The United States Wants to Dream

Following the costly recognition that Senator Clinton has lost the primaries, comes the moment of analyzing what happened; the one who started out with the advantage lost to a young unknown who only arrived at the Senate two years ago – of which time he has dedicated the major part to the presidential campaign. One of Obama’s advisors has explained it with dazzling clarity. Clinton articulated her discourse with professionalism, analyzing concrete problems and proposing alternatives. On the contrary, Obama addressed the heart of the people, gave wings to their illusions, and made them believe that another America is possible. Americans want to dream and Clinton’s realism does not satisfy them.

Obama has an undisputed oratoral capacity and has no problem saying to everyone what they want to hear. He does not have scruples. He is aware that American society is tired of the various military campaigns and the intense ideological debate of these past years and believes that he can seduce them with emotional discourse and breaking the barriers that have divided the Republicans and the Democrats.

McCain has before him a complex challenge. It is not clear that the conservatives will vote for him in a block. His anthropological realism goes against popular belief and his oration is demonstrably improved. In his favor, he has the rejection of Obama by certain determined Democratic sectors, like laborers, agriculture workers, and the elderly, who do not completely believe in the Senator from Illinois.

But the key shall be McCain’s capacity to put an end to the enchantment. To encourage the people to analyze Obama’s concrete proposals, and above all his problematic biography. Until that moment his formidable charisma superimposes worrisome acts that for anyone else would have already cost his career. His verbal missteps—he proposed attacking Pakistan, made reference to Afghanistan as an Arab speaking country—are continuous and manifest his inexperience.

Americans want to change and have before them a young and eloquent man that assures them that it is possible.