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• Friday, November 21, 2008 05:51 AM

  symbols or substance

  Truly turning a page on the grotesque abuses of the last eight years requires both symbolism (closing Guantanamo) and substantive policy changes (compelling adherence to the Army Field Manual, ensuring due process rights for all detainees, ending rendition, restoring safeguards on surveillance powers).

  This sentence from Glenn's last paragraph neatly summarizes something I've been struggling to articulate to pro-Obama friends and family these past few weeks, and especially since the 60 Minutes interview--in which, you may recall, Obama forcefully stated that he will follow through on his promise to close Gauntanamo, and then just let that statement hang in the air and reverberate and sound impressively resolute.

  I thought to myself, "But...but...but...." and yet, at that moment, I couldn't quite get to the next thought, which was "That's only the beginning..." There's the danger of having a coolly charismatic leader who says all the right things. I'm with Glenn on the notion that we have to wait and see what actually transpires after Obama takes office. But these same-old-insider appointments, especially Brennan, are extremely worrying.

  That said, I am amazed at how many well-meaning and apparently engaged people are basically finished right now with anything election- or politics-related, and ready to move on with their lives, secure simply in the knowledge that "their guy" will soon take office (although maybe my amazement reveals nothing more than my own continued naivete and idealistic temperament). Apparently Evil Daddy is on his way out and Good Daddy is going to fix all the boo-boos.

  —JazzGrrl Read JazzGrrl's other letters
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