Why Inspiration Will Make Obama the Strongest Candidate in November - And a President that Can Lead a Progressive Realignment in America

There are only two groups of voters who decide the outcomes of elections and are targets of communication that can be affected by political campaigns. They are "persuadables" and "mobilzables".

In general elections, persuadables are the voters who are switch hitters. They always vote, but they sometimes vote for Democrats and other times for Republicans. They have to be persuaded to vote for our candidate.

Mobilizables don't have to be persuaded to vote Democratic. They would support Democrats if they went to the polls, but often don't vote. They have to be mobilized to come out and vote.

The messages campaigns aim at persuadables are about the qualities of the candidate. The messages that work with mobilizables are not about a candidate -- they are about the voters. They are aimed at overcoming the sense of many potential voters that the act of casting a vote really isn't that important -- to their lives or those of the people they care about. Often we need to overcome the feelings of voters that they don't have much power to control their lives in general.

Very often, candidates are good at delivering one of these two messages but not the other. They are either very appealing to "persuadable", swing voters, or they motivate the Democratic "base" - but they don't do both.

That's where inspiration comes in. Inspiration is the one political message that works with both groups.

By inspiration I mean something very specific. Being inspired is about feeling empowered. When you are inspired by a speech or story or movie it isn't the "facts" or proposals that affect you. Its how experience makes you feel. When you're inspired you feel that you, or the country, or your group can overcome obstacles and do things you previously couldn't do. You feel that you can be more and achieve more than you could before.

Inspiration persuades "swing" voters because the candidate makes them feel good in his presence. He makes them feel more powerful and meaningful.

But inspiration also mobilizes voters because it overcomes the major obstacle to voter's participation -- the feeling of powerlessness.

It's his ability to inspire that allows Barack Obama to appeal simultaneous to swing "persuadable" voters and the vast number of "moblizable" voters who don't vote in [residential elections.

Obama's attraction to swing voters isn't that he promises to "compromise" with the right -- or adopt right wing values. It is that he inspires them with the traditional progressive values:

• That we're all in this together, not all in this alone;
• Unity not division;
• Hope not fear;
• That people are not commodities to be paid what the market will bear and discarded when they aren't needed, but human beings whose happiness and success are the purpose of the economy.

Inspiration comes from appeals to values, not ten point plans.

If Obama is the candidate for president this fall, he will attract Democrats, independents and even some Republicans. But he will also bring out a massive surge of young people, minorities, and many others who have never voted before. His candidacy will transform the presidential electorate.

That's why Obama is without doubt the best candidate to lead a potential progressive realignment of American politics this fall.

But just as important, Obama would be the best president to pass a progressive program of structural change that can democratize the distribution of power in America -- health care, tax, electoral, and trade reform -- new labor laws to allow average people to organize to defend their standards of living -- universal access to higher education. We won't pass this agenda if we rely on the insider game in Washington. Success will require a massive, on going mobilization of people across America. That will require inspiration.

If Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, she can win the General Election --though it will be harder. She could be a good president.

But Barack Obama could be a transformative figure in American politics, like Roosevelt or Kennedy -- presidents who used the power of inspiration to fundamentally alter American politics.

Economic self interest is a critical -- and often determinative self interest for voters. But it isn't people's only self interest. That's why the poorest counties in Ohio voted for Bush in 2004. That's why the working class Kansan's in What's the Matter with Kansas turn to cultural conservatism. People want meaning in their lives. They want purpose. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves - and to be able to personally play some significant role in that larger human endeavor.

That was the power of John Kennedy's call four decades ago to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". That's the power of Barack Obama's candidacy today.

Comments

[Wonderwheel]

Obama is not a progressive. He may be able to include progressives at the table so that we may have some input in the White House where there has been none in over 40 years.

But please don't fall into the mistaken belief that Obama is or reporesents progressives or progressive values. He is a liberal Democrat plain and simple.

If he were a progressive he would:
-- Oppose the Death Penalty;
-- Support single payer universal health care and introduce a Senate version of HR 676;
-- Oppose the current military policy in and occupation of Afghanistan;
-- Support the independence of Gaza and the West Bank and oppose the current illegal occupation and blocake of Gaza and the West Bank;
-- Support normalization of relations with Cuba;
-- Support federal legislation for Instant Runoff Voting in federal elections;
-- Have voted no on Iraq war funding;
-- Have voted against the border wall instead of voting for it;
etc.

