It's been said that we live in a time when the "makeup artist is more important than the speech writer." The comment speaks to the fact that we're looking much more for image than policy from politicians - and everyone else I suppose. President Barak Obama certainly communicates a positive image to many Americans at least (the margin of victory for the race wasn't incredible so he doesn't appeal to everyone) but he also appeals to people around the world.
I had an interesting experience in Vienna, on the train from the airport into the city. I got into a very pleasant conversation with a late 20's something guy who is studying philosophy at the University in Vienna. He asked where we were from, and the conversation went on from there. It led in some interesting directions... one of which was his curiosity about President Obama. He wanted to know, "How do Americans feel about Obama?" It's a good question, and he framed it well I think, "How do Americans feel about Obama?" My answer was, "lots of Americans feel good about Obama, but very few people know much about Obama. On many fronts he's a relative unknown in my view. The young man went on to say that Europeans loved Obama. My response to him was, "That's my sense of it... my impression is that Europeans love Obama." I asked what they loved about him. I think it's interesting that he had no answer whatever. Truthfully, he couldn't list one thing he really knew about Obama. Then he said something really interesting... "Maybe we should make Obama the President of the world!" To this of course I inwardly smiled and thought... WOW... if you wanted you could make some prophetic hay with that... but I don't want to... I don't think Barak Obama is the anti-Christ or anything close really... I just thought it was an interesting statement.
As a Christian it's my role to support our leaders and pray for them. I am hopeful for the future and hopeful that President Obama will make good decisions for America. I'm skeptical about some areas certainly. I don't think his economic policy will help our economic situation because I don't think you can borrow your way out of debt. (I do understand that Bush wasn't able to stop this economic situation either). I don't think President Obama will get us out of our conflicts around the world any faster than anyone else would have... and I think if Obama had been President when 9/11 happened we'd still be right where we are today... perhaps without the surge policy in Iraq. I don't think putting government in control of more things is the answer to our woes... including socialized health care... though I see big problems with the affordability of health care and would love to see some solutions. I am deeply concerned about the issue of abortion in our country, and the availability for even late term (partial birth abortions). I cannot personally square that policy with a Christocentric world view. Not because I want to tell other people what to do with their bodies (though we do that all the time in a civilized culture and we always will), I just think that human life begins at conception and I'm not sure there's much evidence to the contrary.
I love it that we have an African American President, and I think, as Juan Williams said on Election night choked with emotion, it speaks volumes about America that so few years after the horrible racial injustices that we've seen that we have a "black President." It appears to me that Barak Obama is thoughtful, and he is clearly intelligent. He seems well-spoken. History will decide whether or not he was a good President... as it will all our Presidents over time. But what do you think after the first 100 days? Any positive steps? Negative steps? I'd love to publish them on my blog and have a bit of dialogue about it. (You need to know that I won't publish ranting and raving - or impolite remarks so don't bother with them - but I would love to hear what you think). I surely believe that, even among Christians, the conversation needs to become civil. I don't sense that too many people are listening these days... it would help us if we did.
