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Go Home The Messiah-Complex Complex

SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

The Messiah-Complex Complex

BY JONATHAN CHAIT

Of all the complaints made against Barack Obama, the one I least understand is that he's some kind of millennial cult leader. An ad for John McCain and endless conservative commentary have harped on the theme of what National Review editor Rich Lowry called Obama's "secular messianism." Conservatives have sternly lectured Obama's fans that he will not, in fact, deliver paradise if elected. I agree! But why is this a reason to vote against him? McCain isn't going to create heaven on earth, either. Obama, however, might deliver health care reform and a more moderate federal judiciary.


The image of Obama as a messianic figure rests upon an endlessly repeated litany of bogus particulars. The first is that Obama's fans faint at his speeches. Again, I fail to appreciate the horrors of having a president whose rhetoric is so inspiring that it causes listeners to faint. In any case, Obama isn't actually that good a speaker. People faint at public gatherings all the time, especially when they're in a warm building for a long time without enough to drink. People faint at rallies for other candidates, too--Obama's fainters just started to get reported on after the cult idea arose.


The second factoid is that Oprah Winfrey called Obama "The One." What Winfrey actually said was, "I am here to tell you, Iowa, he is the one!" Inevitably, conservative critics capitalize the phrase ("The One") to create an impression of creepy messianism. In any case, when you are trying to persuade your audience that a particular candidate is the one they should vote for, there's nothing inherently cultlike about calling him "the one." Unless, of course, you consider campaign slogans like "Nixon's the One" evidence of a personality cult.


Next, there is Obama's declaration that "we are the ones we've been waiting for." The point, which he has made many times, is that voters should take responsibility themselves for enacting change, and thus that his supporters should not treat him as a savior. Obama-as-cult-leader screeds insist upon reading the meaning as the exact reverse. Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer wrote, "in the words of his own slogan, 'we are the ones we've been waiting for,' which, translating the royal 'we,' means: 'I am the one we've been waiting for.'" As a pundit, I'm intrigued by this technique of taking a word out of your subject's statement and substituting its opposite. Did you know that McCain's slogan, "Country first," could be translated via the Krauthammer method into "Country last"? Why does John McCain hate America?


Finally, there's Obama's line, "This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal." McCain's campaign, and conservative pundits like Mark Steyn and Krauthammer (again), have mocked this as a claim to divine powers. "Moses made the waters recede, but he had help," sneered right-wing columnist Irwin Stelzer. Call me a literalist, but I think Obama was referring to his plan to curtail global warming, which is causing sea levels to rise at a rate of approximately three millimeters a year, rather than boasting supernatural dominion over the elements.


Now, it's certainly true that some enthusiastic Obama fans have displayed unusual zeal for their candidate. Yet it was only a few years ago--before President Bush's approval ratings tanked and conservatives decided that he wasn't actually a conservative at all--that the right had its own personality cult. There was DC 9/11, the Stalinist-style propaganda film reimagining Bush as an action hero boldly defying the terrorists on September 11. National Review, which has published innumerable articles in recent weeks decrying Obama's personality cult, was running advertisements for bronze busts depicting Bush in his "Mission Accomplished" fighter-pilot getup.


After September 11, James Merritt, then-president of the Southern Baptist Convention, told Bush that he had been chosen by God. Bush nodded. (Fred Barnes reported this encounter in The Weekly Standard, concluding, "The stage was set for Bush to be God's agent of wrath.") As Time reported, "Privately, Bush even talked of being chosen by the grace of God to lead at that moment." Claiming you've been chosen by God to lead the world in a titanic clash of good versus evil is pretty much the definition of messianic.


The short-lived cult of Bush, in fact, merely reprised the cult of Reagan that lives on to this day. Reagan kitsch has never gone out of style among Republicans. Numerous conservative pundits have suggested that any public policy question can be solved simply by asking "What would Reagan do?" The Heritage Foundation has a dedicated wwrd website. If, say, Brookings had inserted Obama's name into a phrase usually reserved for Jesus, you can only imagine what conservatives would make of it.


The hysteria about Obama's alleged messianism is, in part, a calculated response to his wild popularity with the Democratic base. McCain does not inspire strong loyalty among Republican partisans. (Indeed, a year ago, conservatives were still savaging him as a self-righteous poseur, and, while they've now discovered virtues in McCain that previously eluded them, it's too early to whip up full-blown Bush-style worship.) The cult accusation is a way of turning Obama's strengths--his rhetorical skills and intense support--into a weakness.


But it's not only a tactic. Conservatives appear genuinely freaked out about the intense loyalty Obama inspires. They're used to their side deeply believing in a presidential candidate. Seeing it happen to the other party is a novel and disconcerting experience. How long has it been since Democrats had genuine enthusiasm for their nominee? Nobody loved John Kerry. I found Al Gore inspiring, but not many others did. Democrats in 1992 were enthusiastic about their party recapturing the White House, but most realized that Clinton was kind of slick and untrustworthy. Jimmy Carter and George McGovern inspired a bit of enthusiasm in some quarters. But Michael Dukakis, Walter Mondale, Hubert Humphrey, and Lyndon Johnson were all acceptable, and often respected, but not loved.


The spectacle of millions of genuinely enthusiastic Democrats therefore rattles conservatives. And liberals, too--we don't like personality cults, which is why you never see any bronze busts of Clinton in anybody's den. The faith Obama inspires, though, isn't irrational. While unnervingly inexperienced, he's a first-class intellect and a first-class temperament. No, he's not the messiah. But why wait for the messiah to feel optimistic?


 



 Jonathan Chait is a senior editor at The New Republic.


