My absolutely correct take on the "Obama Cult" trope.

[fancycwabs]

For the past couple of weeks or so, I've been reading from a number of locations about the "cult" of Obama--especially from generally liberal sources, concerned that the right is going to somehow successfully attack Obama for his popularity. I'm not really one to yell that the emperor has no clothes on, but frankly, that's the stupidest political argument I've seen put forth in my life. If you disagree with Obama for his stance on unversal healthcare (too much, too little), his stance on the Iraq war (we're surrendering to terrorists!), his take on education, his lack of concrete policies (among those who haven't apparently read the "Blueprint for Change"), or his general lack of experience, you could put forth at least a convincing case, right or wrong.

Criticizing him because his supporters just like him too much smacks of jealousy, or feeling that just because something is popular it must therefore be bad. Obama doesn't have to be Hannah Montana--he could be the Beatles, and not liking him based on his popularity could just mean you're missing out because you feel like being a misanthropic jackass.

Comments

[k-sui.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's because it's been a very long time since we had someone with a realistic chance for the White House who's also the kind of person you'd like to go have a beer with?

(I know many would say Kennedy was the last truly popular candidate, but for what it's worth, Barry Goldwater seemed like a good guy. I would not have voted for him, ummm, let's see . . . ever and in retrospect he probably wasn't a very realistic shot, but I'd go play pool with him. I mean, who the hell would go drinking with Jimmy Carter? Zzzzzzz.)

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

who the hell would go drinking with Jimmy Carter?

Well, I would, 'cause I'd bet the man's got stories to tell--and you're probably not getting them out of him sober. But that's me.

[k-sui.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you'd get three hours of moralizing before anythign good came up.

But please do ask him to more fully explain this is you get a chance.

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

Carter and I share, to a small extent, an alma mater, so perhaps we can cut the crap and get right to the cool anecdotes.

[luckimunki.livejournal.com]

There's no denying that there is a sort of personality cult built around Obama. Whether this can actually be lobbed as a true criticism or not is up for debate, but any cult of personality should make people wary in the least, if only because of the poor history that sort of thing has had in the realm of politics. That's not to say it's necessarily a bad thing, but it's just something to be conscious of.

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

While I agree that it is something to be mindful of, it's highly unlikely that real change in the crappy way we've been doing things for the last forty years is gonna take place without a cult of personality to power its engine.

[loree-borealis.livejournal.com]

I love that icon, btw. Did you make it?

[luckimunki.livejournal.com]

No, someone in the Colbert icon community made it. I'm terrible about giving credit. :/

[mosesandcompany.livejournal.com]

The argument isn't grounded in his supporters liking him too much, as I understand it. It's grounded in people who are flocking to Obama because they like his presence, or his public speaking ability, or simply because he's the popular candidate, rather than because they actually understand and agree with his policy proposals.

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

But, but, political neophytes like him because of his charisma! I don't have any charisma! WAAAAAAAAH!

Having endured the years of folks voting for Publicans against their economic best interests because of the shiny trinkets of homophobia and sexism, I'm only too happy to have have some of the shiny trinket voters on my team.

[atothek.livejournal.com]

Wait, wait -- Hannah Montana is running for president?

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mcduff.livejournal.com]

Oh look, liberals picking up right wing talking points and using them to beat each other up with.

The next time someone brings this up, invite them to consider the loyal followers chanting "four more years" at Bush's speech at CPAC this year and ask why they're not yammering on about the "cult like" behaviour there.