Shenanigans Is it time to be inspired by Obama?

Author: Alex Garlick

Our generation is surging in support of Barack Obama in his bid for the nomination of the Democratic Party. Campaigns are turning towards new methods for mobilizing voters (Facebook, anyone?) that are aimed directly at you - college students. Young voters, which the Baltimore Sun labels the "Millennial Generation," have been vital in the primaries so far, fueling Obama and Mike Huckabee's victories in Iowa, and in subsequent contests. So what does this mean for Hillary Clinton? It's probably not good, although the Clinton campaign has been (in the words of MSNBC) "pimping out" Chelsea Clinton on college campuses to muster up support for her mom. It does not seem to be working that well, as even the students at Hillary's alma mater, Wellesley College, seem to be supporting Barack.

The overwhelming support of Obama's campaign from our generation implies that young adults are buying Obama's inspirational message. His mantra is hope and his campaign slogan is "Change We Can Believe In." There is a video all over YouTube entitled "Yes We Can" featuring a song written by Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas. This video splices the music with Obama's New Hampshire concession speech and appearances by celebrities including Scarlett Johansson and John Legend. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is in there too, but is he even a celebrity?) It's very powerful. Bob Schieffer of CBS and Chris Matthews of MSNBC both admitted to choking up while watching the video.

However, Obama's opponents maintain that while he is well-versed on stage, he is not in the finer subtleties of policymaking. Hillary claims, "You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose." Critics argue that his lack of experience will have drastic consequences for the country, and that voters should elect Hillary or John McCain.

So is Obama worthy of his optimistic support, or are young people merely drinking his inspirational Kool-Aid? Should the country's mantra be Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" or Hillary's retort, "No We Can't"?

History suggests that a president with an inspirational message can succeed, even if he stumbles initially. John F. Kennedy followed his moving inaugural address (remember, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country") with the Bay of Pigs blunder, showing that good rhetoric does not guarantee success. But his administration is not a total condemnation. The presidency is an intensely personal office, and the personality of the man (or woman) can go a long way in shaping the actions of the White House. Kennedy more than redeemed himself when he deftly navigated the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Is there any way to ensure that Obama's initial experience would be better than Kennedy's? No, but that does not mean a candidate with an inspirational message is a bad thing. It could be time for our generation to be inspired - we came of age in an era of politics of fear, of 9/11 and the Axis of Evil. But enough is enough, we are college students, we share big dreams for the future of America and the energy to carry them out. The answer to the question of whether Obama is worthy of his rhetoric is up to you. So watch "Yes We Can," read one of his speeches or catch an upcoming debate, then decide if this man is worthy of leading our generation and this country deep into the 21st century.

Alex Garlick '08.5 is a Political Science and Economics major from Needham, Mass.