 


SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

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64 comments

Somebody hand tep. a towel. He's going to need it for cleanup by the time he's finished with his response. Thanks, Mr. Chait. This is a much needed breath of fresh air on a tired and silly "issue."

- ralphnelle

August 25, 2008 at 12:17am

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When you're Jonathan Chait and have a unique ability to spin faster than a top, you can explain away anything. However, when you're an outside with no real affinity for either party, McCain's "The One" ad is *hilarious!* It perfectly captures the hubris and over-hype apparent in both Obama's promises. "I have become a symbol..." And yeah, Oprah called him "the one." she did not say, "he is the one you should vote for," she said, "...he is the one." Those are different sentences with very different meanings.

- reb

August 25, 2008 at 1:01am

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"Life of Brian" comes to mind. Nobody believes you when you say, "I am NOT the Messiah!"

- Randall

August 25, 2008 at 1:27am

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The fact that the right projects their own arrogance onto Obama shows that they have very very little to be proud of. They ruined our economy. They've destroyed our foreign policy(which, to be fair, Bush has just recently finally gotten constructive rather than destructive about; not McCain, however). The American right is a disgrace. The most moral and ethical thing the modern day Republican Party could do in 2008 is to drop dead. All this discussion of Obama's strengths and weaknesses are nothing but window-dressing trying to justify why the most corrupt party of the last 50 years should be made to bleed by the American electorate.

- Abe

August 25, 2008 at 1:45am

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Oh good god... The reason non-Obama supporters, repubs and dems alike, think that it is like a cult is because his followers will do anything for him. His army of bloggers and rally crashers and caucus bullies will act like thugs; his army of journalists such as yourself cannot look at him for one minute in a skeptical way or find any fault with this extremely faulty human being. It is as if he is the perfect human being to his followers. And anyone who gets in the way of his path to the top needs to be knocked away, by any means necessary, whether it be thuggery or being a biased and irresponsible journalist.

- susan k. (NYC)

August 25, 2008 at 2:07am

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Usually, I'm more prone to fetishising Chait than Obama, but this column feels weirdly off: a pet peeve puffed up into an out-and-out rant but unenriched by his usual sense of humor. In a way, the bitter tone undermines his central message: one thing cult followers never display a sense of humor about is attacks on their leaders.

- emigdio

August 25, 2008 at 2:44am

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If you don't understand how Obama's followers may be viewed as cultish then that is nobody's fault but your own. Hit a history book once in a while and it might just come into focus. Some of the worst leaders the world had ever seen rose to be leader of their country on their personality alone. I would name names, but I think most people are very familiar with them. If you spend enough time on the Huffingonpost or dailykos, you get the message loud and clear from Obama fanatics. Obama fanatics really believe that electing him president will end all that ills the world. Global warming will cease. Cancer will be cured. Everybody in America will get a million dollars and we will live happily ever after. Tim Kaine made the weirdest remark of any Obama surrogate that solidify Obama's cult leader status. After the Russians invaded Georgia Tim Kaine went on TV and said that the Russians were withdrawing their armies after they have heard Obama's request for them to do so. I wish I was making this up. As for that assumption that people will be voting against Obama instead of for McCain is highly disrespectful. Did people who voted for Kerry in 2004 voted for Kerry or against Bush? Again it's cultish to insinuate that Obama is so great that the other guy has nothing going for him. And any vote for the other guy must be a vote against the greatness that is Obama. I will be voting for McCain this November because I have no interest in socialize healthcare. There is nothing fun about waiting to see your doctor and can't do so. I don't think it's fair that the rich who already pay 70% of all taxes in this country should be asked to pay 100%. I did not sign up to live in a socialist country. The Chinese like to say that to be rich is glorious. Many Americans want to pick up what the Chinese have decided was bad policy, which is to glorify poverty. There is nothing great about being poor or middle class. American used to aspire to make make some money and become financially secure. Now Obama and friends is trying to tell them that their problem are the ones who managed to make it while they did not. That my friend is communistic. Very unAmerican. Obama wants to change America by making it into a socialist country. McCain wants to keep what is best about this country and make it better. I'm voting McCain because I like low taxes, true energy independence, health care that is not funded by the government (since it sucks at everything else,) and keep unemployment low. Obama may hate rich people when he is in Ohio, but people in Ohio aren't stupid. They know that poor people are not creating jobs and hiring. The rich are.

- coolrepublica

August 25, 2008 at 4:12am

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In fact the "cult" comments date back to the primary campaign and were popularized by such noted rightists as Paul Krugman, Joe Klein,James Wolcott Kathy Geier and Suzanne Goldenberg of the Guardian. Somehow I don't think all of these writers take marching orders from Charles Krauthammer. Mr. Chait is letting readers down by failing to acknowledge that the concerns about the Obama cult extend deep into the Democratic Party.

- Vito Marzullo

August 25, 2008 at 6:12am

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Much of this comes down to envy. After all, McCain supporters are not terribly enthusiastic about their candidate. They will be holding their noses as they vote in November. This, they imagine, is how it should be. But who are these Obama supporters who have the temerity to actually LIKE their candidate? The audacity to be inspired by a political figure? Well clearly it can only mean that they are naive cultists. Plenty of jealousy.

- citizenghost

August 25, 2008 at 6:48am

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Unfortunately, the vague but extravagant promises of Obama's rhetoric, combined with his appearance out of nowhere with a very thin resume, feed and nourish the sense that he is a cult leader. His planned speech to accept the nomination in front of 76,000 fans at Invesco Stadium will only confirm that impression.

