Mr. Middle: A Maturity Test For Obama Supporters

Ok, so Larry Kudlow is celebrating the Obama spike in the stock market in his inimitable Boys Gone Wild When Something Goes Up way -- and, in general, established conservatives, wise men and women in main stream media and government, are pantomiming gratitude for evidence of Obama's intelligent moderation. David Brooks is practically gushing. Even Charles Krauthammer on tonight's Fox All Stars (can't find a link) shrugged off a depressed Brit Hume and a more jittery than usual Fred Barnes to say nice things about Obama's transition team and process.

Did any of them, or anyone else, ever think that Obama was going to be anything but a very smart centrist-pragmatist? Well, maybe a few people did. Maybe some know-nothing Palin supporters who could handle images of Obama as a closet Muslim and a faithful follower of Pastor Jeremiah Wright without experiencing brain jangling cognitive dissonance -- maybe some of them did. Maybe some innocent teenagers, newly introduced to the faux radicalism of on-line activism, did. Maybe some retrograde 60s has-beens thought that the mere color of his skin was a guarantee of something really leftist. But no one who read Obama's books or listened to what he actually said could be surprised by what he is doing.

He is aiming, as he always said he would, to bring red and blue together, to create a United States of America -- he really means all that stuff and he always did. However naïve and unattainable that goal may be -- that is his goal. He is Mr. Middle.

So now comes a maturity test for Obama's supporters on the left. There has always been this tension in progressive politics, going back to the American and French revolutions. Do you work within the system to get the best possible result circumstances will allow? Or do you push for the ideal from outside the system -- like, say, Noam Chomsky or Ralph Nader.

Obama made his choice long ago. He is in the system and he aims to be master of it. That is just a given. If you voted for him, you were in it too.

Obama needs to rein in the lanky, athletic power-stride to the podium thing he's been doing lately; it's a bit too much of a strut. Otherwise, he is spot-on track to succeed.

Comments

[blaqntelligence]

"Obama needs to rein in the lanky, athletic power-stride to the podium thing he's been doing lately; it's a bit too much of a strut."

Really? Why?

He walks like a tall, proud, Black man.

Problem?

[XME]

I have to say that Obama is VERY smart. He's hiring very bright and mostly "centerist" people, but is still proposing some rather "leftist" ideas (a stimulus package that will in part be used to create green jobs, etc.)

The man is playing to both sides of the aisle in a way few politicians have been able. You gotta love that.

[freshnotbitter]

The media wants us to believe that Obama is being centrist when the truth is that he is addressing some urgent issues and using the people who know how to deal with it. Believe it or not, leftists and right wingers both use the same bank and right now we are trying to avoid what happened in the thirties and put us in a great depression. something has to be done when banks are running out of (your) money.

Obama's financial appointments to date have nothing to do with where he stands in the political spectrum.

[jayjola]

Mr. di Zengotita-

"lanky, atheletic power-stride" ? Sorry, he walks like a lot of my male relatives and friends. And I luv it !!

Thank you,
An African American female

[southernsepia]

Here's another Black female loving it!!

They will get used to it.

[11907281]

After 8 years of far-right of center politics we go back to center or IMO, center-right. Come on up to Canada folks, our conservative party that just got re-elected is about on par with the Democratic party and our Liberal and New Democratic parties are actually progressive and liberal. If you actually look at other western democracies (I know, the horrors) you will find the Democrats look more like the conservatives parties then the liberal parties in these countries. To find a conservative equivalent of the republican party to have to go to Iran or another theocracy.

[cocodee]

I am a leftist. Socialist. Radical. Passionate. Sometimes hysterical - mostly when confronted with W.
I don't recall a moment in Obama's campaign when he said he would be any of those things.
He said biparitsan, reach across the aisle, make the government work more efficiently & more effectively.
I knew what I was doing when I voted for Obama. Center>left.
As opposed to W. Right>right.
This is the change that I am looking for. This seems to be the change that I am getting. I've got no problems with the message, the man, the momentum towards center - from the very far right. He is moving the government to the center from the far far far far far right. Kudos!
And I say, let him swagger, dance, glide, slide, stride, strut and whatever else he wants to do. As long as he gets us where we want to go!

[walk0nwalls]

Obama can do his thing and I supported him in the election but accountability holds no friends in high places. He can work the institution, I'll be working the Chomsky

[hollybork]

You imply the a liberal society that works for the people is not plausible. I beg to differe. We for once got lobbyists and corporate financing out of a presidential election, and we elected someone who will serve us, and only us. We can have a constitutional society within the perameters of law. We can have a leadership which cares about the health, welfare and education of the PEOPLE, not corporations and foreign oil potentates. We can have universal single payer health care. We can have federal money through GREEN BONDS to establish a green revolution. We can replace federal vehicles with electric cars. We can build high speed rail throughout our cities and suburbs. We can replace dams, and retrofit federal buildings with solar or geo thermal heat. We can plant gardens. None of this is revolutionary. It is the natural progression of history. Yes We Can.

[garrylee]

As an AA- (over 50 years) from the South; the "strut" comment is a way of saying "check yourself-you're acting 'uppity'". Funny- GB strutting after two elections was never questioned. Neither none of the other winners in 2008.

[Michale32086]

@Pupadup4oBama

}}}}}
That's rather divisive of you to say - especially after the 8 years of hard right rule we have had to endure.
I agree that the far left tends to be a little overreacting here...and perhaps hysterical, but can we stop with the divisive comments and agree that those on either side of the fence are to blame?
{{{{{

Abso-tively and posit-lutely..

As I stated, the hysterical Left and the hysterical Right are simply two sides of the same coin..

