No matter how much better he is than Bush on some things, the disregard for the rule of law and common decency makes Obama no better than the common criminals of the previous administration. In some ways he is even worse. At least with Bush I never held out hope that he was a man of true character. Between refusing to investigate torture and FISA, I can no longer deny that he is any more than the same kind of politician that we thought we had voted out. Sure, he says the right things and makes you feel good but that is what a con man does. The true test of character is in the actions and he has failed miserably. Why in the world should anyone believe that when the time comes, he is not going to sell out on health care too. Sorry, but all the hope for change I had is all gone.
Who else caught Arianna Huffington and Kristina vanden Heuvel lamenting Barack's move to the right on ABC's This Week this morning? If you did you also saw Hugh Hewitt jumping in to point out that it was obviously a calculated move to "pander" to the center for the general election and that he is willing to adjust his beliefs for political expediency, and as such, he is really no different from every other politician.
Arianna made the point (correctly I believe) that if he continues to move to the right, or center if you prefer, that he risks damaging his brand as a new kind of politician. If he does that he also risks giving the millions of new voters he has brought to the Democratic party an excuse to stay home on election day.
Katrina tried to point out that even though he has obviously shifted positions he is still a vast improvement over John McCain and the status quo. While no one would seriously argue that fact, is that really the point? For far too many elections we have been given a choice between bad and less bad. For the first time in a long time we finally have a candidate that has brought real hope for fundamental change to Washington. Now is not the time for triangulation and moderation. Barack has the wind at his back to carry the progressive movement to world changing power. If he sticks to the agenda that was promised in the primaries millions of new voters will carry him and down ticket Democrats to victory, if he vacillates he may still win but without the undeniable mandate for clear and bold change. If that happens it will be a betrayal of all those that secured him the nomination in the first place.
