Had you told me a year ago that a junior Senator from the middle of the US, with a funny name and an African father, would have won the Democratic nomination, have a small but distinct lead coming up to the election, and have just raised $150 million in campaign funds in 30 days, I’d have suggested that you taper off on the hallucinogens.
Instead, I’d like you pass over some of whatever it was that you were smoking, because damn if it doesn’t seem to be true.
I saw someone on TV saying that he didn’t have a campaign: he had a movement. Apparently the huge number of small donations is typical of a movement. So what is that – a sect? America seems to be keen on having a spiritual leader to follow, right? Well, I suppose that will such a high percentage of the population conditioned in following religious leaders, they’re simply repeating a well-known pattern. It’s amazing he hasn’t taken over the Bible Belt, even if only in providing them with another opportunity to practise their habits, rather than their ‘beliefs’.
By: Mr D on October 20, 2008
at 1:35 pm
I second everything you just said.
By: Melody on October 20, 2008
at 4:59 pm
Mr D, they’re calling it a movement because of the number of people contributing in small amounts, and because of the number of people volunteering for the campaign. Usually the amount of money that Obama has raised comes mostly from corporations, unions, and political action committees (PACs), so it’s essentially unprecedented to see the great unwashed raising money like this. And the McCain campaign has been completely out-maneuvered “on the ground,” as they say.
There are some “true believers,” but I guarantee you that most of them are not evangelical Christians. There is a small but significant slice of the population who are convinced that Obama is the anti-Christ and the Book of Revelations is about to come true… and they’re not just in the Bible Belt. We were out at a farm to pick some apples the other weekend, and passed a church – less than 50 miles from the Capitol Building, mind – with a sign outside that said that they were focusing on a series of sermons about “staying calm in the end times.”
Those people want to vote for Sarah Palin for President because she is one of the chosen – not the old Chosen people, but anointed by God to lead America back to its Christian roots. (That’s as much as I can type in seriousness…)
By: no deep thinking on October 20, 2008
at 11:50 pm