The man behind the curtain
Maybe liberals and progressives should find these convergences reassuring. After all, Patrick used his message to win a competitive Democratic primary, and then a general election; he was the first Democrat elected governor in 16 years, and the first African-American governor in the state's history. Similarly, Obama is seeking to win a Democratic primary, to return the presidency to Democratic hands, and to break an even bigger racial barrier. If the same message works, why not use it?
For that matter, why worry about where it came from? Axelrod probably matters more than he admits. (Here’s John Edwards after Iowa in 2004: “I came here a year ago with a belief that we could change this country, with a belief that the politics of what was possible — the politics of hope — could overcome the politics of cynicism. . . . [T]onight we started a movement to change this country that will sweep across America.”) But that just means he might be the long-awaited Democratic answer to Karl Rove.
Still, there’s that authenticity problem. Obama’s message is undeniably powerful. But that power diminishes a bit when you realize it isn’t his alone. Whether, after this realization becomes widespread, it will still pack enough political punch to get him to the White House is an open question.
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