I'm not saying that Obama has not voted well on many issues, only that he does not have a progressive position and has not voted progressive on many issues.

[Caro]

Bob, aren't you working for the Obama campaign? If so, why didn't you disclose that in your post?

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAc­countable.­com

[joe6671]

I know u mean well. But u r wrong. I am willing to bet u with real money, that if Obama is elected as the Democratic head of the ticket he will be quite easily defeated by the Republicans. In fact I am reasonably certain that many so called independents voting for Obama r Republicans working for a Republican victory.U guys live in a dream world. Obama has no real experience in the day to day running of anything. If he sticks to the theme of getting along he'll get nothing done ;worse, every piece of legislation will turn toothless in the process of accomodation. If he changes his tune once elected he'll be called to heel as a hypocrite and lose the following he will need to govern. But by far his worst negative is his color and the voting done by Blacks. I assure I'm not a racist. I'd never deny anyone their respect and full rights as citizents. I'd fight for their rights if endangered. However , u close ur eyes to the realities of life in these USA. Without a word being uttered , Whites as a community will see Obama's ascendancy to the presidency as the descent of the Whiteman to inferior status and will open a floodgate of racist politics in the USA never seen before. I remind u of the ascendancy of Hitler and similar types in Europe . The USA might be different than Europe. But how much different? I am convinced that Obama, despite his oratorical qualities , personal charm and dedication should be held in abeyance from the Presidency for at least another 10 yrs.

[argent1]

Inspiration is one thing. It brings to a person a possibility of being/doing more than you thought you could.

Motivation is another. Most of us are motivated, check the traffic tie ups across the nation when we go to work and school. And at the end of the day see the same traffic, because we are motivated to be with our families.

To get both at the same time takes perseverance. Usually a long and arduous task. Can we persevere change without motivation and inspiration?

In the end what seems to dominate is security. Sadly history demonstrates the dangers we all face: job, health, education, avoiding downfalls and our common worries: safety of family-nei­ghborhood-­country. This trumps inspiration and stalls change. These things Obama needs addressing, in a better way than he has. It will be arduous convincing the cynical to let go of their worries.

[vsign]

I did not start out thinking about Obama in a negative way. A number of months ago I was awed with the possibility that Obama "might be the one". I asked myself where that feeling came from. I desired hope and optimism. I desired a leader that would make me feel those emotions. Obama said he would and he did. It was when he announced his candidancy for president that I attached those emotions to Obama. I called it "the voice of authority" and I believed he had superior judgement like he said he did.

Then when he got Imus ( a radio personality) fired (I believe), I realized how much power he already had. I began to ask myself questions about his judgement. Did he really want partnerships or like he said, he "would not go on Imus' program again". Imus was fired because of Obama's words. It worried me. The power of it worried me. Everyone's acceptance of it worried me. Imus was powerful but not equal to Obama's power. Many were giddy with how powerful Obama was (because he got Imus fired). The giddiness worried me and subsequent racial divide blogs worried me.

When I was in NYCity going to school in the 80's, I was thinking that future radical change would happen by a "voice of authority" and that the voice would be a black american male voice. And that it would be so powerful as to influence masses because of a new technology. I wanted to research why this "voice" could influence masses by comparing it to the way Hitler had used the new technologies of his time - the microphone, the radio, and film. People had little experience before Hitler, of a leader using these technologies. The new technology increased by 10/100/1000? Hitler's influence or power. In my thinkiing, I imagined this voice to influence radical change. The 60's were a time of radical change. I felt good about the changes in civil rights, womens rights, human rights.

I no longer trust radical change Obama style.

[Herrington]

Well your messaage is getting more polished vsign. But basically you keep saying the same thing over and over. Obama is still not Hitler.

[burneb]

I campaigned for JFK in 1959 and 1960 because I was young and inspired, and I think Obama does indeed generate some of the same inspiration.

But, inspirational as he was, age of Camelot or not, JFK never actually got much thru Congress. It took an old pro like LBJ with lots of insider knowledge and skills to put thru the Civil Right Act of 1964 and other major reforms. (Hillary was correct, it took both MLK AND LBJ to score.)

