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Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Rosner's Domain: Questions to Joshua Muravchik: is Obama really a leftist?Posted by SHMUEL ROSNER
Comments: 37      Updated!!! Election 2009: Rosner's Poll Trend In October of 2008 Jushua Muravchik of the American Enterprise Institute wrote an article for Commentary Magazine, about Obamas Leftism. Since many people now believe that Obama is much more centrist than previously assumed, I sent Muravchik a couple of questions. Here's what Muravchik wrote back then: Obama comes to us from a background farther to the Left than any presidential nominee since George McGovern, or perhaps ever. This makes him an extremely unlikely leader to bridge the divides of party, ideology, or, for that matter, race. If he loses, it will be for that reason (though many will no doubt adduce different explanations, including of course white racism, to which every GOP victory since Nixons election in 1968 has been attributed). And if he wins? Without a doubt, it will be a thrilling moment. But the enduring importance of that landmark event will depend on the subsequent effectiveness of his presidency. If his tenurelike that of, say, Richard Nixon or Jimmy Cartershould end by inviting scorn, then it may open as many wounds as it heals. On the other hand, it is not unimaginable that he may rise to the challenge of the office and govern from the center, as he will have to do to succeed. This, however, would truly involve reinventing himself, a task for which his intellectual and ideological background furnishes few materials. Has Muravchik changed his mind? Here's the interview: 1. It is generally agreed that Obama has nominated a mostly centrist cabinet. Does this mean that he isn't really the "leftist" you thought he was? There is no doubt that he was the Leftist I said he was. His intellectual and political history was long and consistent. However, people change. They change from rethinking things, and political leaders sometimes change as a result of the responsibilities they face. When Sadat became president of Egypt, he was a loyal Nasserite and had dabbled in Nazi-sympathizing. 2. You wrote in Commentary that "Obama's turn to electoral politics signified no change in his basic ideological orientation." Is it possible that Presidential politics did bring about the change in basic attitude? I think it is possible, although he has not even been inaugurated, and much remains to be seen. I look to presidential responsibilities even more than presidential politics as a force that may change Obama's orientation. George W. Bush came to office as a realist/isolationist who wanted America to be "humble" and who criticized Bill Clinton for dispatching too many US troops to foreign shores. 3. How do you expect Obama to reconcile the more liberal tendencies of his previous years with the more hawkish (or as they call it, more "practical") secretaries and advisers that will be serving him? It's not as if he has chosen Rumsfeld. His team is middle-of-the-road, and that may signal where he wants to stand as president. He will almost certainly renege on his vaunted commitment to get US troops out of Iraq in a hurry. More broadly, he will either betray his campaign promises to the Left or there will be some frictions. But, here is the beauty of the global financial meltdown. He will make the economic situation the focus of his first year or more, and that is where the public's attention will be riveted. Whatever the bumps in the road in his handling of foreign policy will be little noticed. 4. do you think liberals are going to end up being disappointed by Obama's presidency? I think it is possible that the blame-America-first crowd will be disappointed. Considering Obama's background, if he doesn't deliver the policies they've been hoping for, it could be the most devastating blow to anti-Americanism since Khrushchev's secret speech to the Twentieth Party Congress of the CPSU. But liberals come in various ideological shades. If Obama's presidency is widely seen as successful, it will be such an important landmark that the large majority of Americans--of many ideological persuasions--will be happy.
1 | Adam, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
yes he is! not only a leftist,but communist!!!
2 | Adam, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
yes he is! not only a leftist,but communist!!!
3 | Jack Essayian, USA, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
I may be a simpleton but George Bush senior or junior nor Obama could be considered centrists. They are all leftists, the distance from center is the only difference between them. The belief in humbling the US is strictly a leftist ideal. As for McCain, he to is left. This is the reason so many Americans on the right stayed home on election day. And that is how Obama got elected. So goes the socialist politics of America today.
