It’s a well-known phenomenon that when someone finally gets out of a miserable, bad, dysfunctional long-term relationship, their “rebound” partner tends to be the most wildly polar opposite of the person they were stuck with.
This is true in politics too. It’s all human nature, it’s all relationships, after all.
After suffering through the paranoid, vindictive, mean-spirited, power-hungry Nixon, who did we elect? The most honest, friendly, smiling, soft-spoken, reassuring, and soft-hearted person in politics at the time: Jimmy Carter.
Today, after 8 years of small-minded, petty, aggressive, negative, parochial, and divisive Bush, I will predict that we will elect, in a landslide this November, the most hopeful, relentlessly optimistic, inclusive, uplifting figure that has strode into the political arena in the last 40 years: Barack Obama.
I wasn’t a huge Obama fan to start with (Kucinich was my man, then Edwards as a second), but I’m sold now. The guy is like a dream come true. Finally, waking from our 8-year-long nightmare, someone who can pull this nation together in hope and positive energy. He’s such a huge relief after dealing with Bush, he brings tears to people’s eyes.
Earlier on, I though Clinton was a shoo-in becuase so many people (myself included) had become nostalgic for the peaceful, prosperous Clinton years. Life was so much better then! I predicted that people would pull the “Clinton” lever just because of that, and many perhaps are doing exactly that this primary season.
But Obama isn’t just better than Bush, or a return to the better days of the Clinton administration. Obama is the complete opposite of Bush in almost every possible way, and with a vision and optimism to propel us forward. That’s very, very compelling.
I think Obama could turn the country around through sheer force of charisma, optimism and “yes we can” inspirational spirit. I think Clinton could do it too, being the technocrat she is, and especially with her hubby hanging around the Oval Office and knowing probably better than anyone else how the machinery of government works and how to operate it.
Either way, we win. But right now, my money’s on Obama. I think he reaches people in their hearts, and that’s where votes come from.
