The Manufacturing and Selling of Obama

So what makes Obama sell?

Is it that his style is fresh? Does the fact that he is not another white man running for president excite much of the electorate? His look is definitely original. His image portrays the essence of youth and exuberance. His rhetoric sculpts a catchy headline for the Fourth Estate and the world.

Although McCain attempted to sell his “maverick-ability,” he carries himself like an old politician. Despite the fact that he looks like your average elected official, he attempts to market his policies as refreshed and against the traditional grain. Frankly, though, policies don’t motivate the average American to pick up a magazine off the stand. People want a pretty face, a man who appears powerful. Wow — this sounds like an American beauty pageant!

As a result, many voters are blinded by the pretty pictures and shiny objects, thereby losing sight of what's important — the issues. Although this perception may seem to be a reality, it does not necessarily translate into an actuality. Simply because someone appears on the cover as presidential and powerful does not mean he would make an effective commander in chief. Only when we turn the page past the cover, past the publicity to find the heart of his policies and the motivation behind his philosophies can we truly determine the candidate’s suitability for our nation’s highest office.

The fact that the media makes him appear as a leader and ready to navigate us through these rough waters is meaningless until he’s tested by real-life situations and then thrust into making critical decisions. Again, are we voting in a beauty contest, or are we electing the next commander in chief in next week's presidential election?