A friend emailed me this question recently:
What do you think of Barack and Hillary?
I never thought I’d feel sorry for Hillary. But I do. I like Barack. But I’m kind of amused by the prevailing optimism about him.
If Obama is our next president, I think he will be a good one, and it’s a lead pipe cinch he will be an improvement over what we have.
Lately I remember a drive I took with my grandfather in the fall of 1976, and how we agreed that the country needed Jimmy Carter. The zeitgeist had a sense of urgency, of pressing problems – the oil crisis presenting a resource shortage America hadn’t faced before, the rise in fuel prices coupled with the cost of the Vietnam war causing severe inflation, the fallout of Watergate and the disgust over Nixon’s pardon.
I don’t share the opinion that Carter’s administration failed. His choice of Paul Volcker as Chairman of the Federal Reserve began the tight fiscal policy that reined in inflation, after all, but I understand that Jimmy is often reviled now.
I miss his stands on human rights. The Carter administration for me remains the last administration to base policy on human rights. Ronald Reagan dumped the mentally ill on the streets; I walk past the miserable, intoxicated failure of that policy frequently in San Francisco. Neither Daddy Bush nor junior has ever let human suffering stand in the way of our military-industrial complex, and Bill … I like Bill, too. Bill’s greatest success was in undoing the irresponsible fiscal damage of Reagan and Bush. I give him credit for rescuing Bosnians and others from ethnic cleansing – without a single American casualty. But I never heard Bill take a strong stand against sweatshops abroad, or for rescuing our own mentally ill off the streets.
In fairness, there were limits to what Bill could accomplish, given the venomous assault of the neocons. (Remember Gingrich calling him “the enemy of normal Americans” in 1994? Yes, the same Newt who was having an affair during Monicagate as he castigated Clinton.) So balancing the budget after the fiscal irresponsibility of the GOP was a major accomplishment. I’m not sure how much more he could have done, given the divisiveness of the right.
America takes a new course this November. It’s hard to imagine McCain could be as bad as Bush has been – I suppose he might continue our ruinous military aggression, the disastrous unilateralism of the neocons. But if the Democrats are successful in returning some semblance of social conscience to the White House, I don’t see a great difference in the effect either Hillary or Barack might have. I understand there are some differences in their platforms, such as universal health care. But either of them would begin steps in the right direction.
I’m just not sure how much is achievable, given the right-wing destructiveness either would face.
But maybe I’m still suffering the after effects of Nixon’s greatest legacy – the cynicism of American politics. For that is what Tricky Dick left us. Between LBJ’s faltering “Great Society” and Jimmy Carter’s decency, Nixon’s burglary, foul-mouthed cover-up, and “enemies list” shocked us into a cynicism that prevails .
How much can any administration accomplish?
I hope I’m wrong. I miss the optimism America had after world war two, and the sense that we might contribute to not just making our own country but the world a better and safer place.
I’m just not sure how much either Hillary of Barack might do. But I do wish America had the optimism it enjoyed when Kennedy was president, and you had the sense our nation believed in something more than greed.
OmbudsBen 
I think it’s time for optimism. Count me in on the Change Train. Obviously America will not instantly be turned into a dream world when Obama becomes President, but it will certainly help. I look at Obama becoming President as the beginning, not the culmination of anything. Just the beginning. A new fresh start for this country. We need a fresh start.
Yes, that’s what it would be, a fresh start.
How much can one expect from a fresh start? I hope a lot. But I have to admit to some dubiousness (dubity?) about what is reasonable to expect.
I’d expect an end to foolish military ventures — and that’s enough, I suppose. For a start.
I am an Obama fan, while not anti Hillary, I actually liked John Edwards the best, but it was because he often sounded “angry” which I liked, but would not win the General election.
I also think Jimmy Carter was not given credit. There is still Afghanistan, that has the potential to be problematic, the Logic says to get out of Iraq because they can’t stand alone and we can’t prop them up forever, but is Afghanistan any better? I think about this, and I hope I am wrong, and that Obama has really thought this out. Hillary also, for that matter if she can pull out of this.
