The Obama Style

The meting of the President-Elect of the United States with McCain reflects a new form of politics that should be embraced

As if there had been no winners or losers in the elections, the President-elect of the United States, Barack Obama, met with his adversary, John McCain, and showed himself willing to receive his cooperation in the hard moment that will mean confronting the economic crisis and other challenges. It was a gesture without precedent in contemporary history, as is the possibility that the next cabinet will include members of the Republican party. This was not the call for transformation that Nestor Kirchner promoted in his eagerness to pulverize the opposition, but an outstretched hand in times so difficult that, in a democratic system much more robust than Argentina’s, political speculation has no traction.

Obviously, Obama proposes “a new era of reforms” and will need the backing of the Republican opposition in the capitol. If an experienced senator like McCain had perceived in the call the slightest interest in attacking him, he would no doubt have rejected the invitation. He accepted, as on the day of the election, out of mutual respect and the generous desire to talk one on one, something that, regrettably, seems so unusual in these spheres.

Without pettiness, Obama valued the lessons of various Republican senators during the campaign, such as Richard Lugar, from whom, he said, he learned more about foreign policy than he did from the Democrats. His immediate goal, nevertheless, will not only be to rebuild America’s damaged imaged in the world, but, above all, to restore confidence in the government among his own people. In his cabinet will be Robert Gates, current Secretary of Defense, a signal of the opening that will be made toward the opposition.

Democrats and Republicans don’t agree on certain subjects, but nor do they wallow in short-term policies that only serve the status quo. There are some, of course, like the rescue of the troubled banks by the House of Representatives. The pact reached with McCain, departing from traditional politics, refers to a shared preoccupation with restoring the effectiveness of the government, beyond the arduous circumstances in which the country will remain after eight years of the George W. Bush administration.

Obama will need the Republican vote in order to approve projects of great importance to his administration, like the announced closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison, the repeal of the laws authorizing torture, the redistribution of troops from Iraq to Afghanistan and the adjustment of regulations to combat climate change.

McCain deserved a gesture of this magnitude, not only for being perhaps the last candidate from the generation of Vietnam War heroes, but for having been realistic during the campaign and for having accepted the popular verdict with a spirit that placed love of country above all. His willingness to work in cooperation with Obama demonstrates the importance of investing in the consolidation of the democratic system in place of simply entrenching electoral democracy.

This goes on in Argentina and other countries in Latin America where political campaigning never stops, as if there were not other things to take care of. Additionally, as happened with the conflict between the farmers and the government regarding taxes on agricultural production, congresssmen and those with executive posts challenge those who do not agree with them by running as candidates so that they can see whether their voice translates into votes. Such answer is so simple and essential as it is inferring that in the republic the only worthy people are those that have been popularly elected, even through electoral tickets whose candidates have been selected by the party and nobody knows who they are.

It’s good to not only take the meeting between McCain and Obama as an example, but, as usually occurs in presidential debates in the U.S., Spain or France, to feel that envy can be a stronger trigger than it seems at first glance.

If the politician with charisma, a positive worldview and greater problems to deal with can offer his hand to his rival with humility, why can’t others do the same? With so much solitary action, many believe in votes more than they do in people, and with so much invested in the moment, they forget their obligation to honor the presidency and be mindful of future generations. The meeting between Obama and McCain should be seen as a new form of politics, one that should be embraced by even the most reluctant for either conviction, convenience or survival.