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November 5, 2008
Throw Out the Rule Book
Posted by JumpyPants
For nearly my lifetime, the conventional wisdom has been that no one, certainly no Democrat, can win the presidency if they are not from the south, if they are a senator, and certainly, obviously, if they are not white.
The conventional "wisdom" had nothing to do with wisdom at all -- it was simply a blunt statement of how things are. Or were. Barack Obama's wisdom is actual wisdom. Barack Obama has vision, Barack Obama works harder than anyone else, Barack Obama recognizes that our shared humanity is the greatest strategy of all.
Barack Obama is an African-American senator from the northern state of Illinois. And he just burned the rule book up.
Filed under: Barack Obama
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Posted By JumpyPants | November 5, 2008 10:36 AM
Comments
And burn that book of the Bradley Effect while you got the fire hot.
Posted by: Strawdog ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.bobcesca.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 5, 2008 11:03 AM
I have to admit I was afraid racism would ruin this. I grew up mostly in rural central NC wehre racism was openly evident. Since then, I've lived all over the country and found some of the same bigoted people - the only thing different was the accent.
So, I wanted it to happen, but couldn't let myself believe it would - not sure I could take the disappointment.
Well, the majority of the American people showed me I'm too cynical and un-trusting. I'm glad they did. I'm also glad no one cold see this 45-year old white man crying like a flipping baby last night.
Posted by: brutlyhonest at November 5, 2008 11:46 AM
I feel a huge sense of relief. I feel like I can rest now and I want to take a nap.
Posted by: girl du jour at November 5, 2008 12:34 PM
The problem with conventional wisdom is that it's, well, conventional. And an insurgent candidate like Obama employs guerrilla wisdom: (1) understand the battlefield better than the enemy does (2) attack the enemy's ability to take the field (3) mobilize and motivate the population (4) exploit openings (5) attack everywhere. Obama's been running rings around conventional wisdom since Iowa.
Posted by: Matt Osborne at November 5, 2008 12:34 PM
Look...I'm as happy as anyone that Obama is the president-elect..
However, the rule book has only been burned insofar as it applies to an incredibly smart, highly educated Senator from Illinois who married a woman as smart as he is, worked his ass off and assembled perhaps the greatest campaign team in the past century.
I'm NOT trying to rain on this wonderful parade but, while the rules may have to be modified and amended, this event has not "changed everything". Blacks in Mississippi are not about to discover a wonderful new feeling of brotherhood from the locals; West Virginians are not going to stop muttering HOOSANE.
Barack Obama presents a wonderful opportunity to take another step in the right direction - IS a Mother-May-I-Giant-Step in the right direction - but America has not been remade from fresh cloth woven out of sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.
The sooner we all get our heads around THAT, the sooner (and the easier it will be) Obama can get to work on building the rest of the staircase.
Posted by: cousinavi at November 5, 2008 1:57 PM
