Barack Obama meets....Machiavelli??

"A wise ruler, therefore, cannot and should not keep his word when such an observance of faith would be to his disadvantage and when the reasons which made him promise are removed. And if men were all good, this rule would not be good; but since men are a sorry lot and will not keep their promises to you, you likewise need not keep yours to them." (Machiavelli: The Qualities of the Prince) 

Now, what if I were to tell you that this quote were from Barack Obama and not Niccolo Machiavelli? While imagining these controversial words coming from a 2008 politician as opposed to one from the 15th century is odd and difficult, I believe it is an important exercise. Why? Because imagining Obama saying these words today helps show just how much times and politics have changed in the last several hundred years. 

Both Obama and Machiavelli will be remembered as important and influential political leaders of their respective times, however, both have faced very different challenges and obstacles in their rises to the top of their professions. With due respect to Machiavelli, I believe that finding success in politics in the media-driven 21st century is more difficult than the challenges he faced in the 15th century. 

Unlike Machiavelli, Obama lacks the ability to speak freely and truly about his views on America. With every speech he delivers, Barack must fear that he will slip or utter a politically incorrect phrase leading to his own political defrocking via the media. This is why imagining Obama preaching that men are a sorry lot and will not keep their promises is so difficult. While Machiavelli is hailed by many for his startling and still relevant (at least some parts) analysis of what a Prince (leader) needed to thrive and survive, Obama would be destroyed in the media for his controversial views and negative opinion of man. This is essentially a punishment for truthful insight. 

Instead, Obama needs to focus nearly all of his attention on a different principle outlined by Machiavelli, the ability to appear to have all qualities {all mercy, all faithfulness, all integrity, all kindness and all religion} that the common man desires in his leader. Machiavelli was centuries ahead of his time when accurately describing the shallowness of most men, explaining how men in general "...judge more by their eyes than their hands." (Machiavelli: The Qualities of the Prince) 

What this means is people want their leader to appear to be perfect, regardless of his or her true qualities or beliefs. Politicans today, much more so than hundreds of years ago, need to spend unfathomable amounts of time grooming their public images, as the prescense of 24/7 media over the past several decades has completely altered necessary campaign approaches by political hopefuls. As a result, instead of spending valuable time displaying his true beliefs and rhetoric to the American public, Obama needs to spend time explaining shaky or non-politically correct issues from his past. 

Obama's Church Scandal

Obama and Cocaine

The message I want you, my reader, to take away from this is that political times have changed, drastically since 1478.  If Machiavelli led his country to prosperity, his past did not matter regardless of actions he had undertaken, even if that included murder. Now, some are unsure of Obama as a leader because he may have used an illegal substance decades before taking public office, or because his ex-pastor is crazy. While I understand how you can draw conclusions about Obama's character through his past, I think judging him on his political decisions and opinions are much more relevant and important than what he did in college 30 years prior. 

In the end, there is little doubt in my mind that gaining and maintaining political power, the main topic of Machiavelli's magnum opus, is much more difficult in this challenged time than ever before in world history. One cannot simply take political power in America through brute force or numbers. Rather, they need strong rhetoric, political cunning, and a lot of luck. Think about this when you judge our current presidential candidates. I ask you not to focus on their minor flaws or irrelevancies (such as the number of homes McCain owns). Instead, focus on their strengths and potential. What can they do for America? All you can do for America right now is ponder this very question and vote on November 4. 

Go Blue!!!