Where have you gone Joe DiMagio...

Paul Simon understood the American yearning for heros who confirm the greatness and symbolize the qualities of the nation that sees itself as the city on a hill. Like I suspect many others, I am beginning to feel unsettled about Obama. A nation has indeed turned its lonely eyes to him as the latest embodiment of the American dream. His interest in Lincoln is noted, his wholesome family life praised , and his commitment to uniting Americans in a great common purpose warmly received. His rise to the Presidency is seen as a vindication of the American way - an opinion Obama himself seems to share. Just when we hoped that there would be an end to the 'leader of the free world' style of rhetoric, now we have 'this could only happen in America' to put up with. Obama now routinely wears a flag pin for all to see.

Well, he's just playing the game isn't he? I hope so. Let it be the case that the view that sees Obama as a masterful political operator who knows how he has to appear to mainstream American in order for an agenda of real change to be enacted is an accurate one. May it be so that appointing Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State will prove to be a political masterstroke and will provide heft to the effort to end an era of disastrous American imperialism. After all, Hillary was opposed to Vietnam wasn't she?