I am what many on the interwebs call an Obamabot. I am a huge fan of the American President. My BA degree dissertation was on how hip-hop culture enabled the political rise of Obama and my Masters dissertation was on how Obama was portrayed during the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell debate. Yes, I am an Obamabot.
With that said, I also consider myself to be a political realist and right now, at this minute Obama’s political stock is as healthy as the American economy. Joe Gandelman, the editor of this fine website, wrote a piece on the Cagle Cartoon’s MSNBC hosted site arguing that he is no longer an effective President thanks to his performance during the bruising fight over the debt ceiling. In fact, many liberal Obama oppositions would argue that Obama has never been an effective champion of liberal ideals. Liberals wanted more stimulus, they wanted the public option in the health debate, they wanted Don’t ask, don’t tell to have been gotten rid of with an Executive Order and did I mention Gitmo?
Apart from the latter, on the previously mentioned policy positions the left got 90% of what they wanted, but it was not and is not enough. For them, Obama caved when he could have gotten 100% of what (t)he(y) wanted.
Which brings me to what I believe is Joe’s most pivotal and most damning point in the Cagle piece, is Obama’s leadership style out of date?
Is it effective for these times, where 90% is still a loss? Joe argues that his leadership style has produced results which has damaged Obama’s chances in 2012 (yes, apparently it is okay to question the leadership of a man who presided over the killing of Osama Bin Laden). I would argue that Obama’s fortunes thus far points not only to the erosion of his ability to win a second term, it also points to the erosion of America’s political institutions.
Let me just rewind back.
Yes, I am an Obamabot, but I am also European and as a European I have had firsthand experience of how ordinary British people were viewing this debate over the debt limit. The word to describe how the British people felt about “debtogeddon” (or whatever you call it) was disbelief? Disbelief that America came so near to a default.
I tried hard to explain to my mother, my fiancée and friends why politicians in congress were doing what they were doing, why they wouldn’t just raise the debt ceiling and the disbelief still remained – to be honest, I could understand their frustration. With the fall of Lehman Brothers and the following recession still fresh in the minds of most people in Europe – the thought of it happening all again was a nightmare.
And this is to my point.
Only in America is Obama accepting this “hostage” deal a bad thing which could damage his Presidency. Obama calling the GOP’s bluff and risking default was the preferred outcome of many liberals – but I truly believe the Tea-Party infused GOP were willing to see the economy tank, for ideological beliefs. The thought of going through the recession of 2008 must have been fresh in Obama’s mind and with 9% unemployment, Obama had little option.
I do agree with Joe that we may be seeing the shrinking of Obama and his Presidency, but I am utterly convinced that we are seeing the shrinking of American political system and with that, the confidence the world markets has with the United States to handle and solve big issues.
Obama still has an average approval rating that sits at 42-45% (which I find amazing in this economic climate), but congress sits a 14%. It is in congress where this idea of ‘nothing but 100% is failure’ is clear to see the most. Compromise has become a dirty word which had the potential to damage careers. But what good is a political system that struggles to comprise and coming together when a country is facing certain economic ruin?
Yes, I am still an obamabot. I still believe Obama is going to win the 2012 elections, although that belief is being severely tested. Why do I believe this? Because when the dust settles, even liberals must see the perils of staying away and not voting in 2012. They stayed away in 2010 and got the congress they deserved. Even liberals, must accept that Obama’s camp’s calculations that they have nowhere else to go is right.
Just a normal everyday bloke writing about films.