Obama at Saddleback Church...
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/12/02/obama/
finn
Perhaps your argument would be more compelling if you were speaking of a Board of Directors considering candidates for CEO or a school district considering choices for superintendant or if you were searching out a new mechanic. What set of personal and interpersonal qualities, talents, intelligence and experience a person might demonstrate is quite different for such positions than for president. Particularly when a corporation, for example, or a nation are at a critical juncture. And surely the US is at such a point.
Bill offered up the example of Reagan, an ex-actor, accepted by Californians as a reasonable choice for governor and then by Americans as a choice for President. Or one could look at Arnold presently. From Canada, there is the example of Pierre Trudeau...a writer, traveller and general bon vivant with a short time in government but with immense talents and intelligence who went on to become one of the two or three most important leaders in our history. Or, one could consider the case I think is most appropriate...Lincoln. When he arrived here in New York and gave his speech at Coopers Union, he was without the sort of background you seem to consider necessary. Accounts of that speech, written by the New York press of the time still absolutely thrilling to read. The exceptional qualities of the man were evident immediately and with clarity from that single speech.
America is now, and has been for a while, deeply divided within itself. Continuation of that self-destructive dynamic moving into the complex and dangerous future we all see ahead would be tragic. Another divisive leader like Bush has been (imagine Gingrich as president now!) who moves to that divisiveness out of electoral strategies or out of us/them ideologies will take the US in a direction towards self-destruction.
There have been few points in American history when you have so needed a leader who can inspire - through charisma, integrity and intelligence - Americans to come together. Not to mention, a leader whom the rest of the world can understand and respect. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from Iraq but a fundamental one is that America cannot continue to operate as an arrogant bully with the expectation that this will bring more positive consequences than negative.
Furthermore, you really do not make an accounting of how broad (across party/ideological lines) Obama's appeal is, suggesting that it is limited to folks on the "left". Earlier here, I've quoted people like David Brooks and Pat Buchannan and David Gergen and others who have acknowledged this man's gifts and potential. That is the typical understanding from thoughtful folks on the right. They often point to Reagan as well. It is only the folks who are deeply invested in republican party dominance or in a bastardized and impoverished modern "conservative" ideology who will proceed to ignore and refute what everyone else sees.
. I felt that I owed you an apology, it's very nice of you to say that.
I'm revoking the pass I was going to give you for exhibiting the comprehension skills of a child.
