"The One"

[pseudotriton ruber ruber]

Here's a meme that's interesting to me, because it seems so odd. I don't know a single Democrat who ever subscribed to Obama-worship, yet it's a standard for tighty-wrighteys to harp on, with a maximum of froth, sneering, mockery, snottiness, just as if it there were a shred of substance to it. Well, I guess there is a shred: Democrats were generally supportive of his candidacy and (except for a few late Hillary-boosters) seemed to accept him as their standard-bearer throughout the 2008 campaign. IOW, there was little dissention in the ranks and he was elected with a minimum of Democratic in-fighting past the summer of 2008. But where does the protracted "The One" rhetoric from our tighty-wrightey brethren come? Jealousy? A lack of substantial policy disagreement? Racism? Desperation? Someone 'splain this to me.

[Ravenman]

The Republican party has adopted a tactic over the last ten years or so to attempt to make opponents' greatest strengths their greatest weaknesses. For example, John Kerry was indeed a decorated sailor, but that was turned against him with the whole Swiftboating thing.

More or less the same thing with Obama. He ran a very strong campaign and had very high popularity ratings with liberals and moderates, and even quite a few conservatives admired the guy despite disagreements -- his approval rating was what, closing in on like 75 percent at the time of his inauguration. So, in order to attack the guy, Republican spinmeisters started saying, "Well SURE everyone likes the guy -- everyone is a sucker!! U R all teh stupid!! Obama and seven out of ten Americans, sittin' in a tree..."

I don't think there's that much more significance to it than that.

[Gyrate]

It's the assumption that liberals are like conservatives and are fiercely dogmatic and tribal, supporting Obama because he's on their side of the fence regardless of his actual policies or actions. Obama doesn't get a fraction of the hero worship the rabid Right devote to Ronald Reagan, yet for some reason it's the Left who have drunk the Messiah Kool-Aid.

Also on topic: I want to solicit a little more love for this post of mine.

[tnetennba]

It's also a tactic of the right to take their own failings and accuse their opponents of it. They have complete, fervent, unquestioning commitment to a bunch of morons and sociopaths, so they accuse Dems of having the same blind fealty. The irony is that the Dems biggest weakness is endlessly harping on their own candidates and hamstringing themselves. Obama (like Clinton) can't do anything without being rebuked by the VirginLeft.

[Snowboarder Bo]

I noticed this also and started a thread in GD about it to explore what was going on.

Why monikers, righties?

Basically, the people on the right who were seeking to label is as a non-issue or attribute some sort of false equivalence to actions of people on the left were unable to do so over the course of a 3 page discussion.

Name-calling, even when those names are falsely applied, seems to just be something people on the right embrace.

[tnetennba]

To be fair, people on the left do plenty of name calling. Bachmann has become synonymous with "crazy."

But there's some traction there. Calling Obama "The One" is based on a complete fiction, and one which requires a preposterous lack of reflection. Can you talk to Palin supporters and suppose Obama's supporters are the faith-based followers?

[BigT]

It's based entirely on the rallies where people were chanting and stuff, and the "hope and change" message. On the religious right, anyone who is popular that you don't like must be from some cult--see Harry Potter, Pokemon, D&D, etc. And see Twilight for the opposite phenomenon, where they liked it, so it was okay, despite having the same problematic features of two of those.

I would even say that some people did think Obama was going to change the world, so, while it's always been wrong, it was less wrong in the past.

[Snowboarder Bo]

Originally Posted by tnetennba

To be fair, people on the left do plenty of name calling. Bachmann has become synonymous with "crazy."

But there's some traction there. Calling Obama "The One" is based on a complete fiction, and one which requires a preposterous lack of reflection. Can you talk to Palin supporters and suppose Obama's supporters are the faith-based followers?

