Obama v. ideologues
| By TimFernholz - Jul 12th, 2006 at 1:23 pm EDT |
| Also listed in: 2006 Campus Progress National Student Conference | Campus Progress Blog |
After his blockbuster speech on faith and politics a week or so ago, we weren't sure what to expect when Senator Barack Obama graced our stage. As a keynoter, he is filling big shoes: last year's speaker was former President Bill Clinton (Though many are expecting him to fill Clinton's shoes as a political leader, as well).
The Center for American Progress's own Mark Pike joined Obama on stage to kick off the Kick the Oil Habit Campaign. Pike is driving a flexfuel vehicle donated by Ford Motor Company from Washington D.C .to L.A. only refueling at gas stations that offer E-85, a clean, renewable domestically produced fuel. Keep your eyes out for more on that trip in the near future.
Obama is talking about the "real world," how he got involved with creating "power from the ground up, not from the top down" and how we can, too.
Obama's advice:
1. Be willing to take some risks. [Ed. Note: No money, guys.]
2. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Sometimes, you just have to persevere.
3. Cultivate a sense of empathy. What do others see?e [Ed. note: Yes, even conservatives.]
Obama's is drawing out the theme that the self-interest and materialism of our culture should be fought against; and he asks us to "broaden and not contract our ambit of concern." I'm reminded of the John Donne poem.
Not unexpectedly, Obama reminds us of the civil rights movement and Robert Kennedy. "The world demands the qualities of youth, not the time of life, but the state of mind, a temper of will, a quality of the imagination, a predominance for courage over timidity, an appetite for adventure over the love of ease."
This isn't the best speech I've seen Obama give, but it served its purpose: to remind us of why we are and what we are doing. But I was especially glad to see him, during the Q&A, say a few things about consensus and conservatives that might disappoint the more leftist members of the audience, but that are truly smart and pragmatic ideas.
Q&A:
Q: What can we expect from our leaders after the elections?
A: "Our first job is to stop the bleeding." Congressional oversight on the War on Terror. Student loan relief. "There are some incremental changes that we're going to be able to do." But what about the big changes? Energy policy, Foreign policy, Education policy, Healthcare policy. Those "big ticket items" require a "broad consensus that goes beyond one election." Obama (in my mind, rightly) argues that we need to create a broad consensus across political views, drawing support from not just the converted. "Karl Rove doesn't need a broad consensus because he doesn't believe in government."
Q: How do we go about finding a common ground?
A: First of all, our electoral system "tends to magnify and distort the degree of division in this country." Building a successful consensus means long-term work outside of election years. "We've got to show up." What people are looking for right now are not ideology but practicality. "Steer away from cant or over-the-top rhetoric."
The Center for American Progress's own Mark Pike joined Obama on stage to kick off the Kick the Oil Habit Campaign. Pike is driving a flexfuel vehicle donated by Ford Motor Company from Washington D.C .to L.A. only refueling at gas stations that offer E-85, a clean, renewable domestically produced fuel. Keep your eyes out for more on that trip in the near future.
Obama is talking about the "real world," how he got involved with creating "power from the ground up, not from the top down" and how we can, too.
Obama's advice:
1. Be willing to take some risks. [Ed. Note: No money, guys.]
2. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Sometimes, you just have to persevere.
3. Cultivate a sense of empathy. What do others see?e [Ed. note: Yes, even conservatives.]
Obama's is drawing out the theme that the self-interest and materialism of our culture should be fought against; and he asks us to "broaden and not contract our ambit of concern." I'm reminded of the John Donne poem.
Not unexpectedly, Obama reminds us of the civil rights movement and Robert Kennedy. "The world demands the qualities of youth, not the time of life, but the state of mind, a temper of will, a quality of the imagination, a predominance for courage over timidity, an appetite for adventure over the love of ease."
This isn't the best speech I've seen Obama give, but it served its purpose: to remind us of why we are and what we are doing. But I was especially glad to see him, during the Q&A, say a few things about consensus and conservatives that might disappoint the more leftist members of the audience, but that are truly smart and pragmatic ideas.
Q&A:
Q: What can we expect from our leaders after the elections?
A: "Our first job is to stop the bleeding." Congressional oversight on the War on Terror. Student loan relief. "There are some incremental changes that we're going to be able to do." But what about the big changes? Energy policy, Foreign policy, Education policy, Healthcare policy. Those "big ticket items" require a "broad consensus that goes beyond one election." Obama (in my mind, rightly) argues that we need to create a broad consensus across political views, drawing support from not just the converted. "Karl Rove doesn't need a broad consensus because he doesn't believe in government."
Q: How do we go about finding a common ground?
A: First of all, our electoral system "tends to magnify and distort the degree of division in this country." Building a successful consensus means long-term work outside of election years. "We've got to show up." What people are looking for right now are not ideology but practicality. "Steer away from cant or over-the-top rhetoric."
!
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