pretty amazing that one thing that peter hart asked a focus group is what substance barack obama's spine is made of: that's pretty far into metaphor for a political scientist. still, a nice question. and i expect that this will end up being obama's problem .
When Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who moderated the session, asked them what Obama's spine was made of, only two chose such strong substances as steel or metal.
The others' choices ranged from Teflon and plastic to bamboo and wood. "Wet cement," said Marsha Welder, 59, the account manager at a security firm, "because it's going to dry."
i'm not sure that there's a place that obama will really stand, or a conviction so deep that he can't compromise it, and i would think that's one thing we look for in leaders. now bush - or at least his persona - was just the opposite: rigid, always in the middle of a gut-check. and we saw exactly why that has drawbacks in a leader. but the other also has drawbacks.
the reaction to obama, as a saint and a savior, a martin luther king etc, was never going to survive everyday politics. but it was also more a projection of a hungry electorate than a reality: that's just not the sort of person obama is. he's bound to be disappointing if that's the expectation.
