BBC NEWS | The Reporters

The candidate as Ordinary Joe

Gavin Hewitt
11 Oct 08, 11:24 PM GMT

PHILADELPHIA: We stood outside the Mayfair Diner in north-east Philadelphia today, waiting for Barack Obama.

The diner, in brushed chrome, glistened in the stark autumn sunshine.

As I looked around, it seemed the perfect back-drop. Across the road was the Soft Pretzel Factory which was next to Shop 'N Go selling hoagies and cold cuts. This was a location where every detail placed the candidate among ordinary ''working" Americans.

Obama supporters in western Philadelphia Barack Obama gave the diner a plug and suggested we all head there afterwards.

Nothing in the final month happens by chance. This location was carefully chosen. Obama knows that the group most resistant to him are white working-class Americans. Some voters find him aloof -somehow different from them. And image matters.

John Kerry's Advisers told him not to go wind-surfing. It set him apart, they argued. He would not have it. Some of Obama's advisers have suggested he needs to be seen eating fast-food. He must be an ordinary American.

Sarah Palin has gone much further. She peppers her speeches with folksy phrases like "doggone it" and drops in a conspiratorial wink. She not only pitches her appeal to "Joe Six Pack", she believes that it's time for the Joe Six Packs of the world to be heard, to be at the top table of power.

Here's a thought we were having as we sat near Billie's Boomer Lounge, by Locust Street, waiting for the fourth Obama event of the day. No politician can afford to appear aloof but do people want a president who is "ordinary Joe", just like themselves? Surely, I argued, we want leaders who are smarter than ourselves?

Not necessarily so, I discovered in conversation. No-one, it seems, likes a smart politician.

Barack Obama Later in the day Obama said, "I like sweet potato pie," and chatted about the recipe. The crowd liked it - they connected to the candidate.

What does not seem to work is when people suspect a candidate is acting outside their own skin. During the last campaign, I remember John Kerry going duck shooting. When he returned carrying the bird, no-one believed he had actually shot it.

But every day, each candidate wants the voters to feel he or she understands them and is just like them.

Of course they are not, but the voter must feel they are.

Comments

1. At 00:11am on 12 Oct 2008, twokidsandadog wrote:
Err... Didn't we all know this?

How about telling us something we didn't know? Like are all the McCain attacks making a difference?

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2. At 01:23am on 12 Oct 2008, Cartponybefore wrote:
Obama would have to do one helluvalot of windsurfing to lose the election now. Don't ya think, Joe Hewitt?

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3. At 03:44am on 12 Oct 2008, PaulaGinSC wrote:
I've always said the average voter is an idiot. Honestly, is there any other way to explain how George Bush got elected in 2004? I for one hope the smart guy wins this time around.

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4. At 04:27am on 12 Oct 2008, sepdet wrote:
Someone once told my mother a thoughtful thing. "Remember, if you're above average in IQ or intelligence, at least half the people out there are stupider than you are." An elitist, arrogant remark, but there's a grain of truth in it. So if leaders appeal to emotions, fears, and prejudices, they're going to have an impact on all those who don't have enough critical thinking to weigh what they're hearing.
That means that many times, more than 50% of the voters will vote stupidly-- the smart ones who happen to have bought into the candidate's positions for good reasons (or some kind of reasons), and all the people who are just led along by gut instinct.

Luckily, Obama is not only smart, he knows classical Roman oratory. Much as I hate rhetoric, it is not good or evil any more than any other tool. I am glad that thus far, Obama has mostly spoken with reason and moderation while wielding it, and used it judiciously. That's probably why he's ahead.

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5. At 04:28am on 12 Oct 2008, Webout wrote:
Ordinary Joe covers a wide variety of individuals, that don't necessarily identify with being hockey moms or joe six pack. If you are more than a one issue voter and you can get pass your prejudice and fears, you will pick the best person to get this country on the right track. Anyone seeking office should be a more than ordinary, because the job of president is not jury duty.

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6. At 04:57am on 12 Oct 2008, 1european wrote:
Oh my, I was telling myself Obama really impresses me...
Silly me: in the US, the winner clearly must inspire an altogether different feeling, namely "Look ma, (s)he's as stupid as myself! Ain't (s)he great?"

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7. At 07:12am on 12 Oct 2008, Hibou wrote:
Gavin Hewitt makes a good point that often puzzles non-Americans. How can they elect people who may be good old boys but who are clearly not terribly intelligent, like George W. Bush, Gerald Ford., Dan Quayle and dare I say Ronald Reagan ?

