Friday, September 05, 2008
Brand X
My latest for The Root -- the various "brands" now apparently out of favor, based on the make-up of the two presidential tickets.
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Labels: baby boomers, Generations
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Boomer Agonistes
When I've commented before on the connection between the Clinton machine and Boomer culture, the inevitable response is, "But Obama is a boomer as well."
No, he's not.
Yes, he was born in 1961, and some demographers assess the boom years as 1946-64. But others see the Boom ending -- in a cultural sense, as much as a demographic one -- as ending in 1960. And, you can just tell that Barack Obama is of a different generation that the Clintons or the Bushes or the Gores. It's not about race, but about culture and the themes that this newer gerneration emphasizes.
John Zogby ably summarizes the problems of the generation that just wouldn't leave:
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No, he's not.
Yes, he was born in 1961, and some demographers assess the boom years as 1946-64. But others see the Boom ending -- in a cultural sense, as much as a demographic one -- as ending in 1960. And, you can just tell that Barack Obama is of a different generation that the Clintons or the Bushes or the Gores. It's not about race, but about culture and the themes that this newer gerneration emphasizes.
John Zogby ably summarizes the problems of the generation that just wouldn't leave:
The Clintons are proto-typical Baby Boomers - committed to ideals of peace and justice but overwhelmed with themselves. They (we, because I was born in 1948) are consumed with being the center of attention, the bride and groom at every wedding, so much so, that the ends don't simply justify the means, they are one and the same. Getting elected is the game, the final goal, the definition of self-worth. In his recent book, former White House spokesman Scott McClellan decried the mentality of “the permanent campaign” that he said permeated the White House of George W. Bush (the other Boomer president), which in some respects mirrors the Clinton behavior.An Andrew Sullivan reader also bemoans the examples of his generation that made it to the highest office in the land:
Sad to say, Bill Clinton became best known for the hallmarks of Boomerism – self-centeredness and permanent adolescence – as exhibited by the Lewinsky affair and all the other, lesser controversies and scandals.
The obsessions and legacy of the Clintons led to what the American voters thought was their antidote – the election of Bush, the boy who woke up and discovered he was President. Of course, they were wrong.
Bush’s exemplification of permanent adolescence could be seen almost immediately. The big new story out of the White House in early 2001 was his penchant to award everyone with childish nicknames, but there were other indications. Then, discussing the threat of Iraq in 2002, Bush said “After all, this is the guy who tried to kill my dad.”
We soon discovered that loyalty and clubbishness trumped experience and judgment, and an inability to admit mistakes destroyed credibility around the globe and three decades of Republican prestige in handling foreign policy. All the credit that the GOP earned through Richard Nixon’s efforts with China and Ronald Reagan’s tactics to successfully unravel the Soviet Union from within has been lost by the inflexible, inward-looking approach in dealing with Iraq and, now, Iran.
After 16 years, Americans have finally declared, state by state, caucus by caucus, primary by primary, that they have had enough of the Boomer generation in the White House.
First, a man who refused to take responsibility for himself, and acted like the rules did not apply to him. Pretty much the epitome of the left's attitude in the late 1960s. Followed by a man who also refused to take responsibility, and acted like a stereotypical frat boy who never grew up.Goodbye to all that.
In reality, there were a lot of us who were responsible adults. But apparently that was not the route to the Presidency. When history looks at us, there will be a tendency to take our generation's Presidents as a proxy for us all. God, how I wish it were not so! But there you have it.
Labels: baby boomers, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Long Boom Continues
Andrew Sullivan has an excellent post up which is essentially a long letter from a reader explaining the appeal of Obama for he and his wife (both in their mid-20's). The letter is essentially an appropriate indictment of the baby boom generation -- its excesses, its lack of discipline, etc. Andrew's reader sees Obama as a way out of the culture trap the boomers have bequeated society and its younger generations.
As it happens, I had a chat with a younger colleague (in his 20s, conservative and a Republican) and an acquaintance of his who was about the same age, but a Democrat who was supporting him. I was telling Danny -- the Democrat -- what I had shared with my colleague John earlier, how I felt that Hillary Clinton was going to be the eventual Democratic nominee, despite what the delegate counts look like now. Danny, however, spoke about Obama in almost exactly the same terms as Andrew's letter-writer. He specifically mentioned that he was "tired" and "done" with the baby boomers and everything they represent.
I said, "You may well be, my friend. However, they are not yet done with you."
