The Power of Obama's Inspiration

Just so:

[T]he New York Times ran an essay by Caroline Kennedy saying she would support Obama because he was capable of inspiring a generation to great heights in a manner reminiscent of her late father.

Clearly she is on to something. Obama can inspire people to avoid buying health insurance and count on wealthy people being taxed by the government to pay for their care. He can inspire young people to attend university for free on the public dime. In fact, he can inspire each of us to ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. How is that for coming full circle? If not for my unfortunate fear of heights, I could share in the inspiration myself. There may well be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow coalition.

A bit more... Bill's legacy? Gone.

Yet her most ruthless stab is reserved for Bill Clinton himself, nominally not the candidate but merely an enthusiastic spouse. Caroline's last paragraph gives Bill the coup de grace: "I never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president -- not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans."

Decoded that reads: "Bill Clinton met my father in the White House and built his entire life around the dream of becoming president and inspiring people the same way. Instead he got to the White House and laid a large egg. The last thing I need is for Mrs. Egg to take over. Now this Obama, he is a different story. He just might be the guy."

Ouch, that's going to leave a mark.

Perhaps there's there's the makings of an angle here. Some have carped that Bill Clinton doesn't really want Hillary to win -- his ego will not permit it.

Well, perhaps. But at least if Hillary won, he would be a very important player and he would know that her victory was chiefly due to Democrats' affection for himself.

But how will his ego survive if the Democratic Party turns its back on him completely? If someone who is not married to Bill Clinton, someone who does not owe Bill Clinton their political success, becomes president?

Maybe this explains, somewhat, Bill Clinton's occasional playing of the race card. This matters to him -- or rather, his ego, which is what drives him.

Quote Fixed! If that first quote seemed to be lacking something -- like a, you know, point -- it was. I botched my HTML again and blanked out what I intended to boldface.

posted by Ace at 04:53 PM

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