Sponsoring bills only helps if those bills get passed and enacted and actually enforced. Nice speeches only help if they promote a practical course of action and actually get acted upon.

I like Obama but can he truly do this better than Clinton? The greedheads and troglydytes that control the Republican robovotes in Congress do not care a whit about inspiration or working together. They need their butts kicked and their arms wrenched to care about anyone but the wealthiest and looniest. And sorry purists, it will take some compromises to actually get anything good done. Reversing the Republican outrages and depradations of the past 7 years is JOB NUMBER ONE for America now.

[Herrington]

burneb, I think you miss the essentials of political power. Arm twisting will make a difference in a close vote, but will not drive a measure through a monlithic consolidated opposition. What will drive legislation through a roadblock is popluar support in a legislators home district. Vote in support of a popular measure or hit the bricks.

This is the way FDR got the New Deal done. It was the public outrage, the Hoovervilles. This is the way MLK and FDR got civil rights done, the marches and the protests, making legislators just want to make it go away.

We have been in gridlock so long that it has come to seem as if ramming bills thorugh over opposition seems the only way. Threats, lies, blackmail and filibusters only accomplish more of the same. The people are the solution.

[FearlessFreep]

Remember the dog's dinner HRC made of health-care reform? Why should we assume she's more "skilled" than Obama?

[realistxxx]

The "solutions lady" cannot solve her Obama dilemma (8 states in a row and counting with a 800,000 vote lead in national popular vote so far).

Meanwhile, the "empty suit, cheap talk and inexperienced dude" is running one of the most effective and dynamic campaigns in the history of the U.S.

The improbability of Obama challenging the most powerful democratic machine of the last 40 years demonstrates that the Clinton talking points are false.

She can't get things done in this nomination process despite huge advantages. He has moved mointains despite huge disadvantages.

Plus he gives a good speech. Anyone ever heard of the bully pulpit?

Case closed.

[WAdem]

If Dems are counting on winning in November by getting independents and Rs to crossover in Red-State America, I think they're in for a bug surprise. We're not going to win it there.

History shows that whenever a "hope and change" candidate gets to the big dance, he loses. This was documented in the past month. Obama is simply the latest iteration.

McCain's "Public Financing" gambit shows how easily the GOP will offset what you believe are his strengths, namely, inspiration and fund-raising.

[Herrington]

Reagan was a "hope and change" candidate, an idiot, but he won two terms. FDR was a "hope and change" candidate was elected four times.

[Ohg]

Obama is persuading the mobilizers. He is a complete package of message and organization. But his greatest strength is in his own life. He embodies the success of James McBride's tribute to McBride's mother in "The Color of Water."....
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/02/11/barack-obama-the-color-of-water/

[barackoblogger]

Obama is the only candidate to have released his tax forms. (neither McCain or Clinton have)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/opinion/15fri1.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Obama has released his earmarks. (Clinton has not)

http://obama.senate.gov/press/070621-obama_announces_3/

Hillary Clinton reigns as the Queen of Federal Pork

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aXWIZU3DOyr4&refer=home

Obama was rated #1 in environmental policy by the League of Conservation Voters

http://presidentialprofiles2008.org/

Obama was right about Pakistan, back when Hillary was calling him "naive"

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/06/navarrette/?iref=mpstoryview

Washington Post gave Obama's economic plan an A- and gave Hillary's a C.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/22/AR2008012202614.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Wall Street Journal preferred Obama's healthcare plan over Hillary Clinton's

http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120234937353949449.html

Judge Obama by his legislative achievments, which are quite impressive, according to the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303.html

[YenNguyen]

Thank you for these resources. I agree. Obama has developed and implemented many solutions for the public.
Other candidates cannot point to any broad, successful and substantive change in their record.
Sadly, there are detractors who are only interested in gridlock and roadblocks. We have had too many years of gridlock; and while we are gridlocked, the environment is withering, the economy is sputtering, our soldiers and Iraqis are dying, and our nation feels less safe.
I feel like a child stuck between two warring parents (Clinton and McCain). Being selfish does not help your "children." Thank goodness I'm emancipated and can leave them both behind.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/sarahramey/C4WJ

[WAdem]

Rove wants Obama. I rest my case.

