Why Did Barack Obama Win the 2008 Election - Essay Example

Why is Barack Obama winning the 2008 election? Introduction Barack Obama is widely seen as a “transformational” figure who would usher in a new era. He is perceived by many Democrats as the one who is going to “heal the rift” within the party. In this context, Barack Obama has successfully captured the imagination of the democratic voters. His leads in the primaries and his support among the super delegates are testimony to this fact. In contrast, Hillary Clinton is seen as cold, aloof and self centered. As the poll watchers say, she is seen as continuing the legacies of her husband, Bill Clinton She is perceived as someone who believes that “politics is the art of the possible”. Barack Obama vs. Hillary Clinton Catalyst of change vs. Good governance The main difference between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton lies in the way that each sees themselves and in turn how they are viewed by the voters at large. Barack Obama is seen as a catalyst of change who would end the two decades old bitter and vicious partisanship battles that have characterized American politics1. In contrast, Hillary Clinton is seen as someone who believes incremental change and prefers good governance over rhetoric. She has taken the example of President Lyndon Johnson passing the civil rights act something which President Kennedy was not able to do. For this, she was severely criticized for using the name of Martin Luther King and by upholding the example of President Lyndon Johnson2. Hillary Clinton repeatedly makes the point that she is more experienced than Barack Obama when it comes to the executive part of the system. However, voters have not reacted warmly to this. Instead, they have preferred youthful exuberance as portrayed by Barack Obama to the experience and way of the world style adopted by Hillary Clinton. Referendum on Bush The main advantage that Barack Obama has is that he is seen as someone who can bring in change after two successive terms of the Bush administration that is hugely unpopular for its war on Iraq, sinking economy and tax cuts for the rich. An administration whose approval ratings are in the low twenties, this election is seen by voters as bringing in change that can restore the economy and repair the damage caused to American influence by the disastrous war on Iraq. In this context, Barack Obama scores heavily as he has promised all these things in his speeches. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand is seen as continuing more of the same. The bottom line is what Barack Obama’s slogan says “Change you can believe in”. This is the central message of Obama’s campaign and something that the voters would like to see in the next president. Character counts Ironically, the slogan that was used by the Republicans in the 1990’s against Bill Clinton is being used by Democrats against each other. The Obama camp accuses Hillary of tending to “subterfuge and eliding”3. Whereas Obama is perceived to be open, honest and straightforward. This is one of the central and defining characteristics of the democratic contest for the presidential nominee. That of Hillary who tends to conceal her real agenda and of Obama who is seen as a straight to goodness guy. And this difference in perception has been played to such an extent that democratic primary voters have taken to seeing Hillary as “cold and calculated” whereas Obama comes across as a “messianic” figure. The origins of this date back to the years that Bill Clinton was in the White House and Hillary’s term in the senate. The power relationships that she so successfully nurtured have come back to haunt her in a time when voters want something different from the usual. Thus one of the central characteristics of this election (and in the Democratic primaries) is going to be the way in which the candidates portray themselves. In this respect, Obama comes across as someone with energy and vitality who would rejuvenate the Democratic Party whereas Hillary comes across as someone who would continue the status quo. Economic issues While the economic agenda of both Hillary and Obama appears similar, there are nonetheless important and fundamental differences. Hillary’s emphasis is on focused governmental action like tax cuts and the like and she believes that the government should focus on specific issues and needs. Obama, on the other hand believes in the “behavioral” economics, something that espouses the theory that the market is not governed by rational seeking individuals. This is a left leaning market philosophy that does not leave everything to the government and instead focuses on the community4. Obama’s experience as a community organizer is to be seen in this context. For instance on the 401(k) plans, Obama believes that companies should automatically deduct money from the employee’s paycheck and put it in an account that they own. Whereas Hillary talks about giving subsidies to the employees. The contrast between the two is that Obama believes that the employees may not take the subsidies when offered, a direct criticism of the presumed rationality seeking behavior of the market. And Obama’s plan on healthcare also suggests that he is much more in tune with the needs of the working class than Hillary. Position on the Iraq war Hillary comes across as someone who supports the Iraq war, though, with some reservations. The fact that she voted for the war as well as her hesitation in proclaiming about when she wants the troops back home is contrasted with that of Obama who wants the Iraq mess to be cleared as fast as possible. The Iraq war is a significant election year issue and on this count, Hillary appears vacillating and unable to take a stand on when to bring the troops back home. Obama, on the other hand, takes a clear position on the war and is seen as someone who would put the priority of the economy and social programs on the front rather than a war that is being fought thousands of miles away. Inspirational figure Finally, the most important point about Obama is that he comes across as an inspirational figure. As outlined in the above sections, Obama portrays an “agent of change” image whereas Hillary is seen as “more of the same”. It is this fundamental difference that Obama has skillfully used to his advantage whereas Hillary has not cleared the baggage of her past. In a keenly contested election for the democratic nominee, it is Obama who appears to be the heir rather than Hillary. Conclusion As we write this, Obama has nearly got the nomination with endorsements from John Edwards and the like. So, in a way he has succeeded in connecting with the democratic voters, something that Hillary has been unable to do so. Sources Read More