There is an egalitarianism in the American character that is not found elsewhere. They really believe that everyone is born equal, and that even the least of them can achieve greatness. This goes back to the founding of the colonies. In extreme cases it can mean that anyone who appears to be above average is seen as 'not one of us'.

Fortunately Americans also aspire to individual excellence, and and admire personal achievement. Balancing these two tendencies of egalitarianism and individualism is a difficult job for a politician, but Obama manages it better than anyone else today.

I am confident that this time Americans will choose the best man to lead their country in difficult times, as they always have.

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8. At 07:41am on 12 Oct 2008, WebPendragon wrote:
Gavin I think this piece is somewhat misleading .You know perfectly well that it is not that Obama is "aloof" that bothers "Joe Six Pack" it is that he is Black.

The BBC, Politicaly Correct to the point of absurdity in our own Country,seems to be strangly coy about identifying America's deep racial divisions.

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9. At 09:51am on 12 Oct 2008, james wrote:
PaulaGinSC - Right on the mark about 2004, I drew the same conclusion after that election.

Recently Sam Harris published an article about this. He noted that Americans demand expertise in their Doctors, Car Mechanics, Attorneys, etc. But that in our politicians we disdain anyone who appears intelligent and elect morons just like the rest of us.

This is sad but true and extremely frustrating for those of us who are not "Joe Six Pack".

It reminds me of a Simpsons episode where Homer (as a child) tells his dad that he wants to be the president when he grows up. Abe responds by saying something to the effect of "son this is the greatest country on earth, we have whole systems in place making sure people like you don't become president". Between Bush and Palin it would appear that this is not the case.

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10. At 10:52am on 12 Oct 2008, kbwong wrote:
What Americans seem to want (including me), is someone that they feel will watch out for their interests running the country while they themselves are off living their actual lives. I think this is true of anyone anywhere.

This is why they want, I think, to be able to identify with their candidate -- and note very carefully the proprietary flavor of the phrase "their candidate".

This is why there's such a huge gap between the parties, because there's a huge gap between people's beliefs -- if you're racist, you want a racist politician to run the country for you. If you see yourself as "folks", you want a "folksy" politician. If you're intelligent, you want someone you see as intelligent.

Unfortunately, what anyone in any country is going to *get* is someone who is ambitious and wants power, because no one is going to become a politician without wanting power. Running the country in the way their constituents would want them to in exchange for that power is supposed to be the way it works.

You can't legislate people into being smart. So on the campaign, you must try and work with that, regardless of what you actually plan to *do* in office.

Obama is rising in the polls because there's a limit to how stupid, racist, reactionary, and unreasonable Mr. and Ms. Joe Everybody is willing to look. My bet is McCain is deeply uncomfortable with the latest campaign direction, but his lack of control over his campaign and his partner (not to mention the conscious decision to appeal to a certain type of American) has convinced me he's not the right person to get us out of the economic crisis.

Americans are neither as unintelligent or militaristic as outsiders may think -- in every country I've ever been to, there've been racist, unintelligent, and, for heaven's sake, even overweight citizens...all things that, to hear some people talk, you'd think were the sole province of Americans.

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11. At 11:30am on 12 Oct 2008, Cartponybefore wrote:
I wonder if Hewitt's brief is to continue the BBC US Elections meme that the only genuine Americans are white, working-class people who irrationally hate/fear Obama.

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12. At 11:34am on 12 Oct 2008, clkehn wrote:
Webpendragon -You can't blame the BBC on this one - I've come to the conclusion that the fear of Obama the 'terrorist' is merely right-wing conservative American's new code word for black, and other racial terms I won't use. Rather than admit they are racists, which the majority still are, they hide behind innuendo and unfounded rumour to try to prevent a minority from becoming president. By masking it as such, any accusations of racism can be brushed aside.

And I truly hope you are wrong 1european. I want someone smarter than me running things, and I don't give a flip what color they are, as long as they can do the job. US voters have had the last 8 years to know they're smarter than their president, it's not a very pleasant feeling.

McCain sold his soul to get the support he now has. I certainly hope he is uncomfortable, he should be deeply ashamed. He truly once was a maverick, now he is just a political tool.

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13. At 12:34pm on 12 Oct 2008, WebPendragon wrote:
I take your point clkehn

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14. At 1:08pm on 12 Oct 2008, VicMorrish wrote:
Yes In America there has always been the belief in nice but not over bright country boy going into politics and sorting out the city slickers. Mr Smith Goes to Washinton and Forest Gump jump to mind. No doubt there are more. The real fear is that life will bcome like a B movie.

