Moving from Fear

Obama’s Security Review on Attempted Attack speech yesterday signals a move away from instilling fear into the hearts of the American people as a prime political objective, perhaps a critical moment in this administration.

Said Obama, “Here at home, we will strengthen our defenses, but we will not succumb to a siege mentality that sacrifices the open society and liberties and values that we cherish as Americans, because great and proud nations don't hunker down and hide behind walls of suspicion and mistrust. That is exactly what our adversaries want, and so long as I am President, we will never hand them that victory. We will define the character of our country, not some band of small men intent on killing innocent men, women and children.”

We shall see. But the language certainly sounds like the presidential repudiation of Bush-Cheney that has been absent in presidential rhetoric [an important political deliverable in any administration].

Base maintenance and brand ("Change") management are axiomatic, and this message—'the fear is gone'—is tailor-made for the intangible excitement and hope that swept Obama into office against the odious and petulant John McCain who still carries the banner of the worst of the Bush-Cheney fear mongers and war makers operating through the contemporary Republican establishment and Joe Lieberman.

I know this is presidential rhetoric and not policy change, but count me as one who still has hope.

- via mal contends