4 | Terry - Eilat, Israel, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
My opinion is that Obama is neither Left nor Centrist - he is an Opportunist. By circumstance, he got his start on the left & that gave him a base of support. Naturally, some of this will stick - but, Obama will do what is politically expediant. He is no original thinker, he follows the ''party line'' & is pretty much re-creating the Clinton presidency, meaning a lot of BS - the difference being Clinton had an economy on the up-swing while Obama must deal with an economic melt-down. Regarding the Middle-East, he will follow the policies of Clinton, possibly a bit to the Left.
5 | Terry - Eilat, Israel, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
If, of course, he sees political advantage in ''throwing Israel under the bus'' this is exactly what he will do. But essentially, Obama's policy will depend most on Israel's leaders. If we have appeasement-minded delusional leaders like Livni, Obama will be happy to oblige. Obama's natural instincts are to avoid confrontation in foreign policy no matter the serious consequences for the future - and this too, is in keeping with Democratic policy. I expect his rhetoric to be more to the left, but not his actions. This is bad enough, I suppose.
6 | Shel Zahav in Jerusalem, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
He isn't a leftist or a communist or anything of the sort. He is an empty suit who will blow in the wind like a leaf.
7 | Christopher Richard Wade Dettling, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
I think Obama cut a deal with the old-timers, but he is still an American liberal.
The personal equation is enigmatic but I suspect he will be a weak leader--he appears to lack character. Obama will take orders from Billy's pals. He appears to be a Hollywood phenomenon--straight out of the technicolor personality cult.
8 | Hofikoman, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Obama will forever be the starry eyed idealist tempered by reality and expediency. He wants to close Gitmo but actually doing it is quite challenging. He wants to bring peace to the Middle East, but it is his personna and not his substance which makes his success plausible. He appoints Leon Panetta and gets smacked by Di Feinstein and has a lot of securocrats incensed. And so it will continue. His daughters are just so lovable and he is such a wholesome family man he really is a very promising leader for an America where far too many families are in crisis.
9 | Amnon, the Great AMERICAN Southwest, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Obama is still the "messiah" to so many, but I have this feeling the rose-coloured glasses are going to be coming off much sooner after Inaugaration Day then many thought, Witness the blunders going on now, the silence on Gaza with the sorry excuse that there is "one President at a time" when he isn't so hesitant to discuss other issues. The top level of his FP team seem ok, if you like Jim Baker Republicans and Hillary, let's see who the Undersecretaries and Deputies are. If he picks Malley, Power or Kurtzer for anything, look out. The choice of Panetta as CIA Director? Don't make me laugh.
10 | Brett - Chicago, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Obama is a liberal, and will be a great President. Like Nelson Mandela, he reaches out to all sides, that's exactly what a true statesman does.
The last 8 years have been a neo-con disaster, he has a major mess to fix.
11 | Barack Hussein Obama Jr. The Second, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
I'm neither a centrist, nor a mere leftist. I am a cultural Marxist. I want to destroy all of the institutions of Western Civilization from within. The slow decay, not the quick kill, is my agenda. The neo-cons were liberals who were mugged by reality. Wait until they are mugged by my reaity. They will be paleo-conservatives then.
12 | Allen, Independant from Virginia, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
I agree with Terry. Obama is an opportunist!. He has done everything necessary to get where he is now at, and has played the cards well so far. He aligned himself with those whose influence could advance him politically. Who knows what will be next? He can't please all factions, so who will he side with once he is inaugrated? I did not vote for him, but I do wish for his success as long as it coincides with what is best for the U.S. Change? I doubt much will change. He is surrounding himself with Clintonites and old crony Washington insiders. More of Bill? Did Hillary get her way after all?
13 | elliot, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
obama is definitely a leftist--for example his 'tax cuts' are not tax cuts and his program is an amalgem of failed socialist policies--president of a pop culture that forgot history--see ''tax cut mirage'' by peter ferrara in jan 7 american spectator
14 | Forrest Turner, Hazel Green, AL USA, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Pres. Elect Obama is a Leftist-Communist Opportinist. Just look at all of the maneuvering, in Chicago and in Washington DC, about his replacement. They certainly convey their fear that someone of credibility may know something about Mr. Obama that the USA Media hasn't bothered to find out about.