[AnninCA]

Talk about cynical outlooks.

*eek*

[LuluDoll]

How is this cynical? Is it cynical that Obama inspires people to take back their government? Is it cynical that he has asked the people to engage again? Is it cynical that he is building a strong Democratic party with new people? Is it cynical that he has put solutions forth for the people to judge? Is it cynical that while he is a politician, he is pretty honest? Is it cynical that the more people that learn about him, the more they think he would make a good leader? I can't see anything cynical about this.

[aurelio23]

Saint Barack of Obama
My lovely wife, a Clinical Psychologist with a couple of PhD’s, seldom makes mistakes. Not counting that ‘I Do’ before a minister pronounced very few years ago.
“What do you think of Obama?’ I asked her, curious to get a clear judgment on a candidate that seems to have raised a tsunami of expectations from the American public. A public that is desperately seeking someone to worship.
I have already registered shameless comparisons of Obama with Lincoln, Jesus of Nazareth, Jack and Bob Kennedy, Plato, Enrico Carusso, Martin Luther King, George Clooney, Daniel Webster, St. Augustine, Count Dracula and Borat. You listen to the panegyrics and you can almost see the halo around Obama’s pointed head. I said so. She smiled, condescendingly as usual, and replied:
“Great powers of expression. I heard him talk about the problem of garbage disposal in urban areas. I remember it word by word.” She quoted:
“Problems of this kind in our nation answer to a popular belief in the infallibility of the subtle control projected by any government with an ideal in mind and a policy on hand. Sublime efforts can only be spent by the generous American nation in the pursuit of objectives clearly delineated by the Founding Fathers and the glorious brilliance of activated minds and pristine souls. In the end I conclude that such problem is not a problem. God Bless America!”
She added: “You know what? He reminds me of Robert Redford!”
“Robert Redford?”
“Yup. Robert Redford in The Candidate. Remember the last scene? After a string of brilliant speeches, he is finale elected president; he sits on the edge of the bed and asks his Chief of Staff, “What do I do now?”

[splendidindependent]

Be real, no Democrats won't sit at home if Barack wins the nomination... not unless they really are the soft-hearted, losers most conservatives have portrayed them to be since Muskie. If Democrats want to win the most winnable election for them since FDR, then the Clinton supporters will suck it up, get off their butts and go vote for Obama in November. But then again, maybe you're right along with the Right.

[WAdem]

I think you overestimate Obama's true ability to win crossover Rs and independents AFTER the GOP slime machine takes it's toll.

[Superfelo]

You beg the question, and we are asking it.
If her "I Do", was so brilliant, which we presumed had to with her marrying you...why do you need her opinion to make up your own mind?
Real life is not like the movies. Barack Obama has demonstrated by his overwhelming brilliance, that he can wield power if it comes into his hand. He is not surrounded by "loyal people", that have been with him since the beginning. He is surrounded by effective, and can do, people who know what they are going about.
Only those that surround themselves with the most "loyal' of their entourage, need to go about asking: "What do we do now."
Show us that she really married a brilliant person, and made a good choice, by showing us your own ideas.

It is about time we stood up for something.

Yes, We Can!

Enough said.

[Herrington]

I'm seriously thinking you made this comment up out of thin air Mr. aurelio23.

[ConcernAmerican]

Between McCain and Obama, I'd vote for McCain in general election. I've no time for inspirational words, I want a doer NOT a talker. I can get inspiration easily from my own family, I don't need some politician to inspire me how to make my life better.

I'm a lifelong democrat, if Obama is the nominee for my party, many of us lifelong democrats will unite and cross party line and vote for McCain or STAY AT HOME.

[justmeinAz]

doing doesn't help when it's doing the wrong things. One more conservative judge on the supreme court and it'll be illegal to sue businesses at all. Soon condom use will be up on the block. Effective people with bad ideas are a far greater evil.
You've also created a false duality with "doer or talker." It implies you can be only one or the other, and that is not true.

[Mojane]

You've been a Democrat all you life and you'd even think of voting for McCain? Holy shit, man, you have got to be a Republican in some weird costume. My guess is you just don't like the idea of a black man president (you didn't mention Hillary, but my bet is you'd go for McCain in that one too).

