Obama vs. the Phobocracy

Michael Chabon had an editorial in the Washington Post today. It’s quite good and spot on:

There are many reasons not to support Barack Obama’s candidacy for president, but every one of them is bad for the same reason.

Because I have come out publicly for the senator from Illinois, I am often called upon to listen as people offer up—with wistfulness and regret, or with a pundit’s show of certainty, or with a well-earned but useless skepticism—their bad reasons for not giving Obama their support. For a long time now, I have listened to these people with forbearance and with a sense of duty—not to some principle of open debate or of the inherent merit in the free exchange of even meritless ideas, but rather out of obligation to the candidate whose cause I champion.

Because Obama appears to be a patient, forbearing man with a gift for listening, I figured I owed it to him to play the thing his way. So I have nodded and looked into their eyes and hummed sympathetically as people gave their reasons and made their excuses and generally offered up, as if they were golden ingots of profound wisdom, the handful of two-penny nails with which they plan to board up the windows of their hopes for themselves, their families, their country and the world.

Read it all. (hat tip: hopemonger in comments)

Posted by Kevin K. on 02/04/08 at 03:06 PM • Permalink

It’s such a bummer that New York is a winner-takes-all state, because I think Hillary’s going to win it and my vote for Obama won’t give him any delegates. But here’s to hoping he pulls it off today. Stirring editorial.

Someone I really looked up to (used to look up to) said she wasn’t going to vote for Obama because he was a Muslim.  After informing her that she was wrong and a dumbass for even going there, I haven’t spoken to her since.  You think you know someone after 35 years… Anyway, I’ve managed to convert all my friends who were Hillaryites over the last few months.