Living in the Age of That One

This isn't a year to be a standard politician or political party leader. Particularly when we're living, as we do, in the era of That One - a.k.a. Democratic United States Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill) and Democratic Party candidate for President. Beginning with his 2004 Keynote Address before the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Senator Obama established himself as an orator-extraordinaire rivalling even Bill Clinton. Although Obama's debating skills had previously left something to be desired, it seems like he has mastered that one as evidenced by his recent jousts with Senator McCain. His ability to connect has brought so many voters, new and old, Democrat, Republican and independent to his side. The longer lines at the early voting stations and the excitement to be able to vote for him illustrates, in part, this trend.

Contrast that with elections recently held in Canada where voter turnout was lower than normal. During the English-language Canadian party leaders' debate, the moderator Steve Paikin had to admonish the leaders from talking over each other lest viewers get frustrated and switch the channel to watch the (presumably more entertaining) Biden-Palin debate being telecast that same evening instead of theirs. Imagine a U.S. Vice Presidential debate catching more Canadian interest than the debate amongst a group, one of whom would become the next Prime Minister of Canada. Well at least this year, perhaps not so difficult.

The reality is, and this goes back, in part, to living in the Age of Obama - the leaders of political parties across the world, including in Canada and Britain, as well as the head of the Republican Party in the United States, don't excite the public in quite the same way. Perhaps they don't aspire to be, but they are not transformational figures who enliven the public to take interest in who is leading their government. Senator McCain's campaign was kick started by the selection of Governor Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate. But recent polls suggest that while the GOP base is still high on the candy that she represents, many others in the public, including Republicans, are feeling a little ill from all the sugar.

Maybe there is only enough space for one Obama at a time, but I have to believe that rather than merely trying to rip Obama apart by calling him un-American, (and there are fair areas related to policy to disagree with him on whether you are on the left or right), this is a call to individual politicians to rise to the occasion and do their best to get out their inner orator.

Obama's appeal though doesn't just rest as a splendid orator and/or hope-monger, it's also as an intellectual. Someone who makes being a thinker look good again. Of course this isn't difficult given what the lack of a keen mind has done to the United States under the Bush Presidency, or as exemplified by Governor Palin. I don't mean to say that they are not nice people one-on-one (they may be), but I think we have come to realize (even though it should have been obvious already) that we need smart people running the government, any government, and not people who aspire to the lowest common denominator who think becoming/voting for a president is akin to electing some one to lead a Joe Six-Pack beer-guzzling fraternity.

Being an intellectual, I should stress doesn't mean, strictly speaking, holding several graduate degrees. It's about having an intellectual curiosity and analytical mind to process information. One of my closest friends chose not to pursue studies beyond essentially a community college level, yet he has a curiosity and interest in what is happening in the world. He is an intelligent person who is interested in learning but chooses to do it outside the realm of academia. What is important is that thirst to learn, as a life long endeavor.

What I hope is that in the age of "That One", that some of his dust will fall onto other politicians and would-be politicians about the necessity to be smart, policy-oriented individuals who can also communicate in an engaging manner. The bar has been set high.