I have been screaming this from the top of my lungs since, I dunno, Iowa, when Obama was coasting on a media narrative as the "uniter." I do still see him as a uniter, but let's face it, the undercurrent of the latest attacks against him is that he's somehow not American enough to be President. For too long, the Right has had a stranglehold on what it means to be a patriotic American. We cannot let their monopoly on this issue continue.
Finally, someone else (Huffpost) has said it:
You are the new hope for millions of Americans. But frankly, you are in danger of becoming John Kerry...while this most recent controversy seems to be about race, it reinforces an equally potent political narrative that says, "Deep down, Democrats and liberals don't really love America." This storyline has been peddled by the conservative movement since at least Vietnam. To break it, you must do more than explain the divisions of race. You must offer a new narrative of nationhood."
Senator Obama, it's absolutely crucial that you--and your campaign--begin rewriting the narrative right now. Is it unfortunate that because you're a multicultural, African-American candidate with an exotic name that you have to doubly prove your love for this country? Yes, but remember, this is politics. It might not be fair, but it's necessary. Your hard-core supporters would be proud of you for standing up and saying that you haven't been proud to be an American for quite some time because of the turmoil our country has been responsible for in the world, but Michelle's right: you offer a chance for disillusioned Americans to be proud of our country once again (or, for many, for the first time in our adult lives). So, by redefining what it means to be a patriotic American, you speak to our needs and to the needs of your skeptics. It is politics, after all; pander a little.
Why this is the perfect time to do it:
- You've already shown that you can, with your intelligence and rhetorical skills, rewrite the media narrative. "A More Perfect Union" took a negative and turned into a positive, an opportunity to inspire and get people thinking. You could do this again with a major speech on Patriotism that speaks both to your critics and to the Democratic party, which has come to accept its branding as the less patriotic party.
- It will only get worse against McCain. He is, as you've said yourself, an "American hero." If you allow the innuendo to continue, it will already be a given in many people's minds come the general election, a narrative so ingrained that no amount of advertising or rhetoric will be able to change it. So far, and I've been paying close attention, you mention patriotism lightly in your speeches, calling America "the country that I love." This is not enough for your skeptics.
- It might help a little in upcoming states. Many of your supporters, and even the media now, have begun to take your insurmountable lead for granted. But if Hillary wins big in Pennsylvania, that could influence your performance in other upcoming states. Your 10-point lead in NC has already fallen to just 1 point. Hillary's only shot at winning the nomination is convincing superdelegates that you're unelectable. If she didn't believe she could somehow do this, she wouldn't still be in the race. She will milk your losses for all they're worth, and the bigger they are, the more clout she'll have. In the end, it probably won't win her the nomination, but it might lose you crucial voters.
- You have the money to carry out a narrative-changing ad campaign. Give a mind-blowing speech, then put out a national ad that uses clips from the speech to drive the point home.
It's not enough for liberals to roll their eyes when the Right questions their patriotism; John Kerry tried that, and it sunk him. Obama is the only person who can walk up to a podium and change the way the nation and the world sees any given issue. He's put himself in the perfect position to say what he wants and be heard. Come on Senator Obama, the world is listening.
I wrote this line especially for you, Senator Obama, and I hope you say something like it in an upcoming speech:
"Patriotism is not something you can pin to a lapel; it's loving your country enough to want to change it for the better."