The Arrogance of Arrogance: The Joy of Hubris

I state: This is the article for which you have been waiting. Waiting I might add with great expectations during this election season. Now that I am here, clarity on this topic is guaranteed. I say this because before me, there was no one who could do this as clearly and definitively as I. Thus, it is entirely understandable that you see me, and only me, as the one able to lead you. I want to thank you for your willingness to appreciate me for whom I am – that person who will show you the way. What way, you may ask. The way I bring proposes a new vision of writing, a changed grammatical context, and a new paradigm whereby all who cannot write are supported by all who can.

Sound familiar? A few changes might make it even more familiar:

"This (pointing to himself) is the person for which you have been waiting. Waiting I might add with great expectations during this election season. Now that I am here, clarity on any topic or issue is guaranteed. I say this because before me, there was no one who could do this as clearly and definitively as I. Thus, it is entirely understandable that you see me, and only me, as the one able to lead you. I want to thank you for your willingness to appreciate me for whom I am – that person who will show you the way. What way, you may ask. The way I bring proposes a new vision of hope, a changed global context, and a new paradigm whereby all who cannot are supported by all who can.

Some might say I am arrogant, or that it is my hubris that will destroy my candidacy as I strive to assume the mantle of President Elect of the United States of America. How can they say this with a straight face? There is no one but me to even consider. Actually there is a Vice President to chose, but he or she is really not that important as it is me who is going to bring peace and prosperity back to this country. Who am I that I can make these promises? I am Barack. I am the one who you need, and without whom you as a nation will flounder, and remain unloved. “

A great deal has been written in the past few weeks about Mr. Obama’s hubris, and his belief that he, and only he, can save us from ourselves. An exercise that is instructive in this regard is to enter the words “Obama + Arrogance” into Google’s search engine. Within a few seconds 1,780,000 references and articles are made available. Apparently I am not the only one concerned about this topic. In that regard, there is probably little I can add that is not already been addressed. Let’s face it. When the Boston Globe’s Blog has an Obama Arrogance watch, and the Washington Post publishes articles that question whether or not Obama is too taken with himself to actually address issue of national import, the Obama campaign has a problem. Before I add my perspective on this, here are a few takes that readers here may have missed.

Perhaps one of the clearest indications [my note: that Obama’s arrogance may be out of control] emerged last week from the world of late-night comedy. David Letterman offered his “Top Ten Signs Barack Obama is Overconfident.” “When Letterman is doing ‘Top Ten’ lists about something, it has officially entered the public consciousness,” said Dan Schnur, a political analyst from the University of Southern California and the communications director in John McCain’s 2000 campaign. “And it usually stays there for a long, long time.”

Following his nine-day, eight-country tour that effected the trappings of a presidential state visit, Mr. Obama has found himself in an unusual position: the butt of jokes. Even reporters joked about his assuming the mantle not only of the Presidency, but also of a savior. Jon Stewart teased that the presumptive Democratic nominee traveled to Israel to visit his birthplace at Bethlehem’s Manger Square. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd amplified the McCain campaign’s private nickname for Obama (“The One”). Even Susan Ostrich has opined” 'Arrogance Will Not Help Get Obama Elected'

The Washington Post reported reports that in a closed pep talk session with US House Democrats Tuesday evening, Obama talked about his triumphant visit to Europe and declared, "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions." Other reports about this comment by Obama indicate that this amazing remark was rather disturbing to many. Perhaps the House Democrats were not ready for the Second Coming, at least not this soon.

[It is important to note that neither Stewart, Dowd, Estrich nor the Washington Post are Republican operatives!]

Obama is walking a fine line between confident and cocky. Once at pains to present himself as presidential, Obama now faces criticism for doing it too well.

Perhaps the best of all 1,780,000 Arrogance-Obama related pieces is that of Gerard Baker who introduced his piece as follows:

“And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness.

The Child was blessed in looks and intellect. Scion of a simple family, offspring of a miraculous union, grandson of a typical white person and an African peasant. And yea, as he grew, the Child walked in the path of righteousness, with only the occasional detour into the odd weed and a little blow... “

History often repeats itself, and does so with boring regularity when politicians are involved. Obama and his devoted acolytes organized and carried out a “Triumph”, a triumph not terribly different from those organized in ancient Rome for military and political victories. Unlike Mr. Obama’s triumph, triumphs in Rome had to be approved by the Senate, and happened after a great victory, rather than before. It seems the Obama camp got carried away, and Mr. Obama and his ego were swept up in the frenzy.

Barack Obama is not the first politician to become infected with his own self worth. Perhaps the most famous of all politicians, one who rose from fairly poor circumstances, yet from a truly aristocratic family is Julius Caesar. What Caesar lacked in personal wealth was more than made up in genius, as well as ambition. That ambition took various forms. One example (Suetonius, “The Twelve Caesars” Penguin Books, NY,NY, 1979), but not necessarily unique in Caesar’s case, is his request to the tribunes of the people to be allowed to stand for Consul with Pompey while he, Caesar, was still in Spain, and thus unable to be in Rome as required for an election. Suetonius writes: “Their granting of this concession so fired Caesar’s ambitions that he neglected no expense in winning popularity, both as a private citizen and as a candidate… “

Fast forward to Caesar as he amasses power, manipulates the Senate, disposes of his enemies, and makes more enemies as he does this. Finally in 44 BC, he declares himself Dictator for Life. Or to put a more modern face on this, he declares himself the only person of political rank and genius to bring change and hope to the Roman Empire. Indeed he was a military genius – not at all similar to some current presidential candidates, and a person who believed in his own superiority – quite a bit like some political candidates.

His political platform consisted of many things, not the least of which was wealth redistribution, the break up of large land trusts, amassing a cadre of Senate colleagues who were loyal to him, and reducing the welfare roles. Unlike many of today’s politicians, he was smart enough to increase criminal penalties, introduce term limits of provincial governors, abolish labor unions, and destroy the existing tax system in favor of allowing provinces to directly collect taxes, and then pay the (federal) government tribute [Just like today!]

Comparing the new Caesar-like candidate who is the subject of this note to the original is difficult, if not impossible. In my opinion Julius Caesar, for all his faults, his chicanery, his tremendous political ambition, and his uncontrollable ego, was a true genius. While chicanery, political ambition, and uncontrollable ego are traits that fit nicely with the presumptuous Democratic candidate, the same cannot be said for genius.

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ggda: August, 2008