(Yeah, ignore the apostrophe, which is of course incorrectly used).
Inauguration is finally over. All the concerts and coverage and prognostication over every minute detail of the proceedings, finally over. I mean, some networks were busy analysing not just Michelle Obama's outfits, but the outfits of the daughters as well. Insane.
Of course in Bermuda many people are acting like this country is Little America and going nuts. People are wearing pins, shirts, and I wish I was in the T-shirt business to be honest.
And as far as politics is concerned, everybody's invoking Obama's name as though he's really an extension of themselves (or their party). Big ol' stupidness came from the politicians when they tried to make the support for Obama's ideas into a race issue and started talking about how Obama would not get white votes if he ran for the PLP. Predictably, the counter came up of whether Obama would get black votes if he ran for the UBP. Frankly, someone with the same kind of ideas and ambitions of an Obama likely wouldn't run for either of these parties and may be more likely to stand as a third-party candidate or independent. And thus the real question would be, would he get more than 50 votes in any constituency? And I'd say the odds would be very slim. This country has a very long way to go.
1 comment:
We do have a long way to go. Well, present company excluded of course.
I think Mr. Obama would probably be elected by a very narrow margin in a close constituency, but only if he was well known there and had financial backing. He wouldn't get his deposit back in a lot of places. I personally like his approach, but there would be a better chance of snow here tomorrow than him making double digits in the PLP stronghold in which I live. I would wager three votes from my house, and not a whole lot more.
If he was to express an interest in politics here, he would be courted very strongly by the UBP, NLP and ABC, and he would be dismissed out of hand by the PLP as a sellout (cue offensive term that is in vogue with the party). He would probably align himself more with the NLP out of any Bermuda party. The others, possibly excepting ABC, are far too entrenched with their own narrow mindsets to have any appeal to someone who seeks a multi-strata appeal and consensus.
The sad reality is that our electorate lacks political, no, actually, ANY type of maturity whatsoever. Comparing local politicians and personalities to Obama is akin to comparing the Sea Venture to the Titanic. Yeah, they're both ships, but that's about the only similarity.
Everyone is seeking to attach themselves to Obama's coattails due to his overwhelming popularity. The speculation of his local political leanings and hypothetical support is nothing more than speculation, and wildly inaccurate at that.
Let's just enjoy the fact that our most influential neighbour FINALLY has a smart, compassionate, and committed man at the helm after a long drought. Let him be the man he is meant to be, and not sully him with our own limited perspectives.
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