Historic Nomination

We finally got cable in our apartment tonight, and I turn it on to find out that the Obama campaign is actually down the street in Saint Paul. Go figure.

Some reflections on this night:

1. From the Florida and Michigan delegates, the superdelegates issue, and the different results form open primaries, closed primaries, and caucuses — there has to be a real reform of the nominating process.

2. Barack Obama went to where the Republicans will have their convention, filled the arena, and according to CNN, had 15,000 people outside… No matter what happens, we are seeing some big rhetorical punches thrown in this election.

3. On the other hand, I remain rooted firmly to the belief that for all of the “change-mongering,” this is not going to be a massive “change administration”–regardless of who wins. I mean, there will be the usual new policy directions, etc., but if America is going to change radically, I mean, Bruce Ackerman style change, I don’t see the signals for it, and I definitely don’t see a public ready to endorse it.

4. Even in the way that Clinton refused to concede, and that Obama reached out to her, I still feel as though I perceive two different types of liberal democrats. The Clintons strike me as representing pluralistic, bargaining style politics– where hard deals get made, and the Clintons are smooth operators and drive hard bargains for what they want. They trade what they can and stand fast when they have to. Obama, on the other hand, seems to embody a deliberative democratic ethic much more. He gives great speeches, he prioritizes reason-giving, he talks up norms of civility.  American democracy has a long legacy of both democratic models, and so neither is wrong or “unAmerican,” but I have always sensed that the deliberative model seems more appealing to those who have been frustrated by the way politicians have talked to citizens over the last 20 years. Not much of a difference in terms of total votes, but enough for an upstart rookie Senator to defeat one of America’s now, let’s face it, most legendary political figures in recent history. I feel like even now, Clinton is bargaining in a way that feels out of place with the general political climate.