- SteelMan

August 25, 2008 at 7:20am

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Forgive if I'm mistaken, but, as far as I remember, "messiah" means "anointed", not "savior". Anointment was the way, according to Judean traditions, by which secular leaders were given their "oath of office". Ergo, for purposes of the DNC candidacy, BHO IS the messiah and, when he takes the oath of presidential office, he shall be the messiah for that post. Ergo.

- kid5rivers

August 25, 2008 at 9:04am

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Actually, it was an online libertarian periodical that began the Obama as Messiah business: “The Obama Messiah Watch” was kicked off by Timothy Noah at on 29 January 2007, a couple weeks before Obama declared his candidacy for nomination as the Democratic Party presidential candidate. It was Obama and the rest of the mass-communications media, that he is a creature of, that give life to the spoof --At any rate, obviously Biden is not the only one who is prone to plagiarism.

- p.

August 25, 2008 at 9:52am

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A strange post - almost as bizarre as saying anyone who won't vote for Obama must be a racist. I don't think Obama is a cult leader, or for that matter leader of any kind. His selection of Biden, a mirror image of McCain, reflects Obama's doubt of his own qualification, as well as a strong endorsement of John McCain like experience and credentials.

- ???

August 25, 2008 at 10:02am

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"unnervingly inexperienced?" I believe we've seen plenty of examples over the past few years where experience has meant choosing to do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Former governor will make a great president because of experience. Making up for lack of experience by choosing to have people with lots of expertise. Having a former president to guide your campaign. I'll take highly intelligent and competent any day. And I think the founding fathers would have too, otherwise they wouldn't have created a four year election cycle.

- anonevent

August 25, 2008 at 10:08am

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I'm a conservative independent who will vote for McCain in November. The problem I have with obama is not that he's beloved by the democratic base. Rather, it confounds me that someone of his inexperience and ultra-liberal values have gotten so far, thanks to help from a totally obsequious media that failed to properly vet him. Although the Reagan cult can get a little out of control at times, comparing obama to reagan is simply absurd. Reagan was a successful two-term president who put this country on a totally different path and transformed American politics. Even if you completely disagree with his policies, you cannot deny his influence. Even the liberal historian, Sean Wilentz, begrudgingly admits that Reagan was underestimated. So the republican's love for reagan is based on concrete achievements while liberals' infatuation for obama is based on his vague rhetoric of "change" and "hope" and his ability to give good speeches from a teleprompter. Obama needs to win the white house and actually get something done before such praise is warranted. The man's lack of accomplishments is pretty stunning.

- rufus

August 25, 2008 at 10:14am

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You don't understand it because it isn't aimed at you. It is aimed at fundamentalists who believe we are in the "end times". To the "end of days" crowd, capitalizing "the One" makes it appear as if Obama's supporters are either willing idolaters/blasphemers or are the spiritually bereft who have been duped into seeking salvation from a false, and ultimately malevolent, savior (i.e., the "Antichrist"). It is actually a perfect fit for the narrative: record high oil, nuclear Iran threatening Israel, newly assertive and dangerous China/Russia, terrorism, global calamities, etc. Now add in that you have a heretofore unknown black man with a strange-sounding Arabic name (and rumors of "secret Muslimism"), who inexplicably wrested the nomination from the most powerful political machine in America, and who appears before huge crowds of "adoring believers", not just in this country, but the world over, and you have the perfect millennialist horror story. Sure, it is total BS, but sub-consciously, for some of the evangelicals McCain so desperately needs to show up in big numbers, this could be just the ticket. If it also gets non-evangelicals to think Obama is nothing more than a lightweight celebrity, so much the better. But the real target is the far right "end of days" crowd. This is wholly pernicious, cynical and evil theme the McCain campaign has cooked up, far worse than Willy Horton (and for thinking Christians, this theme is itself a blasphemy of the worst sort).

- aharris61

August 25, 2008 at 10:18am

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Would that the more virulent members of the right would read and inwardly digest this article. Then, perhaps they would see that Jonathan Chait is indeed correct when he reminds us of the cults of Reagan and Bush and the psychic/spiritual/material damage that those two presidencies dealt the American people. We have become a nation of fearful, fretful, fanciful egoists, partly because of the hype propagated by both Reagan and Bush, who celebrated the "cult" of the individual over whole communities working for the common good. People no longer believe that their government, which is no more than the people they have elected and the people those who've been elected have then appointed, can be useful in helping herd this nation of what is fast becoming feral cats. Bravo Mr. Chait for telling it like it is. I think folks are afraid of Obama less because he's black than because he's liberal or at least more liberal than Bushes I and II and Reagan. He is for them and they can't believe that anyone running for office can be that and be a leader. We have become so cynical that we can't even see the horizon of hope for the blackness of the forest of broken promises and frustrated dreams. I hope we can overcome our pride and prejudice.

- Kiki Duck

August 25, 2008 at 10:29am

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Think what you will, but Obama's masterful pattern is to borrow images and words from those and that which do inspire us (FDR, Kennedy, Bible, et al) and spin them into self-serving persuasion. With very limited professional history to provide substance to his rhetoric the bottom line of his story at this time becomes shallow inspiration. One definitive Obama vote was against the Infant Born Alive legislation, a very grim story which the MSM refuses to cover. Combine this with long term close associates who hate and bomb the US, his leap to US President and leader of the free world becomes too hard to contemplate and would indeed cause most clear thinking Americans to faint. [BTW: the First Amendment grants the media protection to report facts to the American people. This is a privilege bestowed on the media with the concomitant right of the people to know. Non-stop journalistic personal opinion is not part of the deal. Nov 4 may prove this to be a huge breach of contract.]

