Passion

There are still caucuses in Maine today, but yesterday's contests-- Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington, and the Virgin Islands-- all went to Sen. Obama. Democratic voter turnout was again in record numbers.

Political establishment figures have never gotten the phenomenon behind Barack Obama's broad popularity among voters (of varying ideologies) and assume it must just be some celebrity thing (admittedly, having Scarlett Johansson do robocalls for you doesn't help there). But they're wrong. I, for instance, don't treat politics like some kind of celebrity circus-- unlike the pundits and Beltway insiders-- and don't care which candidate is 'cooler' than the others. To a large degree, it's because I agree more with where Obama is on the issues (imagine that!) than the other candidates. But the other reason is where the Bobby Kennedy comparisons came in... his ability to make people believe in, and passionate about, politics again.

The Philadelphia Daily News' Will Bunch says-

"Now, for the first time since the current generation of Villagers took up the roost, there's a candidate who's not playing their game, who's bringing new, young, previously non-political and enthusastic people into the system (inspiring them to not only open their hearts but their wallets, apparently).

There's a legitimate debate to be had whether Barack Obama is the entire package -- including his policy positions and his experience -- to become the 44th president of the United States. But no one should be unhappy about bringing some excitement and some passion into the great American debate -- unless of course you belong the Gang of 500, and then you see a mob outside the gates of the Bastille."

I think that's right. The Beltway types love everything about politics... except the voters. Oh, and governing. That's, like, way boring.

In 1968, many people flocked to Bobby Kennedy because the establishment-- including the leader of their own party, President Johnson-- had betrayed them and the promises of their generation. And when presented with an alternative to this betrayal, they embraced it. What boomers like Tom Brokaw saw as some crazed hippie mass was actually a genuine grassroots movement of passionate voters. We have a similar situation now, after years and years of radical conservative leadership in which the opposition party did minimal opposing. Obama's presented himself as the alternative to that and, shockingly, folks are responding.

(Of course, Kennedy was shot just as he had the nomination wrapped up, and many of his supporters sat out the election after the party nominated the dull establishment candidate, and Nixon became President running on a false platform of peace and unity. So maybe we should end all '68 comparisons from here on out.)

Sen. Obama is gaining some momentum. I hope-- pardon the pun-- he will not waste it.

[PS- One of the best pro-Obama arguments I have read is from blogger Hilzoy. For those still buying the spin that Obama is all rhetoric and no substance, I implore you to read it.]