President Obama, hmm?
From the suspiciously fast dropping gas price that will soon soar higher than ever, to the now rising unemployment rates on "main Street", the economy falling into more Pieces , to all the conflicts and wars Bushims stirred and is stiring up.
Evidentially, a President Obama will not have the full support of the powerful Economical "Deciders" nor part of the U.S. Military.
But, nevertheless, I am certain with the FULL support of the People, EVERYTHING is possible!!

[lynettema]

I plan to enjoy this euphoria until Monday then get serious. I plan to show the Right Wing more respect than they have showed us the last 28 years. That said, I remember how they went after Clinton and I don't doubt for a moment that they will go after Obama in a similar fashion. But we have options we didn't have when Clinton was president. We are organized. While we don't know each other personally, we talk everyday to each other in places like the HuffPo. We will and must fight for our country on a daily basis or we will fall to the failed ideology and agenda of the Right Wing extremists again. They may be in disarray now, but they will come back with a vengeance and we must be ready to do what we need to do to take our country back. We got Obama elected, now we must get ourselves behind him. We may not agree with his every decision, but then we must remember the alternative. Give him a chance before you say something will not work. Obama strikes me to be the type that if something is not working he will make appropriate changes. Our job is to keep the truth and facts out there to the factually challenged and fight as hard to help Obama govern as we did to get him elected.

[Gronamox]

Much ado Harry. Much ado. Afghanistan will not become a war of attrition. We do not have the credit to borrow enough money to fight such a war. Our troops will come home immediately. The Taliban and Queda will fight it out. The Afghani's must decide their own destiny. The Saudi's had better get off their fat behinds and work something out, because the clock is ticking as Israel prepares to launch against Iran. The war on terror will be moot when the first nuke hits.
You can play hoops. You can rest on your past pathetic laurels. Eldridge Cleaver, much like Palin was not qualified to lead anything except perhaps the blind. Obama will succeed at what he does best. Making sense out of senselessness. Pointing the way with reason and knowledge. It may leave you bored or cold, frankly I don't think it matters much. When the funny person ceases to be funny, he quickly becomes irrelevant.

[DSPS]

My pathetic laurels, too. I voted for Eldridge Cleaver and I'd do it again. No one believed for a minute that he would become president (as Palin might have); that wasn't the point. Those of us who voted for him, felt that we had to. My anti-war Christmas card to Pres. Johnson didn't help either; I just got a thank-you letter from him and Lady Bird. Aaargh.

My vote for Obama was real and sincere; it is an honor to be a tiny, tiny part of this new dawn. I wish my father could have seen it, tho it's ok that he missed the GWB (Cheney) years.

[cdnnewsjunky]

Not to diminish your deceased father in any way but missing the GWB years is no small siver lining! ;-)

[bobpomeroy]

How to come down from euphoria? Easy. Think of all the folks in Georgia who had their voting rights stolen, typically, in the name of preventing voter fraud. Think of a guy named Saxby representing those people. That'll chill you down a bit.

[MysteriousEast]

Aw Harry.... let's party for a while longer before we get to thinking too much.

To than end... I propose that we propose the "Big Easy Presidential All Stars" for the Inaugural Ball. All the best New Orleans players and singers. Dr. John, Wynton Marsalis, Fats Domino, The Neville Brothers, Harry Connick Jr. They open with Dr. John singing "Such a Night"... the great musical soul of America bringing it all back home... America gets her Mojo back... New Orleans rises and so does everyone...

It would say so much, and be the best music anybody ever heard.

[kimbari]

Stop, you're scaring me.

[kbunkboy]

My worry is will we see a little Republican shenanigans before Obama takes office? Remember back in the 1988 campaign that Clinton was suddenly baggaged with a conflict in Somalia where the bodies of two of our troops were dragged through the streets, to a great embarrassment to the new president. Our economy is tanking, but a lame duck may see that at as great political opportunity!

[Sundalecat]

Mr Shearer thank you for giving us Richard Nixon. When you vote third party you take a vote from his opposite candidate. It remains to be seen if Humphrey would have ended the war sooner. I am Baracks age and was quite young when this all happened. What I never could understand is how people who wanted to get out of Viet Nam rioted at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968 and all this did was get Richard Nixon elected. It was quite lame and probably gave us Reagan, Bush Sr., and W. The country took a turn to the right because of this. Time for a change howabout trying to get the majority behind Obama. Protest is good when used for the right purposes, however, giving us Nixon was the biggest mistake the left in this country ever made. We now have President who will give us hope, bipartisianship and hopefully peace. Congragulations Barack

[Mildmannered]

chicago's police were in significant part responsible for the 68 chicago riots

[Harry Shearer - Huffpost Blogger]

You're too young to remember, but Humphrey ran in support of the war as well. Nixon ran saying he had a "secret plan" to end it, which turned out to be attacking Laos and Cambodia. Humphrey's supporters would have had you believe, in retrospect, that, once in office, he would have defied his campaign rhetoric. But he was as compromised, in his day, as Joe Lieberman has been in ours. Actually, worse, since Lieberman appears to be doing what he thinks is right.

[Chetdude]

The bullet in Bobby Kennedy's brain is what gave us Richard Nixon.

Along with the right-wing spin machine's billions of dollars of propaganda and the red-neck deep south pissed off at Johnson signing the Civil Rights Acts.

And Lyndon Johnson's cowardice -- he knew that illegal war couldn't be "won" and wimped out instead of going public, ending it and running again.

As for the people who rioted in Chicago, even NPR called it what it was, a POLICE RIOT just a month ago.

[MichiganLiberal]

Thanks, Harry, for your perspective.

President Obama will get some good things done if he runs his administration as well as he has run his campaign. Sure, there's a difference between campaigning and governing, but there's also considerable overlap. If you can organize a community and organize a campaign, then...

I do NOT expect Obama to behave like the radical socialist that McCain/FauxNews wanted everyone to think he is, but more like the liberal pragmatist that I think he actually is. He's a smart guy who can do some good, especially if we all stay involved and don't just say, "Well, I voted for him. I'm all done."

[eddiemyboy1]

Your last statement is exactly right michiganliberal.We constantly have to remid ourselves and especially the new young voters that just electing Obama is not enough.We constantly have to keep working and supporting President Obama to show our desire to move forward with the programs and plans needed to stop war,go green,increase jobs and build the ecomomy.Make no mistake about it,President Obama is going to have a hard road to hoe and there will be many roadblocks.He(Obama)will be making decisions that many of his supporters probably will not like,but he has to keep his eyes on the horizon,as to where we have to get to,as well as his eyes on the ground so as to not step on too many toes and alienate himself from his party and what he can ultimately get or accomplish.I want him to make great leaps,but often times that is not possible and he will have to take baby steps,in succession,to get to the end result that he and we all want.I only hope that he is as bright and dedicated as he seems.If he is and can keep the american people on his side.Then he could get a second term and make some real progress.But that is getting the horse before the cart at this point.

[Chetdude]

It's going to take more than "liberal pragmatism" to survive the end of the Age of Oil and Global Climate Change!

It's going to take a new Manhattan project to clean energy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/opinion/09gore.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&em

[Stravinsky]

Sounds like Right Column coverage from Shearer, a bit of a bummer. The National Review could barely bring themselves to mention the words "Obama Wins" yesterday.

I am glad he brought up the Rand Report though, and I hope that he's right that Obama is aware of it. I have much higher hopes of curbing terrorism with law rather than war.

Put HALF the war effort money we've been spending into intelligence, lawyers, education, and protecting witnesses and the world would be a safer place in a matter of years.

No More Endless War Please.