The historic candidate is young, handsome and articulate. He's an African American from Chicago who was born to a single mother. Though his family had little money when he was growing up, he won a scholarship to a prestigious prep school and eventually went on to get his J.D. from Harvard Law.
His swift rise in politics has been extraordinary, even in America. When he first declared his candidacy against an established Democratic opponent, he had very little name recognition.
His critics were also quick to point out his lack of experience and past accomplishments. However, the candidate's eloquent and idealistic speeches captivated the grassroots voters and young demographic. He spoke of hope, change and unity. His campaign, led by strategist David Axelrod, painted him as a post-partisan reformer.
No, I'm not talking about Barack Obama. The candidate I'm referring to is Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick - but the similarities between the two politicians are strikingly eerie.
Their backgrounds, rise to power, rhetoric and even the lead players in their campaigns are nearly identical.
They even share speeches. Last February at a campaign stop in Wisconsin, Obama thoughtfully mused, "Don't tell me words don't matter…'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal' - just words? 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' - just words? Just speeches?"
Pretty inspiring, except for the fact that two years earlier Patrick had also told a crowd, "We hold these truths to be self-evident,' just words? Just words? 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself.' Just words?"
These similarities are no coincidence. They're part of a formula created by the two candidates' top strategist, David Axelrod, who specializes in packaging very liberal, often radical politicians and selling them to mainstream voters.
"It's a formula Axelrod developed working on a series of black mayoral candidates' campaigns in cities such as Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.…[In] 2002, Axelrod used it to elect Obama to the U.S. Senate," wrote Jason Zengerle in The New Republic.
Axelrod is attracted to candidates who have overcome adversity because he likes to make their biographies - not their policies - the center of the campaign. He also plays up the historical aspect of the election. For example, the fact that Patrick would become the first African American governor of Massachusetts became the focal point of his gubernatorial race.
"'Making history' can be very motivational to people in terms of their voting behavior," Rob Gray, a GOP consultant, told The New Republic.
But once the election is won and the celebration dies down, Axelrod's clients tend to be ineffective politicians. The reason may be because they're chosen more for their charisma, eloquence and personal background rather than their experience and political savvy.
What Obama will do as president still remains a mystery. His record is tissue-thin and he rarely speaks about policy specifics. However, we can look at the political careers of Axelrod's former clients to find clues about how Obama may govern during his presidency.
In 1987, Axelrod ran the Chicago mayoral campaign of Harold Washington. A former criminal who had done jail time, Washington ran as a "reformist" who wanted political change. During his campaign, he was a media darling, but once elected, Washington proved himself to be a sub-par politician who spent much of his career beholden to African American interest groups.
In 1992, Axelrod was the top strategist for Dennis Archer's Detroit mayoral campaign. Archer was promoted as an anti-establishment candidate who would bring fresh change to government. After Archer won the race, his far-left policies shocked the public who eventually tried to get his election recalled.
Axelrod was also the image-maker for Philadelphia mayoral candidate John Street. Street ran as an agent of change and promised to crack down on unethical city practices. However, after he was elected, corruption ran so rampant in Philadelphia that Time magazine named Street one of the three worst mayors in America.
But those praising the recent election of Obama should take the most careful look at the government right here in Massachusetts.
During Gov. Patrick's campaign, he was wildly popular among state citizens and the media who were drawn to his warm and fuzzy message of unity, and his historical quest to be the first African American governor.
But since taking office, Patrick has implemented none of the "change" and "new politics" he promised during his candidacy. Just a few weeks into the job, he caught flack for spending taxpayer money on personal items like $10,000 draperies for the statehouse, a new car and a chief of staff for his wife.
His poor political skills make it nearly impossible for him to accomplish anything significant and his policy proposals are routinely rejected by the Democratic-majority state legislature. Currently, Rasmussenreports.com lists his approval rating at a miserable 38 percent.
Will Obama follow the same path? Only time will tell. But if Axelrod's former clients are any indication, then this may turn out to be a rocky first year for the inexperienced politician.
Alana Goodman is a Collegian columnist. She can be reached at agoodma@student.umass.edu.
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