Check out posts #65-68 in the "monikers" thread I linked to.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by pseudotriton ruber ruber

I don't know a single Democrat who ever subscribed to Obama-worship, yet it's a standard for tighty-wrighteys to harp on, with a maximum of froth, sneering, mockery, snottiness, just as if it there were a shred of substance to it.

The Republicans define Obama worship as they see fit, the same way Democrats apply epithets against Republicans as they see fit. I saw some Democrats with unrealisticexpectations of Obama and some with wildly unrealistic expectations, but nothing I'd call worship.

But where does the protracted "The One" rhetoric from our tighty-wrightey brethren come?

Of course, most directly it comes from Oprah.

Originally Posted by CNN

"I've never taken this kind of risk before nor felt compelled to stand up and speak out before because there wasn't anyone to to stand up and speak up for," Winfrey told thousands of people in Cedar Rapids Saturday evening.

"We need a president who can bring us all together," she said. "I know [Barack Obama] is the one."

So it does come from somewhere. She said he was "the one" who could bring all Americans together, which is unrealistic but not, say, Mayan prophecy or a prediction that he's the Messiah. If you looked hard enough you could probably find a comment like this about every major presidential candidate in the last couple of decades. Lots of people say their preferred candidate can do something like this.

It's also worth noting that the whole "The One" thing happened in a year where most Democrats (and some independents) were very excited about the Democratic candidate and many Republicans were not excited about their candidate. So in other words, it was sour grapes to some extent.

[Jas09]

Yeah, there were definitely some moments during the campaign that fed directly into these memes. College girls fainting, Oprah being Oprah, some of Obama's phrasings ("We are the ones we've been waiting for", "This is when the seas stop rising..."). He built a lot of his campaign around large crowds of enthusiastic supporters.

It's pretty natural for an opponent to attack that, or attempt to deflate it. It's not that dissimilar from lefties attacking the populist stylings of Palin/Bachmann and calling them stupid - that "down-to-earth" "folksy" messaging is the entire basis of their appeal (at least to some people).

[pseudotriton ruber ruber]

Originally Posted by Jas09

He built a lot of his campaign around large crowds of enthusiastic supporters.

OMG! Stop the presses! A candidate won by getting a lot people to gather around at his rallies? Wow, no one ever has done that before, and I'm sure that those who attracted even moderate-sized crowds got all sorts of mockery for doing even that.

Thanks, marley, for sourcing "the one" talk to Oprah, though in context it's a nothing sort of endorsement. Specifically, she seemed to be saying that he's "the one" candidate who could unite us, not divide us. Now, where have I heard that before?....

[Jas09]

Originally Posted by pseudotriton ruber ruber

OMG! Stop the presses! A candidate won by getting a lot people to gather around at his rallies? Wow, no one ever has done that before, and I'm sure that those who attracted even moderate-sized crowds got all sorts of mockery for doing even that.

I don't believe any candidate had rallies of the size Obama did. I know I've never heard of a crowd anywhere near what we had in St. Louis for a presidential candidate. I also have never heard of a convention speech being held at a football stadium because the original venue was too small.

The large crowd of swooning supporters was a big deal, and it's pretty natural to attack that. I don't see anything odd about it at all. I'm not saying it's a valid attack, just a natural one.

[Larry Borgia]

It wasn't just Republicans who used that meme, Clinton did too. And as a couple posters have pointed out, it fit some Obama supporters pretty well. While I think most of us were on the "He's not great but he's sure better than the other guy" there were a few people who went completely batshit over him. I had a person stop speaking to me because I was insufficiently enthusiastic about him, and there were a couple of people on this very board who were delirious in their praise. "His only flaw is that he's to good a man for us" is one thing somebody said. And of course their wax a lot of perfectly understandable excitement in the black community and among civil rights supporters in general over his candidacy.

That said, the way some conservatives use it is jaw droppingly juvenile.

