Taking page from ‘Hoosiers,’ Obama played to win Indiana
Posted by: Baller-in-Chief in Articleshttp://www.indystar.com/article/20081201/OPINION01/812010309/1002/OPINION
That a Democrat bucked history and painted Indiana blue is a remarkable story. How he did it is where the real story informs us and where the next chapter can be written. Obama’s success in Indiana shows that Democrats can prosper with returns on political investment in the Midwest, if they are willing to learn from Obama’s blueprint and progressive politics.
All Indiana natives know the storyline of the movie “Hoosiers”: An underdog high school basketball team beats all the odds and wins the state title. An important subplot involves the coach teaching the values of hard work, family and responsibility, even giving an assistant coaching job to a troubled and struggling father of one of his players. The community is carefully connected through fundamental values and basketball fundamentals.
Obama connected to voters with a disciplined message of “green job” creation, middle-class tax cuts, and fair trade policies. He was on message about the economy every day and every place he visited. He combined this economic theme with a responsibility message, encouraging strong families and more parental involvement in education.
Furthermore, Obama displayed an understanding of and respect for the state’s traditions and values. He played “horse” with a 12-year-old on a farm in tiny Union Mills and sponsored a three-on-three basketball tournament with a statewide winner of a voter registration contest. He autographed basketballs and appeared with Indiana basketball legends.
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