My only point was to emphasis the irony that the Left conferred on PE Obama the title of their savior. It's likely that it will be those same people who will be the ones most disappointed with how PE Obama will govern..

This was never made so clear as when then Senator Obama took his principled stance on the new FISA measures...

The Left needs to realize that a President Obama, like he did then, will put the safety, security and welfare of this country before ANY political or Party considerations..

It's why I have always said that Obama is NOT a Democrat President. He's an AMERICAN President. And that's why I voted for him..

Michale....

[JMBrodie]

You know, I am beginning to wonder how many actually read Obama's books. So far, nothing he has done surprises me. Will he more more to the left than the folks who ran things the past eight years? I believe so, but I also believe the social changes folks seek will come about in ways that are more subtle. This is still politics. All the change in the universe won't change that.

I, for one, am happy that he is trying to pull a lot of differing views into the mix. I am tired of either-or politics, even if it benefits my "side." I want a government that sets an example to the rest of the world, rather than one that seeks to impose a standard that it cannot live up to.

[canucklivinginUSA]

Ooooh, nicely said Michale. As he often stated: There is no red America, there is no blue America, there is only an UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[MoeB]

Most progressives are pragmatic. Let's remember that while some of us may disagree with some of the decisions Obama will make during his presidency, we already KNEW that.

But I have also been saying for quite some time, that I didn't understand how anyone could have read his books (particularly "Audacity of Hope") and NOT see him as a centrist (with left leanings on most issues). I have always thought that in order to GOVERN, you needed to be centrist on most things.

That said, he will do many things to please the far left. I am very happy to hear that he is VERY focused on greening our economy...even during these turbulent times. In fact, he is going to push for a BIGGER green stimulus once he gets into office. That makes me happy as a "progressive".

As a pragmatist, I'm ok with him letting the Bush tax cuts just expire (IF that's what he decides). Better to fight that fight when we aren't in dire economic situations.

I will only go on the rampage if he decides NOT to close GITMO...and as of yet I have no REAL reason to think that he won't.

[hoopesaz]

Most AMERICANS are pragmatic. It's only as you approach the fringe of each party that you find folks so tied to idealogy that they are willing to take common sense into consideration.

[canucklivinginUSA]

David Sirota and Chris Hayes and Katrina Van Heulden are prime examples of that fringe within the progressive movement

[EdwardTx]

Being a progressive and a realist are not mutually exclusive. Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the American system of government should have realized that we were not voting for a dictator or an omnipotent monarch. President-elect Obama has to work with the other branches of government to get anything accomplished. That means his nominees have to be confirmed, i.e. acceptable to non-progressives. The same goes for major policy initiatives. This is not a parliamentary democracy in which the government was elected on the Obama manifesto and his fellow Democrats owe him some allegiance. In the end, I will bet that Mr. Obama will probably face more problems from his own party than Republicans.

I just hope that desire to be a uniter doesn't mean that he has no core values. Will he stand by his nominees or cave when there is the slightest opposition raised? Will he nominate progressive judicial candidates or drop them when conservatives level specious charges against them? I, for one, did not vote for a repeat of Clinton "New Democrat" triangulation.

Finally, what was the purpose of the stride remark? I really don't understand why it was inserted into an otherwise readable contribution. I could speculate on what it was supposed to mean but then I might be accused of being too PC sensitive. He has walked the same way since day one. What's next? He's doing a good job but he should not stand so close to white women?

[willpen]

@ Edward Tx

"Finally, what was the purpose of the stride remark? I really don't understand why it was inserted into an otherwise readable contribution. I could speculate on what it was supposed to mean but then I might be accused of being too PC sensitive. He has walked the same way since day one. What's next? He's doing a good job but he should not stand so close to white women?"

My sentiments exactly. An otherwise decent interpretation of Obama, ending on an extremely useless and confusing note. Would the author rather see an old man like McCain, holding on to the rail for balance while struggling to take the steps all with an apparent phony smile on his face? I for one am very comfortable with the fact that we do have a young and energetic new President. This office will age him fast enough and in four years he will be considerably less spry. Let's give the man some time to bask in his youthful glory.

[ohioan73]

It is possible to be a lefty and prefer centrist leadership. Personally, I would like to see the principles of both parties applied because both sides have some great viewpoints and ideas. The right has to begin actually enacting their principles and being true to them before they get my trust and respect but in the meantime Obama's vision as a centrist is pretty sufficient.

It is true that color of skin does not mean an automatic leftist point of view. Most people of color I know are far more socially and politically conservative than the white people I know. People of color tend to vote for the all-inclusive party no matter what their politics because the Republicans court too many bigots.

[JMBrodie]

You nailed it. If it wasn't for race baiting bigotry, a lot more AAs would be Republicans.

[Kamric314]

As an AA woman, I wouldn't go so far as to say we would be actual registered Repubs but we would probably be more inclined to vote across party lines if the Repubs had strong candidates who reached out to us and made us feel included. Case in point: If McCain had chosen say, Colin Powell as his VP choice and remained the McCain of 2000, I probably would have still voted for Barack but I would have given McCain more serious consideration instead of writing him off as a nonentity.

[canucklivinginUSA]

As a black woman, I would consider myself a probably republican(if they change, but I am not holding my breath). I am more of a free market, pro-globalization kind of gal, but I am an agnostic, so no GOP for me.

[avocats]

Wow, the political analysis here is nothing surprising; I for one supported Obama because I believed that he would be a rational-centrist.

The final comment is puzzling, however:
"Obama needs to rein in the lanky, athletic power-stride to the podium thing he's been doing lately; it's a bit too much of a strut."? Is this to drive all the hypersensitive PC people nuts? Because it is a silly remark.

[hortonhearsawho]

Walks like a President and talks like a President, he must be (a) President Obama.