International Law

Obama: Hope, Redemption, Salvation and Faith

By Rob Hyndman

Shelby Steele on Obama (not yet online): “we don’t yet know him”, and “a surprising degree of emptiness”. Something of an overstatement, but still generally on the mark. But nonetheless it’s extraordinary to see a media phenom turn into a mythic figure before our eyes - never have so many given so much faith for so little. As a media and cultural event, it’s fascinating. As a political event, it still strikes me as problematic. But you can’t fault his supporters at all - there is a reason people have faith in Obama: Americans have been so poorly served by their leaders that they are looking for Hope, Redemption and Salvation. Obama is becoming a vessel for their Faith.

Full post as published by Rob Hyndman .com on February 08, 2008 (boomark / email).