What Barack Obama Owes the Blogosphere

As President-elect Barack Obama has put together his cabinet and advisers, the response has been a combination of praise and wariness. For the latter, it's generally raised the question of what he owes the left.

The answer is nothing.

To be clear, I'm hardly enamored with everyone who's been selected or rumored thus far. But then, I recognize that there are a range of concerns needed to be addressed that might actually be different from my own...

Yes, the blogosphere was critically helpful in getting Barack Obama elected. But of course, so were African-Americans. And Hispanics. And young voters. And even white suburbanites. Yet surprisingly, in a post election analysis, Chuck Todd of MSNBC noted that if you took away the votes of any one of these groups, Barack Obama still would have won the election.

But even that's beside the point. Although some people work and vote for a candidate because of "what's in it for me?", most do so because they admire what issues the person stands for, and the ability the candidate has in bringing as many of those issues to fruition.

Remember this later. More in a bit.

When there's been criticism of a few if the nominees, some has been fair, but most often it's been, "This isn't the change we voted for!" However - in fact, it is, and the complaint misses the point of what that change was supposed to be. It was obvious to me that the Obamanian Change was change from the policies of the Bush administration, and change from how politics have been run in Washington, where only blind-loyalists are hired and any dissenting voice is crushed and presented to the American public as treason.

Within weeks of being elected, this is precisely the change we've gotten from Barack Obama. Almost immediately came word that Mr. Obama is looking at 200 signing statements from President Bush to overturn. Important issues like stem cell research, torture, Gitmo, EPA standards, and much more. And further, the very names causing the most question are those who most-demonstrate how the Obama way of doing business is another universe from Washington as usual. If there are some people more moderate or even Republican being named, politics aside, how utterly refreshing to find an openness of attitude, as opposed to locked-in ideologues. How joyous to know that disagreement will not only be tolerated, but required. And in the end, as Mr. Obama has stated, it will be his proposals that are pursued. That's the direction the nation will be getting - that's the change.

But it goes further. It was remarkable to hear Mr. Obama recognize that 47% of the country didn't vote for him. Let us not forget the reaction when George Bush was elected over a 48% opposition and said he was going to administer America from that mandate. It was not only a galling attitude, it derailed up the country. It's a powerful indication of leadership for Barack Obama to understand that the nation still has an element of divide, and to accomplish his goals - to actually lead America, not just make wildly-unpopular signing statements - he needs to build an even stronger consensus.

This is no small matter, accomplishing goals. Bringing his issues to fruition, as noted above. You can come into office with the most noble ideals, but if you can't get them passed, what matter? Just ask Jimmy Carter. Ask Hillary Clinton about health care. From his appointments thus far - and we've yet to see the full list - Barack Obama has shown what he's most interested in is getting issues passed.

Fixing the economy. Ending the Iraq War. Universal healthcare. Global warming. Creating a green industry. And more. These are what matter. Getting them passed through Congress.

There is so much to accomplish right now in America, which 81% say has gotten off-track, and it has to be accomplished amid economic crisis and two wars. Facing regular battles from political opponents, if Barack Obama can ease just some of that by showing fairness in his appointments, then those are fewer battles to fight while dealing with the major issues. And a nation's critical problems demand the most talented people - not the Alberto Gonzaleses, the Monica Goodlings, the Harriet Miers and Brownies of the world. Knowing that there is no easy solution out of these problems, it's all the more essential to bring divergent voices addressing all possible solutions, rather than force-feed a nation an intolerant leadership than only drags America down into its hole.

Again, to be clear, there are some different people I'd prefer on the Obama team. But what I am an admirer of is the level of expertise.

And in the end, that's what Barack Obama owes me. Owes any American. After eight years of George Bush running the nation solely on what he owes his base, how wonderful to have a president who understands that his base is the United States of America. And the only thing a president owes every citizen is a better America when he leaves office.

Anyone who doesn't understand that this is the Barack Obama they supported, then they haven't been following his career close enough. Because the very first thing most Americans learned about Barack Obama was when he very clearly told the nation at the 2004 Democratic Convention - "There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America."

The first time you saw him, Barack Obama told you who he was. And that was it. And now, he is now elected to lead that base. The United States of America.

And what a change that is from the past four years.

Comments

[kayatarms]

lol I love the comment picking people from Monsters.com lol, I couldn't have said it better. Just think, how often Dems have been in office ...quick ....and how many folks served on cabinets that were Dems..quick,,,,right! So who else is he suppposed to choose from to bid changes? The last darn President who was a DEM was Clinton, and folks weren't complaining cept the looney Repubs fringe. I think this could be a experiment gone wrong.,,folks owning a piece of the campaign may be far worse than any lobbyist group. I see the writing on the wall, I think more folks picked Obama thinking by contributing etc. they OWN his idea of what change and everything else is...a lil scary IMHO. He has not yet taken office and way too many whiners, a complaint daily being filed without a job review. Dunno, I think this can turn out to have bad repercussions, it's often the ones who build you up...so eager to tear you down!

