There seems to a rising tide of Obamania, with people being drawn to his charismatic style, his youthful exuberance, and his charm.
Now, I seem to recall a similar candidate a few years back who pretty much came out of nowwhere, a charismatic former governor who played the saxaphone. His charm, appeal, and engaging demeanor won him a fervent and loyal following, people who remained faithful to him even through all the missteps, abuses of office, and downright fraudulent activity in which he engaged during his time in office.
No one can seem to put a finger on what exactly qualifies Obama for the office of president, or what he’ll really do once he gets there, but by gosh he’s DIFFERENT, and the country needs CHANGE, and golly, I’m just so SMITTEN with him! {{swoon}}.
By refusing to actually commit to a platform, and lay out specifics, Obama retains the ability to avoid polarizing sections of the electorate by supporting potentially unpopular stances or policies. And by building a following based on personal appeal rather than political structure, he’s effectively insulating himself from having to PROVIDE the kind of details you’d think people would require. People don’t seem interested in what he plans to do, only in what he is saying, and how he makes them feel.
It will be interesting to see, as election time approaches, how much actual detail and concrete tangibles Obama lays out on the table, versus how much he continues to rely on his personal charisma and the fervent emotionalism of followers to carry him through.
Filed under: Politics
