Obama Not the New JFK, But He Sounds Like It | Newsweek Politics: Conventions

The Editor’s Desk
Daniel Klaidman 11/22/2008 12:00:00 AM
Writing in The New York Times, columnist David Brooks lightly mocked the phenomenon as "O-phoria," the wall-to-wall coverage of Barack Obama's election—the insta-books, the quickie documentaries and, yes, the magazine covers. But it is hard to overstate the profound impact this election has had on the country. We in the media are, in some ways, giving voice to a collective expression of pride, a kind of national exclamation point, as if to say, "This really happened." The election of Obama hardly represents an eradication of racial prejudice; rather, it is an important milestone along a tortured road—an achievement in which all Americans, no matter whom they voted for, can take pride. But it is not a static event. The presence of an African-American family in the White House will force (allow?) all of us, no matter our skin color or ethnic background, to examine our biases and expectations.
POLITICS
What Michelle Means to Us
Allison Samuels 11/22/2008 12:00:00 AM
At a recent Sunday brunch after church, my "sista friends" and I sat on the patio of a Los Angeles restaurant gabbing about the election of Barack Obama. Sure, we were caught up in the history of the moment. Most of us never thought we'd see an African-American president. But as a group of six black women in our 30s and 40s, we were equally excited by who is coming along with Obama to the White House—his wife, Michelle, and their two young daughters. We all praised—OK, maybe even envied—Michelle's double Ivy League pedigree, her style, her cool but friendly demeanor. And yet we're all aware of how much we have riding on her. At 44, Michelle Obama will be the youngest First Lady since Jacqueline Kennedy. And many are expecting her to usher in a similarly glamorous era in Washington. ("Bamelot," as some are already calling it.) But Michelle's influence could go far beyond the superficial. When her husband raises his hand to take the oath of office, Michelle will become the world's most visible African-American woman. The new First Lady will have the chance to knock down ugly stereotypes about black women and educate the world about American black culture more generally. But perhaps more important—even apart from what her husband can do—Michelle has the power to change the way African-Americans see ourselves, our lives and our possibilities.
HUMOR
Courting Malia and Sasha
Weston Kosova 11/22/2008 12:00:00 AM
POLITICS
Just One More Frame!
Suzanne Smalley 11/22/2008 12:00:00 AM
The White House may be the most important center of power in the world. But it's also just a home, a place that can make kids feel happy and comfortable, or not. When Michelle Obama brought her daughters to visit last week, they were seeing that White House, the place that's potentially good for sleepovers and hide-and-seek. Laura Bush had invited them, and the First Lady also made sure that her own daughters, Jenna and Barbara, were on hand. Bedrooms were high on the agenda. The Bushes escorted Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, to the suite of rooms traditionally used by White House children, including the Kennedys, Amy Carter and Chelsea Clinton. The girls spouted typical-kid questions: "Can I get a new bed?" "Where can I put a picture of the Jonas Brothers?"
CHAPTER 5
Center Stage
Evan Thomas 11/6/2008 12:00:00 AM
In midsummer, the Obama campaign's computers were attacked by a virus. The campaign's tech experts spotted it and took standard precautions, such as putting in a firewall. At first, the campaign figured it was a routine "phishing" attack, using common methods. Or so it seemed. In fact, the campaign had been the target of sophisticated foreign cyber-espionage.
CHAPTER 6
The Great Debates

VI. Later, after McCain's ride to the rescue had been mocked in the press, some of his advisers blamed Steve Schmidt for the fiasco. The campaign's chief strategist was forever searching for the bold stroke, the instant game changer, but by urging McCain to go to Washington, he had impetuously and blindly steered the candidate into a trap. "McCain never saw it as a stunt," insisted one aide. But to most commentators, the bizarre rush back to Washington seemed gimmicky—one more tactical gambit in a campaign that seemed to lack any coherent or consistent strategy.