The Escudero Paradox: Pseudo Obama

There's one branding principle which politicians probably would find hard doing, and that is being true to themselves. For Filipino politicians, being "two-faced" seems the norm rather than an exception. And Senator Francis Escudero seems one of them.

Escudero's paradox is something historic. It's the usual story of a young politician trying to find his niche in the world. When he found his voice, he was good at it. People connected with what he said. He became the true representative of the people. He represented their rage and them to him. 

When he already got what he longed for, he's now suddenly changing into the mold most despicable. Those whom he lambasted in Congress are now his peers and "buddy-buddy" at the Senate. 

Yes, he's not running for a presidential campaign come 2010, not because of his age, rather I know that deep inside Escudero knows he'll not win. He's peaking very early in his political career. And the more he does those "modulated" speeches, the more people are finding out he's a fake. A fake Obama. Why?

He's now siding with Gloria. He now says that why oust Gloria now when we suffered for 7 years already, and what's 2 years more? Well, coming from a scion of a political clan, that seems easy. But, tell that to 3 million starving families, can they endure 2 years more of misguided rule?

George Santayana says that those who haven't studied history are condemned to repeat it. Escudero is no different from a young Maceda or a Mike Defensor or a Gilbert Teodoro or a Remulla or a Loren Legarda. They just can't be trusted.  They just used the people to get what they want. They used the rhetoric of change and manipulated the trust and confidence of the people. I remember one movie made by Mel Gibson about the Scottish struggle for independence against Britain. "Robert", the son of a feudal lord, betrayed the hero just so he can be king. 

Where's the Michael Collins of our age?