Barack Obama: Can “Dude” do it or is “Dude” Done?

Two American cultural phrases seem to embody the current plight Barack Obama.

 

The first is via Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart, the early 21^st century’s Will Rogers. When Obama appeared on his show and used a phrase made (in)famous by former President George W. Bush, Stewart said: “You don’t want to use that phrase, dude.”

 

“Dude,” indeed. When some politicians become President they absorb the majesty, grandeur and aura of the office and seemingly become bigger than life. Obama all too often comes across as a “dude” ““ the nice guy next door who is assertive but is not to be feared. It’s a perception not lost on his political and conservative media foes.

 

The second apt phrase is from “The Godfather” where Las Vegas casino owner Moe Greene rages at young whippersnapper Mafioso Michael Corleone: “Do you know who I am? I’m Moe Greene! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders!”

 

When faced with low poll numbers, ballot box defeats, or a sea of  talking-points-of-the-day Republican political and talk show opposition,  no matter how humble his words there seems an underlying attitude of: “Do you know who I am? I’m Barack Obama! I made my bones being idolized in 2008 by millions as a transformative, post-partisan political movement candidate!”

 

Yet another parallel to “The Godfather” occurred the morning after the elections — when Barack Obama woke up to find a bloody donkey’s head in his bed.

 

And House Minority Whip Eric Cantor and other GOPers are already making noises about shutting down the government, arguing in advance that if it happens it’ll be Obama’s fault. In other words: they’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.

 

.So the operative question becomes: where does Obama from here? Analysts speculate. Will he follow the Harry Truman model (go after an assertive Congress dominated by Republicans)?  The Bill Clinton model (nimble political footwork and triangulate to woo the center)? 

 

But another question is: are Obama and his team smart and professional enough to adapt? According to The Washington Post, many Democratic politicos think Obama & Company didn’t grasp voters’ fears. Obama doesn’t have anyone as ruthless as a Lee Atwater, as canny as a James Carville, or as relentless as a Karl Rove. The New Republic’s Simon Wilentz in a piece titled “Live by the Movement, Die by the Movement,” suggests Obama’s political model doomed him.

 

It’s now clear from news reports that Democrats increasingly view Obama and his team as self-absorbed wannabes unsuited to swim with the country’s political sharks.

 

So far Obama has shown little sign of planning a shift in the way he deals with Washington, the public or Republicans. In his recent 60 Minutes interview Obama seemed to say that in some ways he blew it in his expectations of Republican support and the programs he advocated ““ and that he’ll operate mostly the same way the next two years.

 

So can we expect a new Obama ““ a fighting Obama, a smarter Obama? An Obama with a more professional political team ready for attacks telegraphed way in advance? Will Team Obama (finally) get out of the way when it clearly sees a big political truck racing its way?

 

Or will we see a defensive Obama who lacks the will to fight and when faced with opposition will embody another popular cultural phrase: “Don’t taser me, “˜bro”¦”?

 

Copyright 2010 Joe Gandelman

Joe Gandelman is a veteran journalist who wrote for newspapers overseas and in the United States. He has appeared on cable news show political panels and is Editor-in-Chief of The Moderate Voice, an Internet hub for independents, centrists and moderates. CNN’s John Avlon named him as one of the top 25 Centrists Columnists and Commentators. He can be reached atjgandelman@themoderatevoice.com and can be booked to speak at your event at www.mavenproductions.com.

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