- Bekky

August 25, 2008 at 10:37am

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I'm not right wing. I'm a liberal Democrat, and the feeling I was witnessing a weird cult invade the Democratic Party has been my reaction for more than a year. I will vote for McCain.

- MereMortal

August 25, 2008 at 10:44am

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I'd love to know the details of Obama's plan "to heal the planet." Like halving the population? Like limiting cars? Like rationing electricity. You know - the kind of policy that really WOULD make a difference. Find words butter no parsnips.

- gm1000

August 25, 2008 at 11:13am

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Conservative ridicule of Obama's virtues derives from enthusiasm envy of the first order. If Obama had McCain's resume the only difference is that they'd be finding all sorts of "evidence" that he's a black John Kerry who didn't earn his medals. Dems need to fight fire with fire and drive up McCain's negatives: "John McCain -- Unfit for Command."

- cforeman

August 25, 2008 at 11:34am

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"Messiah" is a joke about a joke...

- Mike

August 25, 2008 at 11:52am

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"Messiah" is a joke. Much like Chait claiming Obama supports a more "moderate" judiciary.

- Mike

August 25, 2008 at 12:20pm

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Yeah, if McSame's message catches fire like water-soaked kindling, just revert to the Rovian tactic of bullshitting everyone with, essentially, nothing of substance. Another excuse for white voters that just don't like Obama's race but don't want to admit it.

- r b-j

August 25, 2008 at 12:25pm

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Chait Be Praised! Just kidding. This "cult" crap is just more Republican/MSM verbiage. Buzz-words. The sad fact is that we get co-opted into silence about these little things because there are so many more important issues at hand. Of course, the word "cult" conjures up associations like Jim Jones and Kool-aid suicides. DUH! Well, maybe it is time to protest yet again against another superficial Repub/media slam, but this diverts us from real issues, doesn't it? So, I am happy to be known as an Obama/Biden cultist, if that's what it takes to shut the other side up.

- moran

August 25, 2008 at 12:52pm

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Chickenshit left-wing censors...take your Fairness Doctrine and shove it.

- Mike

August 25, 2008 at 1:29pm

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Conservatives just like to nit-pick over small little things.

- John Hoffman

August 25, 2008 at 1:40pm

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Well argued throughout. Only missing piece of the story is the deep affection for John and Bobby Kennedy forty years ago, which has some of the same motivation. Both Kennedys were articulate, photogenic, inspiring, and, I think most important, a promise of a new beginning when many Americans deeply felt the need. JSB

- JSBenton

August 25, 2008 at 1:53pm

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I think that this 'cult' nonsense is code for Obama being the first candidate for president that is not a WWII generation or a baby-boomer (at least, since FDR). The conservatives are scared to death of this new generation that does not fall within traditional left/right dichotomies and that, even worse, are pragmatists that will try to use the best available data to solve problems. They do not get this generation, nor the technical and economic change that they have helped create. The conservatives are still in an industrial/manufacturing age mindset that has become obsolete, in part to economic conservatives having drank the Flavor-ade of neo-liberal economics and opening the door to sending our manufacturing sector away. They do not know what to do with an information/knowledge based economy. This scares them, so they create a cult message about the newcomer, hoping to keep a cold war, obsolete candidate in the White House.

-

August 25, 2008 at 3:54pm

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Messiah? Wasn't Obama the Anti-Christ recently? Heehee. :-)

- toritto

August 25, 2008 at 4:50pm

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from Bekky----"[BTW: the First Amendment grants the media protection to report facts to the American people. This is a privilege bestowed on the media with the concomitant right of the people to know. Non-stop journalistic personal opinion is not part of the deal. Nov 4 may prove this to be a huge breach of contract.]" ----RIGHT ON!! WELL SAID.

- susan k. (NYC)

August 25, 2008 at 4:59pm

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Pretty great article. I was glad that you added the bit about The Heritage Foundation's website having the "What would Reagan do?" link on their homepage (you can see it here www.heritage.org). It's hilarious how the right blasts the left for loving Obama too much when they wish they totally wish they could bring Reagan back from the dead because they're so mesmerized by him. Can't Republicans have a little confidence in their own party's platform without constantly trying to channel Reagan? You say you don't understand why the right doesn't like Obama, well you might as well get in line because the right doesn't know why the right doesn't like Obama (except for the typical "He's a Marxist" line). Some people have fallen for Obama easily and others have immediately erected barriers of skepticism after witnessing so many who have gotten pulled into the Obama-orbit. But since the right doesn't share Obama's left-leaning policy views anyway, why fall for his charm, charisma, and intelligence like everyone else? In the end, nothing sticks to Obama. Maybe some things, but nothing REALLY sticks. He's an extremely difficult target and that's the biggest reason why the right is attacking him as a cult leader (because the anti-Christ is supposed to be the ultimate charmer, someone who seems totally genuine). And I admit that seeing how nothing sticks to Obama makes me a little skeptical of him as well.

