A New Era in American Politics
Gideon Rachman at the Financial Times makes a very interesting observation that I had forgotten of late. If, as appears likely at this stage, Barack Obama is elected as President of the United States he will be the first urban liberal Democrat from the Northern states elected since John F. Kennedy in 1960. The tumultuous culture wars which ensued since then in American and divided national politics on a level where every state, ethnicity, sex, profession, religion, etc. could be viewed from a purely blue and red perspective have led to a huge divergence from what were once the core values of each party. In the Republican Party of the 1960’s the candidates who sought to appeal almost solely to a base in which religion and traditional conservatism were intertwined would have proven the exception rather than the norm, on the national stage at any rate. On a personal level I am inclined towards conservative policies but with a staunch belief in the need for secular governance, back in 2007 my hope was that today we would be witnessing a race between Rudy Giuliani and Hilary Clinton with Giuliani ultimately triumphing. It bitterly disappoints me that a man with the finest character, pedigree and simple honesty that has stood to be President in many years faces defeat. John McCain has given far more to his nation that many men can dare to achieve. Sure he’s flawed like all of us, a failed marriage, moments of poor judgement in his early senatorial career, an imperfect human, but his service to the nation, his integrity and calibre simply cannot be questioned. The United States and the world at large shall suffer without his capable hands at the helm.
The quasi saintly view that some share of Obama truly frightens me, the notion of some modern day Messiah who has been sent to heal a wounded and decisive nation. Many Americans seem to have forgotten the separation of powers embodied within their Constitution and the need to prevent a Government framed around an all powerful solitary individual upon whose whim the actions of the nation are based (much like the monarchy they so fiercely fought to overthrow.) Undoubtedly there shall be many bitterly disappointed Obama supporters in the years to come for no man, regardless of his qualities, can possibly deliver to the disparate group of people who have chosen to follow him all the way to the White House.
Tomorrow morning we shall uncover the final result after two longs years of campaigning. Regardless of partisanship, let us hope whoever assumes the leadership can rise to the great challenges that lie before them.
Tags: Barack Obama, Financial Times, John McCain, Republican Party, US Election
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