What's so bad about being a great orator?
Feb. 13th, 2008 01:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xiphiasPeople campaigning against Barak Obama -- and, at this point, that means McCain as well as Clinton -- and commentators in the media are asking, "Well, sure, but what does he have BESIDES inspiring rhetoric?"
Let's pretend for a minute that he DIDN'T have anything other than a vision of what America could be, and inspiring rhetoric. Let's pretend that he didn't have a policy-wonky mind, or the ability to do backroom politics.
I'm beginning to think that a candidate who had a vision of America with which I agreed, and the ability to convince the dubious that such a vision was right, and to inspire the already convinced, and to shake the belief of those who opposed that vision -- and who had NO other abilities or qualifications whatsoever might still be a reasonably good choice for President.
I grew up hearing the argument: the main job of a President is to set direction and policy, and to inspire people to follow it, and he or she may delegate the details to others. I never quite believed it, and I am still not COMPLETELY convinced, and I'd RATHER have a candidate who can do ALL of the above -- but, y'know, I'm beginning to see the point.
Let's pretend for a minute that he DIDN'T have anything other than a vision of what America could be, and inspiring rhetoric. Let's pretend that he didn't have a policy-wonky mind, or the ability to do backroom politics.
I'm beginning to think that a candidate who had a vision of America with which I agreed, and the ability to convince the dubious that such a vision was right, and to inspire the already convinced, and to shake the belief of those who opposed that vision -- and who had NO other abilities or qualifications whatsoever might still be a reasonably good choice for President.
I grew up hearing the argument: the main job of a President is to set direction and policy, and to inspire people to follow it, and he or she may delegate the details to others. I never quite believed it, and I am still not COMPLETELY convinced, and I'd RATHER have a candidate who can do ALL of the above -- but, y'know, I'm beginning to see the point.