The Day Americans Came Together to Emphatically Avoid Another F@ck Up...
It's finally over. And with it, ends the constant media prattle that campaigning season brings. No more over simplified characterizations of political figures, continuous non-committal statements, slanderous inferential statements and half truths, bizarro celebrity endorsements, random chanting and blatant, partisan opinion. An executive decision was made in American politics and, for the first time in a decade, it was as correct as it was resounding.
By winning in a landslide, this election was the final expression of an anti-Bush sentiment held so firmly and deeply by a tired and battered nation. Obama's only opposition proved to be the evangelical, creationist, gun-toting, xenophobic Southern base that the Republicans have used as their political jump-off. A group, that much to their own horror, has become the abject minority.
Clearly any sort of good will the political right had wrangled since Bush's first term had completely evaporated, and it would be naive to think that Republican strategists were not aware of this. Not only did they pull Romney out, their most attractive potential candidate, but by allowing McCain to carry the flag, they inserted someone they had already previously busted down. It was all but an admission of defeat.
While many consider Pallin merely a political prop that was used as a supposed game-changer, consider that she may have been one of the few politicians the GOP was willing to sign off on, as they protected their superior options for a more competitive run. The fact that McCain would choose a running mate that secured his base says all you have to know about his campaign anyways...
The media did a good job of masking the inevitable, riding the "it ain't over till it's over card" and willfully ignoring all the signs of the record voter turn-out that came into fruition. This doesn't change the fact that Obama is an inspiring and telegenetic intellect with obvious leadership qualities and a political view necessary to tackle the turbulent state of affairs the U.S. finds itself embroiled in. This race did illustrate how many Americans were willing to ignore what was right in front of them, mostly due to their own personal hang-ups...
More than anything else, this is a chance for Americans to feel good about themselves. Sure, 20% or so of those polled claim to be literally 'afraid' of an Obama presidency. There's no solving that hate, they have their own issues to deal with. Ultimately, they will be dragged, kicking and screaming, into a better America. Mostly because there is literally nowhere to go but up: the U.S. international reputation, in particular, finally has a chance to be upgraded if not restored for the most part, which is a groundbreaking notion in itself.
But for now, this is a time to take a step back and feel a little better about things. The right decision was made, one that will affect us all. And when you look at it that way, it really does feel good.
By winning in a landslide, this election was the final expression of an anti-Bush sentiment held so firmly and deeply by a tired and battered nation. Obama's only opposition proved to be the evangelical, creationist, gun-toting, xenophobic Southern base that the Republicans have used as their political jump-off. A group, that much to their own horror, has become the abject minority.
Clearly any sort of good will the political right had wrangled since Bush's first term had completely evaporated, and it would be naive to think that Republican strategists were not aware of this. Not only did they pull Romney out, their most attractive potential candidate, but by allowing McCain to carry the flag, they inserted someone they had already previously busted down. It was all but an admission of defeat.
While many consider Pallin merely a political prop that was used as a supposed game-changer, consider that she may have been one of the few politicians the GOP was willing to sign off on, as they protected their superior options for a more competitive run. The fact that McCain would choose a running mate that secured his base says all you have to know about his campaign anyways...
The media did a good job of masking the inevitable, riding the "it ain't over till it's over card" and willfully ignoring all the signs of the record voter turn-out that came into fruition. This doesn't change the fact that Obama is an inspiring and telegenetic intellect with obvious leadership qualities and a political view necessary to tackle the turbulent state of affairs the U.S. finds itself embroiled in. This race did illustrate how many Americans were willing to ignore what was right in front of them, mostly due to their own personal hang-ups...
More than anything else, this is a chance for Americans to feel good about themselves. Sure, 20% or so of those polled claim to be literally 'afraid' of an Obama presidency. There's no solving that hate, they have their own issues to deal with. Ultimately, they will be dragged, kicking and screaming, into a better America. Mostly because there is literally nowhere to go but up: the U.S. international reputation, in particular, finally has a chance to be upgraded if not restored for the most part, which is a groundbreaking notion in itself.
But for now, this is a time to take a step back and feel a little better about things. The right decision was made, one that will affect us all. And when you look at it that way, it really does feel good.
posted by Roger Sign at 3:09 AM
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