Politics is fun. Now that tonight's returns are in from New Hampshire, I think we can say that some very interesting and important things are happening. Let's look at some of them together...
1) Maybe it's too soon to say, but in light of Iowa's winners last week (Huckabee and Obama) and New Hampshire's winners this week (McCain and Hilary), I'm going to say that the real race right now is not between candidates but between culture and paradigm. Huck and Obama are the visionaries who have strong charisma, authentic personaes, and capitalize on their connections with the heart of the voter. This kind of personal connection appeals to our post-modern culture; we want what is real and genuine. Iowa, as the representative Heartland, made a very strong statement about that with their caucus. For anyone who would say anything elitist about that state, consider that the grass roots that came out for those two candidates were primarily new voters, college students (educated people, hello!), and the always under-estimated evangelicals.
New Hampshire represents a demographic slightly to the LEFT (dare I say), representing the difference between a red state and blue state culture. New Hampshire has a very established politic, and it stands to reason that they would vote for McCain on the Republican side. We are at war, and he is an obvious choice for Commander in Chief. But while I predicted Hilary would win tonight, I thought it would be because it is New Hampshire, a state who loooooves her husband. Then I looked at polls yesterday, with Obama coming out ahead and I thought, "hmm ... it's that authenticity thing. A candidate like Hilary doesn't have a chance in a post-modern culture." Until ...
2) That woman CRIES, and then she WINS! "This is very personal for me," she chokes, with tears glistening in her eyes. When I saw the video yesterday, I had two equal and opposing reactions. The first was that I thought she looked *choke* beautiful. Vulnerability is beautiful, especially in a woman. She seemed so real, it was a good hair and make up day for her, and we got a glimpse of who she really is. And it was beautiful. She was beautiful. There, I said it.
My other reaction? For the love, that woman will do ANYTHING!!! Where are the violins, WHERE?! Between her sniffles, all I could hear her say was, "I am so scared to lose again tomorrow! Because then it will be all over and I'll be forced to cut ribbons and collect all those stupid 'honorary degrees' and pretend it was an honor just to run!"
"This is very personal for me," she says. THAT is what today's voters need to hear, no matter what state they are in. She knew that voters needed to see something deeper from her BECAUSE of the returns in Iowa, and she needed to pull one out because she heard the pundits and the last minute polls and they were giving Obama double digit leads. Well, she pulled it out, all right. Well done, Hilary. Come on up and get your Oscar.
Okay, okay, and this! In her acceptance speech, she thanked voters for "voting from their hearts" and for helping her "find her voice." Find her voice? Find her soul, more like it. Find her ace card. You mark my words, those tears will make an encore appearance before this thing is over.
3) Hilary is still very nervous. And she should be.
4) I just don't like John McCain.
5) In this post-modern culture, negativity is deadly. If you are the guy who is doing the attacking, voters think it is ugly and they will not vote for you. Mitt, 1972 called. Said it needs it's campaign strategy back.
6) John Edwards says "two states down, 48 to go." That guy wants to lose 48 more times??? I lost student council elections twice, and I'm still trying to get over it!
7) It really is very early. But I don't think there is a clear cut candidate on either side of the aisle anymore. This is going to be very interesting.
8) I feel like Bleys right now! I just turned on the TV, and they are all saying what I'm saying. I feel like yelling at the TV Kueck-style, "I just said that!!!"
And finally,
9) Rudy who?
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1 comment:
Thanks for the shout-out yo! You get to say that about politics; I only get to say it about sports.
Anyway, right after your little gem, this (http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NWFlYTI4MzJmODc5NzlkNWEwZDFhMjdlYTFlYThiNmQ=) little ditty showed up in the Tribune. Pretty much spot-on, eh?
Finally, I understand the Huckabee factor and his appeal, but what's so wrong with McCain? You said something about you being "too much of a Republican" to like him, or something like that (don't want to put words in your mouth, but sometimes you are an enigma and I can't figure you out...wait, sorry, I was channelling the Duke there). Isn't Huckabee more outside the party mainstream (not that there's anything wrong with that!)?
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