- Adam

August 25, 2008 at 6:12pm

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I'm a Republican. 90% of my time is spent watching, listening and reading Progressive material. JC is a intelligent guy. I think the left and the right drink too much of their own coolaid. First, painting a entire group of people as silly is not an argument. It's actually silly to say so. Second, there are 100's of articles and 100's of examples and 100's of arguments about BO's cult. To pick a few, as the best or most representative, when they're not, is dishonest. Third, my life experience, starting in high school debate, through law school and in business has taught me-pay close attention to those who can motivate the masses and achieve attention through their spoken word. Too many empty suits who are articulate and persuasive. Fourth, he doesn't write his speeches and he delivers them well-so what-they are only words. In fact, his extemp record is pretty weak. Fifth, words should lead when the one giving them has implemented the same and has a record to show it. This is the essance of the right's complaint about BO-he's post-racial (but he, unlike Tiger Woods, picked one of his two races to become and he's against "integration" as it will diminish black power); he's post-partisan (when, he's done nothing to establish he can or will-in fact, in his book, he claims that, on none of the issues of the day, does the GOP have the facts or the remedies on their side--how can you be post-partisan when that's your belief?); and he will change America (how so? by passing laws which take money from some to give to the many? that's, really, all he wants). Our problems, and our needs, are so far beyond tax/spend-and he doesn't realize it. Sixth, the press-and they still are, read Time, Newsweek and US News, treat him like one of their own. Finally, when you understand bill ayers (read his book) and their friendship and Reverand Wright (have people send you the original source material-church bulletins and the infamous DVD's)and his influences on the guy.........you wonder..........who the heck is this guy? Recent gaffe-his vote in favor of infanticide-98 Senators supported the Fed law. He was worried about the physicians and the impact on Roe/Wade (despite fact the bill had progressive language in it regarding abortion).........what is wrong with the guy? Pathetic. So, enjoy Biden, your convention and the bounce. The Dems will lose again, you will whine again and if you take additional house/senate seats in same election, we'll veto your average tax/spend socialist/progressive/liberal agenda. You see, while some Americans have health care, most of us do-we dont' want you screwing that up, like the Dems screw everything else up. Think it's a big issue-push it-watch the flames!

- Steve Hlebasko

August 25, 2008 at 7:00pm

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Bekky--William Ayers had nothing to do with any bombings whatsoever. The crime he was not found guilty of had nothing to with bombings. He never bombed a single thing. Which is to say, "we should have done more" can't mean bombing since he never bombed anyone. That's like saying every former Klan member is guilty of lynching even though Robert Byrd is an associate of basically every single person in Congress.

- Abe

August 25, 2008 at 7:35pm

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"from Bekky----"[BTW: the First Amendment grants the media protection to report facts to the American people. This is a privilege bestowed on the media with the concomitant right of the people to know. Non-stop journalistic personal opinion is not part of the deal. Nov 4 may prove this to be a huge breach of contract.]" ----RIGHT ON!! WELL SAID." I don't know what you two broads are, but one thing I know you ain't is constitutional scholars.

- 2girls1cup of stupidity

August 26, 2008 at 12:45am

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Actually, there's more to "the One" ad than just a sense of uneasiness some feel over the (sometimes) intemperate enthusiasm of some Obamana's supporters. Notice the clever signals being sent to conservative evangelicals who have been theologically nurtured on the pulp fiction series "Left Behind." For this audience at least, Obama is being interpreted as Nicholae Carpathia -- the Anti-Christ. Need I add that the identification of a potential US President with absolute evil can hardly be healthy for our political process?

- David Seiple

August 26, 2008 at 10:46am

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Abe, are you nuts, did you read his book. He started an organization. He planned their activities. He participated in the manufacture and planting of the bombs. I understand BA has done much good. As FBI blew investigation, rightful he wasn't convicted. But he is unrepentant. He also is one of those anti-American buffoons who doesn't understand that, historically, and on balance, US has done more good in world than bad and that balance is better than any country in the world. Especially, if you view history over a long time span. So, stop being crazy.

- Steve Hlebasko

August 26, 2008 at 12:31pm

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Just remove it [the crying towel] from his head or one of his devoted disciples. The fact is ten out of ten Islamic Jihadist sheet headed suicide bombing survivors support Obama and his lack of military acumen. “Save the poor poor misled Islamic suicide bombers, but flat murdcer a late term unwanted and unloved helpless baby.”

- Vowel_Movement

August 26, 2008 at 1:08pm

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Just remove it [the crying towel] from Obamabortions head or remove [it] the head one of his devoted disciples. The fact is ten out of ten Islamic Jihadist sheet headed suicide bombing survivors support Obama and his lack of military acumen. “Save the poor poor misled Islamic suicide bombers, but flat murder a late term unwanted and unloved helpless baby.”

- Vowel_Movement

August 26, 2008 at 1:12pm

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Excellent article, but you forgot a prominent instance of the Bush personality cult that's far more recent than 9/11: "What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?" The Baptist undertone here is very strong.

- russpitt

August 26, 2008 at 1:35pm

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Oprah is not the issue. Obama is the chosen candidate of most of the media, who campaign for him 24/7. Having succeeding in telling us what celebrities we should be interested in, they now wish to select our president. Obama, himself, seems an empty suit. What if the 2012/2016 candidate they pick for us is someone authoritarian or mentally unstable.

