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A commentary by Morgan Drake Eckstein
There are many hopes and fears attached to the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama.
Recently, the fears of some people were expressed on the cover of the New Yorker, when they ran a cartoon showing Obama and his wife Michelle in the White House, with Obama wearing a turban and Michelle carrying an assault rifle. It was predictable that there was going to be some people upset about the cartoon, but we have to remember that some people consider this fear to be a real possibility if Obama defeats McCain.
On the flipside, we have the hopes that some have placed on Obama. Hopes that I feel are often excessive and overblown, which is why I admire this cover image so much; it says what many people are expecting from an Obama victory.
Perhaps it is wrong to equate Obama with Jesus Christ, or the messiah; but given the extent of people�s expectations, it is something that we have to take a serious look at. How many of us have a reasonable expectation of what Barack Obama can accomplish if he becomes President?
I have heard many people compare him to the late, great John F. Kennedy. I have also seen a ton of artwork which reminds me of pictures I have seen of the late Pope John Paul II, Elvis and Jesus Christ. Barack Obama has become an icon of the idea of hope and change in America; one can only hope that he can match the expectations that many have of him.
But realistically, how much can he accomplish if he does become President? Not only does he have to overcome the resistance to change from other politicians, but also the American people. Dan Carlin, in a recent podcast, mentioned that there was no way that Obama could successfully meet the expectations of many supporters.
And I agree. We need to be aware that no matter how successfully Obama is introducing change in the fortunes of the United States, that for many, his Presidency will be a letdown for there is no way that he can make good on the hopes that he has kindled in many of his supporters.
Being a realist, I expect less of him than many people do, but that will not stop me from considering him when it comes time to vote. After all, McCain is not going to be able to accomplish everything that he hopes to either.
