'Change' is the new same.
How catching is Barack Obama's theme of 'change'? It's practically an epidemic. Every candidate is all about change now — and always has been, they'll have you know.
It started with the jaw-dropping results in Iowa last week, when Obama and Mike Huckabee swept their respective primaries. On both sides, the second-place finishers — John Edwards and Mitt Romney — saw fit to comment.
John Edwards worked change into his main strategy — bring Hillary Clinton down first, worry about Barack later. From his post-primary speech:
The one thing that's clear from the results in Iowa tonight is that the status quo lost, and change won.
Clinton rolled with the punches in her speech:
Together we have presented the case for change, and have made it absolutely clear that America needs a new beginning.
But in this weekend's ABC-Facebook debate, she countered Edwards' 'status-quo' label the way she has of late — by giving 'change' an 'experience' angle:
I'm not just running on a promise of change, I'm running on 35 years of change.
The Republicans, oddly enough, found themselves in a situation symmetrical to the Democrats...
Runner-up Romney also invoked the C-word:
Iowa said that tonight ... you're gonna see change in Washington, because America recognizes that we're not gonna change the nation and have a bright future if we just send the same old people back to Washington...
In a strategy similar to Edwards', he targeted not the Iowa champion, but his perceived long-term rival, John McCain. In a FOX News interview, Romney said McCain had "been there 27 years and hasn't been able to get the job done."
It'll be interesting to see whether that claim actually sticks to the Maverick — especially in the Granite State, whose primary he won in 2000.
McCain, for his part, shot back in the debate:
We disagree on a lot of issues, but I agree, you are the candidate of change.
Ouch. Pretty snarky way to raise charges that Romney switches positions too often. Romney certainly didn't look amused. Then again, days earlier, McCain had proclaimed, "Change is coming." Subconscious support for his rival?
Huckabee, riding high, certainly didn't dissuade voters from the notion that he was the Republican Obama:
I'm lookin' for folks who wanna help change this country. I'm lookin' for people who want to be part of a cause, not just a campaign.
Democrat Bill Richardson struck the sweet, lone note for experience in this weekend's debate:
Look, what we need is change. There's no question. But, you know, whatever happened to experience? Is experience kind of a leper?
... he asked, to scattered applause.
Does administrative experience matter more than lofty dreams and rhetoric?
Richardson tells us that it does. So people should vote for him.
Then he tells us that his favorite president was JFK.
A young senator whose strongest trait was his lofty dreams and rhetoric.
Richardson joins Cheney as evidence that a confused person is confused, whether they've been around a long while or a short while.
Yep, Obama's a risk. But who isn't? We are always taking a bit of a crap shoot.
Bush the Experienced Father told his reasoned voters Read My Lips...they did, and wished they hadn't.
Bush the Son ended McCain's wild-eyed ratings about the evil triumvarate of Iran-Iraq-NoKorea...and told us America should moderate. And, in the event, Bush the Son has his mouth watering to go get 'em in Tehran.
So who knows? Nobody. Not even the candidates themselves. Only time will tell.
At least those who roll their voting dice on Obama-JFK-Reagan-Bubba can know that they personally took a vote for a person who seeks to upllift.
And I suspect that's what we'll see, though Obama is going to have to explain why he goes to a church that advertises itself as African (no prob there...Anglican is a fine denomination) and Black (racist...imagine a church advertising itself as white!)
I'd suggest that Obama's Minister quickly insert the word "Historically" in front of all those Black references on his website. Historically Black Colleges is a working description that fits the modern ear a whole lot better than Black Colleges.
Ain't much wrong with being an Historically Black Church either.
Posted by: Dwight | January 08, 2008 at 07:43 AM
Presidential Candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama is sometimes referred to as a "black" presidential candidate or as someone who might possibly become "the first black president in America," rather than simply being referred to as a candidate for president or as a Democratic candidate for president without using the "black" modifier.
Of course, Obama's father was a black African from Kenya and his mother was a white American which makes him clearly a multiracial African American. He has both white and black relatives as well as Asian family members including an Asian half sister born to his white mother and his Asian step father. As he says in his books, "family gatherings are interesting." For his entire 46 years he has lived within and been part of a multiracial family, which has given him the ability to feel instantly comfortable and resonate easily with all kinds of people.
To simply call him a "black" presidential candidate because he looks more like his father than his mother is very misleading and totally misses the significance and impact of his multiracial background. Like everyone else he should simply be referred to as a candidate for president or a Democratic candidate for president without a racial modifier.
Those who misidentify him as a "black" presidential candidate should be reminded of the inaccuracy of their adjective as applied to Obama and that no racial modifier is necessary for any presidential candidate. Individuals who absolutely insist that a racial label must be pinned on Obama should use the correct one. With a black African father and a white American mother Barack Obama is a clearly a multiracial African American.
Robert Westafer
Posted by: Robert Westafer | January 08, 2008 at 04:54 AM
Change is the buzz word and no one has the right to use it more than Barak Obama. Why? He is the epitome of change and having gone from the Illinois House to the US Senator he brought change in the Party Politic. Further, he represents that change that the we so often hear when we're growing up . . . "Young man, you represent the future . . . you represent change. . . Be a change agent . . . etc." Well, folks Obama is that future you asked for, that change agent you hoped for, the man for change and the people can help change the world. After sixteen years of the status quo, I believe Obama can help change the world. Obama brings a new perspective to for the modern times. He brings hope to the young folks who for so many years were taken for granted or allowed themselves to be take advantage of when it came time for voting. Give the politicians a blank check. I believe that Obama can bring a new day in Washington as did Abraham Lincoln. Go Obama Go!
Posted by: Frederick V. Roberts | January 08, 2008 at 01:37 AM
Change is the buzz word and no one has the right to use it more than Barak Obama. Why? He is the epitome of change and having gone from the Illinois House to the US Senator he brought change in the Party Politic. Further, he represents that change that the we so often hear when we're growing up . . . "Young man, you represent the future . . . you represent change. . . Be a change agent . . . etc." Well, folks Obama is that future you asked for, that change agent you hoped for, the man for change and the people can help change the world. After sixteen years of the status quo, I believe Obama can help change the world. Obama brings a new perspective to for the modern times. He brings hope to the young folks who for so many years were taken for granted or allowed themselves to be take advantage of when it came time for voting. Give the politicians a blank check. I believe that Obama can bring a new day in Washington as did Abraham Lincoln. Go Obama Go!
Posted by: Frederick V. Roberts | January 08, 2008 at 01:36 AM