Letters to the Editor
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Salon at its Best
In the back of my mind I always worried that Obama's rhetoric was just a more eloquent version of the never-ending promise to change Washington. This is the first piece that I've read that articulates a clear reason to believe that there is something more than that. A tremendously insightful piece. Thank you Salon...
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Dan
It really is an interesting piece, but it causes me some worry:
I almost get the feeling that the Chicago post-partisan approach might actually not be a good training ground for today's hyperactive Washington partisanship.
If Chicago is calmer and encourages post-partisanship as you say, will Obama be sufficiently ready for the inevitable Fox News, Rush and Drudge-driven news cycles (with Halperin, Kurtz, et al. acting as enablers)? Or the heirs to Newt Gingrich in the GOP House and the Senate (acting as a small minority after the 08' election in all likelihood, but completely united as a small minority), ready to demagogue any issue?
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Obama and Chicago
Of course, Barack Obama cannot perform miracles in Washington, D.C. (my home town), just as he could not in Chicago. I think the BIG POINT here is: would Hillary Clinton or John McCain offer a better model of leadership? Don't even answer that one!
Barack Obama, I think, is the real deal. He is a strong believer in community organization and has incredible skills! I know this because I have just finished working for him in Oregon, and his organization was far beyond anything I learned in social work graduate school!
Obama is human. But he is the best we have in our country right now. I am willing to take a chance on him!!!
Kate Madison
Depoe Bay, Oregon
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Can I get a cold Old Style with this steaming load of Chicago bull-crap?
Dan Conley points out some interesting truths about Obama -- he was never much of a real player in Chicago politics. Obama never had to crawl over the bodies in City Council. Obama never served as an Illinois Congressman; he ran once and Bobby Rush kicked his skinny ass. Obama just kind of drifted along; enjoying the totally-odd-for-Chicago benefits of his Ivy League education, and not being quite the brutha that everybody else in Southside politics (Jesse Jackson, J.J. Jr, Harold Washington, Rush, Farrakhan, etc.) was.
Also, Obama has no real history of any serious principled stand on anything. He has drifted along, well within the mainstream of his Hyde Park (that is, vastly left-of-the-mainstream) constituency. In the U.S. Senate, his record is nothing if not a doctrinaire Kenndedy-Schumer-Durbin-Boxer liberal. In a body that is notable for mavericks and moderates (Linclon Chaffee, John McCain, Olympia Snowe, Gordon Smith and many other Republicans; Joe Lieberman and a few other Democrats), Obama was never a maverick or a moderate.
In short, there is absolutely nothing post-partisan about Barack Obama. Obama is like a sports team's "throwback uniform." The same thing in a different package; simple, yet designed to conjure all sorts of unclear, faded glory. Like the Chicago White Sox wearing uniforms from a Negro League team on Tribute Day.
I don't want to end without noting one line of particularly bizarre reporting by Dan Conley. It was his noting that Richie Daley thinks that Bill Ayers is now an okay guy. If, on one of the nights of the 1968 Democratic Convention, Bill Ayers had been caught by old man Daley and little Richie in a dark alley, they'd have had the Chicago cops kill him.
"Da police of da City of Chicago are not here to cause disorder; dey are here to preserve disorder!" Richard J. Daley, Mayor of the City of Chicago, 1968.
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Author Responses
Kate -- I"m actually in complete agreement with your comments about Obama's organizing skills, that's why I wrote this:
"I believe that this definition of post-partisanship -- a return to community values in politics -- works for Obama because it's authentic."
And Chris -- all due respect, I think you completely missed the point. Obama did not come of age in post-partisan Chicago, he came of age during the Council Wars. He knows how to operate in both a divisive and more peaceful environment and has seen first hand how to help build a lasting peace.
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Mr. Conley: Guess if you live long enough you hear it all.
So somehow Obama drifting along by deluding the destitute of South Chicago he'd help them (he didn't) and getting a little traffic legislation passed in a solidly Democratic legislature for a single year is the makings of a great Presidential candidate. I guess if one lives along enough one truly hears everything .
Wipe the stars out of your eyes, have a cup of coffee and join us here on the ground. You'll be needing it for the reality coming in November. Your piece is a steaming pile, even for the trash that's been all over Salon from that other King of Idiocy, Shapiro.
Congratulations, among stiff competition, you're Clown of the Week on Salon.
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Elephantman do your home work
U.S. Seanator Obama was an IL State Senator for 8 years before he went to D.C. He was responsible for some significant legislation during his time in office.... helping the working class. He was albe to work with both republican and Democrats.
This presidential primary started with a great candidate Obama,who bought excitement and new energy to an aging Democratic party. His campaign remained focused on unity and staeyd on teh high ground, while other politicians, pundits, and bloogers continues to divide voters into small groups along race, class and religion.
Obama is a very bright star in a dark political arena.
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"The Country That Works"
I like the sound of it.
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Shawn, Your Facts Are Wrong, Part 10,000
The Republicans were in the majority in the Illinois Senate from 1993 to 2002 - which includes six of the eight years Obama served in the Illinois Senate. The Republicans controlled the Illinois House for two years during Obama's time in the Senate. The Governor was a Republican 6 of the 8 years.
Illinois isn't really a blue state. As one of the election people (I think it was Chuck Todd, who rules!) pointed out, its a red state with a blue tip.
Great article, Dan.
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Thank you Dan
This is the reason I subscribe to Salon. Thank you for taking the conversation to a higher place.
If he moves Washington just a a few degrees closer to getting things done he'll have accomplished a lot. My guess is he'll do more and with the help of many willing Republicans.