Inspired by Wednesday’s presidential debate, Anthony G. Dispenza at American Thinker likens the dynamic between Romney and Obama to that of Maximus and Emperor Commodus in the movie Gladiator: The Obama Myth Will Not Survive the Debates.
Perhaps a bit overstated, the comparison is still an appropriate one ~
The fraudulence of Obama’s presidency is so great that only an analogy can bring us close to sufficiently expressing that fraud. In the movie The Gladiator, Roman Emperor Commodus abuses his power to rule over the people with an iron fist and to ensure that he is viewed favorably, while the truly great man in Maximus is initially thought to be a mere slave and far inferior to Commodus.
When confronted with the man himself, however, the Coliseum crowds come to adore the brave gladiator, and Commodus’ advantage of holding favor by hiding behind the power of the state is diminished. Eventually Commodus has no choice but to engage the truly superior Maximus face-to-face, and despite cheating, Commodus loses. The last four years and their culmination in last night’s debate have been quite similar.
Propped up by an adoring mainstream media, Emperor Obama has become almost superhuman. Recall when, Newsweek’s Evan Thomas declared on MSNBC, “I mean in a way Obama’s standing above the country, above – above the world, he’s sort of God.”
The University of Denver served as the Coliseum, the people’s Maximus was found in Mitt Romney, and our Commodus-like-president had nowhere to hide. And while we slave-like peasants — as we conservatives are viewed by Obama — knew the strength of our fellow gladiator, the blinded masses had their eyes opened for the first time. Just as Commodus, the privileged son of the Emperor, never had to actually fight, Obama has never before had to reconcile his view of the world with reality.
From community organizer to “constitutional scholar,” to absentee Senator to the presidency, Obama has lived his entire life in a world of mere ideas without ever having to depend on the truth of those ideas. Obama never needed a speech or a dissertation or a memoir to have any basis in reality in order to house himself or feed his children; he needed only to perpetuate the lies that his liberal followers were so eager to believe.
As Dispenza says, the present-day struggle of Maximus and Commodus was completely one-sided;
… so much so that even the liberal media seemed to concede the debate to Romney in their post-debate analysis. In terms of style, Romney clearly articulated conservative principles, cited specific policies, and buttressed both with plenty of facts and figures. Romney looked Obama in the eye when addressing him, and looked at the camera when addressing America, and spoke clearly without hesitation.
When speaking, Obama looked down at the podium or searched the ceiling for answers, but rarely at Romney or the camera. His usual agitation at those who disagree with him was apparent, and he even snipped at moderator Jim Lehrer. Obama’s overall strategy was to accuse Romney of being vague no matter how specific Romney was, and to make false claims about Romney’s intentions as president.
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By the time the Gladiator’s final scenes unfold, even the Emperor’s young nephew is able to recognize Commodus for the selfish tyrant he is, and wholeheartedly transfers his allegiance to Maximus, a man of honest integrity and courage.
In the Gladiator – as well as in the real world, substance, facts and character eventually triumph over mirage, propaganda and vacuity.
