1:51 pm - Fri, Nov 7, 2008

Change: So What Happens Now?

I think the more fitting question is what do you do with the massive PR, marketing, news, activism and recruitment machine built behind his campaign? How do you rotate that powerful set of “deep touch” interconnections into something that can live in perpetuity and be put to good use? How do you keep up the recruitment and engagement?

I had the privilege of listening to Dr. Cornell West speak last night, and he went to great lengths to explain the difference between success and greatness, and how America’s conflating the two has gotten us into the crises we face today. Obama’s election, though symbolic, represents a success, but only time will tell if this opportunity translates into greatness. Similarly, this massive wellspring of goodwill and engagement has been successful, but if it could be reclaimed and led by the very people who backed Obama, that would be incredible. He will need an authentic, independent voice to spread the message, to get behind his active platform, and frankly, to keep him inline if he goes astray.

The same wind that lifted Obama into office should be the same force he must face if he falls prey to the hubris, narcissism and indifference that Washington can so easily nurture.