MUDGE’S Musings
So we spent the past few days denigrating the Iowa caucuses (here and here). Could this be why? Mainstream media trying to explain away in advance how conventional wisdom got turned on its ear last night?
The Two Earthquakes
By DAVID BROOKS | Published: January 4, 2008
Ottumwa, Iowa
I’ve been through election nights that brought a political earthquake to the country. I’ve never been through an election night that brought two.
Barack Obama has won the Iowa caucuses. You’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel moved by this. An African-American man wins a closely fought campaign in a pivotal state. He beats two strong opponents, including the mighty Clinton machine. He does it in a system that favors rural voters. He does it by getting young voters to come out to the caucuses.…
On the Republican side, my message is: Be not afraid. Some people are going to tell you that Mike Huckabee’s victory last night in Iowa represents a triumph for the creationist crusaders. Wrong.
Huckabee won because he tapped into realities that other Republicans have been slow to recognize. First, evangelicals have changed. Huckabee is the first ironic evangelical on the national stage. He’s funny, campy (see his Chuck Norris fixation) and he’s not at war with modern culture.
yr (justifiably) humble svt dares not pretend to be very much a political analyst, merely a more or less attentive observer.
Boy am I fascinated!
Both of last night’s winners have been denigrated by many as unelectable; this nanocorner of the ‘Sphere© characterized Obama that way many months ago. And Arkansas Huck is a joke, right?
Not so fast, Conventional Wisdom!
[Please click the link below for the complete article — but then please come on back!]
The Two Earthquakes – New York Times
Anybody who spends one microsecond thinking about the ramifications of the Iowa caucuses quickly turns her attention to New Hampshire, in just a few short days, as have the candidates.
Folks, we have ourselves some interesting times ahead; and perhaps the prospect that the result of this messy and expensive process we call presidential elections might lead to some genuine changes.
And, not to totally abandon the phantom Bloomberg Bandwagon, should the result of these primaries, including what Salon called “Tsunami Tuesday,” the February 5 colossal primary day, be as polarizing as Obama and Huckabee (or, let’s face it, any Republican), then there would be ample space in the middle ground for an accomplished technocrat running on a third party ticket.
Boy am I fascinated.
Finally, if you haven’t seen this, spend a few minutes with an eloquent man.
It’s it for now. Thanks,
–MUDGE
| Share this post : |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Left-handed Complement 
We need change after these 8 years. It is good to have a candidate who stands for change. Thumbs up for Obama.
Nascar,
You and I agree that change is necessary– strike that — mandatory. But delivering change will require more than hopeful words.
Can your guy execute? If so, then it’s all good.
Thanks for stopping by and continuing the conversation.
–mudge
[…] A news story that just won’t go away: Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee winning the Iowa caucuses; our post including a distressingly poor quality but nevertheless inspiring video is here. […]