[Mr. Moto]

Originally Posted by Jas09

Yeah, there were definitely some moments during the campaign that fed directly into these memes. College girls fainting, Oprah being Oprah, some of Obama's phrasings ("We are the ones we've been waiting for", "This is when the seas stop rising..."). He built a lot of his campaign around large crowds of enthusiastic supporters.

The one I felt was most worthy of ridicule was Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's video where they and other celebrities pledged to "...be a servant to our president and all mankind."

That's just creepy, and indeed there was a bit share of criticism across the spectrum about this.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Jas09

some of Obama's phrasings ("We are the ones we've been waiting for", "This is when the seas stop rising...").

I'm going to defend the second one a bit here, partly just because I liked the language. But he did not say "this is when the seas stop rising." What he said was this:

Originally Posted by Obama

The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment - this was the time - when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Originally Posted by Jas09

He built a lot of his campaign around large crowds of enthusiastic supporters.

While it's natural for an opponent to attack this, it's also true that if you have people doing this kind of thing in support of your campaign, you build around it.

[pseudotriton ruber ruber]

I can understand where some black supporters got excited about finally having one of their own as a candidate, but who (other than a racist) can't sympathize with that feeling, even if they don't agree politically. And I agree that Hilary did go too far in not denouncing "The One" talk coming from her supporters. So it seems legitimate, or at least understandable, via three sources:

1) some (black?) supporters did go over the top, for understandable reasons

2) Oprah, if we take her words out of context, did refer to him as "the One"

3) some of the mockery began with Hillary, and the Pubbies just ran with that, having little else to criticize Obama for

[Jas09]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moto

The one I felt was most worthy of ridicule was Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's video where they and other celebrities pledged to "...be a servant to our president and all mankind."

That's just creepy, and indeed there was a bit share of criticism across the spectrum about this.

Yup. One could add in that semi-creepy school-children thing as well.

Originally Posted by Larry Borgia

That said, the way some conservatives use it is jaw droppingly juvenile.

Amen.

And on preview, Marley, I actually kinda liked that part of the speech too (and know a number of non-partisans that really liked it), but it is pretty easy to twist into a "Obama thinks he can stop the seas from rising" moment.

Here is the McCain ad (web only, I think) from kinda late in the campaign that played up this angle: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...ma-as-the-one/

[Mr. Moto]

When was that moment a war ended? I must have missed that moment.

[Happy Lendervedder]

The Republicans saw enormous amounts of people flocking to his rallies and wearing his shirts and all of those fancy red, white and blue "Hope" signs, and they wanted to figure out a way to embarrass people for going to the rallies, wearing the shirts, hanging the signs, etc.

Mocking people's enthusiasm can be a pretty effective way to curb their enthusiasm.

Example: When I was a pre-teen, the Detroit Pistons (my team) beat the Lakers for the championship. I bought a shirt that said, in huge letters, "WE BEAT L.A." I was walking down the street one day wearing it, and some older kid yelled out at me sarcastically, "We beat LA? Are you kidding me? What? Thanks for filling me in, buddy, I had no idea!" Sensitive lad that I was, that one asshole comment took the wind out of my sails, embarrassed me and I never wore that shirt again.

I think the Republicans hoped that mocking Obama supporters over their "hero worship"-- really nothing more than just enthusiasm over a dynamic and historic candidate-- would shame them into not being so enthusiastic.

[Jas09]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moto

When was that moment a war ended? I must have missed that moment.

I believe the technical answer is August 19, 2010.

Obviously, YMMV (as does mine).

[Bryan Ekers]

Conservatives secretly want to hook up with Obama in an airport restroom.

[Little Nemo]

There were some people (including some on this board) who had a messianic feeling for Obama (and may still have). However most people who supported Obama did so for rational reasons and with full awareness he was a fallible human being.

The reason Obama's opponents like to talk about "The One" is because it's a useful fiction for denying there are real reasons to support Obama. They just claim that anyone who votes for him is irrationally subject to his charisma and that they, the rational ones, see through it to the truth.

