it is with a huge appetite that i am preparing to eat crow tomorrow.
for those of you who don't already know--i've long maintained that john mccain was going to be our next president. he's been a press darling for years--the self-proclaimed, "maverick," the "reformer," the "war hero," and quite frankly, the lingering racism still extant in this country
alone seemed like it could send mccain to the other side of pennsylvania avenue. besides, how hard could it be to defeat an african-american candidate with such a funny-looking name? (now it might be a different story if his name were spelled, "BAROCK O' BAMA!")
well, barring another stolen election--and the race
is still close enough to
not rule that out--it looks like barack obama
will be our 44th president. (i've now crossed all my fingers and knocked on every possible piece of wood in sight.)
but, even as i type, the pseudo-right-wing are dusting off their phony outrage machine that has lain somewhat dormant since the '90's and are gearing up for a "legitimacy" fight. (remember how clinton wasn't "legit" because he didn't garner 50% of the vote in '92, but we didn't hear a peep when bush didn't even win the popular vote in 2000? yeah--
that phony outrage.) the seeds have been sewn--
ACORNS, if you will...
should obama pull this off, get ready for a deluge of legitimacy-challenging, pseudo-scandal, anti-obama books ready for your beach reading enjoyment! it's how the pseudo-right has operated for almost 20 years. and the mainstream press have agreed not to care! (bush might still be shaggin' flies with the rangers down in texas, while
gore exited the white house had the 4th estate cared, but i digress.)
no matter what the outcome tomorrow, obama has run a brilliant campaign. he's risen above the personal attacks and made this campaign about serious issues affecting our whole country. he's inspired and energized millions of people worldwide without going negative, without lowering the discourse down into the dirt, without slinging mud, and i think that
that is really smart. especially for a growing progressive movement... to wit:
recently, i had a conversation about politics with a colleague that's more conservative than i am. this person had voted republican in the last two presidential elections, but refused to do so this time.
it seemed like we were in complete agreement! mccain and palin were clearly unpalatable and were not going to get this person's vote... but, then neither was obama.
so close! while they seemed to share the same views on many positions, this person would rather choose "neither" than vote for obama.
this lit my fuse, and i smoldered until prop. 8 (gay marriage) was mentioned. tempers flared, and we were in complete disagreement. i was saddened because, while
progressive ideals may have won a mind, i failed to win a heart. that's when i remembered what bob somerby had said about the "culture of resentment" and the "culture wars" (gays, guns, and god) created, stoked, and inflamed by "the pseudo-right."
somerby (10/18/08): Polling has made it clear for some time: If we could agree to drop “the politics of cultural resentment,” the [progressive] side...would most often win. Indeed, “the politics of cultural resentment” was dreamed up by the [the pseudo-right] to counter that very fact.
i'd recommend reading the whole post. it's instructive that he notes the sheer dumbness of a growing progressive movement that would conduct itself as the "pseudo-right" have since the RISE OF RUSH--belittling and berating people, then expecting their "hardened hearts" to find "harbor" on our side. how smart is that?
in conclusion... well, take it away bob...
somerby (10/18/08): As a general matter, nothing is dumber than fighting on turf the other side has chosen. And that’s what pseudo-liberals do when they keep this “culture war” going...
go obama.