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15. At 2:34pm on 12 Oct 2008, Pancha Chandra wrote:
One needs to look for real substance: concrete plans to help the poor and the middle-class. Obama and Biden have shown they have dynamic ideas which they would like to put in motion after eight years of inexplicable lack of focus on the part of Bush and Cheney. Advocating a continuation of Republican policies would be an affront to the aspirations of hopeful Americans who are yearning for positive change! The Democrats should win hands down, judging from the opinion polls as well as from political pundits;

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16. At 4:33pm on 12 Oct 2008, clkehn wrote:
I hope you are right Pancha_Chandra, but unfortunately where I live the McCain supporters outnumber the Obama supporters. Many people in the US fear change, especially the white suburban middle class who might actually benefit from it.

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17. At 5:13pm on 12 Oct 2008, Ricter wrote:
We (Americans) go through phases like everyone else living in a democratic society. Ok, so we elected "W" twice and now Sarah W. Palin has generated some excitement. However, in past, we've elected some intelligent leaders, FDR, JFK, George HW Bush. We've elected charismatic leaders, Clinton, Reagan. Making generalizations about Americans based on the recent elections is inaccurate. A country as diverse as the US cannot be defined so simply.

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18. At 8:21pm on 12 Oct 2008, Arcadianspireite wrote:
GoonerPetronius (17) you make a reasonable point, and it would be unfair of anyone in or outside of USA to suggest that you have consistently elected inadequate individuals as President
However, the last 8 years under GWB and the prospect of Sarah Palin as VP are certainly sufficient to raise the concern that intelligence and character haven't been high on the list of desirable qualities this century
Many of the examples you cite show that the american people are more than capable of electing intelligent and charismatic leaders (many of whom have shown genuine "world leadership" qualities). What concerns me and many others outside of the USA is whether that will be the choice you make this year, or if (as I fear) our western soundbite-realityTV culture has dragged everything down to the lowest common denominator
I hope to be proven wrong in November (and i'm counting on US common sense to do it!)

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19. At 9:22pm on 12 Oct 2008, wonderDodgee wrote:

Sir

WHO IS A HYPOCRATE

When Senator Barack Obama is campaigning that voting for Senator John McCain is voting for third term of Mr. President G. W. Bush, I had prayed that Senator John McCain should campaign vigorously that voting for Senator Barack Obama is voting for the virtues of Rev Jeremiah Wright whom he spent most of his adult life with.

Thanks

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20. At 03:41am on 13 Oct 2008, timwarneka wrote:
I'm an American.

I'm voting for the smart politician, because I want my president to be smarter than me.

Needless to say, as a 42-year-old American, it's been some time since that's been the case.

Regards,

Tim Warneka

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21. At 11:49am on 13 Oct 2008, icetayoa wrote:
I am happy the Mcain camp are just getting it..the justified inquest on obama's past misdeeds is not about poll numbers, but more importantly about creating the benefit of doubt in the mind of voters. Americans should ask themselves a very pertinent question. do they really know who Obama is and what he stands for? are they ready to put their future and children's future in the hands of an unknown quantity like Obama? By the way, all this talk about Obama being the saviour, the expert on the economy, the one who would make things RIGHT is ludicrous and extremely laughable.. what is his track record? what has he ever done to deserve such accolade? Obama is a creation of the nauseating american media ably led by cnn and their so called experts

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22. At 11:08pm on 13 Oct 2008, PaulaGinSC wrote:
Icetayoa (#21) - I know enough about *both* candidates to know that I prefer Senator Obama. Just because you don't like him doesn't mean those of us who do are deluded or looking for a "saviour" or "rock star."

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23. At 11:05pm on 17 Oct 2008, albobo wrote:
GoonerPetronius - good point, but interesting that you don't count Clinton as one of the 'intelligent' presidents. His flaws notwithstanding, Clinton's intellect is fearsome.

In fact, here is an interesting coincidence. The 2 presidents who have either been or nearly been impeached are by far the most intelligent of the last 40 years (Clinton and Nixon).

However, as far as the point you are making goes, what is interesting about the Republican Party of the past 10 years or so is that it has, on the one hand been the 'party of ideas' - say what you like about the neocons, they did at least have a powerful vision for america - and on the other, the party that celebrates a level of mediocrity that is unprecedented in American history. Both Dubya and Palin have what popularity they had/have by specifically highlighting their 'ordinariness'.

Anyway, I totally agree with your last sentence. A massive flaw amongst us Europeans is to see America in such a monolithic way, and it stems from an ignorance of the US that is just as powerful as the ignorance they complain the US has of the rest of the world.

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