The Shock of the New: Obama in Iowa

Last night we saw it, the American Dream -- shared, not deferred, at least for a moment. Barack Obama soared. A stunning win. His glorious speech was cause for pride, for tears of joy, and yes, for even more hope. When was the last time you could say that?

Something lifted: the national anhedonia that has descended on so many despairing Americans under Bush has ever so slightly lessened this morning. And one noticed the despair all the more because of how novel it feels to have hope. The gray and weighed cloud of shame and disappointment in our leadership lifted. Just a bit. And the quiet, deeply scarring, utterly exhausting seven-year burden of being disgusted by a ruinous and corrupt administration quieted briefly last night in Iowa. Because one man, Barack Obama, dared to presume that he had could change the country. And told us that there was nothing we could not do. And so many people agreed.

Maybe this is a little like 1968. The war has finally dragged our youth back into politics. About time. And watching those exhilarated supporters at the inscrutable bit of political theater that is the Iowa caucuses, watching the crowd gathered behind Obama when he spoke, one could sense the unmistakable emergence of a people awakening from a dream. To a dream. A dream that insists on change.

It is very early. But I think there is an exhaustion with the Clinton premise, and indeed, even the Clinton promise. Her negativity felt stale and out of joint, out of sync with what was going on in our hearts and minds. She still may be the Democratic candidate, she still may be the president, but deep down, what she offers feels familiar, dynastic, stale, and so very hard to trust. Last night, many people agreed with that assessment, and said "Not so fast. Not yet. Not you. Not now. Barack Obama. Maybe it is his time."

And as for me -- after my joy and shock had quieted down -- all I could think of was that the rest of the world was watching this moment too, amazed and surprised just like us. In Paris and London, Berlin and Rio, and Montreal. Let alone in Africa, Aisa, and in the Middle East. Were they, like me, also remembering how very much they used to admire about this country and all that it stands for? Were they watching, and feeling the wild, romantic populist streak that -- shock of shocks - still lives on here in this almost ruined nation? I think so.

Comments

[marysandra]

I see some posts about "great orator". inspiring speeches. etc. in referring to Obama.When did being a great orator become a bad thing? A leader who can speak and inspire,truly leads. A leader who can bring some well spoken words to the table in a crisis, also leads. The public can only be motivated by leaders, not mumblers, and motivation is what starts the ball rolling, gets people thinking and taking action. If that isn't leadership, I don't know what is.Ultimately, we all have to plant our own gardens, or weeds, as the case may be, but having a little enthusiasm for our own backyards would sure help, and maybe that comes from leadership.

[Steamboater]

"Last night we saw it, the American Dream -- shared, not deferred .. "
We've been through hell these years with Bush so it's easy to see why there's so much adulation for Obama, in fact anyone who appears to offer up something even remotely different would be welcomed. Let's be realistic though. Politicians are not miracle workers and certainly not the pot at the end of the rainbow. We often give too much weight to what we want and not what eventually is given. I remember election night when Clinton was first elected. When it was announced he had won, all of a sudden everyone started singing Kum Bay Ya. It was an exhilerating moment. The 8 years of his presidency was not. He accomplished less than nothing but he did cave in to the republicans on welfare as-we-know-it and gay rights. He also had to be dragged kicking and screaming into actually doing something about the attempted genocide in Bosnia and his poliices toward Haiti were a disaster. Then there was Monica. It wasn't my business who he had sex with but don't look at America on national TV and lie about it. So much for Kum Bay Ya.

[lemonv]

Obama is an idealist who will likely have a bone crunching fall once the jarring blows of reality hits him. He has a "change" and "hope" platforms in his speeches but the reality of it is he has to be ready to compromise in order to "change" whatever he wanted to change. If he could not do that, he would be no better than our President Bush, who has been intransigent to change.

and btw, our President Bush was also inexperienced and ran on a "change" platform, too. It might be better for these so called "independents" to think about that.

You have to go beyond Obamas' magnetism and awe in order to do an objective analysis of his speeches. And to me, his speeches are full of idealism but short of realism. That is, if you so called "independents" are realistic enough to go beyond your awe with Obama.

