Some students were huddled together in the cold. Some were beating on drums in exultation. Some took to the streets, running and screaming in a near-orgy of excitement. It might not have been the Rapture, but it was pretty close: Barack Obama had just been elected to be our nation’s 44th President, thanks in no small part to the efforts of thousands of college students across the country (someone has to make sure you’re registered to vote, after all).
Now, over a year later, that incredible enthusiasm has largely vanished. The “Hope” stickers are starting to peel off light posts and street signs all over campus. Students voted for change—and then, feeling like they had held up their end of the bargain, went back to leading their daily lives, pouring the energy formerly harnessed to help elect Obama into more typical student activities, like heavy drinking.
Sure, the majority of college students are probably still generally pro-Obama. He’s a likeable enough individual, and it’s difficult to identify any opposition candidates that have the same magnetic draw for the politically uncommitted. But are students passionately pro-Obama? It’s tough to say, but have you seen any pro-health care reform protests on campus lately? Or any protests in general?
When framed by that perspective, the recent announcement that Obama will be this year’s commencement speaker takes on a different, deeper, and more self-serving meaning. It goes without saying that Obama will be urging students to “work selflessly towards a better tomorrow” or “be the change they wish to see in the world” or other such boilerplate inspirational drivel. He might even double down on his plan for health care reform or any number of other controversial agenda items.
Whatever the content, there’s no doubt his speech will be an oratorical masterpiece that will inspire at least a few suckers to devote their lives to menial public sector jobs. There will be a huge demand for tickets; it is going to be the Best Day in Ann Arbor History, Ever, soundly beating out the year JFK announced the creation of the Peace Corps from the Michigan Union Steps and the time that former President Clinton gave the commencement speech. Tears will be shed by at least some of those in attendance.
But with public support for Obama’s entire agenda flagging, and little progress likely to be made on some of his most controversial initiatives before the end of the year, the current administration’s political strategists have to be in panic mode. Realizing that Obama has proved to be a far better campaigner than he has an executive, he must be playing to his greatest strength: campaigning.
It is, after all, an election year, and Republicans have the opportunity to render the Democrats’ complete control of
So it makes perfect sense for Obama, the consummate politician, to give this particular speech at this particular moment in his presidency. He’s sure to be greeted by an adoring crowd who will go forth from the Big House and spread his Gospel after listening to his words of wisdom. Remember the controversy caused by Obama’s commencement speech at heavily Catholic Notre Dame? That’s not going to be a problem here. If anything, protestors will be angry with Obama for not being liberal enough.
All this is not necessarily a knock on the University Administration; securing Obama as speaker was quite a coup. And having the standing President come to campus is certainly an exciting moment. Obama is, after all, our Commander in Chief, and deserves the respect that position commands. Just don’t make the mistake of falling hook, line, and sinker for the man that has decided to grace us with his presence this spring; remember that he is a politician whose strength lies in uniting supporters behind his image. Ann Arbor may simply be yet another stop on his never-ending campaign.
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