Dr. Keith: The High Drama of a Presidential Election
Barack Obama’s historic election as president caps an unprecedented campaign that broke through racial and socioeconomic barriers and has changed America forever. His victory will fuel the self-esteem and hopes of many millions — not only minorities, but all those who yearn for the kind of interconnectedness that can only be achieved when each of us is judged for his or her inherent potential, not prejudged by prejudice of any kind.
Obama’s victory also comes at a time when truth and reality are under assault on many fronts. Americans are suffering the fallout of economic fictions that took hold of the mortgage and banking and financial management industries, much as they once distorted the valuations of Internet companies. The Internet itself and other technologies—like instant messaging—are cleaving us from the human nuances of face-to-face and even voice-to-voice communication. We are using prescribed medications at ever-increasing rates to quiet our unwieldy anxiety and mood swings and insomnia and distractibility. Illicit drug use is up, transporting increasing numbers of young people away from the facts of their lives, toward illusion. We are trading off insight for more and more potent doses of entertainment—obsessively tracking the chaotic (and often staged) lives of celebrities—rather than dealing with the real complications of our own lives. And we are editing our life stories into made-for-the-Web “profiles” that require that we become editors and broadcasters of who we are.
Many times over the past two years, I worried that the presidential election, too, had been captured by a desire to escape our pressing realities and entertain ourselves. The protracted length of the campaign, the vast amounts of money spent on advertising and even the convergence on the world stage of high drama candidates—including (but not limited to) a former president’s wife (and U.S. Senator), a black man born to parents from Kansas and Kenya and a little-known, plainspoken female governor from Alaska—made the election feel like the kind of battle a television producer or screenwriter would contrive.
Barack Obama’s eloquence moved people—for real. But his good looks and youth and facility with language also created a kind of dream state of devotion in listeners, the way a movie star can. He captivated a large percentage of American voters not only with his ideas, but with his delivery of those ideas. The message and the messenger and the media through which both flowed became one very potent force.
It is unfortunate that Sarah Palin looks so much like Tina Fey, if only because that contributed to the entertainment value of the election. It is unfortunate that Barack Obama had nearly unlimited funds to script his message and ended with a closing volley of 30-minute television portraits that some criticized as “infomercials.” It is unfortunate that Joe the Plumber was anointed a political force, when his moniker sounds more like one that would work for a spokesperson in an ad campaign for something to unclog your pipes. And, going back further, it is troubling (but only as regards our confusion between fictional drama and our real lives) that Fred Thompson, a former U.S. Senator turned actor (he played a prosecutor on TV), was center stage in the Presidential race for a time.
There is indeed something about this moment in time that feels a little like watching a made-for-TV-movie or feature film of this moment. And that sort of psychological confusion—if anything but very temporary—could spell trouble. It does indeed invite (as vice president-elect Joe Biden noted) “tests” of character from those who question to what extent our leaders are genuine and courageous and grounded, and to what extent they are acting the part.
Dealing with Russia’s belligerence and Iran’s destabilizing agenda and the economic crisis are only some of the challenges that will move this American President from leading man, in the eyes of many, to proven international leader. That journey is about to begin. Success holds the promise of transporting the country and the world closer to the truth and justice and, ultimately, to greater strength and stability. Failure could cost all of us dearly.
Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatry correspondent for FOX News Channel and a New York Times bestselling author. His newest book, “Living the Truth: Transform Your Life through the Power of Insight and Honesty” has launched a new self-help movement. Check out Dr. Ablow’s website at livingthetruth.com or e-mail him at info@keithablow.com.
Tags: Barack Obama, Dr. Keith Ablow, joe biden, John McCain, President, Sarah Palin, Tina Fey
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You are so right- this was high drama at it’s finest. When I watched the crowds after Obama’s win was announced, people were gazing at him as if they were at the feet of the Messiah. It was almost trance like, hypnotic (them, not me). So much so, it was scary. It reminded me of a cult following. Obama’s campaign was brilliant marketing bought with many dollars. They have sold the “idea” of this savior, “change”, etc. This man has had serious, anti-American and terrorist associations… listen to some of Reverand Wright’s sermons and imagine sitting through them for 20 years and tell me Obama didn’t believe this message?! Now he has started “the long road” mistakes will made, blah blah… I am worried about where this radical liberal man will lead this country.
