334 Barack H. Obama: The Unauthorized BiographyThe decadent forces of radical chic like Mo Dowd were also fully aware of the scurrilous and
obscene references that were built into Obama’s contemptible posturing: ‘It had to be the first time
in history that a presidential candidate had a hip-hop moment. Barack Obama, who says he listens
to Jay-Z along with his “old school guy” favorites like Earth, Wind & Fire and the Temptations,
alluded to the rapper’s 2003 hit “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” on Thursday to sweep away concerns
about his pugnacity. After conceding that the Philly debate was tough, he brushed the imaginary lint
of Hillary, George and Charlie from his shoulders, in a wordless reference to Jay-Z’s lyrics in his
anthem about not letting anyone crimp your ride as you cruise from the bottom to the top: “Got
some, dirt on my shoulder, could you brush it off for me.”’ (Maureen Dowd, “Brush It Off,” New
York Times, April 20, 2008) These decadent circles knew what they were getting. And they liked it.
With Obama, the institution of the presidency was destined to sink into a sewer of degradation
comparable to the era of the British Hellfire Clubs or the more depraved Roman emperors.
OBAMA STONEWALLS THE MEDIA
The clouds gathered ever more densely over Obama’s head. Reverend Wright, Bill Ayers,
Bittergate – small wonder that he stopped taking questions from his own traveling press corps, who
had generally been exemplary in their docility. In Blue Bell, Pennsylvania on April 21, ‘reporters
and photographers slightly trampled a Sept. 11 memorial garden to get into position to photograph
Obama after the event, and to try to ask him a few questions. Obama has not taken questions from
reporters traveling with him for 10 days. He gave his supporters some advice about the cameras at
the start of his event. “Just ignore them,” he said. “Pretend they’re not there.”’ (John McCormick,
“Mellow, Outdoor Afternoon with Obama,” Chicago Tribune, The Swamp, April 21, 2008) A
photograph turned up in which the Perfect Master was depicted making the classic coarse gesture
not to Sen. Clinton, but to the traveling press corps: The caption read: ‘Here’s your Barack Obama,
all alone on this giant luxury jet plane, reading his newspapers and perhaps flipping the bird to
Hillary, the airplane, and especially the political journalists who are again pretending that Hillary
Clinton can “win” the nomination, when she doesn’t have enough votes or delegates to actually do
that. Also, taped to the cabin ceiling ... a blood-stained towel?’ [AP Photo] (Wonkette, April 23,
2008)
ELITISM AND OLIGARCHICAL THINKING: OBAMA’S ACHILLES HEEL
The main objection to Obama remained that he was an elitist, an oligarch by training and
ideology, and also in terms of the narrow interests he proposed to serve. This was especially evident
in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and later in West Virginia and Kentucky. A
Pennsylvania critic observed: “Obama is black by heritage but also a product of liberal elitism,
which appears to drive his thinking: Poor kid from single-parent home gets access to the best
schools, the best opportunities, and is groomed for greatness.... his thinking hovers on liberal elite.
That is why his comment in San Francisco about embittered Middle America was so revealing
about whom and what he is. Yet because of race, his political veneer was not scratched. In ideology,
is he different from Mike Dukakis, John Kerry, Al Gore or George McGovern? Probably not. He
just looks really cool saying the kind of things once said by those four men who lost the presidency
for the Democrats. And why did they lose? In large part, because of a lack of connection with
bread-and-butter Democrats. Love him or hate him, give Bill Clinton his due: He fought for the
presidency against all odds, from a small white Southern town; when he won, he delivered without
ever embracing liberal elitism. That is part of the price Hillary Clinton is paying in this primary:
The party’s liberal-elite side resents Bill’s performance... Compare this with two modern presidents