Can Government Save Your Soul?
February 17, 2008 on 10:41 am | In Race for Prez |
Most of us don’t know much about Michelle Obama — or much about her husband, for that matter … that’s another story. But a speech she gave at UCLA a couple of weeks ago was really strange — even by the standards of presidential politics. For someone representing a husband who professes to embody hope, unity and optimism, she gave a remarkably depressing and manifestly divisive speech.
Here are various portions of the speech on YouTube (evidently it was too long to upload on one file). For the Cliff’s Notes version on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show, click here. Hewitt starts playing her speech about two minutes into the stream, so skip ahead if you don’t want to listen to his intro. It probably won’t surprise regular readers of this blog that I agree with much of Hewitt’s commentary on Mrs. Obama’s stump speech.
First of all, where does she get off saying none of us “know our neighbors” and that “we are too isolated?” Maybe in urban areas like the South Side of Chicago (the Obamas’ stomping grounds), where it’s possible to be right on top of one another but still live in anonymity.
[Disclosure: I lived in Chicago’s South Side for a year when I was 11. It wasn’t a particularly friendly place, but I did know my neighbors.]
And how about: “Americans live in debt not because they live frivolously but because they got sick.” Really? I don’t mean to minimize the struggles of Americans who lack health insurance, but the current credit crisis was not caused by people putting kidney transplants on Mastercard.
And try this: Barack Obama is the only one who understands that in order to get things done, “we have to fix our souls” and “I am married to the only person in this race who has a chance of healing this nation.” Wow. The lack of humility sort of takes your breath away. Makes the Clintons look like Trappist monks.
“Barack will never allow you to return to your lives as usual … we can change the world!” Hmm … Is that your view of government’s role in our lives? Col. Obama, sir!
Hewitt asks an important question: Why haven’t we heard more about this in the media? It is a stunning speech made two weeks ago. I have a hunch that if this had came from Cindy McCain and was equally strident right-wing rhetoric, the media would have jumped all over it.
Which leads us to another obvious point. Why has Obama gotten a free ride from the media? I hate to agree with Hillary on anything, but when she says she has “been vetted” and (by implication) Obama has not, it should give all Dems some pause.
If I were interviewing Sen. Obama, the first thing I would ask him is whether he believes what his wife said in that speech. Then I would ask him, as Walter Mondale famously did of Gary Hart in 1984, “Where’s the beef?” If Michelle’s speech is the beef, then I’m eating at Subway.
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As I was reading this post, getting to the ” Where’s the beef ? ” line, my wife shouted to ( Not at ) me. She was in the study on the other computer. This is what she yelled:
” There’s a big recall of beef. Biggest ever? ”
Where’s the beef? On its way back to where it came from. California.
Comment by Terrence McCarthy — February 17, 2008 #
Yeah, as Hugh said, be “very afraid” when someone from the government comes to save your soul. If they do to my soul what they’ve done to my mail, I’d rather they lower their sights a bit.
Comment by Jake — February 17, 2008 #
Terrence,
Yah, evidently it’s 143 million lbs of frozen beef, enough to feed two hamburgers to every man, woman and child in the U.S. Get a load of the treatment of the cattle cited in the AP story:
Forklift = giant grilling implement? Yikes!
Jake,
As Hewitt said, saving souls is the province of spiritual leaders. Perhaps this will cause you to reconsider your involvement in the Republicans for Obama movement?
Comment by Terry — February 17, 2008 #
But isn’t there something wrong with our country’s soul? According to today’s New York Times, 17.4% of American children live below the poverty line. We have managed to become a society where most of us do not take responsibility for such a tragic state of affairs.
We are lucky here in the NW Corner: we live in small communities where volunteering and looking out for one’s neighbors is the norm. I feel my soul was saved by moving to Falls Village, and I often preach to my city friends about the great satisfaction one gets from being part of a tight-knit community where lives are intertwined and interdependent. As a society, we need to feel that obligation to each other’s well-being more than we do. The Obamas are preaching this message, which is why they are so inspiring. Yes, we need to save our souls to save our country.
Comment by Dan — February 18, 2008 #
Dan,
I agree with much of what you say. We have problems that need solving.
But the saving of souls is not for politicians. You saved yours by moving yourself to FV — not because a politician like Obama did something for you, but because you took the initiative do make a positive change in your life.
That sort of transformation has to come from within — not from Washington or Hartford.
Comment by Terry — February 18, 2008 #
Terry, Dan’s poverty statistic is from Paul Krugman’s very interesting OpEd today. Those on the right might call his ideas rank socialism. But poverty, esp childhood poverty, of this magnitude is a shameful statistic, deserving far more discussion by the candidates — that is, the Republicans . I doubt the solution for it will come from permanent tax cuts.
Comment by Peter Halle — February 18, 2008 #
Peter,
Again, I am not (and few people would) deny that there is poverty in the U.S and that we need to do more about it.
Does Krugman think better anti-poverty programs will “save our soul” as a nation. That’s my point. No matter how well intentioned, political leaders cannot force us (as Ms. Obama suggests) to care about poverty.
I noticed that Krugman did not offer any real solutions for the problem — perhaps that’s a subject for another column. But not only do poor children experience delayed development (which might be alleviated with better nutrition and less stress), but too often they grow up with weak and battered role models who do not emphasize enough the importance of hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity.
It’s much easier to do well in life, not only if your family is well connected, but if you see your parents get up every day and go to work with the expectation that you will, too, when you grow up. That is a far tougher nut to crack than improving the short-term plight of the poor and disadvantaged. Any ideas?
Comment by Terry — February 18, 2008 #
Well, I don’t have fully formed ideas, though I bet Krugman has a few (whether they are good or realistic is another matter).
But as to your contention that politicians cannot force us (your term, a bit strong I think), I remember heart-wrenching TV clips of RFK visiting poor Appalachian families. You don’t think politicians can make us care about poverty — I disagree.
Comment by Peter Halle — February 18, 2008 #
Peter,
I agree with you. I think don’t know if politicians can make us care but they can make us pay attention. The other day on NPR, someone said that if newcasts and newspapers were truly reporting the most important stories of the day, then every day the lead story would be about the thousands of children who die of malnutrition and starvation instead of stories about prep school endowments and organic meat in the Congressional cafeteria. The soul of our nation has been hijacked by reality TV shows and shopaholism. Did you read that HIllary is going to fight the credit card companies to make sure interest rates are no higher than 30% as if that would help anyone out of a financial hole?
It’s a bitter pill to swallow to hear that Americans are not “the kindest and most generous people on earth.” (Who keeps tabs on such things anyway and awards top honors to the USA every year?) Yes, Michelle Obama may be unorthodox, but there is truth in what she says.
Comment by Dan — February 18, 2008 #
to clarify the above:
those thousands of children dying every day are all around the world (not that it should really make a difference if you think about it.)
Comment by Dan — February 18, 2008 #