Afghanistan has caused more problems for invaders than any other nation it’s size in the world? If we are not winning “Hearts and Minds” there then we just come to that after the Iraq pullout. I just thought of that because your last line sounds “antiwar”, and nobody is yet talking about the end of war, just the end of Iraqi war for us?
I think we should stay in Afghanistan, but the “Logic” is tortured, being something like if we leave Afghanistan, it would be harder to get back in than in Iraq, so stay there and hope for the best. I’m not real happy with that logic, but that also seems the general Democratic position. Hopefully, I worry too much, bad as it is 1939 looked much worse.
DDW: I liked Edwards, too. He had my support during the CA primary. I especially like his message of the two Americas.
Our wealth is becoming dangerously stratified, and I don’t want an America of the haves and the have nots, which is where the GOP’s policies are taking us.
And yes, I agree with you that:
Peace & Love, God Bless you and America!
Uh-oh, politics… OK, I’m getting into the fray. 😛
First, on Obama. I’m voting for him. I saw him here in Phoenix when he spoke at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum a few months back. I was standing next to a co-worker who said she hadn’t seen a vibe like this since Bobby Kennedy. It was exciting and it totally made me excited about our potential as a country again. That said a lot.
I grew up hearing about the Kennedys (I was born the year RFK and MLK were assassinated) and politics in general. This whet my curiosity for years to come, as did the political atmosphere in my own home. I am the product of a Goldwater Republican (Dad) and a Socialist (Mom).
One thing I learned YOUNG was that I was responsible for educating myself so I’d be up on all the issues that could potentially impact my life. No one was going to tell me the truth WILLINGLY so I’d have to dig… and dig I did. I remember very early – at the ripe old age of 8 I realized that:
Ford was an idiot to pardon Nixon. He was also the idiot who put George H.W. Bush in charge of the CIA. Noriega? Operation Condor Hellooooooooooooo? That started my obsession with the Bush family.
Jimmy Carter was a lot smarter than most people gave him credit for and was basically setup as a scapegoat/ whipping boy for the Reagan administration.
OB, I concur with you about Bill Clinton. I will say that he is one hell of a speaker and intelligent as hell. You can agree or disagree with him, but he is one smart cookie. I saw him in Berkeley, and what was supposed to be a 2 hour speech and Q&A turned into a 5-hour session. What I will also add that this man accomplished a helluva lot while he was in office – legislatively – mostly because he was able to get both parties to compromise in order to get things passed… and for his pains, it appears that both the Democrats and the Republicans don’t like him a whole lot.
Regarding “Monicagate,” well, I certainly didn’t care if he was having wild orgies in the Oval Office from “that woman.” All I cared about – like most – was how well the guy did the job we elected him to do. I have very little to complain about there. However, I do have a visual in my head of Hillary whacking Bill on the nose with a rolled-up “Monicagate”-headlined newspaper, screeching all the while about that being his legacy. Hilary as a fishwife… well, that much is indelible on my psyche. What can I say? I’ve never liked her much. I always thought that if she hadn’t met Bill, she would have still wound up married to the President of the United States and Bill would have been teaching school or something equally important. I just think she’s on a power trip and has an agenda that just doesn’t jive with America. That’s kind of a broad statement, but I don’t know how else to put it.
But, then again, they all have agendas… I guess the question we all have to ask ourselves at this point is which direction do we want to go? All I know is that the past two Dubya administrations have left me asking … where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?
…and don’t EVEN get me started on McCain. He’s from Arizona, and I know him well. Run away! Run away!
Aw, rats. The Operation Condor link didn’t work up there – DOH! Maybe this one will.
Actually, most of us still love “Bubba” but he’s not running and Hillary picked up the tag of the most liberal (it’s unfair I know but she did) of the two, and got pegged far left, hence Obama running a come together campaign, and doing well. Thats my opinion only, bur it’s how I read it? Obama has a magic with some people who normally would not like a liberal.
