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

[RiceAndSalt]

The whole thing with Obama is he throws everything on its head.

What I get out of him is that he is asking us to be involved in our government and with each other. This isn't about division into progressive or conservative, black or white, Christian or non-Christian, red state,blue state- it is about each of
us taking responsibility for our ourselves, our fellow citizens, and ultimately the country each of us cares so deeply about.

[StephenDedalus82]

You've just said precisely nothing. How are we going to take responsibility, and how is Obama going to make that happen? And why is that a good thing? Indeed, how is it relevant at all to the matter at hand?

[amberglow]

except that we're not involved in reality--we just vote and talk to our reps who usually ignore us in favor of big money. We are hiring HIM to do a gigantic job--not hiring ourselves to do it for him or with him.

[lovethesinner]

Beautiful, Robert. Just beautiful.

GObama!

[doubleplusgood]

This is a Great post, particularly: "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:" I wish more people here would get the difference between "bi-partisan" and "post-part­isan." Thanks for this.

[DennyCrane]

Inspiration works both ways. Sometimes people can be inspired to vote AGAINST a candidate. Hillary Clinton is so disliked that if she were the nominee, I bet you would see a record turnout. Unfortunately for her, most of those new voters will be voting for McCain and for no other reason than to keep her from being President. As history has shown us, hatred can mobilize people as well.

[politicsnut]

There are countless reasons to love Obama and hate Hillary but you don’t have to love Obama or hate Hillary but consider this: Who do you trust to not take us to another dumb war?
Hillary is too much in bed with defense lobbyist to promise you that much and also she feels so much pressure to be perceived as “tough and macho”.

Obama is for negotiation and avoiding dumb wars, he’s in bed with the people. If you don’t like war and what it has done to this country and the consequences around the world think long and hard: Obama is our leader for a better America and a better world.

[bauersox]

You've made a great argument in favor of raising the voting age to forty.

I say we should ground all the new voters. Send 'em to their rooms and have them spend election day writing sentences.

[boomerbabe]

I have shared my support of Senator Clinton with my children all of whom are Obama fans.
Isn't the real question about whether all of the Obama supporters will throw their votes behind Senator Clinton? There is no question if Obama were the designated candidate, I would support his election.
We all need to remember that this is not just about the two of them. This is about allowing the Democrats to assume some control over a totally dysfunctional and corrupt government.
Where will you Obama supporters stand if he is unsuccessf­ul.. Is it Obama or we bust?

[Amuseinc]

BillZbub, Wow I have not heard such a screwed up political vision since I was caught on an airplane sitting next to a Lyndon LaRoucher who wasn't in jail.

The Republican candidate may not live through the campaign and if he does, he may not make it through his first term. He is a bitter old man still trying to fight Wars of the last century and promising to stay at war for the next 100 years. He preaches a hopelessness and fear only seen in the fever dreams of unfortunates. A John McCain presidency becomes a third Bush term... and I have had enough incompetent Republicans to las me a lifetime.

Senator Obama on the other hand is a son of the 21st Century with a young family he brings to the future. A future he articulates through solid pragmatic programs and a call of duty for Americans to achieve a better country.

Old Boy, your name is perfect as you represent the hellish past of George Bush.

[ProgressiveNotLiberal]

If there's something arising in your neighborhood
Who you gonna call?
Hopebusters!
If there's something weird that makes you feel good
Who you gonna call?
Hopebusters!
I’m afraid of hope
I’m afraid of hope
If you're seeing progress running through your head
Who can you call?
Hopebusters!
An invisible feeling big enough to wake the Grateful Dead
Oh, who you gonna call?
Hopebusters!
I’m afraid of hope
I’m afraid of hope
Who you gonna call?
Hopebusters!
If you're all alone, pick up the phone
And call
Hopebusters!
I’m afraid of hope
I hear it likes the girls
I’m afraid of hope
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Who you gonna call?
Hopebusters!
If you've had a dose of a freaky hopeful host
You'd better call
Hopebusters!

Let me tell you a secret something
Hope’n makes me feel good
I ain't afraid of no Hope
I ain't afraid of no Hope
Don't get caught alone, we don’t want no
Hopebusters!
When the hopebuster comes through your door
Unless you just want some more
I think you better call
Hillary busters!
Ow!
Who you gonna call
Obama!
Dial 1-800-White House
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

[dharmamom]

My fav pundit, a really brilliant but under utilized political and cultural observer, Ted Rall says it all for me, a leftie,

http://www.uexpress.com/tedrall/

[bauersox]

Ted Rall is a nutter. I bet he's voting for Obama.

[medon]

Why is EVERYONE assuming there WILL be an election??????

[larry278]

That is a very good possibility, if not a probability & a lead pipe cinch. W & Co still have 1/20/09 to misrule.

