Archive for November 5, 2008

The Republic Restored

It’s morning in America. When all the dust is settled, Barack Obama will win the electoral college with more than three hundred and fifty votes, and the popular vote by almost seven million, a clear majority and a powerful mandate. In short, he’ll come close to repeating Bill Clinton’s legendary electoral routs, and secure a majority that Clinton never enjoyed (thanks to Ross Perot). This victory is decisive, and a ringing endorsement of Senator Obama’s message of unity and principled liberalism.

The question now is – what do we do with it? The short answer is, move cautiously forward. No victory is ever total, and especially when the stakes are so high, we can’t afford to rest on our laurels. History will decide whether Barack Obama becomes a Jimmy Carter or a Bill Clinton. There’s still a lot that you and I can do to make sure that a progressive victory becomes a progressive mainstream. So – Where do we go from here?

As a Majority Party

While Obama delivered our first electoral victory in 12 years, his victory emerges more from a confluence of historic events than from the fact that he’s an ideal candidate. In many ways, Barack Obama as a candidate was far from perfect. He lacked “executive experience,” had a liberal voting record, struggled to escape from conspiracy theories and rumors, and he wasn’t white. In any other year, he would have lost – or won by significantly less. Recall that just recently Obama polled below a “generic Democrat” in a matchup against John McCain. Why did we win?

Because the Republican brand is shattered. After eight years of a horrifically divisive administration, a failing war, a ruined economy, and facing only promises of more of the same, the Republican Party was simply not an option for more than the conservative mainline of America. Instead of reinventing itself with a transformative, universally respected candidate, the Republicans stuck to their guns and reentrenched themselves around his anti-intellectual, culture-war steeped running mate. The Republicans entered this race hopping on one leg; halfway to the finish line, they shot themselves in the remaining foot.

We cannot always count on the Republicans to so destroy themselves. Some of the advantages gained in this race – the perfection of the Bush ground game & its use for good, and the masterful use of modern technology to play to modern coalitions – will stick with us. We’ve learned our lesson, and we can do it again. But rarely do politicians face such a weak opponent. We can’t plan on that. Nor can we forget that our two central strengths in this election were a message of unity, and a powerful appeal to young voters, and black voters. Institutionalizing both messages within the Democratic Party will serve our party, and more importantly, our country.

As a Nation

Our party can best consolidate its gains by fulfilling its promise to change America for the better. On “soft” social issues, Barack Obama should continue his campaign’s message of principled liberalism, which set a premium on compromise and bipartisan consensus, to build support for a moderate, electorally validated right to choose, and support for gay rights by reframing the issue as one of compassion (a task he began in his acceptance speech). On “hard” issues – the economy, the war, rebuilding American hegemony – Obama will do well to lead in the example of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, by welcoming and accepting cross-party ideas and support. Surely he’s already taken the first steps there. Selecting Joe Biden proved that Obama really was interested in the idea of “a team of rivals.” If he meant what he said in his acceptance speech, it’s another step in the right direction.

Ultimately Barack Obama will be judged on results. He needs to get to work. He should tap his cabinet now, and start working now with Still-President Bush to affect a smooth transition. America can’t afford to wait a day. Nor can the people who propelled Obama to victory.

I spent election day working as an election observer in northwest Philadelphia. The neighborhood is majority black, and portions skirt the poverty line. While even pre-Obama this was overwhelmingly Democratic Country (one local handed out lists of the Democratic candidates just outside the door), turnout was incredibly high, and the enthusiasm for Barack Obama palpable. While voters talked about how their savings evaporated under Bush, grandfathers told their grandsons that, if they stay in school, they too can be like Barack Obama. Barack Obama won because of people like these. If he lets them down, history will justly judge him poorly.

