Barack Obama and the Politics of Redemption PDF
Preview Barack Obama and the Politics of Redemption
Barack Obama and the Politics of Redemption Every new president raises many questions in the public mind. Because Barack Obama was a relative newcomer to the national political scene, he raised more questions than most. Would he prove to be a pragmatic centrist or would his politics of hope ultimately flounder on the rocky shoals of America’s deep political divisions? What of his leadership style? How would the uncommonly calm character he demonstrated on the campaign trail shape Obama’s political style as commander in chief? Basedonextensivebiographical,psychological,andpoliticalresearchandanalysis, noted political psychologist Stanley Renshon follows Obama’s presidency through the first two years. He digs into the question of who is the real Obama and assesses the advantages and limitations that he brings to the presidency. These questions cannot be answered without recourse to psychological analysis. And they cannot be answered without psychological knowledge of presidential leadership and the presidency itself. Renshon explains that Obama’s ambition has been fueled by a desire for redemption—his own, that of his parents, and ultimately for the country he now leads, which has enormous consequences for his choices as president of a politically divided America. Stanley Renshon is a Professor of Political Science at the City University of New York, Herbert Lehman College and The Graduate School and University Center. He is the author of over 100 articles and sixteen books and is a certified psychoanalyst. Barack Obama and the Politics of Redemption Stanley A. Renshon Firstpublished2012 byRoutledge 711ThirdAvenue,NewYork,NY10017 SimultaneouslypublishedintheUK byRoutledge 2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,OxonOX144RN RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness ©2012StanleyA.Renshon TherightofStanleyA.Renshontobeidentifiedasauthorofthisworkhas beenassertedbyhiminaccordancewithsections77and78oftheCopyright, DesignsandPatentsAct1988. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedor utilizedinanyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,now knownorhereafterinvented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orinany informationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthe publishers. TrademarkNotice:Productorcorporatenamesmaybetrademarksor registeredtrademarks,andareusedonlyforidentificationand explanationwithoutintenttoinfringe. LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData Acatalogrecordhasbeenrequestedforthisbook ISBN13:978-0-415-87394-9(hbk) ISBN13:978-0-415-87395-6(pbk) ISBN13:978-0-203-86413-5(ebk) TypesetinBembo byTaylor&Francisbooks PrintedandboundintheUnitedStatesofAmericaonacid-freepaperby WalsworthPublishingCompany,Marceline,MO “Redemption”definition:Copyright©byHoughtonMifflinHarcourt PublishingCompany. ReproducedbypermissionfromTheAmericanHeritageDictionaryoftheEnglish Language,fourthedition. TransformationdefinitionfromCollinsEnglishDictionary 30thAnniversaryEdition 10thEdition2009 ©WilliamCollinsSons&Co.Ltd1979,1986 ©HarperCollinsPublishers1991,1994,1998,2000,2003,2005,2006,2007, 2009 For my wife Judith … A warm woman A loving mother A true partner And the love of my life. For my children David and Jonathan … Principled Smart Thoughtful Accomplished And above all, nice people. Every man is either trying to live up to his father’s expectations or making up for his mistakes. Barack Obama, NPR Interview, July 27, 20041 I want to transform this country. Barack Obama, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, February 20072 “He is still a mystery to a lot of people. Actually, what is confounding is that he seems more a mystery to people now than he did when they elected him president.” Peggy Noonan,3 August 27, 2010 redemption Pronunciation: \ri ’dem(p) shen\ noun 1. an act of redeeming or the state of being redeemed. 2. deliverance; rescue. 3. Theology. deliverance from sin; salvation. 4. atonement for guilt. transformaÐtion (trænsfe’mei en)n 1. a change or alteration, esp a radical one. Contents Preface xi Acknowledgements xvii PARTI Foundations 1 1 The Early Obama Presidency: From Campaigning to Governing 3 2 The Puzzle of Obama’s Political Identity 26 3 The Arc of Ambition and the Development of a Style 50 PARTII Understanding the Obama Presidency 73 4 Obama’s Presidential Leadership: Transformation and Redemption 75 5 The Moral Thrust of Obama’s Ambition: Fairness 99 6 The Question of Leadership Integrity 124
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