Rusted Sky

Obama.

The man knows how to orate, to be sure. And get the crowds fired up... But does a charismatic personality mean someone either is or will be a good leader?

I'm thinking... not. Yes, they can get followers - but in the end? Something seems to go... wrong.

We haven't had many Presidents in the US who tried hard to be charismatic - at best, a lot of them were friendly, down-home sort of folks, the sort of people you'd like to go to a party with or have as a neighbor - who were able to step up and do what had to be done when things went all pear-shaped.

But aside from one or two that didn't last long, we've not really had 'charismatic' Presidents.

And it disturbs me to see Obama's charismatic campaign. It's seeming startlingly devoid of actual issues - but it sounds good.

Clinton went into the debate needing a change in the course of the campaign, and waited patiently for an opening to try to diminish her rival, seated inches away on the stage. "I think you can tell from the first 45 minutes Senator Obama and I have a lot in common," she said.

Barely pausing for breath, she went on to say there were differences.

First, she said she had seen a supporter of Obama interviewed on television recently, and unable to name a single accomplishment the Illinois senator had on his record.

"Words are important and words matter but actions speak louder than words," she said.

Obama agreed with that, then noted that Clinton lately had been urging voters to turn against him by saying, "let's get real."

"And the implication is that the people who've been voting for me or are involved in my campaign are somehow delusional," Obama said.

Only if they're expecting substance. He's telegenic, though, and looks to be the winner of the Democratic horse race - the question remains to be answered, however, whether that's qualities that'll buoy up the nation if he gets elected, or if he'll turn into another Jimmy Carter.

Personally? I think he missed his calling. I, for one, don't want a charismatic President. Guess I've read too much SF where some slick-tounged scoundrel ended up manipulating a population into ruin, or establishing a hereditary theological dictatorship. And really, his wife isn't helping any.

"Barack Will Never Allow You to Go Back to Your Lives as Usual."

Last night I appeared on Hugh's show, and his producer Duane mentioned a Michelle Obama speech at UCLA. Captain Ed talked about this a bit, but I hadn't seen anyone transcribe the part of the speech where it gets a little... unnerving. It starts at about 8:41 in the audio.

Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

I'm sorry, nowhere in the Constitution does it authorize the President of the United States to demand anyone shed their cynicism. And I'm all for people pushing themselves to be better, but I don't think the President demanding it is the way to go about it.

He can request - but we're free people. This isn't Orwell's 1984, where the government controls how the population thinks.

At least - not yet.

J.