The King of Mountebanks? 30 comments

31 Jan 2008 @ 19:53, by Paul Quintanilla If the Devil is at play here, and he is setting us up for the one two punch, then Barack is his main man. The perfect front. For after eight years of George Bush, of nightly seeing a President of the United States on television smirk, lie, mangle the language, and smile confidently and broadly as countless die, all at his hand, the dignified portrait of noble and eloquent sobriety Obama brings us is the perfect contrast. And a horrible mockery, in this moment of our history, if he is not the “real thing.” If Obama is a fake then he is truly the King of Mountebanks. And there has never been anyone quite like him. He comes at a time when this country lays prone on the mat, not knocked out, but certainly down. He comes at a time when he appears as the perfect man to stretch out his hand and help the country back up. The man who knows what to say, what will make us feel good, how to begin the healing. But is he more than that? When Bill Clinton came onto the scene sixteen years ago he offered pretty much the same promise. And he was - if you happen to be progressive - a bust. He caved constantly to the right, gave us NAFTA, free trade, sacked the poor, and “triangulated” whenever he faced a fight. Now he is teaching us a new meaning for his crown “Slick Willy.” A title we can thank the Republican right for which those of us who once were Clinton apologists can fully understand and see. Though Kenneth Starr and his pack of rabid wolves were far worse. What are the problems facing us? I won’t go through the lengthy list, yet again. What are Obama’s remedies? They don't actually appear that much different from Hillary’s. Where Obama truly shines is in the hope department, in uplifting the American spirit. His critics say much more than that is needed. And that millions of Americans have merely been mesmerized, irrationally projecting all their hopes and desires on this one man no one really knows. They may be right. But can those qualities Obama brings us be truly faked? Those of us who watch the passing scene see many fakes and phonies parade by. Romney is an excellent example over on the Republican side. Often they are too vulgar to be taken seriously. If Obama is a fake he is a fake with an enormous amount of class. He has perfected the appearance of a heightened nobility, and most mountebanks rarely succeed in those qualities. They in fact appeal frequently to the baser emotions, which is why if Obama is a fake he is the King of Mountebanks. And truly the Devil’s tool. For he has discovered how to employ a heightened noble air to fool the public. Let’s not forget, the candidate of choice is often the guy the voter would like to “have a beer” with. Like George Bush who convinced many voters he was a just a “regular guy” who really cared about them. An early reviewer of Malcolm Lowry’s novel, Under the Volcano, criticized Lowry, an unknown novelist at the time, of having written a book which only simulated a great novel. Future critics and scholars have had some fun at the expense of this early critic’s assessment. For, of course, Under the Volcano was eventually accepted into the cannon. And has since then been recognized as a great novel. It appeared like a great novel because it was. I think it is normal and natural to balk, to wonder if we are being offered the real thing. Especially in politics (and in art) where fakes often abound. But if Obama’s not the real thing then he is indeed the King of Mountebanks. So I’m going to take a chance. Hillary is no alternative. And if we are heading toward the edge of a cliff anyway I’m curious to see what Obama will do.

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