Last week, we hired ourselves a new President. Despite all the warning signals of elitism, admirably enumerated here and elsewhere in the blogosphere, a majority of people decided that Barack Obama is the man they want to lead this country.
In general, we describe a person elected to high office as a public servant. He is there to do the public’s will, whether he holds office as mayor, councilman, representative, senator, governor, or the President of the United States of America. Public servants may serve. They may govern. They may represent. They may even lead. But in this country at least, they Do. Not. Ever. Rule.
And yet, this man we have elected to the highest office in the land, the highest public servant, is planning to rule us, come January 20.
Yes, I understand that Valerie Jarrett is simply a spokesperson for the president-elect. However, as he himself famously (but not originally) said, “Don’t tell me words don’t matter!” Words do matter, as do attitudes. And the Obama machine’s attitude has always smacked of elitism and paternalism. And those qualities come straight from the top of the ticket. If Ms. Jarrett said it, you can be sure it’s in the entire team’s expectations. Obama intends to rule this country.
I have seen mention of this faux pas, this slip of the tongue covered in parts of the blogosphere as a rather amusing gaffe by an underling. I think it is far more serious than that. I believe it indicates the path Obama plans to walk once he is inaugurated. He expect to rule.
Stoutcat
November 12, 2008 at 2:01 pm |
You may be right. On the other hand it may be that Obama’s machine – now set into motion – instead of Obama who expects Obama to rule America. Either way it’s an unpleasant possibility.
What will Obama’s followers who expect “change” and that quickly and dramatically do if Obama doesn’t “bring the rain.”
What will happen if and when Obama’s followers realize that the ideals they have painted on the tabula rasa that they elected ARE NOT related to anything that Obama actually promised?
November 12, 2008 at 2:45 pm |
Jonolan, that’s a good point that it may be the Obama machine expecting to rule, but I still would argue that they woudn’t expect that unless the head of the machine, Obama, set that expectation.
As for his “followers” (and please note that I am not referring to the tens of millions of regular Americans who voted for him, but for the really way-out-there nutroots types), I get the feeling that anything that “Dear Leader” says or does is fine by them. And that’s frightening, too.
November 12, 2008 at 4:13 pm |
Stoutcat, you have a valid argument. I just seen people rise to authority and have their own coterie expect for more absolute power to be wielded the than person who rose to power expected to wield himself. Min is merely an alternative hypothesis.
Also, is the front man – Obama in this case – really the head of his machine? Is there the possibility that someone or some group has a lot to say about what Obama does? He’s truly inexperienced and is surrounding himself with a lot of ex-Clinton workers with a great deal of experience and strong personalities and agendas.
November 13, 2008 at 10:14 am |
I have long felt that Obama was more of a “tool” of a group that knows exactly what it wants to do. The group found perfect puppet in Obama, found him willing and able to do what was needed and managed to put him in the presidency. It will be interesting to find out just what their aims are and whether they can carry out their plans.