Posted on Tuesday, 20th January 2009 by Bill Bean
Last night I was speaking with a new friend about the new president. His concern, and I think it is valid, is that President Obama’s election had more to do with style than substance. That’s not to demean the new president but to make an observation about our changing political environment.
Watching the news coverage of the inauguration, including the events leading up to it, I’m reminded that we are shown what we want to see.
What have we seen?
Celebrities, and lots of them. Television and movie stars, popular (understated) musicians like Stevie Wonder and Bono, and sports idols like Magic Johnson and Mohammed Ali.
What do they have to do with anything? Certainly famous people have a right to participate in the political arena, sharing their ideas and campaigning on behalf of their chosen candidate or issue. But why do we care so much that Tom Hanks or Spike Lee is there?
It is unfortunate that celebrities have such influential voices in our culture.
President Obama represents many good things for our country. Has he been elected only because of what he represents culturally? (these things are not unimportant) When all is said and done will he have more in common, historically speaking, with Princess Diana than Abraham Lincoln?
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