A back-handed endorsement

Barack Obama has been a disappointment — but a fairly normative president. The problem with the presidency and American politics in general is that it rewards caution and moderation, especially when it is a supposedly liberal politician being overly cautious.

And yet, given the options, he probably should be re-elected. Robert Scheer offers a good explanation of why in what I will call the great back-handed compliment. A vote for Obama this time, unlike last time for many, is not so much to continue the status quo, but a preventative measure against elevating a confirmed liar and opportunist to the nation’s highest office.

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• Read poetry at The Subterranean.
• Certainties and Uncertainties a chapbook by Hank Kalet, will be published in November by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered here.
• Suburban Pastoral, a chapbook by Hank Kalet, available here.

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet