After watching some long, in-depth interviews with David Maraniss, author of “Barack Obama, The Story,” on C-span 3, I am more aware than ever of the President’s complex background and integrative struggles through multiple stages of adaptation which he experienced and the rich, strong, personal identity he has accomplished through them.
It has made me aware of the inaccuracies and misperceptions of his many critics in American politics, even locally, some of whose enmity can well be described as un-American, even anti-human. Some people try to reduce him to a shadow of Saul Alinsky or Jeremiah Wright and turn him into a “European Socialist.” This is utterly ridiculous. Obama is bigger and more complex, yet better integrated than any of his contributing sources, African, Asian or American and, above all, especially those who now slur his ideals, character and competence.
Obama stands head and shoulders above his antecedents and opponents. I now regard him as the best man in the world to lead the people of the United States through the next four years. This is not due to any arguments Maraniss made in his favor, but to the plain facts and sequence of events that form Obama’s life history. I am well aware that none of what Maraniss writes or that I opine will sway his enemies and mine. They are totally commited to a view of life and truth that excludes any fact but which comports with their ardent wishfulness, devoutly believed-in Rightist virtue and fantasies of an idealized goal, a goal which will prove viable only for themselves briefly but inimical both to democracy and ultimately to our form of civilization and life on earth.
Barack Obama must be reelected. Yet, that will suffice only if he gains support of the House and increased power by Democrats in the Senate. Turn Republicans, especially the Tea Partiers, out of office. Put Democrats in, everywhere possible. Increase the number of Democratic women in Congress by electing Emily’s List candidates. Throw the corporatist bums out, get rid of the servants of vampire capital, the toadies and lackeys of Big Money, the opportunists who make careers out of gobbling money channeled through influence-greedy lobbyists that pressure legislators who might otherwise do decent work for the country. Take our ship back from the pirates!
But, if this country turns out not to be worthy of Barack Obama, it will get what it then deserves. Goodbye to all freedom but purchasing power. Goodbye to any liberty except the licentiousness of getting anything you want by means of money, no matter what anyone else may want or hope for. Your enemies hope the nuclear explosiveness of their immense spending on this election will permanently deafen you to yourselves.
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