HOPE is a Bumper Sticker

Is Obama a Fad or Real Change? Some Unsolicited Advice for Barack Obama

Driving to work today I spotted one of those ever-present Obama HOPE bumper stickers and I thought . . . that reminds me a lot of my old Duran Duran sticker. Then I thought . . . why does that remind me of my old Duran Duran sticker?

My Duran Duran sticker was a big deal when I was in high school. Duran Duran was hot. They were huge. Then I went to college with my Duran Duran sticker on my Army-Navy surplus store trunk and within the year, maybe the first quarter, it was sooooo passe.  I'm afraid that Obama might be like Duran Duran - a fad. A really, really big deal . . . for a while. Part of what defines a fad, of course, is that it is temporary, sometimes even fleeting. Is Obama a fleeting fancy?

You see people swoon over Barack Obama, you hear them extol his virtues (granted, not with much specificity), and watch as they give and give and give to his campaign and turn out for his blockbuster speeches. But what I don't hear, the phrase that is notably absent from politico lips, the phrase that is the ultimate compliment, at least to a Democrat . . . "He's the real deal."  That's what was said about Bill Clinton. It's what was said about Jeb Bartlett (oh, woops, that's make believe). If it were the phrase in vogue at the time, it probably would have been said about John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt. I haven't heard it uttered too often about Barack Obama. At all, actually. I certainly wouldn't think to say it about him.

Then there's his image, his logo, his website, his slogans, his speeches. They are all ethereal. There's the halo-like O that makes up his logos, there's the blue-to-light blue sky colors as background behind the halo-like O on his website. There's HOPE. There's the messiah-like feel to his speeches and the crowds' reponses. There's the constant reminder that he is Christian (probably not his fault given the incessant yet false claims of him not being Christian). The policy details are there, somewhere, but they're buried, left alone on the ground while the rest of the campaign floats somewhere overhead.

But here's the rub. He may be a fad, but if he is going to win this election, he just may have to go with that, make the fad last through November 4, ride the wave. He won the Democratic nomination because of all of this stuff, because of these fad-like qualities. Abandoning them is not going to do the trick. He just doesn't have enough depth, and he certainly is not skilled enough in the art of the political interview or debate, to be able to win any other way. He has to run this race on his terms, not on McCain's - run it his way, not McCain's. He needs to be himself and continue to inspire, rouse, and sway. He needs to continue to give his big speeches, make a big splash.

Honing his interviewing and debating skills would be good, too. Maybe he could take a lesson or two from people like Hillary Clinton and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The Mayor was on KPCC radio this morning and was asked about the holes in Los Angeles' homeland security. This is not a question that the leader of a city should EVER answer directly. Mayor Villaraigosa answered brilliantly, explaining what we get funding for, what we need to get more funding for, that resources are going to all critical areas so that we are in good shape, while still explaining that we need additional resources to further bolster our security. That's a home-run answer. It addresses the issue raised in the question, but on the politician's terms. This is something Barack Obama must master.

The biggest problem with Barack Obama's campaign lately, aside from serious foot-in-mouth disease on the part of both the presidential and vice presidential candidates, is that it is on the defensive and fighting in a passive manner. This causes Obama to look weak, arrogant, and childish. Not a winning combination. The campaign needs to go on the offensive. Not necessarily on the attack because that would require continuing to focus on John McCain or, worse, Governor Palin, but on the offensive. This means crafting an assertive (parts will be positive, parts will be negative) message that tells voters what Obama will accomplish as president, how this will make voters' personal world and our collective world better, and that Obama is in command and will keep us secure (in terms of the economy and our safety). Sprinkle that with some hits on McCain (not Bush) and we're good to go.

Polling, I think, bears out what I propose (see recent ABC News/Washington Post poll and related article).

1.  Green Jobs and Global Warming Rollback Program

A message about what Obama will do 1) to stop global warming, 2) to encourage us to create, produce, and use alternative energy (which will also keep our energy and gas/car costs down), and 3) to create a new green jobs program. You've got global warming, high gas prices, jobs, the economy, tax breaks (later called tax cuts), and other green issues.

2.  Health Care and Insurance Reform

A message about what Obama will do to fix/replace our broken health care system - his health care proposal. Possibly follow Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton's leads and add the mandatory requirement provision. Be bold and go further in the area of tort reform, supporting mandatory caps or some variation on this - bring this point closer to the forefront using clever wording to make it sound simpler and more interesting than it would otherwise. This goes to health care, but it also goes to economic/financial security for most Americans and corruption/gluttony of the rich insurance companies.

3.  Foreign Policy

A message about how Obama will make us feel safe and secure in the midst of the world's craziness. Obama could say . . . I will take the lead in world affairs, I will repair broken relationships, I will act responsibly and be steadfast in policing the world's troublemakers, I will curtail proliferation of nuclear small and large arms, I will help to stabilize the world's shaky and dangerous countries through economic assistance, I will stand by Israel, I will stabilize Iraq so that we are not drawn back in, I will wage war on the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and other belligerent forces in Afghanistan, I will sure up fragmented support in Pakistan, I will work with world leaders to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons, I will keep an eye on Russia and not let them pull any more punches, I will strengthen our military, I will keep America safe and secure.  If Obama exhibits knowledge of geopolitics, makes it clear that he'll be in charge, and names someone as his chief foreign policy advisor (Biden?) . . . if he does this clearly, concisely, consistently, decisively, and in a forward-looking manner, we may start to see him as Commander in Chief.

And finally, one last message for Senator Obama . . . Bush sucked, but we're over it.

Tell us why you will be a fantastic president, how you will keep us safe, how you will keep (or make) the economy healthy, not how you are different than Bush or McCain is the same as Bush. And don't forget to pivot in those interviews and debates!