In nine previous installments, I've summarized my assessment of why McCain lost and why Obama won the presidential election of 2008.
But I have a concluding reflection on what this election means. (Read more in depth reflections on Outraged Citizen.)
We have, at least for this election, dealt a death blow to the cult of the ignorant leader.
The American people may have elected Bush because they thought he was "just like" them, a guy you could share a beer with, a "Joe the Plumber" kind of guy (even though he was born into a wealthy patrician family and went to the best schools), a guy who couldn't speak intelligently, who couldn't pronounce nuclear, a guy who didn't appear too smart. But that has changed.
The people didn't fall for the attack on Obama as an "elitist" this time because the people actually wanted an elitist - if that means someone with brains. Brains, it turns out, are more important than being comfortable with someone at a bar, when the nation is in trouble. Not only is this rejection of the cult of the ignorant leader evident because of Bush's low approval ratings, but also because the Republican candidate John McCain was defeated, at least in part because of his choice of a no-nothing, "just folks" running mate.
Although the election of the nation's first African American president has caused some enthusiastic reporters to conclude that "anyone can be president," this is simply not true. First of all Barack Obama is not anyone. He is an exceptionally talented, intelligent, calm, hopeful, and wise leader, someone you might call an "old soul."
It was never true that anyone could be president. It was never true that any white child could grow up to become president and it is not true today that any black child can grow up to become president.
People become president either because of their talents or because of their connections. Bush had no talent, but huge connections. He had no business being president, but his connections got him there. Obama, on the other hand, had few connections, but talent that was obvious from his first speech to the nation four years ago. It is Obama's gifts of temperament and intelligence and organization and ability to inspire that make him singularly qualified.
The election of an African American does not mean that any African American boy or girl can become president any more than the election of Hillary Clinton would have meant any girl could become president. Hillary's rise did not pave the way for a Sarah Palin victory, because Palin does not have the abilities we have decided we want in our president. The American people got to know her and found her lacking. After George W. Bush, we are paying more attention to qualifications, whether we are looking at a white man, an African American man, or a woman of any race.
The American people have decided what counts in electing a president is not race or religion or associations or names or gender. What matters is finding the best person for the job.
Hopefully, the cult of the ignorant leader is truly over. Because ignorant leaders makes messes that take a long time to clean up, and damage the country for generations.
