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Column: Obama can't compare with Lincoln, FDR
Matt Zimmerman
Issue date: 1/13/09 Section: Opinions
Since the November election, the narrative from both journalists and liberal commentators has been, more or less, that Barack Obama is a mix between Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt.
Obama, like Lincoln, is assembling a "team of rivals." Technically, this is true, but it stretches any semblance of credibility to attribute to the cabinet pick of Tom Vilsack, a rival for about two weeks, any significance in terms of how he will govern.
The same goes for Bill Richardson and Joe Biden - they were never serious contenders. Hillary Clinton was the only serious rival he had.
This "team of rivals" rhetoric is simply an excuse for the fact that none of his major picks bring anything new.
While every politician flip-flops, Obama has managed to trump them all and flipped on the entire theme of his campaign. He managed to convince half the country that he was going to bring "change." He drilled it home at every opportunity.
"The stakes are too high…to play the same old Washington games with the same old Washington players."
"Change doesn't come from Washington. It comes to Washington." He was going to bring a new kind of politics, transcend partisanship and "unite the country for change."
We got Biden, senator since 1973. Rahm Emanuel, Clinton insider, board member of Freddie Mac and Chicago politician. Eric Holder, Clinton insider. Clinton. Richardson. Gates. The list goes on.
A particularly egregious pick is former Clinton chief of staff, Leon Panetta, for director of the CIA. After three years of whining about "Brownie," you would think any Democrat would be leery about appointing someone with no national security experience to prevent attacks on our nation.
With regards to the FDR, "New New Deal" angle, the fantasy is that he will fix the economy while governing from the center.
At no time in his political career (except in the months preceding the election) has he shown any moderate tendencies. Obama is a liberal's liberal, and he has picked liberals to fill his administration.
The only things that can stop him are the economy and the threat of electoral defeat. However, Obama has stated that we are looking at trillion dollar deficits for years to come.
With that, I think it is safe to say that there will be no significant budgetary constraints to prevent implementation of his liberal agenda.
As for political constraints, the Democrats probably do not have to worry about losing the White House or many Senate seats. They are probably tops in the House. Something tells me that the Democrats are not going to pass up the once in a generation opportunity they have.
I do not like them, but I am not saying there is anything wrong, per se, with most of his picks or liberal policies. My point is simply that the current commentary, at best, lacks any seriousness, or is, at worst, purposely misleading.
Matt Zimmerman is a senior political science major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
Obama, like Lincoln, is assembling a "team of rivals." Technically, this is true, but it stretches any semblance of credibility to attribute to the cabinet pick of Tom Vilsack, a rival for about two weeks, any significance in terms of how he will govern.
The same goes for Bill Richardson and Joe Biden - they were never serious contenders. Hillary Clinton was the only serious rival he had.
This "team of rivals" rhetoric is simply an excuse for the fact that none of his major picks bring anything new.
While every politician flip-flops, Obama has managed to trump them all and flipped on the entire theme of his campaign. He managed to convince half the country that he was going to bring "change." He drilled it home at every opportunity.
"The stakes are too high…to play the same old Washington games with the same old Washington players."
"Change doesn't come from Washington. It comes to Washington." He was going to bring a new kind of politics, transcend partisanship and "unite the country for change."
We got Biden, senator since 1973. Rahm Emanuel, Clinton insider, board member of Freddie Mac and Chicago politician. Eric Holder, Clinton insider. Clinton. Richardson. Gates. The list goes on.
A particularly egregious pick is former Clinton chief of staff, Leon Panetta, for director of the CIA. After three years of whining about "Brownie," you would think any Democrat would be leery about appointing someone with no national security experience to prevent attacks on our nation.
With regards to the FDR, "New New Deal" angle, the fantasy is that he will fix the economy while governing from the center.
At no time in his political career (except in the months preceding the election) has he shown any moderate tendencies. Obama is a liberal's liberal, and he has picked liberals to fill his administration.
The only things that can stop him are the economy and the threat of electoral defeat. However, Obama has stated that we are looking at trillion dollar deficits for years to come.
With that, I think it is safe to say that there will be no significant budgetary constraints to prevent implementation of his liberal agenda.
As for political constraints, the Democrats probably do not have to worry about losing the White House or many Senate seats. They are probably tops in the House. Something tells me that the Democrats are not going to pass up the once in a generation opportunity they have.
I do not like them, but I am not saying there is anything wrong, per se, with most of his picks or liberal policies. My point is simply that the current commentary, at best, lacks any seriousness, or is, at worst, purposely misleading.
Matt Zimmerman is a senior political science major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
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