Obama IS 44. (A Hillarite reaches closure.)

[smalll]

So back during GD:Primaries, I was a Hillarite. And one of the main reasons was because I believed that Hillary was a stronger candidate than Barack. And if you slice and dice the demographics of the electorate, she was. And the Repubs went ahead and somehow picked their most electable candidate. So I had concerns.

But what has become clear in the polling over the past couple of weeks is that I was thinking only of each candidate on his (or her) own, rather than what we face today, and through the fall, up until November -- two candidates in contrast and in conflict.

And although McCain was their best candidate, and although Obama may have been our second-best one, once you face them off against each other, the questions becomes painfully clear: youth or age, vigor or fatigue, style or stuffiness. (Or, in terms the internet generation can understand, Hot Or Not?)

The vast masses of the electorate can miss much, but they won't miss these clear dichotomies. Obama is so 44.

For many deep reasons, what America does when it elects a President is that it elects a monarch -- it elects a king. It chooses a patriarch, a tribal chief, a symbol of the nation. Now young kings, REALLY young kings, child kings, can be a problem. But Barack is not a child -- he is no Dubya -- (the problem with child kings is that you end up with bad corrupt Regency government -- most recently with Cheney playing the role of Regent) -- he is instead a perhaps obscure but vigorous young man -- he is a soon-to-be Henry V -- and people will forgive his dilliances with Falstaff and Mistress Quickly (or Pastors Wright and Pfleger) because they hope and trust that if he ascends to the throne, he will put the impresarios of his youthful indiscretions aside, and become instead just what we need right now - a young and vigorous king.

Put it this way (for the Lord of the Rings fans) -- no way in today's unsettled times that anything near a majority of the voters would ever put a Theoden or a Denethor on the throne. Not when we have an Aragorn.

ON EDIT: I especially know that he's Monsieur Inevitable because at this very moment on DU, I see a thread asking whether people agree that Hillary was a tougher candidate to beat than McCain will ever be, but MORE IMPORTANTLY, I see yet ANOTHER thread from the conspiracy-minded constituency who are insane, but yet tenuously connected with reality enough for them to realize through their psychoses/neuroses/paranoias that MCCAIN IS SO TOAST that they are compelled to declare that somehow, the Powers That Be will pull Old Johnny out at the last minute, and he'll NEVER BE THE CANDIDATE!

[slinkerwink]

1. kick for the strangest but somewhat pleasant analogy to Obama and LOTR

[CreekDog]

2. i admire a sensible decision when it's just so damned practical

you made this decision without Kool Aid (which is more than I can say for myself) :rofl: :pals:

[MercutioATC]

3. Very cool of you. I know what it's like to lose a candidate.

I was a "Deaniac" in 2004. I always believed that he was the best candidate, but when Kerry became the nominee I voted for Kerry.

I'm much more happy with Obama than I was Kerry, but I can empathize with having one's chosen candidate drop out.

Welcome aboard! It's going to take all of us to make this happen.

[anonymous171]

4. K&R for a fitting LOTR analogy.

:kick:

[rwenos]

5. Screw Aragorn, it's Henry the Fifth I Want!

Somebody had to pick up on your analogy. Here goes (BLOOD BOILING):

Westmerland. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England,
That doe no worke to day

King. What's he that wishes so?
My Cousin Westmerland. No, my faire Cousin:
If we are markt to dye, we are enow
To doe our Countrey losse: and if to liue,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
Gods will, I pray thee wish not one man more.
By Ioue, I am not couetous for Gold,
Nor care I who doth feed vpon my cost:
It yernes me not, if men my Garments weare;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sinne to couet Honor,
I am the most offending Soule aliue.
No 'faith, my Couze, wish not a man from England:
Gods peace, I would not loose so great an Honor,
As one man more me thinkes would share from me,
For the best hope I haue. O, doe not wish one more:
Rather proclaime it (Westmerland) through my Hoast,
That he which hath no stomack to this fight,
Let him depart, his Pasport shall be made,
And Crownes for Conuoy put into his Purse:
We would not dye in that mans companie,
That feares his fellowship, to dye with vs.
This day is call'd the Feast of Crispian:
He that out-liues this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rowse him at the Name of Crispian.
He that shall see this day, and liue old age,
Will yeerely on the Vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, to morrow is Saint Crispian.
Then will he strip his sleeue, and shew his skarres:
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot:
But hee'le remember, with aduantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our Names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing Cups freshly remembred.
This story shall the good man teach his sonne:
And Crispine Crispian shall ne're goe by,
From this day to the ending of the World,
But we in it shall be remembred;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers:
For he today that sheds his blood with me,
Shall be my brother: be he ne're so vile,
This day shall gentle his Condition.
And Gentlemen in England, now a bed,
Shall thinke themselues accurst they were not here;
And hold their Manhoods cheape, whiles any speakes,
That fought with us upon Saint Crispines day.

If THAT's what Obama is going to give us, SIGN ME UP!!! (Hell, sign me up anyway.)

[Warren DeMontague]

6. Well, shit, man. For that, I'm gonna send you a virtual latte.

Mmmmm. Lattes. They're good.

:hippie:

[smalll]

7. Thanks!

:toast:

[DevonRex]

8. Love ya! I'm one of those hopeless folks who don't like

LOTR. But when you put it all that way, I might even re-read it. :)

[bunnies]

9. McCain was definitely NOT their best candidate.

His win was purely by accident due to the fractured evangelical vote. Now they're stuck with him. And he sucks!

[Mooney]

11. None of them were their best candidate.

When the field is Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney and Tom Tancredo (among others) John McCain starts to look damn near normal. But by no means does that mean he was their best candidate. Maybe I would say he was one of the least worst candidates, but that's as far as I'll go.

[bunnies]

14. True. They did have a bunch of shit to chose from.

A Romney / Huckabee duo made me nervous though.

[SeaLyons]

10. From one who supported

Hillary to another....

here's to 44 :toast:

Great post.

[jenmito]

12. Then feel free to borrow this:

[Doityourself]

13. GOLLUM!!!

:bounce:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. Though I *strongly* disagree that Hillary is stronger than Obama,

I appreciate this very thoughtful analysis!! Welcome!! :)

[Danger Mouse]

16. Works for me. Glad to have you.

:hi:

[niceypoo]

17. The primaries are now irrelevent...

Good post, however

[roseBudd]

18. POTUS is NOT a monarch, it is a bully pulpit & a veto pen, & 1 of 3 coequal branches...

Clinton's Magic Mommy was never going to fix everything on Day One by blowing on boo boos to make them better.

[jillan]

19. Welcome to the club!

It's hard.
Still wishing that Hillary won the nom; but I have no problem supporting Obama now.

[RB TexLa]

20. Not everyone has or will reach closure on that, it just can't be expressed here.

Which is necessary, have to move from one set of campaigns to the next campaign.

[smalll]

21. I am honored by your response. Seriously, you are my favoite DUer ---

and noticed (during GD:P) that you were a fellow-Hillarite.

RGBolen,

:toast: :toast: :toast:

I Drink With You!

:toast: :toast: :toast:

[RB TexLa]

23. Thank you.

:toast:

Anytime.

[Number23]

22. I have no idea what you're talking about

.... but I'm still going to kick your thread just because of your lovely "Lord of the Rings" reference....