Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Two Americas

Barack Obama rose to political prominence - as he noted tonight in his speech - via his keynote address at the convention in Boston in 2004.  In that speech he argued that we are one America, not a red and blue America.  He tried to return to that theme tonight, but it seemed even he couldn't sell it.  Instead, he argued, as he does so persuasively, that we need to always strive to be our best self.  That we become our best self through our work with others.

The contrast to Cleveland - or Trump's press conference today - is simply mind blowing.  To paraphrase Henry Adams, Trump should not exist.  He should wear skins and live in a cave.  And yet, millions of Americans will vote for him, because he has an "R" next to his name.  Tonight - and really all the nights - we have seen a vision of Barack Obama's America: a great country always striving to be better.  I honestly believe - and have believed for quite some time now - that this is also Hillary Clinton's vision of America.  Luckily, I don't think Clinton believes quite so readily in grand compromises.  That was always Obama's shortcoming.

She believes in a vision of this country rooted in hard work and a promise of a better tomorrow.  Trump believe in Trump.

The fact that this election will even be close - and I mean even Johnson-Goldwater close - makes me incredibly sad.

No comments: