George Orwell on the 2008 Prez race

The energy that actually shapes the world springs from emotions — racial pride, leader-worship, religious belief, love of war — which liberal intellectuals mechanically write off as anachronisms, and which they have usually destroyed so completely in themselves as to have lost all power of action. . . . He [H.G. Wells] was, and still is, quite incapable of understanding that nationalism, religious bigotry and feudal loyalty are far more powerful forces than what he himself would describe as sanity.

-- George Orwell

Reflections below the fold.

The energy that actually shapes the world springs from emotions — racial pride, leader-worship, religious belief, love of war — which liberal intellectuals mechanically write off as anachronisms, and which they have usually destroyed so completely in themselves as to have lost all power of action. . . . He [H.G. Wells] was, and still is, quite incapable of understanding that nationalism, religious bigotry and feudal loyalty are far more powerful forces than what he himself would describe as sanity.

-- George Orwell

Who are the two most emotional candidates in the race? Obama and Huckabee. McCain a close third. And as the primary season nears, more and more non-intellectuals start to pay attention, and the emotional candidates rise in the polls.

Edwards doesn't fit the pattern. In person he's emotional, but it turns out he has a 10-point multipage plan on every issue. That appeals to the geeks, but may turn off the non-geeks, which may explain why he's not doing better in the polls. Or maybe people just can't get past the fact he made a zillion dollars as a lawyer. (Obama's a lawyer, but didn't make a zillion dollars at it.) Or maybe it's just stuff I don't understand at all.

Pardon the short diary. Should this have been an open thread comment?

•  Nice quote, always welcome N/T

  by leftyguitarist on Tue Dec 11, 2007 at 08:31:44 AM PDT

•  Great quote but bad analogy

  Obama as the emotional candidate?  Professor, often too wordy for debates, always stepping back and taking a look at the big picture to see the connections between the issues, finding common ground between enemies as a place to begin an intense negotiotiation rather than leading with your fists Obama?

  While Obama has been marginally more successful at bringing more emotion to his campaign "firing people up", I'd have a hard time characterizing him as the "emotional candidate.

  Edwards on the other hand... VERY emotional.  And good at it.  REALLY good at it.

  So is Kucinich.

  Bluster and Bombast won't do it this time.  People need a magic combo of substance, style and character.

  THAT is why Obama is taking off.

  by broui on Tue Dec 11, 2007 at 09:16:16 AM PDT

  •  Free-associate with the average voter. . .

    . . . What's the first thing that pops into your mind, Mr. Average Voter, when you think about Obama?

    "Great speaker."

    I recall watching the convention keynote speech in 2004. Obama talked about his grandfather the British colonial servant, securing an education for Obama's father the goat herder, and me thinking, "this lump in my throat tells me this guy is going to be President some day." That ability to put lumps in people's throats is Obama's big electoral advantage.

    And this year, even more than most, the body politic is primed for Obama's message. Bringing people together, finding common ground -- it's the flavor of the week. It's what the public wants after the bitter partisanship that's characterized national politics since at least 1994 and intensified under Rove. This is not to say Obama's let's-get-together isn't genuine -- just that the public is more emotionally open to it this year than most.

    The planets are aligned for Obama this year. I am convinced that, barring major scandal or some other huge unforeseen mishap, he's the next Prez.

    Even though Edwards is still my personal favorite.

    by HeyMikey on Tue Dec 11, 2007 at 07:52:23 PM PDT