"Experience in the old ways is irrelevant experience. " -- Gary Hart, 13 Feb 2008

Barack Obama in Washington Square Park
in Greenwich Village on September 27, 2007

This very short, very spirited defense of Barack Obama on The Huffington Post, "Politics As Transcendence," is interesting in light of my last post because it's written by Gary Hart, the man derailed by Walter Mondale's superdelegates in 1984 (Hillary's dream for 2008), and the man who might have saved the party from Mike Dukakis (and the nation from Bush I) in 1988 if it weren't for a little monkey business aboard the Monkey Business.

In an age of great transformation, experience of the past is worthless because it is a barrier to the breakthrough gesture, the instant response in crisis, the instinctive bold decision in the face of totally new circumstances.

Some see Barack Obama as the long awaited champion finally come to slay the awful dragon of race. And they are right. Some see him as a new start for the Democratic Party and national politics. And they are right. Some see him as the walking embodiment of internationalism, ready to restore an honorable and respected place for America in the world. And they are right.

These are the kind of non-wonky statements that drive the traditional (i.e., losing) Democrats absolutely crazy. Just look at the comments below "Politics as Transcendence" to see the raw nerves it touches.