That is the underlying cultural foundation of this election. Despite Obama's charisma and McCain's charm and their common crossover appeal, Hillary Clinton will be the standard-bearer of the largest, most self-indulgent generation in the history of America. They have driven the culture since the '60s, took over the presidency in 1992 and full control of Congress in 1994. Once they get their teeth into an institution, they don't let go. The sense of entitlement that Bill and Hillary have shown throughout this campaign is in perfect sync with the character of their cohort.
This is a sentiment that crosses party lines: Rather than the ideology that separates them, look at Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Newt Gingrich, Hillary Clinton, etc. and consider their shared characteristics and approach to politics. To varying degrees, they talk about conciliation and cooperation (why? because this generation always wants to be loved and praised for everything they do). But their political style is confrontational. They are always right; their opponents are not just wrong, they are evil. Upheaval and division is what boomers are about. Battle and chaos is their "normal." It is the supreme irony that the generation that dodged the draft revels in conflict. It's there in their language -- '92's Clinton campaign "War Room", '94's Gingrich-led "Republican Revolution."
The 2000 election was the first contested between two boomers -- and look what that produced.
Thus, Hillary's language of fighting -- and her security ads -- appeal perfectly to her temporal tribe.
The younger generations want this long-standing cultural war to stop. Obama aside, that's why McCain, who is older than the boomers also appeals to them (and may get many of their votes against Hillary).
But the boomers will not go quietly. The arrogance the Clintons show to Obama carries a, "It's not your time yet." After they get through with him -- which they will because boomers reinvent the rules and the language to suit their own purpose -- they will do to John McCain what Bill did to Bob Dole: His time is past and he cannot lead this country.
And Hillary Clinton will win the presidency because she will convince enough of those of her own generation that they mustn't be pushed aside by those coming behind them -- and will not be repudiated by their elders.
One final point: RT readers, be happy. What you read here over the previous two days on Barack Obama's nomination prospects is about to become the conventional wisdom. See here, here, and here. Oh, and what do we have here -- a suggestion that Obama needs to be tougher? Where did that come from? No need to thank me now. There will be a tip jar coming soon enough.
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As it happens, I had a chat with a younger colleague (in his 20s, conservative and a Republican) and an acquaintance of his who was about the same age, but a Democrat who was supporting him. I was telling Danny -- the Democrat -- what I had shared with my colleague John earlier, how I felt that Hillary Clinton was going to be the eventual Democratic nominee, despite what the delegate counts look like now. Danny, however, spoke about Obama in almost exactly the same terms as Andrew's letter-writer. He specifically mentioned that he was "tired" and "done" with the baby boomers and everything they represent.
I said, "You may well be, my friend. However, they are not yet done with you."
That is the underlying cultural foundation of this election. Despite Obama's charisma and McCain's charm and their common crossover appeal, Hillary Clinton will be the standard-bearer of the largest, most self-indulgent generation in the history of America. They have driven the culture since the '60s, took over the presidency in 1992 and full control of Congress in 1994. Once they get their teeth into an institution, they don't let go. The sense of entitlement that Bill and Hillary have shown throughout this campaign is in perfect sync with the character of their cohort.
This is a sentiment that crosses party lines: Rather than the ideology that separates them, look at Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Newt Gingrich, Hillary Clinton, etc. and consider their shared characteristics and approach to politics. To varying degrees, they talk about conciliation and cooperation (why? because this generation always wants to be loved and praised for everything they do). But their political style is confrontational. They are always right; their opponents are not just wrong, they are evil. Upheaval and division is what boomers are about. Battle and chaos is their "normal." It is the supreme irony that the generation that dodged the draft revels in conflict. It's there in their language -- '92's Clinton campaign "War Room", '94's Gingrich-led "Republican Revolution."
The 2000 election was the first contested between two boomers -- and look what that produced.
Thus, Hillary's language of fighting -- and her security ads -- appeal perfectly to her temporal tribe.
The younger generations want this long-standing cultural war to stop. Obama aside, that's why McCain, who is older than the boomers also appeals to them (and may get many of their votes against Hillary).
But the boomers will not go quietly. The arrogance the Clintons show to Obama carries a, "It's not your time yet." After they get through with him -- which they will because boomers reinvent the rules and the language to suit their own purpose -- they will do to John McCain what Bill did to Bob Dole: His time is past and he cannot lead this country.
And Hillary Clinton will win the presidency because she will convince enough of those of her own generation that they mustn't be pushed aside by those coming behind them -- and will not be repudiated by their elders.
One final point: RT readers, be happy. What you read here over the previous two days on Barack Obama's nomination prospects is about to become the conventional wisdom. See here, here, and here. Oh, and what do we have here -- a suggestion that Obama needs to be tougher? Where did that come from? No need to thank me now. There will be a tip jar coming soon enough.
Labels: baby boomers, Hillary Clinton
