Sunday, August 17, 2008

Or You Could Say It's A Cult

"Fall in line, get on the Obama train, go to the Obama indoctrination session and don't mention Hillary Clinton. The Obama campaign has become a movement of transcendence that is practically religious, with a wave of money and religious fervor taking over the party."

-- Darragh Murphy, executive director of PumaPAC, in the Wall Street Journal

2 comments:

  1. I discount shmoozing up to self help gurus as being an indication that a leader or Party will rule by (oc)cult means simply because a politician will sidle up to anyone with a popular support base and hope it rubs off. For the Right, this used to mean appearing on the podium with Billy Graham. That no more meant that Contragate was a product of ecumenical concerns or that born-again George would take 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' to heart, than it does suggest that the Democrats would rule by (The) Secret.

    It doesn't work that way. Politics and religion/belief is a marriage of convenience. To appreciate how 'in touch with reality' a candidate is one has to look at what they say and on that note:

    You've been bashing Obama so hard that I thought I'd check out one of his speeches to see who flakey and aspirational and disconnected he really was. Had no expectation. McCain's an alright bloke and could do some good things for the GOP (it needs it) and maybe it's his just desserts for being a POW when everyone else was enjoying the Summer of Love..

    In Barack Obama's eighteen minute keynote speech of the Democrat convention of 2004 he delivers a brisk professional speech explaining why America is great - you can make it whatever your name or background. In other words, he does like all skilful politicians do, is patriotic and self-promoting in the same breath. The skinny kid is him.

    But the speech soon moves on to other topics. He mentions 'workers in Gaylesburg Illinois who've lost their jobs at the Maytag plant when the company moved work to Mexico', were 'competing with their sons for seven dollar an hour jobs'; he mentions the tearful father who cannot afford the $4500 a month medication for his child and a healthcare system not set up to help. He acknowledges that 'people don't expect govt to solve all their problems' 'they want to work hard' but outlines concrete issues to address: "reservists lack long term benefits, which is wrong because they are entitled"

    He covers all bases. He sticks assiduously to the point. He uses actual specific examples to show he cares about real people. It's a polished political speech, attacking the other sides' shortcomings, bolstering the 'little guy', enjoining pride in country. It's no mystery why he's the Dems star performer.

    But maybe you missed that speech and only caught the moonbat ones.

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  2. Nope, I caught it - Live! - and it had the desired effect. But then came him posing for magazine articles, looking like he loved the camera a bit too much. And of course Oprah, who no self-respecting person should be seen with without a sandwich board of explanations. And, of course, there have been other speeches and events (it isn't all about 2004, Berk.) Like I said before (look it up:) let the kid wait.

    As far as the cultists: I don't care what the damn politicians think they're doing: the cultists think they're doing something too. And it sure is strange that while nobody thought it was cool politicians had Billy Graham but they're willing to go along with cultists, since what thrived in Billy Graham's heart didn't seem to be nearly as cynical as what cultists offer.

    You're a relativist, Berko, trying to find an easy way out: there is no easy way out. There's only nightmares and dreams, and I know which I prefer.

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