I will admit to knowing little about either candidate, not being an American, or living close to America. Democrat (or, cringe, Republican) can a case not be made for younger blood? John McCain? Should a man that met Moses really be elected to lead a nation? Would not a younger president, someone with fresh ideas and the ability to think outside the box, be an asset?
I liked Billy-boy. Carter has been dumped upon, but his incredible work after his presidency is testament to the man, his abilities, and beliefs. There’s enough evidence to support the charges of conspiracy and deceit against the Republican in their campaign to discredit (and smear) Carter.
At this point any change would be good. Young would be better.
I’ll make a joke about McCains age as a Humorist, but it’s his politics, and even his politics aren’t that bad, it’s the right wing of his party which has to be offered this or that which is the problem? In my opinion? John McCain the man is an American Hero and a Patriot, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones and Jerry Falwell are what we don’t want, and McCain has them in the Big Tent and needs them to win to some extent? It goes back to Douglas McArthur/ Dwight David Eisenhower, Wendell Wilkie/ Thomas E Dewey, Nixon/Goldwater/ Rockefeller Gerald Ford/ Ronald Reagan, George Bush 1/Ronald Reagan George Bush 2/ John McCain, John McCain/Mitt Romney/Mike Huckabee. The Farther right in Economic and Social Issues the canidate is the more the Liberals find him distasteful. Since Nader and Jerry Brown Junior, and George McGovern/ Eugene McCarthy and possibly Teddy Kennedy most democrats seem to be centrist, except for Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carterwho was a tad more conservative than the rest of there opponents. That is a bit simplistic, but I think it is essentially true. I never really figured out Gary Hart, except that Donna Rice was the “Classiest” of all the No no’s.
Oh, on the Republican side I forgot Curtis Lemay who was a true Loose Cannon, like Ron Paul and may have been both funnier and scarier? I also forgot Adlia Stevenson (Buried here in Bloomington/Normal Il) who like everyone else in the world, didn’t have a Prayer against Dwight David Eisenhower. The Repulican’s strongest canidate would Be General (Ret) Colin Powell, who might actually be able to Beat Obama in the General Election, opinion once again? And it seems silly, but if McCain offers the VP to Powell or Condi Rice, I think we have a problem, and McCain is known for running against the grain.
NM, I read somewhere that many creative children often grow up in homes with very divergent beliefs. Political, religious, whatever. As I understand it, the kid has to synthesize some sense out of the divergent views they pick up, and thus creativity is practiced early.
I imagine being raised in a house with a Goldwater Republican and a Socialist qualifies. Make sense for you?
Your takes pretty much corroborate my own. And Hillary as fishwife — hadn’t thought of that, but it has become her media “archetype” as it were, hasn’t it? I still have some sympathy for her. I don’t think she will win, now, but I do hope she remains a strong voice in the Senate for years — and she’s still young, for a politician.
Stevo, yes, we could use a fresh start — oh boy could we use a fresh start. I’m not sure why the comparisions of Barack to Kennedy make me uneasy. Maybe because it’s so superficial.
DDW, yeah, the Dems have become centrist. The irony in this is that the right’s slide into becoming far right / reactionary has them screeching all the louder about “liberals”.
We haven’t had any strong liberals on the national scene in decades. They screech about the mainstream media being liberal — that media at least gave the leaders of both sides a chance to voice their opinions. Fox News never gives liberals a chance to voice beliefs — liberals are only allowed to make strawman arguments, easily knocked down. Don’t even get me started on Hannity & Colmes. History will look at this journalism and wince. It should become a textbook example of propaganda for a reactionary state.
Colin Powell is in my mind, Probably the best man for the job of “President of the United States” and he is a “Republican”, and I’m a dyed in the wool FDR “New Dealer”, but he’s not running because he’s not particularly fond of “Bob Jones” and certain elements of Rush Limbaugh and the “Moral Majority”, so you will have to see if John McCain can beat Barack Obama?
