The Obama Cult


The LA Times, a safe haven for many west-coast muckrakers for decades, at least features the writings of one JoelStein. Stein, unlike most scribblers associated with Scoop, Inc., on occasion shows that he possesses enough spine to call a spade a spade, as with his recent column on Obama-fever:

""""What the Cult of Obama doesn't realize is that he's a politician. Not a brave one taking risky positions like Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich, but a mainstream one. He has not been firing up the Senate with stirring Cross-of-Gold-type speeches to end the war. He's a politician so soft and safe, Oprah likes him. There's talk about his charisma and good looks, but I know a nerd when I see one. The dude is Urkel with a better tailor."""

Hah. Urkel, though, seems slightly more cerebral than does the Rev. BO. Fans of BO of course respond to the pop-celebrity-ness of BO. He's a TV-show icon (like his galpal OprahCo): and another "great communicator" in the MLK fashion. He represents, y'all. His popularity has little or nothing to do with his specific policies or ideas; rather, it has to do with creating a certain charismatic fervor, which is related to celebrity, and (as we have said for weeks) a sort of preacherly enthusiasm. ObamaCo: a big digitalized revival tent. Can ah, ah get a witness? Se-lah, bruthrrs and sisters.