O's neo-Wilsonian turn
I think being out in the country puts Barack in a good mood. He just shines at these town halls. I think that Axelrod should schedule them relatively frequently. After too long in DC, I think he starts to look like a wilted plant, but hey, who can blame him for that? Politically, this direct contact with the American people is a source of enormous power, but I also think it's personally reassuring and revitalizing to both O and the folks he visits. Also, I think it sets a new neo-Wilsonian precedent for the Presidency. Wilson famously said that the office of the President would be as big as the person who occupied it and that a strong president would spend most of his time communicating with the American people instead of Congress. Wilson thought this was good because he believed Congress was deeply and endemically corrupt. Now, I don't necessarily think Congress is corrupt as an institution, but I think we can all agree that the House and Senate exist on DC flypaper which makes any kind of movement -- for good or ill -- excruciatingly slow to initiate and painfully difficult to implement. A powerful President can pressure Congresspeople to behave as representatives instead of bureaucrats.
Sounds good to me. I'm all for the Pres. getting out of "the bubble" as often as possible, blackberry in hand. It's good for him, it's good for policy, and it's good for the communities he visits (he's a mini economic stimulus when he comes to town and folks feel more connected to their President).
Sounds good to me. I'm all for the Pres. getting out of "the bubble" as often as possible, blackberry in hand. It's good for him, it's good for policy, and it's good for the communities he visits (he's a mini economic stimulus when he comes to town and folks feel more connected to their President).