- elwin9

August 26, 2008 at 1:52pm

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Steve, chances are Obama will win this election. People will fall for the charm. He appears genuine and confident (yet self-deprecating) and intelligent and all those things that make him a desireable personality for the Office of President. And those character traits are especially desireable after the White House has been occupied by someone who's personality is not universally relatable. I like Bush and know people who work in the White House, and they all say great things about him and his family. But his ability to communicate (in front of the cameras) is just plain bad. McCain's gaffe videos remind me of Bush's bad moments, and we don't need another weird personality in the WH. I like McCain because he's a reach-across-the-aisle guy and I wouldn't lose any sleep if he was elected, but a large portion of this country is itching for a personality like Obama's (not to mention a Democrat). We're sick of the Iraq War and sick of hearing about countries as part of the "Axis of Evil". The tactic of demonizing other countries in such an extreme way has lost its lustre (at least for now). You might as well suck it up that when Obama gets in office there's a good chance he's going to "appease" some people (at home and abroad). I know that idea freaks you out because in your conservative mind appeasement = destruction (from within). The problem that much of this country has is that the Republican Party has turned into an ugly party. It destroyed George Bush and it's now in the process of screwing over every decent politician who's associated with it. It's funny too, because there's all this pressure on Democrats to soften their image on issues like abortion (i.e. to promote adoption and fewer unwanted pregnancies), but where is the softening of the Republican image? Nobody in their right mind enjoys abortion (i.e. the killing of babies) and Republicans are so fixed on the idea that Democrats are godless socialists (who are hell-bent on destroying our country) that Republicans have turned into something even worse than what they hate. I personally dislike both parties, but I like the Dems more right now because the GOP just plain sucks to be a part of. Call me a fair weather fan, but I'm so sick of discussing issues like abortion with evangelicals and health care with free-market enthusiasts because they'll never stop repeating what they're convinced are "unalterable truths". And here's a news flash for you: America's healthcare system sucks. The quality is some of the best in the world, but it's not reaching nearly 47 million people. That's an OBVIOUS problem that can't be ignored just because YOU have healthcare and are comfy and cozy with your situation. I'm not saying our healthcare has to be universalized, but for being the world's only superpower, our healthcare system is too complicated and messy and inefficient (it just plain sucks). But anyway, I agree with David who made the point earlier that many Chrisitians are taught to fear people like Obama, and the character of Nicolae Carpathia from the "Left Behind" series is a perfect example of what conservative Christians think the anti-Christ will be like. I agree in a way that he does seem like the anti-Christ because no one can say anything bad about him (and he's so likeable). Frankly, as time goes on I actually like Hillary Clinton more because she has visible flaws/scars, but those flaws are actually concessions she has made and accepted in order to be a person of substance. Obama appears flawless only because he's holding himself back from making important, substantive decisions. He's basically a Reagan for the left (though no one will hold a human being in such high regard as Republicans hold Reagan -- and I mean that in the worst possible way).

- Adam, DC

August 26, 2008 at 3:02pm

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Sad to hear your principals will be jettisoned for, what? Obama is well received by the faithful-not so in middle America. He's not Reagan. Here's why left loses healthcare-beyond fact 85% of us are covered and relatively happy-stories out of Canada last week: doctors are rationing care by picking names out of a hat and 5 million can't get basic coverage. What's complicated, messy or inefficient about that? I think we can agree left and right are full of their coolaid adherents. Let's not be that way. You have no idea of what I think appeasement/power/war is about-so don't guess. I'm pretty sure you were never a GOPer, as: none of would accept Hillary for anything and your explanation (flaws/concessions/substance) is unintelligable and basic academic crap. In addition, your reference to Reagan at end is revealing--best, by far, president since WWII. Smart guy, also. Sorry abortion is tough issue for you-it will remain a moral/ethical marker-deal with it. Funny thing-Americans are figuring out who Obama is, without the policy statements. If all you say is true, and half of what the Dems are spewing in Denver is true, then, why hadn't BO secured a double digit lead (bad economy, war, oil prices, health care, shall I go on)? Then, why, after the victory tour of europe did he lose 3 to 5 points across the board? It's easy, people can see through his BS.

- Sven

August 26, 2008 at 7:53pm

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Chait studiously ignores the Obama campaign promises that fully support the criticism that Obama has a Messiah-Complex, for example: “I’m in this race to end our dependence on Middle East oil and save our planet from the crisis of climate change …” Obama’s Blueprint for Change at p.1. “In this election – in this moment – let us reach for what we know is possible. A nation healed. A world repaired. An America that believes again.” Blueprint at p.1. “Obama also will reduce the high school dropout rate and close the achievement gap …” Blueprint at p.20. “Obama will secure all loose nuclear materials in the world within four years.” Blueprint at p.53. Save our planet, repair the world, close the achievement gap and secure all loose nuclear materials. He'd better be the Messiah to make good on these promises.

- Brian

August 27, 2008 at 1:45pm

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After the democrats lose this election, and I've never seen them fumble an easier touchdown, even the obama blindly infatuated author of this article will have to admit in the post election analysis that it was the messiah cult of the journalistic worshippers of BHO, especially the now 2-year long chanting religious mantra coming from msnbc that really turned the voters off to their "CHOSEN ONE". The average Joe and Jane voter out there doesn't worship BHO as a demi-god, it's the self-righteous and whimpering press that built him up, attacked any and all criticism of him, and has managed to alienate all the independents and Republicans, and even half of the Democrats! Who cares if the delegates are united in the hall, it's hillary's voters who count and they're not on board the unity script. Chris Matthews (in the early days before management at msnbc got tired of the press and Youtube ridicule) used to say he got "a chill running up his leg everytime Obama gave a speech". Please guys, get a room! ;-) keith alwaysdumm has been giving such one-sided pro-obama convention coverage it would make radio havana proud. You guys started building shrines to him over a year ago, and now you're crying because the tag sticks, the ads are funny and they work, McCain is gaining on BHO in the polls, and voters are telling pollsters BHO is aloof and full of himself, doesn't understand average Americans and thinks he's better than them. Well duh, that's the message the media has been feeding the public for 18 months now! It got through! You created the problem, the Republicans are exploiting a golden opportunity, and now you're whining! Maybe, 4 years from now, you guys should start the election cycle well outside of New York and Washington so you can avoid the mistake of forming a similar conventional wisdom circular firing squad although I must say it is extremely entertaining to watch!!!

