Political prudence will keep Obama from carrying out all of the promises he made to his left flank. There would be something genuinely historic afoot if he went further and led his party away from radicalism, giving hope to pro-life Democrats. If even a man who once defended infanticide in the Illinois statehouse can moderate the left's inhumane tendencies, there is political hope for life. Obama's free to choose.
There's no denying that Obama has a historic amount of political capital at his disposal, and a number of issues on which he could credibly spend it. How about rallying to the cause of the home and hearth? As Kay Hymowitz, author of "Marriage and Caste in America," said, back when Obama was but a mere junior senator: "Obama offers a chance to introduce an entirely new persona and perhaps a new language into politics, a black man who ... grew up with a single mother, yet who has become solidly middle-class, meaning in addition to earning a decent living, he is married with children. Orlando Patterson has written about the terrible mistrust and anger that exists between black men and women. Obama is -- or appears to be -- something blacks don't see all that often -- an affectionate and loyal modern husband. The idea of the 'role model' tends to be overvalued, but it may be worth something in Obama's case." Again, Obama is free to become a champion of family values. His life s!
tory certainly gives him the credentials.
The scene in D.C. following Obama's inauguration was encouraging inasmuch as it did suggest an air of hope. Never before have I seen so many Americans, especially black Americans, so openly encouraged about politics. That's good -- but only to a point. What's the substance? Will things actually be different or will they just sound different? In the case of Lowery's closing prayer, neither was the case; we were presented with the same color-conscious rhetoric that has dogged civil rights activism for decades.
Obama is walking history. But to really move us forward, he's going to have to do some heavy lifting.