Anthony Painter and why Obama is not 'so last season'!

Politeness and stiff upper lips aside, Brits are far from immune from the wave of ‘Obama-rama’ that has been perpetuated in recent months. With the swearing in of America’s 44th President, here in Britain we breathed a collective sigh of relief with the coming of the man who in Anthony Painter’s words, “made it okay to love America again.” Painter, with his self professed fascination with all things American, is a London based politician/journalist/ex-PR guy who has recently published a book on the man himself. Aptly entitled A Movement for Change, Painter assigns Obama great historical significance, firmly placing him within the tradition of the Civil Rights Movement through his connection to progressive figures such as Martin Luther King, Harold Washington and Lyndon B. Johnson. He is keen to emphasize that “this book is different because it gives people a broader perspective of American history and politics.”

Having been one of the first Britons to publicly root for Obama despite those around him, “calling me naive for supporting Barack over Hillary,” it’s no wonder that Painter was approached to write this story. The experience that first converted Painter was back in February, 2008 when he witnessed one of Obama’s speeches in Virginia: “I was in the press pack having blagged my way in. Obama came in and just sort of said “yo” and I thought if anyone else tried to do that they’d never get away with it.” Despite George W. Bush and Sarah Palin’s references to their identities as “hockey moms” and “ordinary guys”, it was Barack’s easy confidence and charisma epitomized by this casual “yo”, that won him a new legion of voters, who felt that, here was a man they could finally relate to. Painter noticed this early on, “I sat in MacDonalds, watched the TV and I saw these three kids, in Britain we call them ‘hoodies’, they were talking about the primaries, and I could sense their excitement with the race itself. There will be Hollywood movies made about this campaign.”

It didn’t hurt that Obama’s campaign thoroughly utilized new media, displaying its potential at reaching out to previously neglected voting groups. Having footnoted ‘youtube’ in his book, as well being a regular blogger, Painter knows firsthand that “it’s a very powerful tool. Obama couldn’t have built a nationwide movement in a few months, out of nowhere, without it. New media isn’t a political cause in itself, but it helps spread the message that persuades people to vote.” Unlike in Britain, where youth participation is alarmingly low, young Americans of the elusive 18-24 bracket quickly became fascinated with the Presidential race, their new found belief that they could make a difference was evident through the uproarious chanting of the slogan of “yes we can!”

Painter is often asked whether he believes that this kind of social movement could happen in the U.K. “I always argue that absolutely, it could. There have been times in our history where popular movements have encouraged major change with the Labour movement, or the Suffragettes for example. However, you need the right figure.” Thus, Painter was horrified with Trevor Phillips’ misguided statement that Britain would never elect a black Prime Minister, “Yes Obama is the first African American to be President but he’s also Barack Obama. Do we have someone with that charisma, that ability to communicate, and that self confidence?” When asked whether he believed that this young enigma could take the form of David Cameron, Painter was thoroughly sceptical, “I’m being Partisan here, but David Cameron is no Barack. He doesn’t have that authenticity. Obama has had to come to terms with his own self identity, through working in those poor local communities in Chicago, and he has internalized those conflicts.” In his book, Painter has written extensively on these districts, most notably Altgeld Gardens where he spent some time: “Obama had some formative experiences there, especially through the influence of the first black mayor, Harold Washington. That’s an element of the story that hasn’t been told. I’ve met the people who worked for both men, and what they did for Harold, was what they did for Barack at the Iowa Caucus and ever since then.”

The overly high expectations surrounding Barack Obama’s presidency are a cause for concern for Painter, and he has some staunch words of warning. Like Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), who he describes as a “tragic figure” for his permanent ties to the controversy of the Vietnam War despite his important role in the passing of the Civil Rights Act, there are fears that Barack will not deliver, “Barack Obama is a politician who will have to make choices. In Chicago they all said that all he needs to do is govern wisely, and they are being pragmatic. People have to be patient and give him a chance.”

Ultimately Painter’s message is a highly optimistic one, and he believes that Obama will undoubtedly do a better job than his predecessor: “With George W. Bush, you have to be extremely critical. With every conceivable area including the environment and world affairs, what exactly is better now?” However, with the advent of this new President, he hopes that future generations will enjoy a society where ethnicity “will no longer mean a difference in life opportunities.” History is being made, and this sense of pride was purveyed on the 20th January when millions saw themselves as being part of a movement that Obama himself so identified with, “there is this historical journey that we’ve undertaken towards greater social equality. Obama is connected to that journey, and is moving it forward.”

CF