- Jacob

August 27, 2008 at 3:24pm

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Poor Jonathan, your article reminds me of something Pauline Kael said to her detriment (and ridicule) many years ago "I don't understand how Reagan won, nobody I know voted for him". Instead of analyzing a winning Republican strategy (and the strategy of painting Obama as an elitist cult figure worshipped by the far left IS working, like it or not), you instead, like a true doctrinaire liberal, lecture us on why it's wrong and ridiculous without addressing the fact that in the real concrete world, not in the cyber salon world here, it's having a major impact on the election. I used to drop professors like you after the first pompous lecture. We need to see less whining articles on TNR (this Republican winning tactic isn't fair blah blah blah...) and more practical articles on what Obama can do to save this election before it's too late. Complaining cause the other team outsmarted you doesn't come off as helpful or very inspiring.

- Michelle

August 27, 2008 at 4:03pm

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Yeah, I was kind of wrong, Obama is dissimilar from Reagan in a few big ways. Reagan had more substance, but Obama is much more intelligent. Reagan's saving grace(s) were his leadership, acting, and speaking abilities, along with his temperament, discretion, quick wit, and sense of humor -- which all helped him to relate to a wide range of Americans. Reagan was a great President and a gifted politician and orator, but smart he was not. The reason I'm on the fence as to which party I support is because I'm largely a fiscal conservative who supports smaller government. I want more freedom and flexibility in my life and I embrace globalization rather than protectionist policies. However, I disagree with the right-wing's foreign policy of blatant disrespect, bullying, and exclusion of countries that don't march to our drum beat. Domestically though, American citizens deserve flexibility in these fundamental areas of life (through accessibility/affordability) : health care, transportation, and education (and that includes access to the Internet and computers, which are tools of education/learning). If a person doesn't have to worry about or waste all his money on health care, transportation, or education, then he can find employment, afford housing, be an active consumer, etc. But right now our health care system is incredibly complex and notoriously difficult to understand. This web must be unraveled somehow and it must become simpler and more efficient. Canada's health care system is no good but France's is, so the argument knocking universal health care isn't a knock-out punch. Anyway, you don't like Obama because he's a Democrat and wants to take your money away and I'm sure you'll always view a Democratic as such. But embrace the fact that he writes many of his own speeches and is an incredible communicator and manager (look at his management of his own campaign), and he's very emotionally resilient. Just look at his temperament in pressure situations compared to McCain's (campaigning reveals a great deal about a person). McCain is always sniveling and giving snide remarks to reporters' questions, he can't get a crowd riled up to save his own life, he can't make stump speeches, and he's just not the kind of personality that gets people fired up. McCain also seems to have forgotten why Democrats hate the GOP, and why the hatred and do-it-yourself mentality of the party has turned many off. And yes, I still think that Hillary rocks (and her health care plan was amazing) and that her visible flaws and dedicated support reveal her to be a very substantive person. Obama will lose the following if he can't find some substance.

- Adam

August 27, 2008 at 5:54pm

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The author of the article wonders what fuels the general public's (not just the right's) impressions of an obama cult? Maybe part of it has to do with giving your acceptance speech in an open air stadium surrounded by 75,000 screaming worshippers flanked by freshly made Greek columns like some god descending from Mount Olympus instead of at the convention like any other mere mortal. You think? Jonathan don't be so blinded by obama's golden glare that you can't see the forest for the trees, the answer is right in front of you!

- Patricia

August 28, 2008 at 12:12pm

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from Bekky----"[BTW: the First Amendment grants the media protection to report facts to the American people. This is a privilege bestowed on the media with the concomitant right of the people to know. Non-stop journalistic personal opinion is not part of the deal. Nov 4 may prove this to be a huge breach of contract.]" Her's the First Amendment, verbatim: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Show me where it says the press is limited to reporting "facts". Seems that, in your view, government should regulate the press to so that only certain "facts" are published. That, my friend, is one definition of fascism.

- JayPMac

August 28, 2008 at 2:48pm

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when i first heard they were planning a coliseum-like event for obama's acceptance speech as someone who wants him to win i thought it was a big mistake and would play into the whole messiah thing; when i saw them putting up the columns last night it almost made me puke...why are we always our own worst enemies???

- kendra

August 28, 2008 at 3:30pm

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Did Obama accept the nomination for the democratic party last night or was he crowned Czar of all the Russias? All that was missing was a mass wedding ceremony around that phony Greek temple conducted by the Unification Church. I haven't seen Oprah cry so much since she didn't get an oscar for the Color Purple - is there a democrat Obama messiah-complex? HELL YEAH!

- Calvin

August 29, 2008 at 2:06pm

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You're absolutely right. I remember her saying to the crowd: "Is he the one!!!" and they answered "YEEESS!". Does Chait not remember, or is being dishonest here? Also, Krauthammer is obviously correct when he reinterprets Obama to mean "I am the one you've been waiting for". I mean that's clear in the context of his campaign speech. So, does Chait really believe what his is saying? Does he just lack a certain street smarts? Is he shilling? What's going on?

- Steve Glenn

August 29, 2008 at 2:37pm

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Actually, even Obama credited Reagan with changing the trajectory of the nation.

- ???

