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Editorial See other Editorial Articles Title: On Obama's steadiness 18 Oct 2008 11:05 pm As mentioned yesterday, what struck me most, in reviewing Barack Obama's oratorical and debate performance since the first cattle-call, Gravel-equipped televised debate early last year, was his unchanging nature. He got better as he went along, but as an improving version of the same thing. I said I couldn't be sure whether Obama's consistency arose from deliberate strategic choice, flawlessly executed over a very long time, or whether it simply reflects the way he is. Odds favor the latter. Reader D.M. writes about the way this trait has worked in the general election campaign: Second, by being bland, consistent and totally straight, any tactical changes by opponents makes them look erratic, scheming and without integrity. Had Obama joined in the personal mudslinging, he would have slipped his tether, and would have looked just like McCain. He's a mirror against which we view the opponent. He's a survey marker against which all territorial changes of opponents can be measured. It really is a new kind of politics. And in a related post here, Michael Batz argues that through the course of the debates, Obama has won the argument for "argument" -- that is, for a calm and reasoned approach to issues, not by going with emotion, anger, and the gut. He wrote to me: As always, I give the time-battered caution that we can't know how and whether these traits will work in office until we get a chance to see. But in making it likely that we will get that chance, the campaign approach has indeed been remarkable. And, as a subject for a later day, I remember how often, how vehemently, and with what certainty Obama's detractors during the Democratic primaries said that he could not, possibly, in any way, in any real world, withstand the onslaught of GOP negative campaigning once it geared up against him. That he's been seriously underestimated twice -- by the Hillary Clinton camp, and now by McCain -- doesn't prove his potential in office but is interesting.
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#1. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
Thanks, Mike. Good article. His unflappability is remarkable, and I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks Obama is brilliant... (October surprise thread) and it increasingly looks like we may have the opportunity to see how he does as President. GOBAMA!
#2. To: salemguy, Ferret Mike (#1)
I recall the same rhetoric about Clinton when he was the Golden Boy. I guess it'll all be different this time, eh?
Thanks for the warm post. Nice to see you in here, welcome.
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