After almost two years of campaigning, Obama remains an enigma. Some voters still apparently don't know who Obama is and are still not altogether sure that Obama is the proper antidote to George Bush. This candidate appeared from out of nowhere, had 143 days in the Senate then set his sights on being president, skipping and bypassing every standard rung up the ladder.
He is acknowledged as having a resume which is the most far left, most unknown, least experienced presidential candidate in American history. Also, the infatuation with Obama has faded, and people are giving him a second look, and simply are not seeing him as having the qualifications necessary to be Commander in Chief.
This means a couple of things. First ---McCain can still win this.
Second, ---Obama is a deeply flawed candidate that Americans have deep-down grave reservations about, and they will be weighing this all in during the remaining days, pior to voting.
Why can't the charasmatic and eloquent speaker named Obama close the deal? In the back of the minds of some voters is the memory of Obama sitting in the militant, racist Jeremiah Wrights's church for 20 years. When asked about it back then, Obama boasted, "Yep. Every week. 11 0'clock service." Briefly, there's Wright, Pfleger , Ayers, Rezko, Farakhan, and other shady characters that Obama has called his friends. These associations return to the mind of some voters, time and time again. They reflect unfavorably on Obama, and whether or not voter's can trust him. Equally troubling is the fact that he didn't disassociate himself with them until he became a candidate, and was forced to, by public concern.
Added to that, some voters recall when legal doubts were raised about the sloppy voter registration practices of ACORN - an organization that Obama himself has both helped and praised.
This unrest and doubt about Obama account for a large number of Democratic defections. Obama and his supporters are ignoring the large number of Clinton Democrats who are not buying in to his "change" campaign. People want a familiar face who they've seen handle crisis, as opposed to someone who only tells you how he will handle a crisis. There were several lawsuits requiring Obama to provide a copy of his birth certificate, which he has refused to do. This casts another shadow of doubt.
It's unclear exactly what Obama's message of "hope" and "change" means. Because they both change. Hope turned a little weird when Americans, and the world saw Obama put up Greek-temple backdrops for his speech at the Democratic convention. That was viewed with a jaundiced eye by many and lingers in the memory. And change? Obama himself has changed positions on FISA, NAFTA, campaign public financing, town-hall meetings with McCain, offshore drilling, nuclear and coal power, capital punishment and gun control, his characterization of Iran, the surge in Iraq, and the future of Jerusalem. So change from what to what?
Obama's tax plan is one that he has problems outlining the same way, each time. Some voters see a redistribution of wealth in search of forced equality. Obama himself refers to this as spreading the wealth around, and it is viewed by some as walking down the path toward socialism.
Some voters also remember the recent economic meltdown, which Obama called the worst economic disaster since the great depression. Yet Obama announced, "I have a phone, call me if you need me."
Obama's health care plan is also troubling to those for whom this is a great concern. Problem with it is, as they see it, government can't simply force insurance companies to lower premiums and then demand they insure people with pre-existing medical care and, while they're at it, offer them more "preventative" care - whatever that means. It spells bankruptcy for health insurers.
These are all huge in the heart and mind of some voters on the way to vote within the next few days. A collapsing economy, an unpopular war, a 72-year-old Republican candidate - and Obama is only ahead by a few points just days before Election Day! Obama has come up short with many voters who form the traditional base in this country. They learned he had more than 130 votes of "Present," which testifies to his performance in the Senate. Why can't Obama close the deal? Why are some voters so resistant to embrace Obama? Obama is not pulling ahead of McCain at the pace he should. Obama continues to outspend McCain, three or four to one in advertising, but is outright losing, when compared to where he should be.
So the question here is why can't Obama seal the deal and end the race?
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Comments: 346 ( 5 removed by sophie m M. )
The voters will decide on November 4.
When in doubt, as is the case with Obama, do without.
I like that last line.... a lot. :)
I've enjoyed your Writing.
This will inevitably turn out to be a REAL "gut-check" time for the American People. We will find out, soon, if this Country retains its Character, or if the selfish, and the Secular, like whining children, are allowed to have their "way."
Thanks !! AND.... it won't be long now.
It is Republicans like me who have lost all confidence in the party, and their candidate. Many prominent Republicans endorsed Sen. Obama last week.
As of today, Sen. Obama leads McCain in endorsements by daily newspapers, 180-75. See the latest story in the industry trade publication, Editor and Publisher. Note the number of newspapers that traditionally back Republicans who are coming out in support of Obama. Of course, that will mean little to those people who don't read newspapers, like Sarah Palin.
As you can see (below) newspaper endorsements are also worthless. Most newspapers don't/won't endorse anymore. Most have not, so far, in this election.
