American has turned into a nation of feelings, over reason.

Obama is a living, breathing example of this. He's riding on a wave of feel-good, not substance.

Obama makes white liberals feel less guilt, as if voting for him will finally absolve America of the last vestiges of guilt over slavery. A vote for Obama makes them look truly progressive, part of the "in-crowd."

Because he has no substance. His claim of never having voted for the war is empty. His lengthy speeches say nothing. His promise of change is empty - he never promises specifics or details - just "hope" and "change."

Obama neglects to talk about the economy, education, and health care in concrete terms. Everything he has to say only appeals to making people feel special and part of something cool.

But since Hillary, John Edwards and Obama share the same liberal views on most topics, it is a popularity contest for who makes liberals feel better. A vote for Obama makes liberals part of the "cool" crowd.

How embarrassing for those who have "Obama" signs in their front lawns. They can't even tell you what his voting record is, or what specifically he stands for... other than change.

Change is inevitable. The only appeal Obama offers is making the unpopular and socially awkward feel part of the cool kids clique.

When politicians offer nothing, and the people demand nothing, then the powers-that-be are free to continue doing whatever they choose.

The death knell of participatory politics can often be a very noisy, celebratory affair - such as we have witnessed in the call-and-response ritual of "Change!" "Hope!" and other exuberant but insubstantial campaign exercises.

Finally, the most accomplished hustler in presidential history, Bill Clinton, was compelled to expose Barack Obama's "fairy tale" anti-war history - some truth for a "change."

Black Agenda Report knows the story very well, after more than four years of observing Obama's descent from vaguely progressive rhetoric to shameless pandering (to whites) and vapid "Change!" mantra nonsense.

Only the rich can win this game.

The Emptiness of Change [Original]

Although ‘change' may come, it will be at the direction of the rich

The scam of this still-new century enthralls and envelopes the nation, a narrowly-packaged farce in which political twins Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama pretend they are not joined at the hip on every public policy issue that has been allowed to enter the corporate media-vetted discourse: health care, Iraq, trade.

Even these points of (non)contention disappear in the din of purely commercial marketing mantras with infinitely malleable meanings: "Change," "Hope," "Reform."

When no real change is offered - when both front-runners are wedded to a lingering presence in Iraq and to reestablishing U.S. hegemony in the world.

When insurance and drug companies are left virtually untouched by duos' tepid forays into broadening health care coverage.

And when neither offers a whisper of an idea on halting the corporate-engineered global Race to the Bottom, then it is certain that, although "change" may come, it will be at the direction of the rich who have brought the nation and planet to the very brink of catastrophe.

The biggest fairy tale I've ever seen

Ironically, it was Bill Clinton who, on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, exposed the bogus nature of the stage-set battle between his wife and Barack Obama:

It is wrong that Senator Obama got to go through 15 debates trumpeting his superior judgment.

And how he had been against the war in every year, enumerating the years, and never got asked one time - not once, 'Well, how could you say that when you said in 2004 you didn't know how you would have voted on the resolution?

You said in 2004 there was no difference between you and George Bush on the war. And you took that speech you're now running on off your Web site in 2004.

And there's no difference in your voting record and Hillary's ever since. Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen."

Obama panders to the white man's 'values'

"Slick Willy" knows a hustler when he sees one, either in the mirror or opposing his wife. After more than four years of documenting Obama's machinations, so do we.

And now we are left only with the politics of "Change" - which is anything the various audiences want it to be.

Through relentless pandering to white desires for an end to Black agitation and reminders of enduring institutional racism, Obama has proven his ability to amass huge white support.

As a result, much of Black America may become convinced the last hurdle to putting a Black Face in the Highest Place has been overcome, and shift overwhelmingly to Hillary's estranged Black political twin.

Corporate America, never threatened by either candidate, has long been comfortable with the outcome of this race, whichever way it goes - that's why they put their money on both Barack and Hillary.

After Obama thanked his supporters for making him a close second in New Hampshire, the sound system blared a Stevie Wonder song with the hook, "Here I am, baby, signed sealed, delivered, I'm yours."

For whom were those lyrics meant?

tags: obama  change  empty  rhetoric  clinton  president  2008  

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