[MacTheBlogger]

...

Anyone who thinks Obama's inspiration-filled campaign and popularity can't win in November is in abject denial. You'd better watch this carefully, as I doubt you'll see anything else like it for decades.

I don't know whether it was planned this way, but Obama's approach has been perfect, brilliant. He has sold millions with words and speaking style alone. And in today's intensely image-driven society, his timing could not have been better. If "American Idol" chose presidents, he'd win hands down.

"But he's not saying anything", his opponents on both sides of the aisle whine. Tough crap, it's irrelevant at this point. His supporters will say "check out his web site, all the details you need are there," knowing full well that very few will bother to do so. If they did, they'd see that Obama will continue the American Left's all-out push towards a Western European-model socialist democracy, with drastically increased governmental control over our lives. For many, that's just fine.

And the GOP's half-hearted nomination of McCain has set us up for a lopsided final campaign, pitting an old, tired warhorse with ties to the past against a young, energetic, handsome, brilliant orator with vague promises of "hope" and "change".

The only thing that can stop Senator Obama now is pure, ugly racism, it's as simple as that. We're about to find out if a socialist utopia is attainable. And if you don't like the fact that millions are buying into image & style, too bad. Welcome to modern-day America.

.

[doubleplusgood]

"Obama will continue the American Left's all-out push towards a Western European-model socialist democracy, with drastically increased governmental control over our lives. For many, that's just fine."

I wish!. I don't believe it'll ever fly in the US however.

Ever lived in a "Western European-model socialist democracy" there Mac? Didn't think so. I assume you live in the same country I do, Where the government can monitor my phone calls, is allegedly collecting all my email and internet activity, and where on Bush's say so alone I can be detained without trial or charge, in secret, forever. I don't think any of that would fly in Western Europe.

[mikekev58]

Bullshit! Check out Britain's libel laws, their anti-terroist laws, along with other European nations. There's an American student being held in Italy for up to a year on suspicion of murder, without one iota of evidence tying her to the crime.
Despicable as Bush's tenure has been and threatening as it is to civil liberties, we will return to the Constitution in due time, as soon as the American people feel the outrage. At our best, we are the freest nation in the world; unfortunately we have not been at our best for quite some time.

[SwingStateVeteran]

I guess you are starting from the premise that Senator Obama is a progressive, huh?

[NoMoreHawks]

Dear Clinton Supporters,

Please join up with the Obama camp. This isn't about ego - its about the future of the party. Obama is growing the party leaps and bounds over anything we've seen since before Reagan. We are on the brink of a Democratic consensus for the first time in a long long time. Obama is the one to lead it. Hillary is an accomplished person who is due respect, but she can't build the consensus that he can. Please join up and help us get out of the 51% era of partisan warfare and lead us into the 65% era of consensus politics.

Obama is person for the job. Please give your support to Obama.

[hinnis]

Cannot do. I don't like the extent to which he has lied about his record; his position on the war; his connections to Rezko; his close connections with his racist mentor and pastor Rev. Wright (who appears to idolize the arch racist and Jew hater Farrakhan), etc. etc. When America sees the real face of Obama, which they will once he becomes the nominee, they will take a second look, also. The Republicans and the corporate media know this, and that's why they have given Obama a free ride.

[splendidindependent]

It is amazing how much vitriol is in play on both sides of this Democratic thing among supporters. So much so, that supporters play the "Jedi mind trick" on themselves about the opposing candidate. Obama's connection to Rezko hasn't been hidden nor has he lied about it. He was upfront about the fact that he accepted money from Rezko while he was under indictment and his wife purchased a parcel of land next to his Hyde Park home. He acknowledged that all of this was bad judgement and donated the money to charity. Living in Illinois, I can tell you that if that makes him horrible so are 80% of the state Democratic politicians here: Rezko gave to them all. In fact, Rezko even contributed to the Clintons. I have heard only one inconsistency in his positions... on single-payer healthcare. But other than that, he has been consistent and looks to be a man of principle. Let's stop this and have a debate about policy stances, not made up crap.

[mikekev58]

Must support The Uniter...must not think for myself...must put pod in children's bedrooms at night...must give up conscience...must vote for good of party not good of country..."I'd have to think about it."