OB, I think people compare Obama to Kennedy (John or Bobby) because that is the last time they remember having hope. At least that is my take on it. I don’t think it’s meant to be superficial; I simply think that is the last time a lot of people felt that way about a candidate.
I feel for Hilary, too, but she made the bed, so to speak. As a female, it’s hard to say that. Yes, I’m glad she’s involved and doing good work, and you’re right – she’s young yet.
I’m an FDR type as well, but I haven’t belonged to either big party for almost 15 years. I deal with staying out of the primaries because a Libertarian candidate never makes it up that far – I get more involved at the local level, anyhow. It’s simply better to vote using your brains… (mmmm brains) or just vote against the stuff or people you KNOW is bad. What’s the Chinese/ Arabic saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend? 😉
I want “Universal Health Care”, and someone who doesn’t make excuses like we been doing since Harry Truman brought it up in the late 1940’s. I don’t care if it’s private or state medicine, not having it is an embaressment, and I don’t think feeling that way is “Anti-American?
The thing that bothers me about McCain are his considerable attempts to scuttle and cover up investigations and FOI requests regarding Vietnam-era POW and MIAs. It seems a little odd for a man that is seen as a “war hero.”
Would any ticket have a chance with Powell as the VP candidate? Won’t his speech to the UN and his ice cream truck WMDs be parodied again and again?
Big day in DC McCain, Hillary and Obama grilled Petraues (?), Hope they pay General’s enough money not to snap?
DDW, we watched the movie Sicko last night. Moore’s craft as a moviemaker just gets better. His examples of what people suffer and endure here in America were very moving, his analysis of the rise of HMO’s was effective, his trips to check out health care abroad were jaw-droppingly good (especially France, OMG, the state-sponsored nannies visiting homes is such a great idea, for employing young folk and keeping parents @ work) and the boat trip to Cuba (censored by Homeland Security!) was powerful and poignant.
The 9/11 volunteers diagnosed and cared for in Cuba, after abandonment here. I’m not easily moved, or moved that far — but there was such a mix of emotions: embarrassment, gratitude, shame, respect for the fundamental decency they were shown there and denied here.
There were dozens of brilliant scenes and images.
Stevo, I hadn’t realized McCain was blocking that work — it does seem odd.
My sense is that Colin Powell wants to get involved again. It was a rough ride for him as it was — and you are probably right re the parodies.
NM, I think people felt hope with McGovern, at least until the Eagleton gaffes after the convention. We look back on the defeat and forget what it was like that spring and summer. Also, as I mentioned above, my grandfather and I had some hopes for Carter. But your point about Barack and the Kennedys is well taken. I see the connection.
Yet when I look under the surface, at the substance of these men, they seem very different — and that’s what I meant.
Kennedy was there when it was still post-WW2 easy, in comparison to now. He had the glamorous wife, the martinis, yachting off Hyannisport, and Marilyn Monroe singing happy birthday.
Sure, there was a cold war, but in many ways dealing with one large, stolid superpower is easier than dealing with Al Qaeda in particular and muslim fundamentalism in general from Algeria through Iraq and Afghanistan all the way to Mindanao.
If you look at a lot of 60s civil rights legislation, it isn’t like Kennedy was pushing the envelope. The Great Society was LBJ, and a surprising amount of it got signed (and twisted and tweaked) by Nixon.
I don’t see Kennedy as being about change, so much. NASA doesn’t mean a lot to me. Barack comes from a different place, with a very different angle on a very different world — more to say, but I’m opting for concise.
Btw, I’m intrigued about being an FDR type and staying out of primaries due to a lack of libertarians. As my sense of FDR is the father of many of America’s most successful experiments in socialism, this is surprising — a good post topic?
