Obama whirlwind breezes into UK

Obama has hit London, sprinkled his magic dust, and flown home. Oh, how they all lined up to greet him. Breakfast with Tony Blair, orange juice with Gordon Brown, and a CD exchange with David Cameron.

Obama said one memorable thing whilst meeting a British Prime Minister who has just lost Glasgow East:

"You're always more popular before you're in charge of things. Once you're responsible you're going to make some people unhappy."

I really hope Obama is trying to learn the lesson of what made Blair and Brown unpopular once they gained power. It wasn't that they were too left of centre, but rather that they drifted to the right and appeared not to have the courage of their own convictions.

As Obama drifts to what newspapers always refer to as "the centre ground" to win over the mythical "floating voter" - who always appears, strangely, to hold some obnoxious right wing views - Obama would do well to consider why so many of us currently hold him in such high esteem.

For me, it's because he has articulated certain things which he identifies as being wrong with George Bush's America and that he is promising to correct them. He says he will end the Iraq war, close Guantanamo Bay and restore Habeas Corpus. Those are great places to start.

But, if Obama is to learn anything from Blair and Brown, one would hope that he would learn that "the middle ground" is a press construct for forcing progressive politicians to the right and that, the moment a politician falls into this trap, he starts to alienate his own base.

Obama has already done this with regards to FISA and, although we are all bitterly disappointed, we will forgive him for the moment simply because he is preferable to his rival, McCain.

However, once he assumes power, such forgiveness will not be as forthcoming. I would like to see a progressive politician govern in the same way as right wing politicians do, by insisting that he has a mandate from the American public, rather than apologising for any progressive policies he pursues as if he has somehow gained power by subterfuge.

The lesson Obama should learn from his visit to London, and from seeing the pitiful state Brown now finds himself in, is that we vote for progressive politicians because we want to see progressive policies, no matter what the press might say.

We have had a few wobbles from Mr Obama, but we continue to hold faith, probably because we have no choice other than to do so. The alternative is simply too dreadful.

But I hope he takes the correct lesson from his own observation:

"You're always more popular before you're in charge of things. Once you're responsible you're going to make some people unhappy."

I hope the "some people" he makes unhappy are those on the right. Too often when progressive politicians speak like this they are actually preparing their own supporters for a fall.

The unpopularity of Blair and Brown should be enough to warn Obama of those pitfalls.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, London, US election 2008