The Unique Terms Of That Last Hurdle

This image, shot back on the ninth in Eugene, has proved to be an incredibly robust metaphor.

First there was this from 'Obama: No victory declaration Tuesday,' by Politico's Carrie Budoff Brown:

Concerned about appearing presumptuous or antagonistic towards Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama will not declare victory in the Democratic nomination fight Tuesday in the event he wins enough pledged delegates to claim a majority. Rather, he'll tiptoe right up to the line, without explicitly asserting the race is over.

And not to mention: Obama in Iowa: On His Way, But Not Without Hurdles (MoJo); Barack Obama faces an untested set of hurdles (LAT); Clinton Still In The Race, But Faces Major Hurdles (WAPO); Obama's Hurdle (Yahoo).  ...You get the picture.

(image:; Jae C. Hong/AP.  University of Oregon in Eugene. May 9, 2008 via chicagotribune.com)

Comments

[KansasKowboy]

In the track event there are many hurdles. We only see one in this photo. Obama has already cleared a few hurdles in the race, and today he will clear an important one. In the Presidential campaign there will be many more hurdles to come. Most of which he will need to approach more aggressively than he approaches the one in the photo. The GOP will take the gloves off to face Obama. Obama with have to take off the gloves as well, if he wants to win the Presidency. I wish him all the luck.

[Emily L. Ferguson]

Not a boxer. He specializes in poker and basketball passes. I doubt we'll see the gloves come off. More likely we'll see them softening his verbal blows.

[jmac]

There are two people in this race. One has the popular vote if you count 50 states. He hasn't won anything.

[boxcar]

I'd like to see McCain even try clear a hurdle!

[Jan Angevine]

Ms. Furguson,

Unfortunately Hillary did not jump the hurdles with quite the organization and inspiration that Obama has. We love her, we value her, but she did not seal the deal. Obama did. Quoting Josh Marshall at TPM.

"Even if you change the rules and fully seat Michigan and Florida and count them for the popular vote totals and don't count any portion of the Michigan "uncommitted" (which were understood a the to be for Obama) vote for Obama, Hillary is still behind in the popular vote total. The only way she moves ahead in popular vote is if you do all that and don't count four of the caucus states."

(And further, all 50 states have not voted yet, so I am not certain where you are getting your numbers. ) How you meet the obstacles is a measure of a candidate. Obama could claim that every loss was the result of racism, but he doesn't, even though he suffers the hatred of bigots. Hillary's reliance on the excuse of sexism has some accuracy, but it is not the whole story. It was only an obstacle, and she could not figure out how to meet it, as Obama has been meeting the obstacle of racism.

You must give him credit for this skill and poise in confronting obstacles. This is a key to the Presidency, because the Presidency is only a series of obstacles. My fear would be that any resistance Hillary experiences, domestically, internationally, or within the party, would always be viewed by her as sexism, so mired is she in embracing this story. When would she stop using this excuse, when she was elected? Because it is always going to be there, even if she were elected. For some reason she is not able to be bigger than the obstacle, as Obama is , for now, bigger than racism. But, if racism defeats him in the general, he will not hold a press conference to point to racism as the reason he failed. He is just bigger than that. That is one good reason I believe he is winning the popular vote, not Hillary.

[Jan Angevine]

Forgive me, I should have addressed the above comment to "jmac," not Ms. Furgusoan.

[swarmofkillermonkeys]

"Awkward."

Visually, metaphorically, whatever. That sure is an ungainly ankle from this angle... looks like it might yet catch even at his excruciatingly slow and deliberate pace, upsetting his race. Which fits, but still... nope. Just doesn't work; too obvious and lacking in grace.

[cenoxo]

With each foot headed in a different direction, it's not completely clear exactly where he's going.

[Steve T.]

By the way, is there any explanation for why he is clambering awkwardly over that track hurdle? He could have easily walked around it. What was he trying to demonstrate?

[trackster]

The reason he was going over the hurdle was because the anouncer of the track meet asked him over the loud speakers if he wanted to run the 400 high hurdles(which was the next event). Obama, being a good sport about it, jogged slow-motion up to the nearest hurdle and went over it. it was a crowd-pleasing thing. (they loved it, by the way) :)