The Maverick Tribe

As the mainstream media keeps reminding us, this is a choice between change and experience.  Barack Obama promises a new direction; Hillary Clinton claims only she can work within the established system.  The funny thing about this dichotomy is that its contours follow the election of your high school class president.  (I realize that this is the second Hillary/high school analogy I've used, but it's apt.)

Remember?  Class president.  It was Suzy Chapstick against Jennifer Hearts-Over-Her-"i"s.  They'd each give their 30-second canned speeches during assembly in the school gymnasium.  Suzy's would boil down to:  "Vote for me because I was class president last year", while Jennifer's would urge, "If you want change, vote Jennifer".  And so it went, class president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.  (None of it mattered, of course, because what it would finally come down to was:  whichever girl wasn't being ostracized the week of the election would win.)

The other remarkable feature about the Barack/Hillary change vs. experience narrative proferred by the media is that it's true.  That is the central issue defining this rivalry.  Barack Obama does bring a fresh and unifying voice to the political discourse, but he is a greenhorn on the national stage.  And Hillary Clinton is, well, Hillary Clinton.  Like her husband, she'll build a bridge, except this one back to the 20th century.  It's an excrutiating choice, for me anyway, but at least CNN, MSNBC, and, yes, even Fox News are characterizing this choice accurately.  They appear to understand that it's substantive.

Enjoy it while it lasts.  Before long, we will descend into the season of full blown posturing, with the broadcast media fanning the flames.  Mitt Romney will take a press corps out varmint hunting, to establish his 2nd Amendment bona fides.  Barack Obama will look stupid driving a manure spreader around in Iowa, sucking up to farmers.  (Please, no one get near a tank, deal?)  Someone will be seen clearing brush in dungarees.  And each press outlet will bring in a team of sophisticated pundits to hash out who appears the most "presidential".  Who would we most want to have a beer with?  Who's got the better pecs for fighting the war on terror?

It makes a man wish for the days of Suzy and Jennifer.