I pray for this newly elected 2 year old senator.
Of course he is an historic figure, son of a white woman and fathered by a man from Kenya. I hope he is also a competent man and leader. Our future and our children’s future depends on his skills as a world leader.
Although it is exciting to have a first African-American, first Jew, first female, first Hispanic lead our nation, let us hope that Barack Hussein Obama is the right African-American for this role.
Thank you Dr. Keith for writing this. This election has had me worried only in part by the candidates. The whole thing played way too much into the emotions of weakened people and I’m afraid the realities of what actually can be achieved will be a chasm that could swallow us all. On the other hand, “reality” can be a great eye opener and motivator so I am trying to be optimistic. Anyway, your article has answered the question I’ve had “Does anyone see this and am I alone in this world?” and I thank you for that.
I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Polanowski and Bituminous.
And I’d like to add that Obama has given us a great deal of hope for the future…
We hope that the changes he brings about will not lead to the demise of our great nation; we hope that his economic policies will not destroy the economy (more so than it has already been destroyed by government meddling and previous democrat policies); we hope that national security will not be compromised; we hope that we will not become slaves to our government; we hope that we will somehow survive the next 4 years and get through this with minimum damage, or damage that can be undone; we hope, we hope, we hope…
I would like to take issue with one of Dr. Keith’s opening statements: “His victory will fuel the self-esteem and hopes of many millions — not only minorities, but all those who yearn for the kind of interconnectedness that can only be achieved when each of us is judged for his or her inherent potential, not prejudged by prejudice of any kind.” There was plenty of prejudice (that IS NOT just a racial term) involved in this vote. Blacks voted for him because he was black, many others voted for him because he outspent his opponent on every front, many others voted for him because they were voting against the Bush administration. It behooves everyone of us to take a real good look at how many of the votes for Obama were because and only because he brought good ideas to the table. He has no “mandate” , the popular vote shows that, he will be devisive and dangerous. We shouldn’t ever look to a president to be “historical”, we should look for a president to lead our country. Boy, did we ever blow it!
I agree except I do find Obama inspiring. I don’t think it’s as much a cult like following but that we (Obama supporters) feel like someone is finally on our side after 8 years of being scared of our government and not being represented as a middle class citizen and someone who belives in the aspect that our country is made up of all religeons all races and we suposably have rights. If we weren’t we would be having wars over who to worship like those very countries we are trying to “bring democracy” to. Well thats what the bush administration says they’re doing. I loved the Clintons and had orriginally voted for Hillary but I show the same respect to Obama. The fact that he inspires so many shouldn’t frighten you it should make you feel hope. Not to bad mouth anyone or anything but i was terrified my vote wouldn’t count as it didn’t in 2000 and 2004 but being as smart as Obama is he had lawyers to investigate if there were any tatics used like there were in the two previous elections and as you can see there weren’t. As far as Joe the Plumber I find it strange that people can be inspired by Him. For someone who doesn’t pay his taxes he sure does have alot of opinions about them. Also I don’t understand why he would support McCain when he’d just end up owing more taxes to not pay. I think he’s just looking for his 15 minutes of fame. I find him repulsing rather than inspiring. And Obama didn’t exploit him like McCain suggested,McCain did. (sorry to get off the subject)
Like Obama said We are white, black, hispanic, asian, indian, christain, muslim,jewish, bhuddist, straight, gay ect. That is what America is about not who ever has the most money matters the most. People who make less than $250,000 a year work hard for their money too but it’s harder to keep it because the economy has been tailored for those who do make $250,000. I’m a nurse and my husband works in Physical Therapy we make what’s concidered decent money for our area but it’s still middle class and 95% or more of our money goes to bills and we have one credit card with a low balance so it’s not like we live outside our means (a republican advisor had once stated that was the problem with middle class, we didn’t live within our means) but we work HARD for our money. We weren’t born into money or a powerfull position. We went to college that we are still paying off and i have to work late nights weekends an d Hollidays. I’d like to see some of these people with the belief that those of us who make less deserve to be taxed more than those who can afford it, I’d like to see them work as hard as we do then have most of it taken away. They’ll never know because when they get taxed it wont effect them as it does us.