[BillZBubb]

That's a great vision, but alas, it ignores reality. Obama may seem inspirational now, but by November the Republican slime machine will have taken care of that. He will still be supported by Democrats (whom you refer to as the mobilizables). But, the right wing will do a number on the persuadables. He'll be painted as a wild eyed, inexperienced liberal who will give welfare to every bum on the street. They'll blow some minor issue into a "major" credibility problem.

Obama will lose too much of the Hispanic vote to McCain. Democrats don't win without at least 70% of the Hispanic vote. McCain will do pretty well with that group. There are a variety of reasons for this.

Obama will lose the South. The sad fact is that the South still has deep seated racial problems. People there will tell the pollsters they'll vote Obama, but then on election day they'll vote for the white guy. Republican backed ads will do a subtle racial number on Obama.

Unless he makes a major mistake, McCain squeaks out a win against Obama, by carrying the South, the Plains, and a good chunk of the West.

[krissymax]

Unfortunately you are probably right. Yesterday McCain stated that inspirational speeches without real experience are just platitudes - that is what we will hear until November and many many people will agree and vote for McCain.

[bauersox]

McCain is right about that. Platitudes is a perfect word for what Obama is offering his pathetic acolytes.

[starboymikey]

People there will tell the pollsters they'll vote Obama, but then on election day they'll vote for the white guy. Republican backed ads will do a subtle racial number on Obama.
__________­__________­__________­__________­_____

So either you think these folks would actually vote for Hillary Clinton, or you think it's totally hopeless either way and we should get used to the idea of McCain/Huckabee.

[Bertrude]

I would put the Clinton slime machine over the Republican one anyday as being worse.

[StephenDedalus82]

Oh yes, because saying Jesse Jackson won in South Carolina is sooo much worse than saying a war hero is a traitor and working for bin Laden.

[Strywever]

"Obama may seem inspirational now, but by November the Republican slime machine will have taken care of that." Great! Let's cast our votes based on our fear of what *could* happen. The Republicans will love us for it!

[DietrichMoody]

Republican Slime Machine, blah , blah , blah.
What are they, inhuman?? There are sleazeballs in both parties.

Then give up, put away the tent. Go home. The Republican slime machine are Americans too, amigo and won't work against the Country's interest. Less of course, you want to stagnate and become a third world country - welcome to Argentina amigo.

Even Newt Gingrich nows this, he's telling the Republicans that they need to change too... whether he is sincere or not, fact of the matter is that it is true

[MagisterLudi]

Contrary to this post, Obama is NOT a progressive candidate.

Now lets ignore the manufactured PC image
for a moment and look at the facts:

1.Obama voted WITH Republicans AGAINST Democrats to capping interest rates on credit cards. A progressive candidate? No way.

2.Obama voted WITH Republicans AGAINST Democrats to prohibit Secretary of Homeland Security from develop regulations regarding the transportation of high hazard materials.
Progressive? No.

3. Obama voted WITH Republicans AGAINST Democrats to establish United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act.Progre­ssive? NO

4. Obama voted WITH Republicans AGAINST Dems. NOT to reduce the funds available for the Camp 6 Detention Facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Obama here voted with Republicans to continue funding Gitmo.

Progressive? No.

5.Obama voted WITH Republicans AGAINST Dems. on Class Action Fairness Act of 2005.
Obama here voted with corporate interests against interests of common people. How corporate shill move is that!

I think this blogger and many poster have no idea what progressive agenda is.

One does not become progressive simply by being black or talking about change and hope.

It's ridiculous when a rich Ivy League Senator talks about being an outsider. How much more of an insider one has to be?!

He got to Senate riding the Big Money establishment, just like any other lackey of Big Business.

[krissymax]

He also voted for Dick Cheney's 2005 Energy Bill, which was drafted in secret by Dick and Enron and Energy Corps. He has taken $227K from Exelon Corp a nuclear energy corp to date according to the NY Times Feb 3, 2008. The 2005 Energy bill gave Nuclear Energy a $4.3 billion dollar tax reduction. Hillary voted against it!!

What about REZKO?? Politics as usual. I hope this is not considered progressive!

[alkamm]

Unlike Hillary, Obama has taken no lobbyist money.

He's also made his finances public, so on that account, on that count, he doesn't even approach the rich Ivy League Clintons who are reliably venal because we need them so badly. How much more of an insider are they?

Let's learn to draw Republicans to our side rather than continue to wars the Clintons enjoy and propagate.

[kempis]

Where do you think Obama's PAC got the 690,000 it's spread around the Superdelegates? Lobbyists.

