Primary Place Online

Along with about 30 other people, I was invited to the Loaf & Ladle to hear Anthony Lake (Assistant to President Clinton for National Security Affairs from 1993 to 1997) and Susan Rice (Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under President Clinton from 1997 to 2001) speak on behalf of Senator Barack Obama. Both are, I believe, now political consultants.

Unapologetically, the speakers arrived at least an hour late. After a gracious and brief introduction by Frank Heffron of Exeter, they both spoke warmly and convincingly about Senator Obama’s undeniable qualifications as a Presidential candidate. But it became immediately evident that they are both the proverbial Washington insiders, with a strong sense of entitlement and, in Mr. Lake’s case, a decidely patronizing approach to this New Hampshire audience.

The “war on terror” was mentioned twice by Dr. Rice, but without reflection on the causes of terrorism. I asked them what Senator Obama intends to do about the worldwide existence of U.S. military bases? I feel that it is not enough to be against the Iraq war. U.S. military posture abroad has to be curbed. Earlier this year, I asked Senator Obama this question and, frankly, he had no answer at the time. I do not hold this against him, but feel that the problem now has to be addressed.

Anthony Lake answered as though he felt pacifism is a negligible attitude and offered advice on what to believe when candidates make promises. He also spoke at some length about the inadvisability of quick withdrawal from Iraq – a point on which many eloquent speakers in our area have voiced quite the opposite opinion. Ms. Rice answered more thoughtfully.

I also said that I object to the notion of Presidential frontrunners as a construct created by the press. Dennis Kucinich, who is rarely mentioned as a candidate, recently won a straw poll by leaps and bounds. Another audience member asked a most appropriate question about the widespread feeling that money and economics underlie all major policy decisions in Washington. He was given a perfunctory answer.

I would like to make it clear that Senator Obama continues to be a highly qualified and credible candidate in my mind. The rather condescending approach of these visitors did not change that. Obama is always mindful of the common good and thinks deeply about the world’s problems, many of which our country has precipitated. But one might wish that these speakers realized yesterday that they are not doing their candidate a favor by coming across as haughty and by oversimplifying the serious issues facing all of us.