Journalism in the USA died in 2008 after a long and incureable illness called BIAS.
Don'tpect annything from the Obama administration and you will be 100 % correct.
Forrest
15 | antonio, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
I believe that Mr.Obama will be a good president. He seems to be very realisstic and wants to change America ugly face in the international community.
I hope he will bring peace to the Palestinian and Israelis and restore the true American Values.
16 | harv, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
most of the readers are smarter than the leftist blog writer. obama will make america socialist and make it hard to reverse thru his far left court appointments
17 | kb richard in Vermont, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
President elect Obama might very well start wondering if we really can prudently afford to operate and maintain as large of an fixed aircraft carrier as the USS Isreal. Appropriate spending with todays technology might warrant different military posture.
Social programs in the United States funded with the military aid we have spent in the holy land would have our prison populations dwindled. We are borowing from American grandchildren to pay for Isreals war machine. As this machine currently decimates a refugee camp of humans living in squalar just like American Indians got it.
18 | Joyce, South Carolina, USA, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Obama wants to lead us toward a One World Goverment! Think about it.
19 | Kermit Johnson, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Why is everyone so concerned about " "conservative" and "liberal?" In the US, those terms are now meaningless.
Conservatives used to believe in the Bill of Rights and stopping an over-reaching government. Now they believe in the Patriot Act.
Conservatives used to be concerned about deficit spending. Not any more.
Conservatives used to be pro-life, but "W" signed a huge funding increase for Planned Parenthood. The FDA is an executive branch, so W could have nixed the abortion pill, and neither Congress nor the Supreme Court could have done nothing to stop it.
Go figure.
20 | Yitzhak US, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Is obama a socialist lefty.People heard his speeches did didn't listen.He said that he advocated sacrificing of the all for the good of the whole.In other words,if you don't want to pay a little higher taxes to help the have not then you are selfish.Sounds like socialism to me.He said in 1 of his speeches that he wanted to create a "civilian army"'?shades of the SS.In his book "audacity of hope" pg 26 he said"I will stand with the muslims if changes in the political wind turns ugly".All of this came out of his own mouth.if we were playing baseball obama would be playing deep LEFT field!
21 | Java Kat, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
I think that we will need to watch this guy ... not only watch his moves, but try to figure out where he'll be going before he acts because there will always be a hidden agenda with B. Hussein. Look at the friends he kept all these years. Do track records not count any more? I don't like his list of references for the job. Who the hell passed him in the interview, anyway?
22 | American, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Obama is probably a leftest at heart and a centrist through practicality. Most politicians go center. If you look at Bush's economic policies that last couple of months he went way off the republican course. He would be called a socialist if he were a democrat.
23 | Shahid Syed - Karachi, Pakistan, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Let us hope that President-Elect, Mr. Barack Obama would govern from the Centrist-Philosophy. He seems quite adaptable to the situations and circumstances appear to him. He has appeared to be choosing a centrist cabinet.
24 | Lenny, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
American support for Israel will end in less than 20 years if current demographic trends continue in the U.S. First, muslims now outnumber jews and they are unified and have a theology that supports anti-semitisim. Second, liberal jews in the media and academia use all of their influence to hide the true nature of Islam and denigrate Evangelicals every chance they get. The end result is the marginalization of the most vocal supports of Israel---Christians. Obama will not differenciate between Hamas rockets and Israels defence; moral equalivancy will be defacto U.S. policy.
25 | RavDav, USAmerican, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Is Obamer a Leftist? Does the Sun rise in the East, Does Michelle hate America, Is Barry a basketball ball-hog and was Jesse Jackson caught off-air muttering that he'd like to cut off Obama's beitzim? Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes!
