Obama’s Post Primary Quick Step

It is an article of faith that presidential candidates play to their base during the primary season, and move gradually to the center to broaden their appeal for the national campaign. However, Barack Obama’s shift has happened with an alacrity that is both disappointing and alarming. He campaigned successfully as the candidate of change against Hillary Clinton, whom he portrayed as the consummate insider, but in recent weeks has voted against his party’s base on a range of issues, among them the death penalty, gun control, taxpayer money for religious groups and now, he has voted for immunity for telecommunications companies who took part in warrantless wiretapping at the Bush Government’s behest.

It is understandable that the primary concern of the Democratic party is winning in November, and that may immunize him from the approbation of the party faithful – for now at least. But taken as a whole…  Last week alone, Obama gave a speech on his support for public funding of social programs run by religious groups, and another on patriotism, wearing a flag pin on his lapel. The week before, he welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision overturning a handgun ban in the District of Columbia and criticized its ruling against the death penalty for child rape.

It may be all very well to say – Well at least he’s better than McCain – but at some point, his makeover as a centrist candidate may be so complete, that people will be wondering why they didn’t vote for Hillary, who at least has the experience and connections to work the system that Obama appears to be wholeheartedly buying into.  He may win the center only to find he has lost his core constituency.

This would not be the first time a candidate has disappointed the electorate that elected him to office, but Obama represented something so different, the expectations he raised so high, that when he falls to earth, the fallout will be epic, creating a whole new generation of cynics.