12 February 2008

ScarJo? Is that you?

So Hilary has a new campaign manager and Obama has chic celebrity backing.

While that's fun and inspirational for the short attention-span crowd, here's the real speech (it kicks in around the 2 minute mark). It's very compelling - in that rather vague hope/change sort of way. Obama's a blah debater, but an amazing speaker. But at the risk of sounding like a total drag, I'll quote one of my favorite Slate journalists and fellow Obama supporter, David Plotz: "I don't want to be rallied." He went on to say that the nature of crowds can be scary - they have a tendency to act "independently of rationality." Plotz goes so far as to call it rather "fascistic," which isn't necessarily as far-flung as it sounds. Obviously, Obama is not a right wing fascist, but the massive rallying of large groups of people can be both amazing and dangerous: "mob mentality."

It's hard not to be swept up in Obama's promise of hope and change in these extraordinarily frustrating times when, as a citizen, you feel hopeless, impotent and cast aside... but just remember to think for yourself and remain a healthy skeptic of those who lead this country - because it's your freaking country, too.

"There's a reason why they call it 'healthy skepticism,' sweetie - because it's healthy."
- Mom

4 comments:

Eryn said...

oh that mama barnes. she's so full of motherly wisdom!

i'm rooting for mr. obama as well! i won't cry if clinton makes it in the white house......but it's time for a change, every since i was alive there's been a clinton or a bush (in some combo) in the whitehouse.

Alec said...

Yeah - one thing I can't let go is that Hillary's health plan is better than Obama's... and her plan for Iraqi troop withdrawal. It's too bad the whole Clinton thing has just become a circus.

I miss the Bill days...

Look at it this way: a Clinton's better than a Cheney - he's been involved in White House politics since Nixon.... NIXON for crying out loud!

Eryn said...

ahhhhhh Nixon....seriously Cheney, "Early Bird Special" it up!

Alec said...

Ohhhh man - the thought of D.C. at Denny's is amazing... I would just feel really bad for his waitress...