The Other Obamas

The results of the primaries in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Arkansas lead to the conclusion that people are tired of professional politicians and want not only new faces but new ways of doing politics. That same logic propelled a candidate like Obama, about whom no one would have given two cents, to the U.S. presidency.

This phenomenon is not only local but global, as evidenced by the success of Nick Clegg and Antanas Mockus in Colombia. In fact, it’s curious that the emergence of these candidates presents so many similarities to Obama’s rise and is a product of some of the same motivators.

As in the case of the current U.S. president, just months before the election, both nominations aroused little media interest. Suddenly, everything changed, and they became the centers of attention in the British and Colombian campaigns. They are accompanied by a certain air of trendiness.

The main reason for their success is that to the voters, they represent someone who is not a typical politician but rather an authentic “outsider.” In the case of Obama, it was obvious by the color of his skin and his biography. In the case of Mockus, few presidential candidates have dropped their pants in public. In the case of Clegg, he was rendered almost invisible by British bipartisanship.

The similarities among the three do not end there. Curiously, all of them are the exact opposite of stereotypical populist candidates — like Haider or Le Pen — whom one would expect to succeed in a moment of crisis such as the present. During his campaign, Obama was accused of speaking like a professor in class, appealing to reason instead of emotions. Mockus also treats the electorate like an intelligent being, offering complete answers for the country’s problems. Maybe this tendency stems from the fact that they are university professors.

With all these coincidences, it is not surprising that the three have meshed well with young, urban and well-educated voters. This also explains their rapid emergence, since these social sectors can be mobilized quickly for political reasons. Since they lack the monetary support of the establishment, these “outsiders” need true, popular mobilization.

In short, if you have ever dreamed of becoming president but always thought that your profile didn’t fulfill official requirements, this can be your moment to take the leap. It’s now or never.