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Tag(s): 2008 Elections; Hillary Clinton; Obama-Barack
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May 4, 2008 at 12:09:35

The Electability Question: Some Information, Some Thoughts

by Andrew Bard Schmookler Page 2 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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I don't believe that it is necessary for Obama to become less principled in his way of campaigning. That would be self-defeating. For if America isn't going to choose Obama because he's the only one among the three possibilities WHO HASN'T SOLD HIS SOUL, RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES, TO SERVE HIS AMBITION, why else WOULD America choose him?

But as I've said before, starting with my post-Ohio/Texas piece, "Here's How Obama Should Fight Back," the issue is not whether to be a rope-a-dope patsy or to stoop to the level of his attackers. The issue is whether to cruise along dispassionately or to fight back hard in ways that strengthen the overall thrust and message and purpose of his campaign. The issue is whether to fight in ways that display more clearly and vividly just who he is and what his campaign is about.

So maybe the market is right in its present assessment. But I think that assessment would change radically if Obama can fortify his message. In particular, there are two aspects of that fortification.

First, he needs to fight more powerfully, USING THE MORAL TRUTH AS HIS WEAPON. (See my piece from yesterday about "Spiritual Transformation" being what he should make this campaign about.)

And second, he needs to display himself --his heart, his soul, his passion-- more openly, more vividly, so that Americans who are wary of him will come to know better where he's coming from, and thus so that he will drive out the phony scare-images of him being cultivated by his enemies. (See, for a ludicrous example, my "For Your Amusement" posted here earlier today.)

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Andrew Bard Schmookler's website www.nonesoblind.org is devoted to understanding the roots of America's present moral crisis and the means by which the urgent challenge of this dangerous moment can be met. Dr. Schmookler is also the author of such books as The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution (SUNY Press) and Debating the Good Society: A Quest to Bridge America's Moral Divide (M.I.T. Press). He also conducts regular talk-radio conversations in both red and blue states.