Jesus! Do you Obama-supporters REALLY believe that Obama doesn't deal with lobbyists? Here:

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/11/0081275

[JackWOrf]

How the (f-word) do YOU know? Do you have ANY IDEA how much money Obama could be LAUNDERING by filtering it thru blacks in various cities of the USA, like Chicago?

You don't know (S-Word) about who is giving him money or how much they are giving him.

And as far as being beholden to lobbyists, Obama now owes his freekin SOUL to these BLACK ACTIVISTS who are turning out the BLACK RACIST vote for him.

And what are THEY going to be DEMANDING after he's elected? The blacks are just as much a lobby as any lobby.

[eshalom]

This is ridiculous. It's well documented that Obama has received tons of money from pharmaceutical companies and then there's that company called Exelon or something like that. Check it out.

[krissymax]

alkamm - he takes State Capitol lobbist money and money from the lawyers for the lobbists. You could drive a truck through Obama's loop holes in taking what his campaign calls dirty money. And BTW he has taken $227K from Exelon Corp, a nuclear energy corp and voted Yes on Dick Cheney's Bill see above giving nuclear energy a $4.3 Billion dollar Tax reduction. Plus after Exelon's input the leak reporting went from mandatory to voluntary in Obama's bill. (See New York Times Feb 3, 2008) Think Rezko!! He is a politician - and that is part of the scam that he is pulling - hope that we can elect politicians not like me???

Look at Bloomberg's statement our economy is like a third world country - are we gonna hope that away - or maybe consider that during the Clinton years the econmony was doing very well because we had a President who actually balanced the budget - Al Gore even had to vote in the Senate because it was a tie to vote for a balanced budget.

Which is better - proven results or hope!!!

[MagisterLudi]

"Unlike Hillary, Obama has taken no lobbyist money."

Nonsense! Obama TAKES MILLIONS from lobbyists and corporations who do business in his state of Illinois.

So many federal lobbyists simply registered as state lobbyists and continue feeding Obama's political machine.
Educate yourself on the subject.

[lolawilson]

Thank You!!! Obama is not progressive the only candidate who deserved that title was Kucinich and Obama is a far cry for Kucinich. For all you Obama supporters, why do you think he is a viable candidate? I'll tell you why because he is a slimey politician like the rest of them, if he were a true progressive candidate he would have been forced out of the race like Kucinich was. Obama is a good talker and he has definitely fooled this country. As for people not voting for Clinton in the general, I will not vote for Obama. I think he is a joke and a liar. I do not trust him one bit seeing as he says one thing but his voting record says another thing. Wake up America he is PLAYING you and he won't win the general once the republicans bring all his dirty laundry to the surface.

[XYZ]

If your waiting for a candidate that you 100% agree with 100% of the time your acting like a spoiled baby. You will never get it, your lucky if you can agree with 80% of the candidate.

To think that Obama got this far by not being a politian is foolish. Politics are about compromise, not arragance. I know the admin right now is aragance and look how popular they are.

[MagisterLudi]

Just as with Bush who rode his compassionate conservative lie to the Presidency, Obama is planning to ride his Reagan-like mantra to the same purpose.
And just like in case of Bush the naive will find out the truth about him, but it'll be too late.
Many of people planning to vote for him know NOTHING about him.

While certainly better than any Republican, Obama is rich and spoiled empty suit who adores Reagan.

Just like Bush he will be controlled by some shadow advisers.

Wasn't 8 years of amateurism enough to decimate American's prestige????

Another 4 years of amateurish leadership of Obama will finish this country.

[drlenamarie]

Lola..
Just curious...­have you met Obama in person to be able to make that judgment? You seem a little sure of yourself for having know intimate knowledge of the man.

[jstock]

I haven't checked the above "facts" about Obama, so I cannot respond to these assertions. But I CAN counter with these facts:
Hillary voted FOR authorizing the Iraq War.
Hillary voted FOR the Kyl/Lieberman bill, which will make it much easier for Bush and Cheney to attack Iran.
Hillary voted FOR the bankrutcy bill.
So, as you can see, both candidates are deeply flawed. But Hillary takes us backwards, not forewards. Obama '08!

[MagisterLudi]

You don't know where Obama would take us. Because Obama is an unknown quantity, his slogans notwithstanding. Be honest WITH YOURSELF jsock, and simply admit that you simply believe his slogans and rhetoric.

[politicsnut]

There are countless reasons to love Obama and hate Hillary but you don’t have to love Obama or hate Hillary but consider this: Who do you trust to not take us to another dumb war?
Hillary is too much in bed with defense lobbyist to promise you that much and also she feels so much pressure to be perceived as “tough and macho”.

Obama is for negotiation and avoiding dumb wars, he’s in bed with the people. If you don’t like war and what it has done to this country and the consequences around the world think long and hard: Obama is our leader for a better America and a better world.