Arthur Goldwag: The Century-Old Novel Right-Wingers Believe Guides Obama

Arthur Goldwag's new book, "The New Hate: A History of Fear and Loathing on the Populist Right," was published by Pantheon in February. He is also the author of "The Beliefnet Guide to Kabbalah," "Isms & Ologies" and "Cults, Conspiracies and Secret Societies.

“For a long time I have known that this hour would come, and that there would be those of you who would stand affrighted at the momentous change from constitutional government to despotism, no matter how pure and exalted you might believe my intentions to be.

“But in the long watches of the night, in the solitude of my tent, I conceived a plan of government which, by the grace of God, I hope to be able to give to the American people. … (H)ateful as is the thought of assuming supreme power, I can see no other way clearly.” — from “Philip Dru: Administrator”

“Philip Dru, Administrator: A Story of Tomorrow, 1920-1935″ is a novel about a successful rebellion against a hopelessly corrupt U.S. government. Its leader then becomes a benevolent dictator, and restores the rule of law to the Republic. Though he didn’t put his name on the book, author Colonel Edward Mandell House was a Texas political insider who worked assiduously to make Woodrow Wilson president. After the 1912 election, he became Wilson’s closest advisor.

So is it a bad turn-of-the-century novel — or a Nostradamus-like prediction of America under President Obama?...