Ubalblog

[  Mood: Happy ]
Barak Obama is a political superstar and friend of Oprah. He is also a published author. The Audacity of Hope is his second book.

The book is divided into two parts. Part one includes an overview of the American political landscape and a the US Constitution. Part two lays out Barak’s political philosophy.

I found the book fascinating and quite a good read. I know there are many who find Barak an oportunist and two faced, but I found that Obama was trying to walk a very thin line. He was trying to explain his beliefs but understand why the other side feels the way they do. In essence, he is attempting to widen the tent, arguing for a return to the time of bipartisan co-operation, when things actually got done in Washington. This is in contrast to what happens now, where the sides pick positions and do not play well together.

There is a tendancy to portray Barak as a messianic saviour, or as the radical rightwing loonies believe, the antichrist. I think this comes from the fact that he is preaching hope, unlike the overtly negative campaigns of the past. The Premiere of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty did that up here, and defeated a right wing, conservative government hands down. People, especially Generations X and Digital, are tired of the idiological nastiness. They want hope, that they can change the world, that we can get along, that we can have a better life.

Esentially, this is what Barak is selling. You can debate his sincerity, as you can debate the sincerity of any politician, but you can not deny the appeal of the message to a battle weary public.

I would encourage you to read this book. It is good to know what a man thinks.