[kayatarms]

Such a good article! Brilliant that someone in blogosphere actually does "get it"! Same man who produced and orchestrated a campaign against all odds...I know the change he is trying to implement and again you pointed that out. Sad, some just don't get it. Like you, I had my picks, but to agree to disagree is better than the air we breathed for the last 8 years and that I can live with....confidently!

[FogBelter]

The Blogosphere isn't a constituency, Mr. Elisberg, more so a political communications vehicle ... an adhocracy, if you will.

Where as the good works of African American Voters, Liberal Voters, Hispanic Voters, Independent Voters, etc., ended with the election on November 4th, the Blogosphere's most important work is down the road. Of course Obama owes the Blogosphere nothing, it would be unhealthy to the Netroots if he did feel he owed it something. The Blogosphere will be the Obama Administration's Jiminy Cricket ... there NEEDS to be tension in the relationship for there to be any benefit from it.

Right now Obama is assembling the staffing puzzle, putting the pieces together and what the puzzle will look like when complete is still unknown. The Blogosphere should keep its powder dry and wait to see what materializes ... not being as intimate with Obama may be more providential than it otherwise seems to those who may feel deference from Obama is in order. In the current dynamic, the Netroots can feel no guilt in criticizing or disagreeing with the New Administration, and it would be silly to think that won't ultimately be a necessity.

[Jodi Lampert - Huffpost Blogger]

Amazingly, I remember the exact moment you recount. It was after the Kerry election, and -- even though I didn't like Kerry -- I knew full well Kerry would have been clear to say that his election was NOT a mandate. What thinking people do. (And look how many times I mentioned Bush).

Speaking of Bush, I read on Huff Post yesterday that he is trying to rush through some last minute legislation. I clicked on the story, fully expecting it would be pardons for his gang (certainly annoying enough), but what was this story about? He is trying to make legislation -- backed by big business --AGAINST protecting workers who use toxic materials. Just when I thought I could never imagine anything making me shake my head, yet again...

Un. Real.

Jodi

[DennyCrane]

Thank you for this post. I am so tired of my fellow liberals who feel like Obama owes them something. We spent 8 years despising Bush because he only cared about the religious right and oil execs. We wanted a President who cared about the country as a whole. Now we got one, but like a bunch of spoiled brats, we want him to favor our interests and our wishes instead of listening to what the rest of the country wants. I don't care for a lot of the people he picked to be in his cabinet. But I voted for him because I thought he had better judgment than McCain. And so far, I think he's shown that he does. The liberals, especially in the blogosphere, need to get over themselves and accept that even though their candidate won, he's not just their President. If Obama went along with everything the left wanted, I'd lose respect for him. He'd show himself to be a pawn the way Bush was a pawn of the right wing. A president with enough spine and self-confidence to listen to the rest of the country and not just those who voted for him is the kind of President this country needs.

[firstcrasscitizen]

President Elect Obama's cabinet pick's makes me think of someone trying to build a spaceship from a bunch of old rusty cars in a junkyard.

[canucklivinginUSA]

As long as it works, who cares how old the team is.

[Charmed]

Obama's thing has ALWAYS been "there is the United States of America"......people just seem to have skipped over that part.

[southernsepia]

You nailed it. Real people need healthcare, education reform, tax equity. O was elected to deliver on these things - not exalt an ideology.

[CalexenderJ]

YEP.

It's more than okay to not approve of some of Obama's choices, but it's ludicrous to suggest that this was anything other than what he campaigned on. The craziest charges against Obama in the campaign was the he was some sort of left wing radical. Obama has always been (despite his personal progressive views) a moderate who recognized that comprise is often the best way to get things done. He's a pragmatist. Yes there are some issues that we hope he doesn't compromise on. And yes, activists and people who care about certain issues should fight to push Obama to the left. But don't act like he's betraying his campaign promises.

[LawrenceOfAcademia]

Just once -- and I've said this before -- I wish Mr. Elisberg could write his column without slamming George Bush.
Obama won.
Bush is discredited.
Next......

[Querent]

Every political conversation in the next ten years is going to include slams on George Bush, the worst president ever. Get used to it.

[DrBuzz]

Um, say Larry, this was a column talking about ***change***, was it not??? I cannot think of how to talk about change without invoking GWB, can you??? He is, after all is said and done, the single-most reason as to why President-Elect Obama is president-elect, wouldn't you say?

I am going to bet you that as of 12:00 noon on January 20, 2009, the electrons spent on mentioning GWB will precipitously fall (other than electronic sighs of relief, per this column) or revisionists getting an early start on changing GWB's legacy.

See? I can't even write a reply -- yet -- without mentioning "him" three times!!!

[blaqntelligence]

Thank you for that.
I could scream when I hear so many bloviating re: Obama and his "promise" of change.
"Look at all the DC insiders he's selected......THAT'S not change"
America is in the fight of her life and they are expecting Obama to select his administration from Monster.com?
bleeping bunch of idiots....

[cheforacle]

The change will be the policies he promised: affordable health care for all, withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq in 16 months, address global warming and create green jobs, raise teacher's salaries, get us out of this recession and create 2.5 million new jobs in the next 2 years. The people in these positions are merely instruments to achieve this and other change.

[blaqntelligence]

Exactly.