Conclusion

Last night’s results give the Democratic Party a mandate for change, but they will also require the party itself to change to keep the mandate. We’ll need to become a consensus party, capable of compromise while retaining our core values. We’ll have to reframe key social questions as valence issues – “freedom is merely privilege extended, unless enjoyed by one and all.” And we’ll have to work. Hard. We’re all Americans today. Let’s make that unity permanent, and draw on it for the sake of our party, and our country.

Is President-Elect Obama Un-American?

Thank God we elected Michele Bachmann. Someone has to be brave enough to investigate the very serious question of whether the American President is sufficiently American. File this under “casualties of war.” While last night saw at least one culture-war Senator go down (Dole), keep Bachmann’s unfortunate repeat performance as a reminder that there’s still a lot of work ahead of us. Meanwhile, Al Franken still fights it out in recount-land, and Jim Martin may be in a runoff with the vile Saxby Chambliss.

Frak the Feds! Vote for Ted!

Don’t get too excited about Palin going home, just yet. Looks like Ted Stevens is going to hold onto his Senate seat. Of course, the Senate will vote to kick him out, and that means Palin, as governor, gets to appoint a temporary replacement. This keeps the seat in Republican hands, and also opens the door for her to run as the Republican candidate during the inevitable special election to seat the “permanent” senator. By the time that takes place, she will likely only have a year left to serve as governor, and she can appoint her replacement for that seat, too! This is all speculation on my part, but the moral of the story remains: Sarah wins! UPDATE: Looks like absentee and early votes still need to be counted, but Stevens has already outperformed post-conviction polls.

Casualties of War

We’ve won the war, but there are a few battles still up for grabs. Al Franken’s race against Norm Coleman for the Minnesota Senate goes to a recount, and while Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss currently has enough of a lead to avoid a runoff (constitutionally compelled if he dips below 50%), turnout reports from Georgia are riduclously low, suggesting serious voter irregularities, or simply that early ballots haven’t yet been counted. Most importantly, though, gay marriage in California hangs by a thread. It looks safe, but decreasingly so. Stay tuned.

Mac is Back

It’s way too late – I’m writing this at 2:40 AM, for publication at 7:30 – so just a few simple notes. First, how about our main man? That was a hell of a speech, and exactly what America needs to hear now: “I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voice, I need your help, and I’ll be your president, too.” But I spend enough time here praising President-Elect Obama. Now, it’s time to praise his erstwhile opponent, Senator John McCain.

Last night saw a spectacular return of the real John McCain: the man who should have won the RNC nomination in 2000, did win it a few months ago, and then mysteriously disappeared from the campaign trail. Last night, McCain found himself again. In effusive language, McCain praised not only his former opponent, but the shared ideals of all American citizens. He forged common ground, and espoused a unity of purpose…
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…to a crowd that booed loudly whenever Obama’s name came up, and alternated between raucously cheering and booing Governor Sarah Palin. One supporter – while McCain described his noble intentions of working with the Obama administration – even screamed, “you deserve more!”

That’s right, Unnamed McCain Supporter. McCain does deserve more. He deserves more than people like you for a constituency, and he deserves a better party than the GOP can provide. That the presidential campaign so thoroughly coopted the essential characteristics that made McCain McCain only goes to show: when it comes to being a “maverick,” at least in the Republican Party, you can’t take it with you. If the Republican Party is to find its footing again, it would do well to focus in on the John McCain we saw last night, and not the Palin-ized McCain we saw for the past few months.

I look forward to learning to respect John McCain again. When he’s allowed to be himself, he is fundamentally a good man, and a great American.

PUMAs Totally Lose It

I know, I know; maybe that happened a while ago. But, I have to say this – posting tons of crazy pictures is not election coverage. It’s a barely concealed slide into despair. And that actually makes me sad. PUMAs, I won’t miss your irrational hate for Senator President-Elect Obama, but I have an offer for you: can we now talk about our common purpose, our shared goals, and make them happen? Let’s put some women in cabinet, protect some reproductive rights, and advance some feminism. Yes we can!