OBAMA’S ARROGANCE

In the middle of the 2007 season, Jose Reyes of the Mets suddenly announced, “we are so good, we sometimes get bored.” An interesting comment coming from a member of a team that hadn’t won any championships at that point, and while having many game victories, had a fewer than ten game lead over the second place team with most of the season remaining to be played at the time. Seasoned Met fans remember the 1984 through 1991 years, and a team of underachievers that barely won one World Series.

I was reminded of this as I watched Barack Obama give his speech before a throng of Germans that made one reminiscent of Dr. King’s speech before a DC crowd decades ago. The speech was wonderful, with a highlight being his declaration of love for America in spite of our mistakes. It gave those overseas a sense that we as a people have humility; we are not the heavy handed tyrants in foreign affairs portrayed over the last eight years.

But why was this man delivering this speech and what weight did it have? He is not an elected leader, so there is no power behind his punch. In time if not elected he will just be some weird guy who came to Europe in a “meet and greet” beauty tour that Europeans can tell about to their grandchildren.

Obama is walking a fine line between Presidential and Pretentious. Meeting world leaders and touring countries, meeting citizens in small groups and listening to their grievances is all part of a “getting to know you” strategy needed to be seen capable of being in charge with foreign policy credentials.

However addressing the masses for the whole world to see and telling them what to expect while simultaneously reminding them he isn’t in the White House yet might have crossed that line in the sand. Obama returns to America, the land where any other Democrat would have an eighteen point lead in these times of economic demise, seeing his lead over McCain actually narrow to a virtual dead heat with his opponent, while losing ground amongst independents.

While many Americans feel each candidate is equally arrogant, many believe arrogance of self confidence to be good, whereas an arrogance of taking voters for granted, which is what Obama presumes, to be insulting. Like Jose Reyes of the Mets, Obama seems bored with the need to campaign against the old guy, and wants to start making plans to paint the town red, and the White House black and it’s still only summer. Yes Ludicrous would not make a good VP selection, and is just another on the list of people Obama will need to disown.

His four point cushion, which has been consistent over the weeks, makes his VP selection scream “Hillary,” the candidate that holds the other half of the 36 million votes cast in the Democrat primary, and where any alienation of her voter base will be certain victory for McCain. Add to this the large number of undecided voters that could break either way providing a major surprise for either candidate, and we have a tossup election again, something where Democrats haven’t fared well recently. Of course Democrats have made many foolish mistakes in past nominees and campaigns, and having a candidate walk around like he has already won might be right up there with all the others.

David DiBello