David Brooks–who actually is fond of Barack Obama–writes:
Back when he was in the Illinois State Senate, Dr. Barack could have taken positions on politically uncomfortable issues. But Fast Eddie Obama voted “present” nearly 130 times. From time to time, he threw his voting power under the truck. Dr. Barack said he could no more disown the Rev. Jeremiah Wright than disown his own grandmother. Then the political costs of Rev. Wright escalated and Fast Eddie Obama threw Wright under the truck. Dr. Barack could have been a workhorse senator. But primary candidates don’t do tough votes, so Fast Eddie Obama threw the workhorse duties under the truck. Dr. Barack could have changed the way presidential campaigning works. John McCain offered to have a series of extended town-hall meetings around the country. But favored candidates don’t go in for unscripted free-range conversations. Fast Eddie Obama threw the new-politics mantra under the truck. . . .But Thursday, at the first breath of political inconvenience, Fast Eddie Obama threw public financing under the truck.
Brooks doesn’t know whether to be horrified or impressed. But the voters are likely to be confused.
After all, the post-racial, post-partisan, idealistic Obama has virtually disappeared from the scene. But wasn’t that his “hook”–his way of escaping the not-so-secret fact that he is a garden variety ultra-liberal? After all, if he’s going to be a calculating, conniving, unprincipled politician, why couldn’t the Democrats have had Hillary Clinton?
The problem is especially acute for someone with no national track record. For someone new to the national political stage Obama has to introduce himself to the public and get them to feel comfortable with him. But if there is no clear profile (Opportunist? Reformer? Chicago pol?), that task becomes considerably harder and the prospect of an untested leader that much scarier for voters. Is he going to stick to his guns on his agenda or wither under opposition? Is he going to be firm with rogue leaders when he has proven so willing to reverse course on so many topics even before sitting down for tea? We just don’t know.
One thing is for sure: voters won’t have to bother figuring out what the New Politics is all about. (Hint: It’s the Old Politics, gussied up with hundreds of millions of dollars.)
