11.04.2008

James Ridgeway on President Obama

Ridgeway's judgment nearly sounds right to my ears:

If the United States today elects an African American man to the presidency, that event will mark a turning point in US history and culture. It will genuinely represent a triumph of hope over fear — all the more so because Barack Obama for the most part ran a dignified and inclusive campaign, in the face of the hateful and divisive rhetoric of John McCain. It's significance cannot be overstated. Yet, as Ken Silverstein of Harpers observes, an Obama victory is "not about politics but about the man." Ironically, Obama may transform the face and spirit of a nation, without dramatically changing the substance of its policies.

I would only add that an Obama victory would belong not just to Barack Obama, the man, but also to America's citizens as a whole. I would include the latter since, in order have this specific man as their President, these citizens will have had to have rejected centuries of race hatred by electing the best duopoly candidate for the job without caring a damn about his race. This will be a victory — a small victory, but a victory nonetheless — for the country.

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