Today, Explained Hamilton and Obamacore cringe
31 snips
Sep 5, 2025 
Daniel Pollack Pelsner, a theater professor and author on Lin-Manuel Miranda, teams up with Nate Jones, a writer for New York Magazine, to explore the shifting relevance of 'Hamilton' and the concept of Obamacore. They discuss how the once-hopeful musical is now viewed through a lens of uncertainty, mirroring contemporary socio-political issues. The duo analyzes the nostalgic yet complex legacy of the Obama era, highlighting its artistic contributions while contemplating the cultural landscape's evolution since then.
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Miranda's Origin Story
- Lin-Manuel Miranda conceived Hamilton after reading Ron Chernow on vacation and seeing parallels to his own family history.
- He imagined Hamilton as a hip-hop story reflecting 90s rap origins and premiered the first number at the White House in 2009.
Hamilton As Obamacore Symbol
- Hamilton was culturally entwined with the Obama era through White House performances and Obama's recorded participation.
- The show mirrored Obama-era optimism and used presidential rhetoric as musical templates.
Curtain Call Confrontation
- After the 2016 election, the cast confronted Vice President-elect Mike Pence in the lobby with a statement about diversity.
- The ensuing Trump tweets and threats pushed Hamilton into an explicit counter-Trump cultural position.
