Barack Obama's Vision of America versus Lynne Cheney's
Of Thee I Sing is Barack Obama’s newest book. Dedicated to his daughters, it expresses his definition of Americanness. Similarly, Lynne Cheney published America: A Patriotic Primer for her grandchildren in 2002. As children’s books, neither is overtly political. Nevertheless, the visions of national identity they present differ in subtle but profound ways.
But first, the similarities: Both books emphasize pride in America and in being American. Both highlight the principles of justice, equality, and liberty, as well as the struggles to guarantee them for all Americans. Both are demographically inclusive, although Obama’s is a bit more so. Six of his thirteen heroes are non-white and five are women. One, Sitting Bull, fought the United States Army to defend his people’s land. Of course, so did every Confederate soldier, but that’s another story.
The differences in what each author emphasizes are clear. Cheney’s American history is more focused on politics and presidents. Five individuals get their own page: Martin Luther King, Jr. and four presidents. Obama’s thirteen Americans include only two: Lincoln and Washington. Obama devotes more space to activists and figures of social and cultural importance. His selections reflect a bottom-up approach to history whereas Cheney’s is more traditional.
Cheney moreover defines America specifically as a Judeo-Christian country. One of her twenty-six pages (one for each letter) is “’G’ is for God.” She declares that “we” trust in him, thus explicitly excluding from that “we” anyone who does not worship God. Obama’s book mentions nothing specifically religious. He does explain that Americans are people of all religions and beliefs.
These two conceptions of America diverge because each author wrote with a fundamentally different purpose, a different understanding of our national identity. Above all, Cheney hopes to inculcate a deep sense of gratitude for what America offers its citizens. Her goal is for us “to understand how blessed we are” because of “the liberty and opportunity” our people enjoy. Thus, her depiction of America is almost wholly celebratory and presents America as a finished product that has already achieved perfection.
Obama, on the other hand, when he speaks of “build[ing] upon all that is good in our nation,” and “fix[ing] the future,” is describing America as a work in progress. We are still perfecting our union. His telling of the past strikes a balance between celebrating America’s triumphs and its egalitarian principles while also weaving into the narrative examples of when we have not lived up to them.
The difference between the books on this is one of tone and, yes, empathy, on the part of the respective authors. Cheney, although she mentions the wrongs done to Americans, does so in a perfunctory manner as if they were merely speed bumps on the road to perfection. By presenting a history that more fully reflects the experiences of Americans of every heritage—for example, Obama movingly cites the “broken hearts and broken promises” endured by tribes like the Sioux—he seeks to ensure that all of us identify with that history as our own. In order to achieve that goal, his book not only acknowledges but commemorates the pain suffered by those whom this country mistreated and whose descendants he encourages to embrace their Americanness and their fellow Americans.
In dealing with diversity, Cheney sometimes simply ticks off groups like she’s checking boxes on a list—“‘N’ is for Native Americans”—whereas Obama uses examples of individuals of different ethnicities not as representations of their own groups, but to illustrate universally American qualities: creativity, intelligence, bravery, strength, respectfulness, kindness, persistence. He describes America as “a family” and cites Lincoln, who asked that all Americans “behave as kin.” Obama also speaks of how all of us contribute “unique gifts and gives us the courage to lift one another up.” Compared to Cheney’s book, Obama’s vision of America works harder to create a unity that truly reflects diversity.
Finally, Obama tells his daughters that these Americans of every background and region “are all a part of you…you are one of them.” This represents a powerful call for us to see ourselves fully and completely as one people, one community.
Ultimately, Cheney wants to strengthen the bond between Americans and their country as an institution. Obama wants to do this as well, but he also seeks to strengthen the ties that bind Americans to one another. One emphasizes national greatness, the other national unity. This distinction reflects the essential difference between the conservative and liberal understanding of Americanness.