Obama drawing on Soviet propaganda techniques

Max Weber reminds us that there are three types of authority: traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal.  Presidential campaigns are about establishing some kind of legitimate authority - something that is called, looking presidential.   

Obama, with his lack of traditional authority (George W. Bush derived much of his authority from this type of authority) and youth and inexperience (rational-legal authority was weak, particularly in contrast with Hilary Clinton) wisely drew on his charisma as a way of building his authority and winning the presidency.  Thus, we have seen chants, spontaneous outbreaks of cultish like following.  Charismatic leaders also often come along at times of trouble or crisis; thus, the financial crisis, therefore, helped push Obama as well.  

Russia has a long tradition of charismatic leadership and iconography. 

And one of the most successful Obama poster makers, Shepard Fairey, is deliberately drawing on Russian constructivist posters from the Soviet period in his portrayal of Obama.  Fascinating stuff. 

The poster above has become an iconic poster, popping up all over the US during the campaign. 

Interestingly, this link has become a major point of talk for the right wing bloggers as it is seen as further proof of Obama's dangerous, communist tendencies, etc.. 

This is an absurd argument: in fact, as we know from Soviet history, charismatic leadership campaigns always start from the bottom up: Nina Tumarkin's book on Lenin is a good example - the Lenin cult was initially a bottom up, largely spontaneous movement.  Then it is harnessed.  

This seems to be what has happened here: this was a largely spontaneous movement that has since be harnessed by the Obama campaign in service of that most American of outcomes - winning.  McCain initially sought to make fun of this move with his ad comparing Obama to Paris Hilton and other celebrities (a move that Plouffe has since revealed was the most frightening to the campaign).  

But later on, he chose Sarah Palin, who had a similar charismatic appeal (and who created a similar cultish following).  

So, charismatic leadership won the day in the richest country in the world; so much for arguments that modernity and progress are getting us away from old methods of legitimacy creation.