John O'Sullivan, this is juvenile analysis.
Of course, people are projecting their own hopes and wishes onto Obama.
I hate to shock you, Mr. O’Sullivan, with a very elementary fact, but that is what happens always with popular leaders.
As far nonsense like "a sphinx without a riddle," it is you who are projecting, and projecting something quite silly. But then you do work for one of America’s silly think-tanks, pretend academic institutions whose job is to propagandize, not inform.
Obama is simply an intellectually gifted, well educated, articulate, decent, and charming man.
That sounds a little pedestrian to those who see him either as a savior or a demon, but those are the very qualities that make a good government or corporate leader.
And the United States amazingly has not been able to come up with many people of that quality for the presidency. It's an amazing indictment of a nation of 300,000,000.
Mediocrity, mendacity, low effective intelligence, fanaticism, and pathology have been far more common qualities in Twentieth Century American presidents, culminating in the pathetic Bush.
America has a broken political system. Its Constitution is out of date and has significant anti-democratic provisions still in place. Its political parties operate like a hamburger-chain duopoly. And the military-political establishment in Washington often makes decisions not in keeping with the popular views.
Obama offers competent, honest government. That alone is a big deal. If he also inspires and has a few great accomplishments, that will be the most people can expect.
DISTINGUISHED FELLOW OF AN AMERICAN THINK TANK