OB, I take your point on the comparison between Obama and the JFK. I was kind of talking about both, and in more of a broad way. So I probably proved your point about it being a superficial comparison. I was just recounting what happened at the rally and what people around me were saying. It also didn’t hurt that a good portion of the Kennedy family was on stage with him at the time as well.
Yes, I think a lot of people remember the “Camelot” era quite fondly. My mother was one of them. You are indeed correct, it was a totally different situation and time than now, so again, a detailed comparison is impossible.
I understand about LBJ. He did all the work there and Nixon took all the credit. That seems to happen a lot (for good or evil). What did Dubya say? The Clinton administration set us up for 9/11? Let me get you out of Dick Cheney’s pocket for a minute, bub, so you can rethink that statement.
Interesting about the FDR thing, isn’t it? I’ve been tweaked about that before. Yes, I think we should do a topic just on FDR. He was my favorite president and my father’s as well, and he was the Goldwater Republican. One of the things I’d like to ponder is whether a New Deal would work today. It is hard to say.
I can’t explain the “powell ” thig (my liking of him) it’s not logical, but emotive. Fdr is that “Big Ass Grin”, the off center hat and the Cigarette holder at an odd angle. (No longer PC). And someone from his position and background just pressing the flesh with us and listening?
Boy, you hit a whole row of nails right on the head for me. I, too, feel vaguely sorry for Hilary. And I’m not quite yet on the Obama love train. I watch my friends literally swoon for him, yet I stand back with my arms folded, not ready to let down my guard. It hurts too much to have my hopes squashed like a bug.
I remember I got all excited and even a little smug when the Democrats took back the House and Senate. Yay!, I naively thought, we can take finally take our country back. And what has been accomplished? Nothing.
Perhaps when it gets closer to the election I can start to muster some hope and enthusiasm. But for now . . . well, my arms are still crossed.
Was it last Wed that Chris Matthews had Barack on Campus at a televised rally Q&A thing in Penn. They debated endlessly his response to this or that and decided he did well, but for me the moment was when Chris asked him how he can sleep with all this stuff going on back and forth and over and over”? And Barack gave him a big, million dollar smile, with no hostility and gentle knowing eyes and said “I quit watching Cable news”. Thats the man!!
I’ve been feeling sorry for Hillary too. I like Obama, I think he’ll be a fine president, although I’m not all aflutter the way so many people seem to be. Some days, I wonder if Hillary’s advisors are secretly working for Rove (not really, but lordy there have been some seriously bad decisions from her team). And another thing – I can’t believe we are so bumfuddled as a nation that McCain would even be considered a real candidate; he’s a pretty scary guy. At times, I feel like the whole country is holding its breath – can we do it? Can we dig ourselves out of this horrendous mess? Hope is a powerful thing, and much needed.
NM, Sometimes, a part of me wants to enlist some friends as contributors and start a blog on FDR, the social programs initiated then, and their role in developing the greatest middle class the world has yet seen, contrasting it to the present ghastly, warmongering, hatemongering mess.
Then I remember how much work goes into the blog I have, and I recover.
LB, keeping one’s arms crossed when considering politics and politician’s is always a good stance.
Since writing this post, the mud machines have sped up their flingings at Barack. We knew it was going to happen, I guess — hopefully he’s ready for it.
I just expected it would come primarily from the Republican mud machine, and not from Hillary’s “braintrust” (to use the term advisedly).
Bosque-, I’ve been feeling a little less sympathy for Hillary of late. I just find how Barack has conducted himself generally far more admirable than how she has conducted herself — and after the last eight years, it would be nice to have a leader who is both respectable and respectful.
Nobody can say a Clinton went down easy! But it may be the end?
Everyone seems to think so, except for Hillary.
Barack Obama told Chis Mathtews on a live event in Pennsylvania back then that he quit listening to “Cable News” and that is how he can stand all this stuff going on. He’s on the verge, I think He’ll make it because he smart enough to turn off the TV and Hillary’s still at it and I watch it an get a bigger and bigger headache? Bless em both and help me turn the damn TV off!