[nosanity]

winners {losers list}

[nosanity]

Ah the cotton candy salesman strikes and the corn fed Iowans gobble it up . Its best not to look to deep into policy best leave that to the experts . Just like gw
Now about that policy . On immigration Hillary was stumped one night in a debate , by the next night she got her answer straight , one week later cotton candy man was still trying to "uh ah form a consensus" . On war , this peace lover would not only invade a soveriegn country preemptively but one with nuclear arms , and the best part , he would do it based on intelligence data { we all see how iraq has turned out } all for the capture of a single man . On resume he has no experience he has no resume {just like gw}. On the constitution he has rubber stamped war funding at every chance voted for the patriot act giving gw recess appointment powers . And now he can add his name to the Iowa and maybe New Hampshire . Names like , Muskie , Carter , Mondale , Gephart , Tsongas , Harkin , Kerry . Congratulations dems there you go again .

[pmorlan]

It's pretty amazing what a good orator can do. We've seen powerful orators throughout history but we all need to step back and see if what is being said are just words that a speechwriter has written or if the person making the speech is the real thing. I have my doubts about Obama because of what little I know about his past and how he has reacted in this campaign when he thought he was down. I hope people don't let the media narrative carry them away. I worry that this process will be shut down before we've really had a chance to see what this candidate really represents. When we get to the general election the media will not be helping to fuel his candidacy, they will be out to tear him down. Do we really know enough about him?

[Lesjoan]

Obama is like chinese food in that it fills you up and satisfies for awhile but after awhile your still hungry, for something!

GO EDWARDS

[blair74]

I just don't understand, and we haven't been told, what this "change," proposed by Barack Obama, will be. I wonder how much Obama '08 paid to get that word from consultants. I would guess more than a couple of million dollars, the bulk of which -- if Obama '08 isn't lying -- was donated by Americans under 35-years of age. We now know that word was worth the money, but was it worth those donors' investments?

Hi R!

[jbatch]

Change is just a word, and a meaningless one without elaboration.

When John Edwards uses it, he tells us what it means -- out of Iraq; take health care out of the hands of the vested interests, energy policy out from under oil and gas interests, tax policies that favor someone other than the ultra rich, corporate power out of poltics. then he backs it up by not taking special interest money.

I like Obama, but until he does more than mouth vague homilies about change, and tells me what that means, and until he stops taking so much corporate money, Edwards is my man.

[marysandra]

Even though I am an Edwards supporter,due to his stand on medical care, I am thrilled for Obama. But let's remember folks, this is one little step on a very long path,and if he makes it to the White House,it will be for naught if the electorate doesn't get up off their couches and vote in their state elections. He can't do it all by himself,right now he's the quarterback,and hopefully, a great one,but he can't get to the SuperBowl without a strong legislative team to back him up. So Obama supporters, please be in this for the long haul, this needs to be a committment, not a one night stand. When your congressional races start,be there,too.

[Chacha]

The Democrats, with Barack Obama as the Presidential candidate, will win enough Senate and House seats in 2008 to get absolute majority in the Congress. Then with President Obama, anything will be possible. Do not give up hope, America!

[Serfie]

Sometimes I don't get the Obamanistas.

Obama makes a few speeches and you wet yourselves silly.

The right-wing media has relentlessly attacked Hillary Clinton for 16 years, spreading their hate, and you all nod in agreement like brain-washed zombies, especially here at HuffPo.

Personally, I like Obama.

However, just because he is black, handsome and gives empty flowery speeches about hope doesn't mean he will be a good president.

A president has to wear many hats: Executive, diplomat, businessman, visionary, military commander, bureaucrat, lawyer, political animal and a entrepreneur.

I'm sorry, but Obama just doesn't cut it, experience wise.

I suggest the Obamanistas look past empty rhetoric and propaganda for once in their lives and choose one of the candidates who has experience and can effectively lead, and if you are going to attack Hillary, try to use an argument other than one spoon fed to you by the right-wing propaganda machine.

[kathcalla]

Jon I appreciate your writing...I attended an Obama caucus watching celebration party last night in Princeton, NJ...I/we were brimming with hope and possibilities for the future and thoroughly over joyed for barack's victory and our country
Kathy Callahan

[CGrace]

Speaking of MSM pushing someone down our throats, CNN has been doing this with Hillary for the past month or more. Wake up, this is a movement. This man is for real, he will be our next President and this country will feel great about that, just like last night. Thank you Iowa. Thank you Senator Obama for beating the Clinton machine. If you can beat them, you can beat the republicans.

[hawkjt]

Iowa is trying to bring sanity to an insane world by giving Obama a landslide victory. If you went by raw votes he would have won by 12-15%.. Obama is a force of nature and will not be stopped now. He is an absolute talent and America will be much better for his presidency.