The case for Barack Obama, in broad strokes: He has within him the possibility to change the direction and tone of American foreign policy, which need changing; his rise will serve as a practical rebuke to the past five years, which need rebuking; his victory would provide a fresh start in a nation in which a fresh start would come as a national relief.
We witnessed from him this year something unique in American politics: He took down a political machine without raising his voice. A great moment: When the press was hitting hard on the pregnancy of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, he did not respond wit ha politically shrewd "I have no comment," or "We shouldn't judge." Instead he said, "My mother had me when she was 18," which shamed the press and others into silence. He showed grace when he didn't have to.
She goes on to set the scene of a colleague whose 10-year-old duaghter walked in the room to see "Obama Wins" and "Alabama" on the TV screen. The girl said, "Daddy, we saw a documentary on Martin Luther King Day in school. That's where they used the hoses." The year was 1963, the hoses used against civil rights demonstrators. Says Noonan,
This means nothing? This means a great deal.
I might have to read her new book about grace in American politics.
'Nuff said.
No comments:
Post a Comment