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The prestigious British weekly The Economist recently ran an editorial commentary speculating on the direction of a potential Obama administration. After pointing out that the Democratic candidate relied more and more on centrist, Clintonite advisers, The Economist still warned about the inflated expectations of “change” surrounding Obama’s campaign.
“The ambition of Obama’s team is exciting,” the editorial declared, “but in office it could be dangerous…. The lynchpin of his campaign has been a faith, almost messianic, in his personal excellence. If that fades, the whole operation could collapse in frustration and disillusionment.”
The Obama candidacy, in other words, highlights the risks in building a cause around a charismatic individual, rather than issues or principles. The longer the candidate avoids concrete commitments on issues or declarations of principle, the greater those risks become.
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