Head in the Sand Campaigning?

By jason | March 11, 2008

I’ve groused here and in meat space before about what I consider a pretty vacuous campaign on the part of Obama. It’s all about hope and being audacious, apparently. Recently, as most of us not under a rock are probably aware, the Clinton campaign ran a pretty controversial “3am phone call” ad, asking who people would rather having answer that emergency 3am call to the president. Interesting question, I guess, but what’s more interesting to me is the response from Obama fans. Ignoring the substance of the ad, some seem to prefer burying our heads in the sand and imagining with John Lennon. To wit (emphasis added):

Well, what I don’t like about the ad is it, it’s fear-mongering. It’s, I think it’s a cheap hit to take. And I really prefer Obama’s message of looking forward to a bright future where there, there aren’t crises, you know? I think that’s a much stronger message, is hope. And that’s getting criticized that hope isn’t real, hope isn’t practical, but what more could you want in a leader.

I’ll tell you what I want: someone with ideas that might actually work, rather than someone passing out warm fuzzies and hugs on the campaign trail.