The meme among refuseniks just now is that the Obama charm offensive is prelude to the boom being lowered. The policy boom, the tax boom, the agenda.There is an implied change: Obama gets ugly.
I disagree. Based on this man's love of political theatre and the rewards he gets playing this way, the grandstanding, the "healing" gestures, the conservative outreach, all that stuff that generates a honeymoon for him will continue. The real dirty work will be done by the overt partisans in House and Senate. The White House will keep its distance. The inauguration will continue for four years.
At the same time, Obama has taken control of the party at the secondary level. The Clinton retreads may look influential but in true politruk style they have Obamans working under them, watching them, waiting to replace them. Count Clinton teamsters still in place a year from now.
And we know a new party-building effort is about to begin at the grassroots level using recent campaigners as its core. It promises a cult of personality that will cut out the political middlemen and place a vast political/cultural force directly at the disposal of our new boss.
As Obama plows through rosy accolades, we refuseniks will be getting the Rodney King treatment off to the side. Harry and Nancy have the truncheons ready as do the state Democrats.
This is really going to smart. We'll be fingering our achey lumps while meditating on those purists who sat out the last election.
