2008 Woodie Awards
Obama represents break from past, hope for future
Dan O'Gara
Issue date: 1/18/08 Section: OpEd Page
So far in this presidential campaign the big buzzword has been change. I am not sure how anyone can find this surprising or groundbreaking given that President George W. Bush has had some of the lowest approval ratings of all time. Nobody wants more of the same-the Republican candidates included. It is not only the poor policy and even poorer execution of the policy that has America so ready for something new, but also the fact that President Bush has been in charge for a long time. Eight years of Bush has been ample time to make even Stephen Colbert a semi-legitimate candidate. The Democratic primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire essentially became referendums on change. Which candidate really stood for change? Which candidate's changes would actually work? Was it possible that the middle age white guy actually represented more change than the woman and the black man?
This is all ridiculous of course. If there is one thing I have learned about politics that holds true the world over it is that what people say to get elected and what they do once they are in office is always very, very different if not the opposite in some cases. Take all the campaign promises with a grain of salt. The problem is that in all these empty promises and sound bites the true nature of the change that America does deeply desire is getting lost. We want our pride back. Not that I am ashamed to be an American, but Uncle Sam has taken a bit of a beating recently. We have discovered that our booming economy was built upon a fragile house of cards-a devastating combination of a swelling housing bubble coupled with unchecked financial innovation. Tales of foreclosures, bankruptcies and write offs come anew daily. If the coming recession isn't enough, our international reputation is also in the dumps, not to mention the national pastime. No matter how rapid the progress, we have entangled ourselves permanently in Iraq and have committed to combating terrorism the world round. Being listed as a "sponsor of terrorism" is now analogous to being on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain. Abu Ghraib. Guantanamo. Waterboarding. We have a black eye at best.
This is all ridiculous of course. If there is one thing I have learned about politics that holds true the world over it is that what people say to get elected and what they do once they are in office is always very, very different if not the opposite in some cases. Take all the campaign promises with a grain of salt. The problem is that in all these empty promises and sound bites the true nature of the change that America does deeply desire is getting lost. We want our pride back. Not that I am ashamed to be an American, but Uncle Sam has taken a bit of a beating recently. We have discovered that our booming economy was built upon a fragile house of cards-a devastating combination of a swelling housing bubble coupled with unchecked financial innovation. Tales of foreclosures, bankruptcies and write offs come anew daily. If the coming recession isn't enough, our international reputation is also in the dumps, not to mention the national pastime. No matter how rapid the progress, we have entangled ourselves permanently in Iraq and have committed to combating terrorism the world round. Being listed as a "sponsor of terrorism" is now analogous to being on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain. Abu Ghraib. Guantanamo. Waterboarding. We have a black eye at best.
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Peyton
posted 1/18/08 @ 9:52 AM EST
although I do agree that change is inevitable in this years campaign I 100% do not agree Obama will be the one to bring change. My reasoning is based upon two key facts:
1. (Continued…)
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