Barack, Hillary, and the practice of transformational politics

[ralbertson]

From western Massqachusetts Obama supporter Keith Loris:

I offer the following observation in the hope that it might be helpful to an undecided voter you might know.


Last night in Boston, Barack Obama proved to me how truly different he is. During the section of the speech where he repeatedly points out how hard it will be to change and transform our country and selves, he was critiquing how fear drives politics and how Democrats, in reaction to that, have often adopted those tactics.

When a supporter yelled out, "You mean Hillary" at that moment Barack could have piled on and given the crowd the veiled anti-Hillary one-liners it wanted. But instead, he said, "No, because it's more extensive than that, sometimes it seeps into my own campaign too. It is habits of mind, habits of heart that we all start engaging in. Because we start thinking this is a game, a contest, we forget the kid who doesn't have enough to eat…"

Watch it here: http://metrowest-for-obama.org/default.asp (scroll down to see the video)

When Barack could have "torn down an opponent" (which the crowd would have loved), he instead chose to criticize his own campaign as a way to show how deeply internalized these things are and what he means by, and what he thinks has to, change. A politician opting to criticize himself rather than his opponent so that he could make a more important, broader point. Wow!

So right in the middle of a speech on transformation, in an unscripted, revealing moment, Barack Obama provided a living example of that transformation.

[MBS]

1. yes, that was a remarkable moment ..I'd forgotten that bit

Thanks to you and Keith for the reminder!

[Dr Ron]

2. Came in useful

I just used this to debunk a negative article today by Jack Tapper on the idea of Obama as cultist.

http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=2853