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| Source:The Real News Network- Left-wing writer Naomi Klein, talking about then U.S. Senator Barack Obama, in 2008. |
From The Real News Network
When Barack Obama ran for President as back in 2007-08 as Senator Obama from Illinois Democratic candidate for President, most of the entire Far-Left, the social-democratic faction of the Democratic Party threw all of their resources into electing then candidate Obama President of the United States. Because essentially they saw him as one of them: a McGovernite Democratic Socialist a European style Democrat who was one of them.
When Barack Obama ran for President as back in 2007-08 as Senator Obama from Illinois Democratic candidate for President, most of the entire Far-Left, the social-democratic faction of the Democratic Party threw all of their resources into electing then candidate Obama President of the United States. Because essentially they saw him as one of them: a McGovernite Democratic Socialist a European style Democrat who was one of them.
The Far-Left saw then Senator Obama as an anti-war, protecting the welfare state and if anything expanding the welfare state in America and making America more like Europe, breaking down what they see as the national security state, etc, leftist Democrat.
But if you look at the presidential campaign then candidate Obama ran in the Democratic primaries he was running to appeal to that movement. But if you look at the policy positions he took even in the primaries, he was running more like a traditional Center-Left progressive Democrat in the mold of a John Kerry or Bobby Kennedy Kennedy or Fritz Mondale.
Barack Obama didn't run to the George McGovern Far-Left wing of the party. Like a Dennis Kucinich, Jerry Brown (from 1992), a George McGovern Democratic Socialist. Then candidate Obama wanted to be seen as one of them. Someone who came from the leftist-socialist faction of the Democratic Party. Instead of someone who comes from the faction of the party that generally nominates the party's presidential candidates.
Barack Obama didn't run to the George McGovern Far-Left wing of the party. Like a Dennis Kucinich, Jerry Brown (from 1992), a George McGovern Democratic Socialist. Then candidate Obama wanted to be seen as one of them. Someone who came from the leftist-socialist faction of the Democratic Party. Instead of someone who comes from the faction of the party that generally nominates the party's presidential candidates.
The Center-Left Progressive faction of the party almost always nominates the Democratic candidate for President. (George McGovern being the exception) And these are two different political factions, that are similar on social issues, but are very different on economic and foreign policy.
Remember, then candidate Obama ran on keeping the middle class tax cuts and expanding our role in the War in Afghanistan. Two things President Obama has already done. Whereas Democratic Socialists want all of the Bush tax cuts to expire and to get all of our troops out of Afghanistan now.
Essentially candidate Obama wanted to be someone who would be seen as the Democratic Socialist candidate, but someone who was mainstream enough to appeal to the rest of the Democratic Party as well as Independent voters.
And then Senator Obama did that brilliantly. Winning something like 35 States in 2008. No one has ever accused Barack Obama of being an unskillful politician. He's clearly one of the most skillful politicians America has ever produced. He managed to unite both the Far-Left and the Dead-Center (as I put it) behind him running for president. Something he'll have a much harder time doing in 2012 as he runs for reelection as president. As the country has a much better idea of what type of politician he is as President Obama.
And then Senator Obama did that brilliantly. Winning something like 35 States in 2008. No one has ever accused Barack Obama of being an unskillful politician. He's clearly one of the most skillful politicians America has ever produced. He managed to unite both the Far-Left and the Dead-Center (as I put it) behind him running for president. Something he'll have a much harder time doing in 2012 as he runs for reelection as president. As the country has a much better idea of what type of politician he is as President Obama.
I don't believe Democratic Socialists in America can accuse President Obama of misleading them. If you look at his policy positions that he ran on to become President back in 2008 and his policy positions he has as President, except for Guantanamo Bay, they are very similar.
Barack Obama is clearly not a Democratic Socialist and never has been, as a U.S. Senator and now as President of the United States. His faith in the welfare state is clearly limited. He's not a dove on national security or law enforcement. He believes in tough enforcement in those areas.
If it's a Democratic Socialist that the Far-Left was looking for back in 2007-08, never existed. Even though Representative Dennis Kucinich was there for them the whole time. Both in 2003-04 when he was the strongest opponents of President Bush at least in the House if not Congress as a whole. Representative Kucinich should've been who they thrown their support behind.
If it's a Democratic Socialist that the Far-Left was looking for back in 2007-08, never existed. Even though Representative Dennis Kucinich was there for them the whole time. Both in 2003-04 when he was the strongest opponents of President Bush at least in the House if not Congress as a whole. Representative Kucinich should've been who they thrown their support behind.
The Far-Left in 2007-08 had a couple of options in Representative Dennis Kucinich and former Senator Mike Gravel in the Democratic Party. But they selected then Senator Barack Obama, because he sort of talked like them and they saw him as a winner and the anti-Bush. It was a political calculation on their part.
So Democratic Far-Left really don't have anyone they can blame. But for one thing at least you can't blame the Far-Left in who they supported in 2008. Because their candidate wouldn't have gone anywhere. The Democratic Party is still a Center-Left party and not the social democratic Green Party that is a third-party. And maybe they decided that Barack Obama would run to the center and govern from the Far-Left.
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