Birdsong read with interest last week’s op-ed piece by Charles Krauthammer about Barack Obama. It appeared in the Washington Post with the headline: “The Audacity of Vanity.” Krauthammer who is a professionally trained psychiatrist is a wonderful opinion writer and has won a Pulitzer Prize for his past commentary. Birdsong usually enjoys his columns but does not always agree with him.
Krauthammer’s latest effort in tone was very reminiscent of Jesse Jackson’s earlier “hot mike” rant against Obama which ended with Jackson’s wish to castrate Obama for talking down to black people. Of course, Krauthammer’s piece was much more sophisticated. His basic premise is that Obama is a narcissist who is in love with himself and wants us to follow him, although he has no track record. Krauthammer chides Obama about his desire to make a speech from the Brandenburg gate when he visits Berlin. He opines that Obama has never passed a piece of major legislation. He further contends that, although Obama was President of the Harvard Law Review, a law professor, and a legislator he has never produced a “notable” piece of scholarship. In essence, Krauthammer asks of Obama “who does he think he is?”
These are his opinions and observations and they may be valid. However, it sounds like “sour grapes” to Birdsong. Krauthammer does not seem to appreciate that Obama is a very successful and shrewd politician who has vaulted to the head of the pack because of his intelligence, his charisma his youth, his organizational ability, and his ability to inspire many in this country to believe that he is the leader this country needs at this time. Obama beat Hillary Clinton out of the Democratic Party nomination because she ran the best primary race of the twentieth century while he ran the best race of the twenty first century. Obama demonstrated that the Democratic Party does not have to rely on the same old faces who have not really moved the country forward but have only lived to continue to fight the partisan wars of the twentieth century.
Birdsong would certainly like to see Barack Obama elected President of the United States. It may or may not happen. If it does happen Birdsong wishes that Obama will be a leader of America and a true statesman who will inspire bi-partisan initiatives that will:
End the war in Iraq and bring most of our troops home;
Begin a serious program of utilizing alternate energy sources;
Pass legislation that will provide incentives to businesses to keep our American people working and stop sending jobs overseas; and
Provide universal health care.
If these initiatives can be realized America will continue to be a great country… for all its people.
2 Comments