Beaten at One's Own Game

Rick Perlstein's book Nixonland talks of the atmosphere of the country when Richard Nixon ascended to the highest office in the land. Perlstein talks of the Watts riots and the contentious relationship between pro-war and anti-war activist. Perlstein also looks at the demise of the Republican Party and idea of conservatism after the 1964 election. Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater seemed to represent a far extreme idea of conservatism that turned out to be quite unpopular. On the back his landslide victory President Johnson passed three significant pieces of legislation, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The political progress of Black Americans continued to alienate and frustrate many voters that would later be dubbed "the silent majority."

The book's focus was on Nixon and how he was able to use the backlash from of the progressive moments of the 1960's to reestablish conservatism and get himself elected President of the United States. However, Nixon may not have been the best example of the ability to stimulate the majority of Americans. That distinction would go to the man who would be elected president a mere six years after Nixon resigned in disgrace. That man would be none other than Ronald Reagan. Reagan was able to put the bitterness and divisiveness of the previous two decades behind many Americans by emphasizing the good things about the United States and instilling a national pride.

In theme and message, Reagan pardoned Whites from the past injustice against Blacks. He exonerated them from their guilt and put an end to those beating up America for its past transgressions, be them domestic matters of race or abroad with memories of Vietnam. In policy Reagan's campaign used the issues of that time to motivate voters to choose him. He nailed the incumbent on issues like the rising energy cost and the energy supply crisis the nation faced. Reagan also attacked the sitting president and his party on the issue of the nation's reputation with regard to foreign policy. Finally he railed against the country's woeful economic condition (starting to sound familiar). He turned out to be such a transformational figure that a new term was developed for those who crossed party to vote for him; "Reagan Democrats."

Interestingly enough the same issues Reagan campaigned on to create "Reagan Democrats" Sen. Obama is using to mobilize his "Obama Republicans." He has been endorsed by a good number of Republicans none perhaps more prestigious than former Secretary of State and Four Star General Colin Powell. However we see some in the conservative circle crying foul. When Colin Powell endorsed Sen. Obama, Rush Limbaugh called it racially motivated. Limbaugh asked when was the last time Powell endorsed a very liberal white candidate? As I remember Powell admittedly was a LBJ man in 1968, and I don't remember many being considered more liberal than him. Limbaugh goes on to attack on Powell for forsaking the Republican administrations that had elevated him to such high places. Rich Lowry in the New York Post calls Powell's reasons for supporting Obama "lame."

Sen. Obama has been able to excite millions of people across the nation in the idea that "there is more that unites us than divides us." It has worked well for him. It seems straight out of the playbook of Ronald Reagan. His rhetorical and campaign success has also translated into huge campaign finance amounts from a massive reservoir of small donors. Sadly though, we see conservative pundits agitated that Sen. Obama is outspending Sen. McCain 4-1 nationally. With Obama having raised over $600 million dollars some are arguing that Obama is seeking to "buy" the election. This crowd that cries bloody murder now was surprisingly quiet when George Bush outraised both Al Gore and John Kerry. Sen. Obama has apparently learned and mastered the game of presidential politics better than many thought he would. He has used the national sentiment to create a place where “there is no Red America or Blue America but the United States of America.” This place is called "Obamaland" and conservatives hate it. It seemed fine when Nixon had “Nixonland” or Reagan had the “Reagan Revolution.” Perhaps we are seeing a living example of the Mos Def song Mista Nigga. “When theirs start doing it, well its success; when ours start doing it, well its suspect.”