26 | Paul Bunker, La Moille, Illinois, Thursday Jan 08, 2009
Obama has from the beginning of his campaign for the presidency disguised himself as a centrist. Most of his cabinet appointees are known middle-of-the-road people. Those in secondary postiions are committed socialists and will wield great influence on the coming administration. Talk will be centrist, but the action will definitely be leftist.
27 | Mike Borcherding, Iowa, USA, Thursday Jan 08, 2009
What Obama is proposing to 'save' our economy is largest expansion of government this country has ever seen. Government will always be extremely inefficient in distributing resources because it is by nature very political. The more government Obama puts in place the worse our long term economic outlook will be. To him these ideas are normal and necessary, when in reality they are extremely liberal and might doom us to a mediocure economic future for several generations to come. Obama, midle of the road? You are foolig yourself if you believe this!
28 | Paul Bunker, La Moille, Illinois, Thursday Jan 08, 2009
Obama has from the beginning of his campaign for the presidency disguised himself as a centrist. Most of his cabinet appointees are known middle-of-the-road people. Those in secondary postiions are committed socialists and will wield great influence on the coming administration. Talk will be centrist, but the action will definitely be leftist.
29 | Paul Mann, Thursday Jan 08, 2009
To the uniformed KB Richard (#17): the US gives Israel about $3 billion per year in "aid", of which NINETY (90)% , that is $2.7 billion, MUST be used to purchase armaments from US defense contractors. This is, in effect, WELFARE for our defense industry, which, of course, you, as a staunch "conservative", must be opposed to? Giving our only real ally in the middle east purchased access to our superior military technology to allow her the ability to defend herself against the murderous thugs that surround her meets with my approval! Only a Jew/ Israel hater would think otherwise.
30 | Ann USA, Thursday Jan 08, 2009
What a man does speaks louder than what he says. What a man has done speaks louder than what he says he will do. Look up Pres. Elect Obama's voting record (in the US Congress) on the internet & see where he stood on issues in order to determine whether he leans left or right.
31 | Elizabeth T, Thursday Jan 08, 2009
Joshua Muravchick is awesome! I hope you have him more often on the Domain.
32 | 12 Tribes, Friday Jan 09, 2009
Obama is the Cheshire Cat, which is great if all you want to do is smile, disappear when you want and sit in a tree. Unfortunately he is President-Elect, which is another problem for those of us who don't drink the Kool Aid.
33 | 12 Tribes, Friday Jan 09, 2009
Obama is the Cheshire Cat, which is great if all you want to do is smile, disappear when you want and sit in a tree. Unfortunately he is President-Elect, which is another problem for those of us who don't drink the Kool Aid.
34 | Albert Adrian Victoria ES Brazil, Saturday Jan 10, 2009
My prayers to Mr.Obama best succes in his very difficult and responsible job.
Also pray that the first thing he will make every morning when he gets up
will be to give all his atention to his inner Self,or to his master of light,or to God,
And ask for the right things to be donne,so Mr. Obama the president will be a bless
to humanity,
No left,neither center or right political position but a superior wisse and loving one.
Not only God,but millons of americans and millons of every nationality are with you.
35 | Mike, Birmingham, England, Sunday Jan 11, 2009
I have thought about Obama's route to the high office he now holds. First and foemost he knows that his Presidency can be an historic setting of 'a new course' or a failure to pull his country from the great trouble it is in. Surely he can only have three things in focus - a modern day Roosevelt economic recovery plan, structural/environmental Keynesian economics and a measured withdrawal from international expense. In some respects I take him for what I can see, an intelligent man who will use office in very different ways to the indications given in acheiving it.
36 | daniel, holland, Monday Jan 12, 2009
I think Obama will be a major disappointment for the left. He has moved to the center, which is a good thing, and he will remain there (I hope). He strikes me as intelligent, I hope he will deal with problems using common sense. Not ideology.
37 | Linda, Phoenix AZ, Monday Jan 12, 2009
For goodness sake, would everyone teetering on the verge of panic please remember that Obama cannot do anything without the approval of congress or the senate or both and then look at the BIG picture. No man is an island.
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