Barack Obama and the Return of Grace

We haven't seen a lot of grace from our government over the past eight years. We haven't had a lot of it in our society in general and we certainly haven't seen much grace in the various campaigns. We're all guilty of it. I'm guilty of it too. But what we saw in the first debate between Barack Obama and John McCain was nothing less than the rebirth of such grace. Unfortunately it was fully embodied by only one candidate, while at the same time we witnessed the sad and profound gracelessness in the decaying integrity of the other.

John McCain displayed himself for all to see as a deeply angry, petty man, locked in a blood-war somewhere deep in the rice paddies of his frustrated and confused mind. He personalizes every conflict to the point that he can't even look at his opponent, as if by ignoring him he might be able to deny the man his dignity. What McCain doesn't realize is that the only person who surrendered his dignity was the one who shamefully displayed contempt in a forum designed to promote civil discourse on the most important issues of the day. And those issues are far too important to all of us to be obfuscated by the kind of pettiness we hope to never see in our leaders. Those who aspire to lead us are supposed to be the best among us. They are supposed to transcend and rise above those they would hope to lead. McCain's is the kind of behavior that wouldn't even be acceptable in a high school debate, let alone one between candidates for the highest office in the land.

Ironically, the very thing the McCain campaign is now crowing about as an example of McCain's victory -- the fact that Obama granted his opponent the courtesy of pointing out the places where they agree -- is the very quality of leadership that McCain continues to falsely claim as his own. "I have a record of reaching across the aisle," is the repeated line. He claims to have made a career of putting "Country First," yet we only see him engage in behavior that has divided this country for far too long, effectively putting country second and putting McCain First. If he truly endeavors to unify us, then the first thing he needs to do is to stop turning every disagreement into a battle between heroes and villains.

Watch Barack Obama in that debate and you see a man who is confident but not arrogant -- hence the regular acknowledgment of his opponent when they agree. He is sure of himself, yet thoughtful in the way he explains his position. He is more than capable of being Commander In Chief, yet just as interested in being Diplomat In Chief. Standing on that podium next to a fading shadow of our past, Barack Obama rises as a clear signpost to our future.

McCain has reduced himself to being his own history book, more interested in listing the stamps on his passport and forcing our collective groans at every mention of his maverickness and his POW imprisonment, than he is in providing us a vision of any real future under his leadership. Never mind the new cold war John McCain promises us with our enemies, what about the one he promises to perpetuate with our fellow Americans? Ask yourself this question, can you even imagine that kind of mannerless, undiplomatic, insulting discourteousness from Barack Obama? Not a chance. Obama's unwillingness to display anger may be something that his critics see as proof of his inability to win, but it happens to be the very quality that proves he can lead.

Read more reactions to the first presidential debate from HuffPost bloggers, including Nora Ephron, Bob Shrum, Madeleine Albright, Paul Reiser, Arianna Huffington, Sean Penn, Sheryl Crow, and more.

Comments

[blaqntelligence]

Barack Obama has proven to be the consummate leader.
How?
Many supporters, myself included, have experienced moments of hair-pulling frustration when Obama doesn't attack or react as WE think he should.
YET,
Many, again myself included, reflect on his reaction to a situation and find ourselves agreeing with his tactic (or strategy, according to johnny mac).
That, my friend, is a leader. A leader leads by example.
When Obama remains calm in the face of calamity (Rev. Wright, bittergate, this monstrosity of a bailout) he lowers our collective blood pressure.
He gives us all permission to take a deep breath and step back.
He gives us motivation, and yes permission, to think rather than react.
He is already acting presidential in that he is doing precisely what he will do after January 20, 2009.
This country will have disgreements with a President Obama decision.
But we WON'T have any nasty surprises a la this current mob of treasonous criminals.

[jdeck]

he has my vote

[spartanmom]

Brilliant.
How many times can I type BRAVO before completely losing everyone?
I won't test it but thank you so much for voicing my take on Obama's perfectly acceptable courtesy during the debate. If I had been up there with my Grandfather I would have been just as kind.

[disgustedbuthopeful]

Great article! And so very true. I have been reading a lot of debate reviews and listening to the pundits and few have gotten it right. But the ordinary American citizens saw what you saw and "scored" the debate as a resounding win for O. We are sick and tired (actually quite disgusted) of all the meanness and hostility between our elected officials. I for one am ready for an adult to lead us during what will undoubtedly be hard times. Thanks for your well written thoughts. My sentiments exactly.

