Obamamania

I have some dear friends who are very frustrated with my support of Obama. And yes, they've worried the "cult" word a bit. Today at Orcinus, a typically brilliant bit on Obamamania in particular and transformative momentum in general.

What's going on is that we've finally got a Democratic candidate who understands exactly how the Republicans did it. As I pointed out my very first week on this blog, the GOP didn't come to power by talking about plans and policies; they did it by using strongly emotional appeals that grabbed people by the gut and didn't let them go. Theirs was never a movement based on reason. It was, from the very beginning, a movement of hearts and souls. And it was that deep, emotionally sustaining commitment that drew people in so deeply that they were willing to give 25 years of their lives to bringing about the New World Order their leaders promised them. We may hate what they've accomplished -- but we're never going to be able to do better until we can inspire that same kind of passion for change.
[snip]
Hillary is going the old route, with more plans and promises. And she's losing. Obama is trying something that's new to Democratic politics -- but that also has a proven track record when it comes to raising and consolidating truly transformational movements. In fact: that kind of change simply does not happen unless you've got this kind of committed mass movement.

This misguided "cult" talk not only misunderstands how social change occurs; it's also giving the GOP a weapon it will use to the hilt if Obama is the candidate in the general election. They're going to demonize those energetic kids at the living ghosts of the dirty fucking hippies of the 60s. And, in a real historic sense, they are. They're our own children, emerging to finish the work that their parents got too tired and too disillusioned to finish. For us old Boomers, they're our very last shot at the dream.

If Hillary is the candidate, I will back her for all I'm worth. But I think it's worth taking a serious look at a candidate who inspires so many, and so deeply.

And when the nominating process is over, we're all going to have to hug and make up. So it really doesn't behoove any of us to level either of the C words at either of our candidates.