In some cases, this is just people saying what they're got to say - they have to come up with some explanation for Obama's popularity that doesn't concede there's a basis for it. And in other cases, it's reflective of the people making the claim - they vote for irrational reasons so they assume everyone else does as well.

[RTFirefly]

You know which Presidential candidate's campaign organization repeatedly claimed he was "the one"?

Richard Nixon.

No, really!

"Nixon's the One" was his offical campaign slogan back in 1968. We Youth for Nixon volunteers (yes, 'we,' I was in the Youth for Nixon back in the day) were even given this song to sing:

Nixon's the one, Nixon's the one,
Nixon's the one for me.
We believe in Nixon, N-I-X-O-N,
Nixon's the one for me.

So there you have it: in Presidential politics, "The One" was the GOP's own future felon, Tricky Dick.

[Ají de Gallina]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

There were some people (including some on this board) who had a messianic feeling for Obama (and may still have).
(snipped)

For me, it was pretty much that. I bit of good-natured mockery, nothing more complex.
I dropped it a long time ago.






.....and of course that he is the muslim-Kenyan-commie antichrist.

[Mr. Moto]

Originally Posted by RTFirefly

You know which Presidential candidate's campaign organization repeatedly claimed he was "the one"?

That's nothing compared to a Democratic congressman who wrote and sang "Still the One."

[Little Nemo]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moto

That's nothing compared to a Democratic congressman who wrote and sang "Still the One."

I used to live in NY's 19th district. Then I moved to NY's 26th district. For some reason my congressmen can't keep their shirts on.

[Mr. Moto]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

I used to live in NY's 19th district. Then I moved to NY's 26th district. For some reason my congressmen can't keep their shirts on.

Seems to be a general problem with New York congressmen, innit?

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moto

Seems to be a general problem with New York congressmen, innit?

Fortunately the ones in really terrible shape know to keep their shirts on.

[mlees]

Originally Posted by Marley23

Fortunately the ones in really terrible shape know to keep their shirts on.

The horror




The horror

[Mr. Moto]

Originally Posted by mlees

The horror




The horror

Leave poor Congressman Nadler alone.

[dropzone]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moto

The one I felt was most worthy of ridicule was Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's video where they and other celebrities pledged to "...be a servant to our president and all mankind."

That's just creepy, and indeed there was a bit share of criticism across the spectrum about this.

Jesus. If I had known about that I might not have voted for Obama. Yes, we Dems really are that cranky and self-destructive, but just LOOK at it. <pukey smilie>

[Little Nemo]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moto

The one I felt was most worthy of ridicule was Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's video where they and other celebrities pledged to "...be a servant to our president and all mankind."

That's just creepy, and indeed there was a bit share of criticism across the spectrum about this.

I think Kutcher was just setting up Kal Penn.

"Well, Obama was elected and I did like we promised. I've signed up to serve in the Obama administration."
"We were just messing with you, dude. Demi and I aren't giving up our sweet jobs in Hollywood."
"What? But I quit my job on House."
"Seriously? You quit a job in a top-rating television series to be an associate director of public engagement?"
"Oh God, what have I done? They killed my character..."
"You just got punk'd!"

[ElvisL1ves]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

There were some people (including some on this board) who had a messianic feeling for Obama (and may still have).

Sure were, and the OP knows it too. We were even treated to a post stating a desire to fellate him. And, of course, we had the flip side of that messianism - excoriation of anyone who suggested that he might not be the strongest candidate or the most effective and progressive President from among the Democratic candidates. And I'm sure the OP remembers that part, too.

The reason Obama's opponents like to talk about "The One" is because it's a useful fiction for denying there are real reasons to support Obama.

Or to point out that embracing a cult of personality, a phenomenon which as you just pointed out does exist, is not acting as responsibly as a citizen must. That problem does exist for progressives as well as for regressives.

[pseudotriton ruber ruber]

Originally Posted by ElvisL1ves

Sure were, and the OP knows it too. .

