Bring Back
our Brightness; It's clear, Cheney's in charge and his world's a
grim one. Do we want him running the country for the next four
years?
By Stephen Dinan
www.stephendinan.com
One thing emerged loud and clear from the debate last night: the
American people deserve a debate between John Kerry and Vice
President Cheney. While John Edwards often seemed focused on
cheerleading the head of his ticket, it was easy to forget when
Cheney responded that Bush was even the head of the ticket.
In his command of policy details and facts, Cheney revealed what
many have assumed all along: he is the real power of this
administration, the driving force behind its vision, doctrines, and
decisions. In the first response to 9/11, Cheney took over the
chain of command while Bush sat in the classroom reading about pet
goats - an interesting fact in retrospect. This power
imbalance was illuminated by the contrast between last Thursday's
debate and tonight. Thursday, Bush was lost, while tonight Cheney
was clearly a powerhouse.
The question then, is whether the American people want the next four
years to be shaped primarily by Cheney, who operates largely in
secret and with a decidedly grim view of the world in which we live,
or by Kerry, who offers a change. After two debates, it was
clear that these two personalities will most dramatically sculpt the
world we will live in the next four years.
Cheney's world is a grim one. Even in the closing moments of
the debate, he could barely countenance a smile. During much of it,
he seemed the Mafia don, hunched over the table, staring through the
top of his glasses, his hands enfolded, growling out statistics and
attacks with a gravelly voice. There was something compelling
about his power but also chilling. He made me think of an
attack dog that is better left on a chain in the yard rather than
invited in the house.
Edwards surprised no one by providing a powerful dose of charm to
contrast with Cheney's ominous presence. In Edwards'
closing remarks, he spoke about how the bright light of America is
flickering, whether the administration concedes it or not.
The flickering of the flame was obvious at the table -
there was nothing optimistically American in Cheney, just a
hard-bitten, hard-edged, statistics-driven view of reality. Edwards,
by contrast, provided winsomeness even in the midst of Cheney's
attacks. He proved himself remarkably resilient, deflecting
Cheney's critiques without upset and refocusing back on the many
problems of the current administration.
Nonetheless, it did sometimes feel like a middleweight asked to box
with Mike Tyson. One couldn't help but root for Edwards,
taking on Tyson with class, but it was daunting and he took tough
body blows on everything from his track record in the Senate to his
use of a tax loophole. Edwards did deliver shots of his own,
returning often to where Bush and Cheney are not being straight with
the American people about Iraq. His exposure of Halliburton
hit hard and Cheney only responded by pointing people to a website.
Nonetheless, the shots didn't seem to perturb Cheney much as
he flicked them away like a heavyweight fighter. In terms of
raw power, Cheney clearly held the upper hand.
The question, though, is what happens when raw power is unconnected
to heart? What happens with the statistics-driven mind is
divorced from compassion? Do we begin to perpetuate exactly the dark
view of humanity that we are seeking to destroy?
Psychologists tell us that in our fight against the shadow world, we
often empower it and begin to manifest it more in ourselves. Clearly,
in the course of four years, Cheney has developed an even grimmer
view of reality. Can this make us safer? Or is it better
to lead with the light, drawing people forward with what is best
about America? Our success in leading the world has largely flowed
from magnetism rather than domination. The world's people
have, at least in the past, wanted to be more like us, which has
made the spread of democracy and American ideal possible.
Cheney's world is driven by a more pessimistic view of
human nature, one that demands control, aggression, and dominance.
There is simply no space for a warm heart in this view.
Edwards framed it correctly in his closing: do we want more of the
same? Cheney offers us the same preference for war, the same bulldog
surety that has compromised America's good standing in the world,
and the same cynicism that has begun to erode our national
character. Edwards may lack some of the hard-bitten
experience that Cheney has but I believe that he can lead us forward
into a brighter tomorrow, especially as he gains experience. Fortunately,
Kerry has the seasoned political experience that Edwards lacks.
Together, they bring a complete package of intelligence, heart, and
resolute power to the table, married to an optimistic view of
American potential. With Bush and Cheney, we are left mainly
with darkness and fear.
We sorely need to bring back our brightness this year - the heart
and humor that is at the core of America's genius. If we do
not, then terrorism will truly have triumphed.
Permanent link: http://www.stephendinan.com/2004/10/bring-back-our-brightness.html
Stephen
Dinan stephen@radicalspirit.org
is author of Radical Spirit (New World Library, 2002), and founder
of TCN, Inc. Stephen directed and helped to create the Esalen
Institute's Center for Theory & Research, a think tank for
leading scholars, researchers, and teachers to explore human
potential frontiers. Currently, he is a marketing consultant for a
number of startups, political action groups, and non-profits and
runs workshops through the Radical Spirit Community. For a
full archive of his articles, visit www.stephendinan.com
