Et Tu Fredus

By Ron Beasley

The Washington Post has endorsed Barack Obama.  There was a time  - pre Fred Hiatt - where this would not have been a surprise but with Fred at the helm of the editorial page it is.  Now the reasoning is sound and not surprising:

There are few public figures we have respected more over the years than Sen. John McCain. Yet it is without ambivalence that we endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president.

The choice is made easy in part by Mr. McCain's disappointing campaign, above all his irresponsible selection of a running mate who is not ready to be president. It is made easy in larger part, though, because of our admiration for Mr. Obama and the impressive qualities he has shown during this long race. Yes, we have reservations and concerns, almost inevitably, given Mr. Obama's relatively brief experience in national politics. But we also have enormous hopes.

Mr. Obama is a man of supple intelligence, with a nuanced grasp of complex issues and evident skill at conciliation and consensus-building. At home, we believe, he would respond to the economic crisis with a healthy respect for markets tempered by justified dismay over rising inequality and an understanding of the need for focused regulation. Abroad, the best evidence suggests that he would seek to maintain U.S. leadership and engagement, continue the fight against terrorists, and wage vigorous diplomacy on behalf of U.S. values and interests. Mr. Obama has the potential to become a great president. Given the enormous problems he would confront from his first day in office, and the damage wrought over the past eight years, we would settle for very good.

Obama's threat at this point is not from John McCain or the Republicans but from his own supporters.  If they think the game is over and not vote he could still lose.  If he does win he will need a mandate to do the things that need to be done - a mandate that he will only have if each one of his supporters actually votes.  The only thing that is between Obama and that mandate are his own supporters. 

Comments

[El Caballo de Sangre]

Sorry, but this "mandate" business has to stop, especially when it's coming from Obama supporters. That meme takes hold at all, and all of a sudden if Barack doesn't get 375+ EVs, or doesn't get his filibuster-proof Senate, ALL of the MSM punditry is going to highlight how hamstrung he and his agenda are because he didn't win by enough.

I say that he could win 270-268, and have a 50-50 Senate w/ Joe to break the ties, and he should damn well STILL govern (as much as he can) as if it were a blowout. "Elections have consequences", remember - that's going to be among the sweetest bits of Bushism to throw back at these guys.

Certainly that will be easier with an electoral landslide and some long coattails, but it's not exactly necessary. Not advocating complacency here, just warning about anybody from our side emphasizing the need for a "mandate", because it gives the other side a club to beat BO with when the race ends up being tighter than it is now - which it's likely to be anyway.

[Fred Beloit]

It is not totally surprising that the Wapo endorses someone for whom it has been ardently and faithfully working for a few years now.