Oh, give it up, man. She lost fair and square.

[Little Nemo]

Originally Posted by ElvisL1ves

Or to point out that embracing a cult of personality, a phenomenon which as you just pointed out does exist, is not acting as responsibly as a citizen must. That problem does exist for progressives as well as for regressives.

I said it was true for some people. But it certainly was not the reason why most of the people who voted for Obama did so.

[ElvisL1ves]

Originally Posted by pseudotriton ruber ruber

Oh, give it up, man. She lost fair and square.

When did I ever say she didn't?

Thanks, btw, for providing a fine example of the very problem we're discussing - that of ascribing the motives of anyone who thinks another candidate might be better to being simply mindless emotionalism. As well as, of course, for pointing out that you do, in fact, remember, despite your assertion of innocence in the OP.

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

I said it was true for some people.

You did state it in a blanketish sort of way, you know.

[Typo Knig]

You'd think the R team would give up on that meme, after it lost them a battle of wits against Paris Hilton.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/64a...d-chris-henchy

[RTFirefly]

Originally Posted by Typo Knig

You'd think the R team would give up on that meme, after it lost them a battle of wits against Paris Hilton.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/64a...d-chris-henchy

A group that lost a battle of wits with Paris Hilton should commit mass suicide, as a favor to the continued evolution of the human race.

Oh, that's right - those clowns don't believe in evolution. Never mind.

[furt]

Originally Posted by pseudotriton ruber ruber

Here's a meme that's interesting to me, because it seems so odd. I don't know a single Democrat who ever subscribed to Obama-worship ...

Really?

You can't recall any instances of people speaking of Obama like a god-like figure?

Or media depictions of him as such?

You can't think of any embarassingly obsequious news coverage?

You wouldn't find this a subject of mockery were people teaching children to sing songs about George Bush?

Not sure I can help, then.

[Shodan]

None of that counts. Because it's different.

Regards,
Shodan

[mlees]

I was thinking about that Chris Mathews one. While he was definately emotional, I cut him a little slack. He felt he was part of something historical.

I would have felt chills and goosebumps if I was in Mission Control during the Apollo 11 moon landings. But not because I wanted to genuflect to Gene Kranz.

[Chronos]

OK, so for examples of Obama-worship, we have:
1: A picture on the front of a magazine showing him in a flattering pose and lighting, with the most divine word on the whole cover being "hope".
2: A reporter pointing out that the office of the Presidency wields god-like power
3: A magazine which is making the implication that Obama can't handle all the challenges of the Presidency, because he'd need to be Shiva to do so.
4: A reporter who found him inspiring to an embarrassing degree, but who still didn't attach any religious imagery to him.
5: Kids who think that Obama will be capable of leadership.

Is that the best you can do?

[pseudotriton ruber ruber]

Originally Posted by furt

Really?

You can't recall any instances of people speaking of Obama like a god-like figure?

Or media depictions of him as such?

You can't think of any embarassingly obsequious news coverage?

You wouldn't find this a subject of mockery were people teaching children to sing songs about George Bush?

Not sure I can help, then.

Did somebody furt in here?


Oh, well, at least I've gotten some of the frothers to out themselves. As Chronos points out, was this really the droids you were searching for? I admit, I laughed at Mathews at the time, but he's an embarrssingly poor wordsmith, clumsily phrasing the excitement he felt at the Democrats nominating an inspirational leader. Even that, though, wasn't what I'd call any Democrat I respect losing his mind over Obama's rich chocolately goodness. Christ, the man steps on his dick verbally about three times per week, and I've got the parodies of his verbal diarrhea to prove it.

Most of the links above are pretty mild compared to the propaganda you folks swooned over when it was King Ronnie's coronation time--it's pretty funny to hear you denouncing it now as completely without precedent in American politics.

