The Second Coming

Published in Gandul
(Romania) on 21 January 2013
by Alina Matis (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Andreea Muntean. Edited by Natalie Clager.
Barack Obama is definitely not Jesus Christ. However, not more than four years ago, he was a quasi-prophet of American politics. His fellow citizens, his people of the month, placed him in this divine image, which was made possible by political marketing geniuses. When they realized his greatness was not all that great, people got offended. So they passed their vote to Mitt Romney, but only to admonish Obama. Afterward, when Obama won the elections, they were happy again and witnessed his “second coming.”

On Monday, Obama did not offer people a moving inaugural speech. Luckily for him, nobody really expected one. The history of the previous 15 presidents elected to second terms proved it was impossible. He did, however, give a symbolic speech and spoke loud and clear about countries and policies, without naming them and without politicizing a deeply emotional event for the 800,000 people present there. This was a lesson that only Bill Clinton was able to give. Looking at the footage of the crowd, it seemed like all 800,000 Americans were attending a religious service.

After celebrating 150 years since the abolition of slavery and 50 years after Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous Washington march, Barack Obama and his guests of honor spoke to the world about the values of freedom, equality and unity. On stage, in front of the Capitol, behind a thick bulletproof window, stood a man who, for some, is still the messiah and whose speech was for the people.

The end of the war in Afghanistan, the U.S.’ economic revival, a lower deficit, a historic health reform, global warming and the green industry, peace as a solution to conflicts, a better relationship with adversaries across the world in order to find common ground and benefits, gender and sexual orientation equality — this was Obama’s speech. It was the centerpiece of a spectacle that included stars, artists, divas and activists, a spectacle that included the people and the 1 percent.

Though not much is expected of a lame duck, Barack Obama will not have a meaningless mandate, by far. He begins it with a reform that is even more sensitive than “Obamacare.” Medical insurance is one thing, but the true battle of his mandate will be guns.

Obama is still facing Congress, this rebel, spoiled child of American politics in its puberty years, which will resume the bickering on economy, teetering yet again on the verge of a fiscal cliff. Obama also has a pending promise — the immigration reform that he so eagerly promoted during his first campaign and resumed in the second.

Same as from the prophet in 2009, a great deal is expected from the president in 2013.

Apart from some international crises, it is hard to believe that the 44th American president will be concerned with external affairs. His real days of mandate are not that many. Two years from now, a new presidential campaign will begin and all the discussions will be about politics, not policies.

For the moment, we are blessed with Obama’s inauguration playlist, as even a job in politics could use some music.


Barack Obama nu este Iisus Hristos, dar, nu mai departe de acum patru ani, era un cvasi-profet al politicii americane. Concetăţenii lui, "the people"-ul de luni, l-au pus în acea icoană imaginară, creată şi servită de nişte genii ai marketingului politic. Când au văzut că omul e om fără majuscule, oamenii s-au supărat. Aşa că au votat cu Mitt Romney. Dar numai cât să îl dojenească pe Obama. Pe urmă, când a câştigat alegerile, s-au bucurat din nou şi au văzut "a doua venire" la orizont.
Barack Obama nu a mai reuşit să emoţioneze luni, în discursul lui de învestitură. Spre binele său, de aşteptat nu s-a prea aşteptat nimeni la aşa ceva. Istoria celorlalţi 15 preşedinţi cu două mandate consecutive a dovedit că nu este posibil. A putut, însă, să ţină un discurs plin de simboluri, să vorbească foarte clar şi răspicat despre ţări şi politici, fără a le numi şi fără a politiza un eveniment profund emoţional pentru cei 800.000 de oameni prezenţi. O lecţie de care numai Bill Clinton era în stare. Şi dacă te-ai fi uitat la toate cadrele cu mulţimea, vedeai că cei 800.000 de americani prezenţi erau la o slujbă.
La împlinirea a 150 de ani de la abolirea sclaviei, la 50 de ani de la celebrul Marş către Washington al lui Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama şi invitaţii lui la ceremonie au vorbit lumii despre valorile libertăţii, egalităţii, dar şi despre unitate.
Pe scenă, în faţa Capitoliului, din spatele unui strat gros de geam antiglonţ, a stat un om care încă e un mesia pentru anumiţi oameni şi care a ţinut un discurs pentru "the people".
Finalul războiului din Afganistan, relansarea economiei SUA, tăierea deficitului, reforma istorică a sănătăţii, încălzirea globală şi industria verde, pacea ca soluţie la conflicte, apropierea de adversarii din toate părţile lumii pentru a găsi puncte şi beneficii comune, egalitatea de gen, de orientare sexuală - acesta a fost discursul lui Obama, "miezul" unui spectacol cu vedete, cu artişti, cu dive şi activişti, cu poporul şi cu cei 1% la un loc.
Deşi aşteptările sunt, de regulă, mici de la un "lame duck", Barack Obama nu va avea nici pe departe un al doilea mandat liniştit. Îl începe cu o nouă reformă - chiar mai sensibilă decât ce a ajuns să fie cunoscut drept "Obamacare". Asigurarea ca asigurarea medicală, dar adevărata luptă a mandatelor sale se va da pe arme.
Pe Obama îl mai aşteaptă Congresul, acest copil la pubertate, rebel şi răsfăţat, al politicii americane, cu care va reîncepe cearta pe probleme economice, tot de pe marginea unei prăpastii fiscale. Are şi o promisiune restantă - reforma imigraţiei pe care o prorocea în prima campanie prezidenţială şi pe care a reluat-o în cea de-a doua.
La fel ca de la profetul din 2009, sunt aşteptări mari şi de la preşedintele din 2013.
Cu excepţia unor crize internaţionale, e greu de crezut că cel de-al 44-lea preşedinte american va fi unul al politicii externe. Zilele reale de mandat sunt puţine. În doi ani, începe o nouă campanie prezidenţială şi toată discuţia va fi numai despre politică, nu despre politici.
Deocamdată, rămânem cu playlist-ul de inaugurare al lui Barack Obama. Pentru că până şi o slujbă politică are nevoie de muzică.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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