NEW YORK In the next few weeks, newspaper editorial boards (or, in some cases, merely the publisher or owner) will decide which candidate to endorse in the red-hot 2008 race for the White House. Well, many of them will, anyway. More and more papers are opting out of the endorsement process entirely, or concentrating just on local races where, the cliché holds, they "might actually make a difference."
You can see
Thanks for that. I had wondered why Sarah Palin was so smart !
Yes, and Obama has proven he falls in that category.
McCain cut 0.7 point off Obama’s lead Sunday in the Investor's Business Daily/TechnoMetrica Institute of Policy and Politics poll, as undecided voters have started to commit.
I think it will be interesting when more and more of these undecided voters, who have waited to think things through before jumping on the flashiest bandwagon, start committing. It's actually looking pretty good for McCain. The above poll was from yesterday.
And in case you haven't noticed, he is black which apparently means he isn't a real American, he's different, not like those small town white folk McCain and Palin are pandering to who tend to be conservative because Pappy was conservative and haven't seemed to notice that they are unemployed because the Republicans they keep voting for have shipped their jobs overseas.
Hope to see Obama's lead vanishing at a steaily decreasing rate now. The cause for that is supposed to be the uncommitteds, and those who are having second thoughts.
Thanks for the info !
That is for sure! It's not WHAT you read, it's WHO you read. Knowing the source is of utmost importance.
I think McCain can still pull it off. The polls are tight (well, depending on which polls we can believe...)
It will be an interesting election. I just hope there is a clear winner, not a repeat of 2000!
I do not trust the polls. That's why I am working hard to get out the vote here in Pennsylvania, Sandi.
I agree on all three of those. Particularly when Obama told Joe the Plumber,
" I don't want to punish you for your success, but we need to spread the wealth so those below you can have your same success"
This comes down to Socialism/Marxism. Where you make the government force everyone to be equal. You take control of the businesses, eliminate religion and destroy the family unit through social programs.
I agree. McCain is definitely the man qualified to be CIC.
Murtha should learn the rule of holes: "When you're in one, stop digging." :)
Thanks. I had a "1" for awhile. So you can tell Mark John that I will probably win !!!
He offers no real change from a failed Bush presidency, as he does not see Bush as a failure.
He offers no hope to end the occupation of Iraq, as he sees the possibility of 'victory', while the commanders have stated that 'victory' is not possible.
His judgment is suspect at best, as evidenced by his irrational selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate.
His age and health are a major concern, though we have been told he is in good health. This, in combination with his selection of Palin is frightening.
He is in favor of removing the most basic human right - the right to decide what to do with your own body, from over 50% of the population.
He is in favor of massive tax breaks for the wealthy, which, as recently as 2001, he was against.
He is against the reform of the healthcare system in this country, instead he favors minor 'tweeks'.
The list can go on for pages, but this is enough to discount this man from any consideration for the Presidency.
Ayers is not a terrorist. When Obama met him Ayers had for many years already been a respected University professor of Education who has won awards for his contribution to education. Ayers admits openly that he was a former bomber during the 1960s (when Obama was a child), so there is no big secret about his past life. And yet he is a respected educator. The educational profession, the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois, and just about everyone else who thinks considers him to be a reputable citizen who has contributed more to society than most people. Even John McCain sees Ayers as nothing more than "a washed up terrorist" and has no concerns about Ayers personally. Everyone knows where he lives, so if anyone cared about what he did 40 years ago they could easily knock on his door and arrest him. Even the government didn't care enough to prosecute him 30 years ago when he turned himself in (in part because the prosecuters office broke the law itself). Also, he never "boasted that he would have blown up more of America." In fact, I wrote a Gather article on this way back in April that showed in his own words what he meant: Ayers - In His Own Words
Bottom line, is it okay for everyone else to consider Ayers to be an upstanding citizen but for Obama the guy is a terrorist? That's non-sensical.
As for your Rezko statement, that is what I meant about making stuff up. You could have a much stronger case if you substituted "McCain" for "Obama" and "Charles Keating" for "Rezko" and "put hundreds of millions of dollars in the pocket of" and "lost millions of Americans billions of dollars from the Lincoln Savings and Loan scandal." The prison part can stay.
Je pense donc je suis
Thanks, I don't like it, either.
C J
McCain has offered harsh criticism of some of the Bush policies
McCain has said the mission is to get out of Iraq safely and he will listen to Gen. Petraeus.
Sarah Palin was an excellent choice
McCain has been given a clean bill of health
McCain has made his position clear on abortion, where Obama has artfully dodged again.
Tax plans are complex , and often misconstrued. Each person has to decide for theirself on that one. I, personally, like McCain's much better than Obama's.