[blaqntelligence]

Love your sn.

[Thomei]

Excellent article!!! After watching McCain during the debate I can see why he scoffs at meeting other heads of state without "preconditions". Tact, diplomacy plus the ability to listen to and look the other person in the eye are missing from the McCain persona.

[wanttruth]

Awesome column. I totally agree. Sen. Obama has so much class,eloquence, common sense ideas and poise. I definitely will vote for him in November!

[PuddingPop]

This heartfelt p.o.v. sums it up...the end of savagery and a return to grace. I wonder if the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, who's lives were destroyed by Bush et. al., will ever know "a return to grace"?

[desertbloom]

We are so shell-shocked from eight years of Cheney-Bush. They have been manipulating our nervous systems throughout their reign. They also have treated us with disdain.

And, now, there is McCain, "the fighter." He and Palin represent an us vs. them approach, both within the nation and the world.

In contrast, Obama offers a principled vision, along with the intelligence and dignity to lead us forward. He has anchored his campaign to hope rather than fear. And, he trusts us to join together in solving the great challenges we now face, in the context of a global community. The reality of the 21st century is: United we stand, divided we fall on Planet Earth.

Grace is a spiritual state, and Obama is the embodiment of that.

[valleygent]

I think that many of us who support Senator Obama would enjoy seeing him win more points in these spectacles. We react to the television and holler back how we would answer McCain in his asinine simplicity. And there is some justification in wanting a leader to fight for his cause. However upon a deeper examinatio­n...there is a significant statement made by Senator Obama when he displays this gentile character, it is one of thoughtfulness, measure and certain maturity. In that sense I do feel he is leading and is displaying an example of his potential to be a truly great leader.

[H2Opolomom]

Face it - Obama has class, grace, and the ability to ride it out. If this comes off as being too cool for the general populace to understand, then let them digest the personae of McCain and Palin. Seriously guys, is this the ticket to take this country out of the tragic well we are in? I guess there is always more room at the BOTTOM of the well if McCain and Palin get elected.

Then those of you who vote that way, have no one else but yourselves to blame. Try to just close your eyes and imagine, that if in fact so many people are so absolutely disgusted with the past 8 years, why would you want to re-create the same or even make it worse?

Obama has the gift of being gracious. There are many who feel he doesn't have the experience, but let us not forget, HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DID IT TAKE TO SINK THE TITANIC?

[jcahill]

Barack will not be provoked by the pettiness that American politics has disintegrated into...he is inclusive, measured, polite....

A man who can not be provoked is a man that's impossible to "pick a fight with"

that leave a lot more room for discourse, not disagreement

and compromise and grace are part of getting along in the world.

Obama shows this every day....we need him badly...ge­t out the vote people

get out the young vote...the new vote...get out the VOTE

[Rianna]

The mere fact that McCain just did not have the finesse, polish, class, whatever you want to call it, to look directly at his opponent, while he spoke to him, shows that McCain did not look Presidential, or have the stature of a mature politician. It was disappointing to see this great "warrior" not able to stand up and look at his opponent straight. He gets zero marks for looking Presidential.

Yes, Obama did get high marks for being gracious when agreeing, and strong, when he looked directly at his opponent.

McCain sounded peeved, complaining, and looked arrogant.

[freebeer]

Yes, the grace and dignity with which Obama dances and spins WITH Republicans in the Last Great Walz is truly amazing.
Helping Bush remove seven hundred billion dollars from our treasury, and doing it with grace.
I'm so impressed.

[grantlingel]

Brilliant and well put together post... thanks for sharing!

http://grantlingel.blogspot.com

[mergina]

Grace? Grace who? Obama needs to find a middle ground between this so called grace and an all out prize fight, or he is going to lose this race. He is not a good debater, and McCain is even worse. Watching these two was like being catapulted back in time to a grade school argument between two classmates, not two men who would be president. If you are going to interrupt someone spewing lies who will not shut up. scream at the top of your lungs if necessary to get your point across and them to stop. These guys looked, at times, like two bickering biddies.

[goldbry]

Read the polls. People like Obama more.