August 29, 2008 at 2:40pm

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So very many comments on this are well thought out, meticulously crafted and centrally planned FALSE ASSERTIONS from republican viewpoints, involving what is called "twisted logic" and heavy distortions of facts, events or quotes. The variety of the attacks and the sheer multitude is just saddening. I guess they have a response team blogs as well, and who ever hits the nail on the head is showered with all kinds of weird statements. Take this one: "When you're Jonathan Chait and have a unique ability to spin faster than a top, you can explain away anything" -. Now that is just silly rhetoricism, but it's hard to defense against and to fully refute, and it's bound to get some people, at least those who are already locked in to the right wing media cocoon. Then there is this very vague false assertion, also had to refute, but it paints a picture removed from reality: "His army of bloggers and rally crashers and caucus bullies will act like thugs; his army of journalists such as yourself cannot look at him for one minute in a skeptical way or find any fault with this extremely faulty human being. It is as if he is the perfect human being to his followers." And then this Abe guy appears rational, until he slides this into this: "his is the essance of the right's complaint about BO-he's post-racial (but he, unlike Tiger Woods, picked one of his two races to become and he's against "integration" as it will diminish black power);" ..!?! Then this perspective will probably not win over anyone, and it's only a vaguely false assertion, but someone threw this in there as well: "The author of the article wonders what fuels the general public's (not just the right's) impressions of an obama cult? Maybe part of it has to do with giving your acceptance speech in an open air stadium surrounded by 75,000 screaming worshippers flanked by freshly made Greek columns like some god descending from Mount Olympus instead of at the convention like any other mere mortal." I like the part about freshly made greek columns. That's some poetry thrown in there.

- Marcus

August 31, 2008 at 1:22pm

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I agree with you 100%. I'm a liberal Democrat, and the religious worship of Obama scares me to death. I'll be voting for McCain too. I don't know how deeply he really believes he's the messiah or not, but the fact that his followers and the media think he is and proclaim him as such is absolutely frightening. This has happened before in history with horrible results. I'm really afraid of it happening here next.

- msmerlin

August 31, 2008 at 1:39pm

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About Oprah, when you met your wife or girlfriend and said "she's the one". Were you saying she's the messiah also?

- dufus

September 1, 2008 at 3:34am

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I'm shocked by the majority of these comments. I just discovered this site and frankly I am disappointed by most of your thoughts on this article. If you can't see that the right is playing on the whole, Obama is the Anti-Christ thing, you are an idiot. Oh and by the way, I'm a liberal democrat and I am still pissed about Obama's FISA vote. I don't know one educated liberal that thinks Obama is perfect so I have no idea where some of you are getting that from. And by the way, I've seen better speakers before too.

- MGB

September 1, 2008 at 6:44am

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One more thing I wanted to add. 90% of you would be laughed out of my political science class.

- MGB

September 1, 2008 at 6:46am

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@mere mortal You are a liberal democrat. So because you don't like Obama, you will vote for someone who is opposed to all things that liberal democrats support? I am a liberal democrat. There is nothing on this earth that could get me to vote for McCain, since that would be a bigger violation of my principles than voting for someone I don't PERSONALLY like, but whose principles are in line with my own. I voted for Gore, I voted for Kerry - didn't love either of them - but their principles / policies were aligned with mine. This time I'm voting for Obama.

- Anon

September 1, 2008 at 9:41am

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“Obama Is Not--Repeat, Is Not--A Messianic Cult Leader” --I fully agree. He is an ‘inadequate black male” who is a creature of the mass-communications media. Actually the “Messianic Cult Leader” caricature is also a creature of the mass-communications media, begun with the “The Obama Messiah Watch” kicked off by Timothy Noah at on 29 January 2007, a couple weeks before Obama declared his candidacy for nomination as the Democratic Party presidential candidate.

- p.

September 1, 2008 at 11:06am

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Thank you Chait.

- danielr

September 1, 2008 at 4:10pm

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Saying that many (not all) Obamabots are cultish in their behavior is a simple statement of fact. The totally credulous behavior of much the press for much of the Democratic primary season contrributes to that perception that he got a much freer ride than he should have for quite a while. I don't personally blame Obama for all this - if the press corps comes unhinged over him, that's not his fault, it's their own unprofessional behavior. Nor have I seen anything in Obama's actions or statements that makes me sense he considers himself the Messiah (at least, no more so than anybody else that has run for President in my lifetime) - the simple hubris that EVERY presidential candidate must have (by definition) is "What this country really needs is me running the show." Running for President is very hard - you've got to really believe that you yourself are so good for the country that you've got to keep slogging through the rubber chicken, the outlandish accusations (made against every significant Presidential candidate), the ups and downs, the demeaning need to constantly beg for money. I agree, Obama is not a cult leader. He does have the misfortune to have a large coterie of cultish followers, however.

- buffaloboy

September 1, 2008 at 6:32pm

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Thank you for the compliment on my poetic language, but I'm not part of a GOP posting campaign (I really doubt they'd target TNR anyway, I think I see a little of your left wing conspiracy theory paranoia showing). The masters of group think and sending masses of false identically themed emails to various sites is the left. It's been proven time and again. They love to bomb post sites, talk about the pot calling the kettle black. But on to much more important news: The chosen one BHO received THE SMALLEST bounce after a convention in over 35 years! It's the lowest since the McGovern democrat convention of '72. Even in the disastrous Mondale campaign (who humiliatingly won only a single state in the general election) the dems managed to get a higher post convention bounce. Looks like the freshly made Greek columns didn't inspire the general public as much as they did his worshippers here, LOL!

- Patricia

September 1, 2008 at 9:45pm

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Calvin, you get the award for the funniest, most brilliant summation of that cultish ceremony we hilariously witnessed on thurs! I laughed til it hurt! I'm also emailing it to everybody I know, I love the way you tore through all that nonsense the commentators tried to feed us. It did make one's stomach turn, especially if you believe in a separation of church and state, this obama worship is starting to get on the scary, blind follower side of the ledger and historically we know where that leads...

- William

September 2, 2008 at 4:07am

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