Obama, Lincoln, and Springfield

FINALLY, Barack Obama is making it official.

Today is the big day, carefully timed to make his presidential plans the dominant story of the weekend. The Super Bowl is over. Nothing special is happening.

Of course, Obama couldn't foresee that the media would be devoting so much attention to Anna Nicole Smith.

I'm sure the lib media will manage to break away from that story to give at least a little time to rock star Obama.

In addition to his savvy timing, Obama chose a location steeped in historical significance and symbolism for his long awaited presidential announcement.

It's straight out of the pages of an Aaron Sorkin script.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Democratic Sen. Barack Obama plans to stand outside Illinois' Old State Capitol on Saturday, a building indelibly linked to Abraham Lincoln, and tell the world about his 2008 presidential plans.

In a video preview announcement on his presidential exploratory committee's Web site, Obama said he's humbled by the enormity of the task ahead and urged supporters to get involved. "Tomorrow, we begin a great journey. A journey to take our country back and fundamentally change the nature of our politics," Obama said.

For Obama, it will be the start of a long weekend of rallies and events that will take him from Springfield to Iowa and then on to Chicago before he wraps up Monday in New Hampshire.

Obama will be able to evoke a long list of positive images during his speech. He could remind people that Lincoln served as a legislator there. He could note Lincoln's role in ending slavery and ultimately making it possible for a black politician to run for president.

Obama might mention his own eight years as a state senator in Springfield, or talk about the city's Main Street values and common sense.

...Obama's decision to make his presidential announcement in Illinois' capital city — instead of another location like Chicago, where he lives, or in Washington — earned him accolades Friday.

It also continued to feed the comparisons between Obama and Lincoln, the nation's 16th president. Lincoln served eight years in the Illinois legislature and two years in Congress. Obama served eight years in the state Senate and now has spent two years in the U.S. Senate.

"There is a terrific Lincoln aura around that site and the city," said local historian and author Taylor Pensoneau. "By picking Springfield as opposed to Chicago, it goes along with the attempt to push this almost fairy tale aspect of the whole Obama political explosion."

What shrewd staging!

Obama in Springfield-- a fairy tale!

It's almost as good as donning a flight suit and landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier, isn't it?

Like Joe Biden said:

"You got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."

So by announcing his candidacy in Springfield, Obama is not so subliminally putting himself in a league with Lincoln.

I think that's a stretch, even for a storybook.

Without a doubt, Obama declaring his run for the presidency while standing in front of Illinois' Old State Capitol is dramatically better than Hillary's dorky "Let's chat" Internet message. But the backdrop smacks of a handler's bright idea. It seems like Obama and his people are trying too hard to go for the fairy tale.

Enough already.

I think it's particularly interesting that Obama is exploiting Abraham Lincoln's aura to kick off his campaign.

In fact, it's an odd choice given Obama's documented criticism of the Lincoln mystique.

In an essay published in the July 4, 2005 issue of TIME, "What I See in Lincoln's Eyes," Obama relays his thoughts on Lincoln.



Regarding how Lincoln influenced his own life journey, Obama writes:

"In Lincoln's rise from poverty, his ultimate mastery of language and law, his capacity to overcome personal loss and remain determined in the face of repeated defeat - in all this, he reminded me not just of my own struggles. He also reminded me of a larger, fundamental element of American life - the enduring belief that we can constantly remake ourselves to fit our larger dreams."

Very nice; but then things take a different turn.

Obama questions Lincoln's motives in ending slavery, casts doubt on the purity of his principles, and dismisses the significance of one of our nation's most important documents.

"I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator. As a law professor and civil rights lawyer and as an African-American, I am fully aware of his limited views on race. Anyone who actually reads the Emancipation Proclamation knows it was more a military document than a clarion call for justice."

Obama delivers a final slap at Lincoln when discussing his election to the U.S. Senate.

"He may not have dreamed of that exact outcome. But I like to believe he would have appreciated the irony."

Hmmm. In Obama's mind, Lincoln isn't the Great Emancipator.

Based on this essay, one wonders if Obama really is in Springfield in an attempt to associate himself with Lincoln's greatness. Obama does make it quite clear that he thinks Lincoln's place in history has been distorted and overblown.

Perhaps Obama is announcing in Springfield to spite our 16th president.

______________________________

The lib media are slobbering all over Obama.

Read this love letter.

Charismatic Senator Barack Obama is set to launch a historic quest to be America's first black president, in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln, the US icon who freed the slaves.

Oops!

Remember Obama is on record saying that Lincoln doesn't really deserve the title of Great Emancipator.

Oh, well. I guess little details like that shouldn't be allowed to screw up a good fairy tale.