[marshmallow]

Back in 2008 the adulation over Obama was embarrassing. It died out around the economic downturn. But for about a year and a half this guy had a rock star vibe. People were getting misty eyed and choking up when he was elected. It was just a sad spectacle.

Bush had a similar aura after 9/11 that was later denied by certain sectors, except it was less about him than an excuse for foaming at the mouth jingoism. Obama seemed to get more of the screaming and "take me now!" support from women; Bush was more about the manly pax-Americana types. And he fueled the fire with some face palm worthy cowboy lines.

I bet you remember that one though, right?

[pseudotriton ruber ruber]

Originally Posted by marshmallow

Back in 2008 the adulation over Obama was embarrassing. It died out around the economic downturn. But for about a year and a half this guy had a rock star vibe. People were getting misty eyed and choking up when he was elected. It was just a sad spectacle.

Well, that's certainly irrefutable--you were embarrassed to feel a rock star vibe, and see "people" getting emotional. Certainly shuts my mouth up tight.

I did see some outpouring of emotion from Obama's base, which was educated African-Americans, who probably voted for him over 98%, but in their case, I can understand venting emotion, as he personally embodied hopes and dreams they've had to keep pent up for hundreds of years--but most white liberals I know just expressed the sort of positive emotions they've expressed for other Democrats they felt good about, nothing special. White Southern Democrats felt that way about Carter and Clinton, anti-war Democrats felt that way about McGovern, and don't even get me started on wrighties fawning and making a hoopla about Reagan and Nixon, who as people have noted actually used "Nixon's the One" as his fucking campaign slogan. But I still don't get why this is so offensive to you in Obama's case--it's a total non-issue, and you'll go to your graves muttering "The One? Like Obama's the freakin' Messiah? Yeah, right..." as the last bit of froth and drool exits your mouths. Don't you hjave any policy positions of his that you disagree about? Or does it just bother you that Democrats see things differently from you?

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by marshmallow

Back in 2008 the adulation over Obama was embarrassing. It died out around the economic downturn.

You have a timeline problem here - the economic downturn started before he took office, and it started affecting his approval ratings and popularity in much less than a year and a half. It took a couple of months.

People were getting misty eyed and choking up when he was elected. It was just a sad spectacle.

I hardly expect everyone to share the enthusiasm of a Jesse Jackson (despite what he said about Obama not long before the election). But it's kind of sad if you can't understand why someone would get emotional at the election of the first African-American president of the U.S. The reasons should be obvious to anyone who has even heard of the civil rights movement.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by pseudotriton ruber ruber

Did somebody furt in here?


Oh, well, at least I've gotten some of the frothers to out themselves.

personal comments like these belong in the Pit, not a debate forum.

[tnetennba]

I see a repeated trend toward historical revisionism in these threads where Republicans honestly believe the economy tanked AFTER Obama took office, and is therefor his fault. The ability of Republicans to ignore facts and delude themselves is phenomenal. This was RECENTLY. We all remember what happened.

[furt]

Originally Posted by pseudotriton ruber ruber

Most of the links above are pretty mild compared to the propaganda you folks swooned over when it was King Ronnie's coronation time--it's pretty funny to hear you denouncing it now as completely without precedent in American politics.

You folks? I 'm not a republican; I was ten years old when Reagan was elected, and it made me sad because my mom voted for Carter and I liked her more than my dad. Eight years later I voted for Jesse Jackson and Michael Dukakis.

But for what it's worth, I do find Reagan hagiography embarrassing. And I found the Bush-lionizing that happened in 2001-2002 pathetic as well (see Andrew Sullivan for some great examples). In the highly unlikely event that a politician sharing my views were elected, I'd be appalled were he or she venerated in such a way. Hopefully so would the politician.

I find it sad anytime ostensibly free people genuflect towards politicians like the subjects of a monarchy. I find it pathetic when intelligent people ignore or excuse such obsequiousness because they agree with the politician.

[tnetennba]

I find it interesting when people complain that the molehills are mountains.