OBAMARAMA

One of the media’s favorite games is to compare emerging political figures to politicians of the days of yore. It’s a real treat for them — an opportunity to exhibit their extensive political knowledge while also giving viewers what I expect they think is a helpful point of reference in evaluating the candidate. The comparisons can sometimes be helpful, but are more often gratuitous and occasionally asinine.

Sen. Obama is no exception. His insurgent popularity has already been likened to that of Bill Bradley and Howard Dean, his charisma to that of Bill Clinton. One article quoted a voter who compared Obama’s presence in New Hampshire — I kid you not — to Jesus.

As usual, the Sunday morning talk shows perfected the sound bite comparison, jumping from simile (”He speaks like Clinton”) to straight up metaphor. On the Chris Matthews Show, Howard Fineman, Chief Political Correspondent for Newsweek, called Sen. Obama “the black Bill Clinton.” A few minutes later in the same show, New York Magazine contributing editor Jennifer Senior called him “the black RFK.”

I’m not sure how helpful such oversimplification is to the debate (I suspect he’s actually “the black Barack Obama,” or just Barack Obama for short), but the comparisons to successful, revered statesmen are certainly welcome, and will in time no doubt be proven justified.

The most articulate parallel I’ve seen, though — and one that actually compares substantive aspects of Sen. Obama’s character with those of another great leader — comes from the previously-discussed Newsweek cover story:

Theodore Sorensen, JFK’s adviser and speechwriter, says, “He [Obama] reminds me in many ways of Kennedy in 1960. The pundits said he was Catholic and too young and inexperienced and wasn’t a member of the party’s inner circle. They forgot that the nomination wasn’t decided in Washington but out in the field.”

If Ted Sorensen is hailing Obama’s similarity to JFK, better listen up. Few knew President Kennedy better, and few are more qualified to herald such a comparison. Incidentally, if you’re fed up with politics-as-usual, Sorenson’s excellent book, Why I Am a Democrat, may help convince you to get back on board (as it did for me).