July 11, 2008
ARE THEY TRYING OUT FOR A LIFESAVERS AD?:
'What's Wrong With Senator Obama?' (Bob Beckel, 7/11/08, Real Clear Politics)
My 14 year old son loves Barack Obama. He plays the "Yes We Can" music video by will.i.m so often he can recite Obama's New Hampshire speech (from which the video was made) word for word. Obama gave his 'Yes We Can' speech after losing the New Hampshire primary to Hillary Clinton. That refrain, meant to encourage his supporters after the loss, quickly became the mantra for Obama's campaign.Far from needing encouragement, his supporters were energized by the New Hampshire defeat. My kid kept bugging me to get behind Obama. I tried to tell him as a political analyst for Fox News I had to stay neutral. He wasn't buying that and reminded me that his grandfather (my dad) had been involved in the civil rights movement and "if granddaddy was still around he would be for Obama". That was followed by "you're a wuss".
So I was a little surprised last week when my son asked me, "What's wrong with Senator Obama?" I asked why. "Because he sounds different", he says. Thinking the kid was referring to Obama's recent moves to the center on some issues I tell him every candidate for president repositions for the general election. My son gives me one of those teenage 'what planet are you on' looks and says, "never mind."
It took awhile but I realized my point about Obama's repositioning on Iraq, FISA, etc meant nothing to my kid. All he knew was that the "Obama of Summer" was somehow different than the Yes We Can "Obama of Winter" - and it bothered him. To my kid it wasn't a question of issues, but a perception that somehow Obama had changed. As Barack Obama learned this week it is a perception shared by thousands of his supporters who do understand the issues and, unlike my son, can vote.
Anybody old enough to remember the commercial where the young goalie just lost the big hockey game and his dad gives him a Lifesaver and tells him not to worry about it, he lost the big one too? Posted by Orrin Judd at July 11, 2008 8:25 AM
Obama is not a candidate, and never has been. He is a celebrity, as the anecdote confirms. I don't read supermarket tabloids, but from glancing at them on the way to checkout I gather that the half-life of celebrity is something on the close order of six months.
Regards,
Ric
He wasn't buying that and reminded me that his grandfather (my dad) had been involved in the civil rights movement and "if granddaddy was still around he would be for Obama". That was followed by "you're a wuss".
If I had said that to my dad when I was fourteen I would have had my face slapped off, so the story doesn't lead me to respect either Mr. Beckel or the young Master Beckel.
Ric - so I noted over at PW.
Posted by: Mikey at July 11, 2008 10:39 AMMy 4 year old LOVES the "Yes We Can" slogan.
We're talking about Bob the Builder, right?
Posted by: b at July 11, 2008 11:36 AM
The Dad says, "When I lost the big game, my dad gave me a whole roll of Life Savers." To which Jay Leno (back in the 70's, when he was funny)commented: "There go 2 generations of losers!"
Posted by: Foos at July 11, 2008 9:45 AM