McCain has introduced his efficient and comprehensive health care plan.
McCain is the most experienced and qualified in this race.
I want some of whatever you're having.
McCain, Palin on record supporting similar proposals as Democratic rival
An excerpt:
For her part, Sarah Palin, who has lately taken to calling Obama “Barack the Wealth Spreader,” seems to be something of a suspect character herself. She is, at the very least, a fellow-traveller of what might be called socialism with an Alaskan face. The state that she governs has no income or sales tax. Instead, it imposes huge levies on the oil companies that lease its oil fields. The proceeds finance the government’s activities and enable it to issue a four-figure annual check to every man, woman, and child in the state. One of the reasons Palin has been a popular governor is that she added an extra twelve hundred dollars to this year’s check, bringing the per-person total to $3,269. A few weeks before she was nominated for Vice-President, she told a visiting journalist—Philip Gourevitch, of this magazine—that “we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.” Perhaps there is some meaningful distinction between spreading the wealth and sharing it (“collectively,” no less), but finding it would require the analytic skills of Karl the Marxist.
Right ! Yay Rays and Matt Garza.
Julia,
We need to interrupt this blog for a moment. There's a couple of Obama advisors down on the floor. Smelling salts, pls. I sorta' recognized the double shot.
I voted for Obama/Biden yesterday. Fresh ideas and foreign relations experience is what we need to improve our country and standing in the world.
We only have to look at the author of that article ...... Hendrik Hertzberg ........ to invalidate it.
Thank you for voting.
This is not my opinion. This is society's opinion. The man is a University Professor. Do Universities generally keep terrorists on their staff? The man has won awards for his contributions. Do they give society contribution awards to terrorists? The man serves on boards started and funded by supporters of Ronald Reagan. Do Reagan supporters also support terrorists?
The man has a home address and a place of business. He participates in many educational fora. The authorities know where to find him. And yet they don't arrest him. Are you saying that the authorities of the city, state and nation somehow missed the fact that a terrorist is in their midst? Or that the authorities don't bother arresting terrorists these days?
You start with the faulty premise, and thus don't understand how the rest of the world can be so dumb as to not reach the same conclusion as you have.
"Obama has Wright, Phleger, Ayers, Rezko, Farrakhan, ACORN, Failure to provide a birth certificate, and the list goes on and on and on and on of Obama's shady dealings."
Ah, the list. And yet for each of these there is a similar faulty premise that drives the flawed logic. But I'll skip the individual rebuttals and go straight to the crux of the question. What exactly do these people tell you about Obama? That he is a terrorist? A loud-mouth preacher? A black supremacist? What exactly? And then contrast whatever you come up with to the reality we've been watching for two years. Let's see. Obama is most often described as calm, cool, and under control while McCain is most often described as on the verge of losing his temper. Obama is considered the thoughtful and inclusive one while McCain is considered the "off the cuff" "game changer" "gambler" (these are his words for himself and Palin).
We should ALL have fears of the way Obama "Palled" around with Ayers. Ayers who boasted he wished he would have blown up more of America. Good American patriotic guy, that one.
Are you proud of what Obama did as a community organizer in Chicago. He lost Chicago most of it's affordable housing, while putting 6 million dollars in the pocket of Rezko, the developer, who is now in prison.
If you can respect that ?????
McCain has offered harsh criticism of some of the Bush policies
McCain has said the mission is to get out of Iraq safely and he will listen to Gen. Petraeus.
Sarah Palin was an excellent choice
McCain has been given a clean bill of health
McCain has made his position clear on abortion, where Obama has artfully dodged again.
Tax plans are complex , and often misconstrued. Each person has to decide for theirself on that one. I, personally, like McCain's much better than Obama's.
McCain has introduced his efficient and comprehensive health care plan.
McCain is the most experienced and qualified in this race"
McCain voted with Bush over 90% of the time, he obviously thinks Bush is almost always right.
McCain doesn't see the folly of wasting over $10 Billion a month and too many American lives on the continued occupation of Iraq.
What makes "Sarah Palin an excellent choice"? She has proven she doesn't understand the Constitution or even the basics of national policy.
Obama is very clear - he is pro-choice. McCain is anti-choice.
McCain's lack of understanding of the failure of the healthcare is evident, 47 Million uninsured Americans can't be wrong.
What good is experience if it has lead McCain to be wrong on almost all issues? I'd rather have an intelligent President what can make the correct decision than a 'hothead' who has shown he is 'losing it'.
I guess the statement that Obama has chosen to conduct his campaign in a dignified manner means he is going to ban any news media from access if they ask tough questions.
"In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need," Obama will tell voters at a rally in Canton, Ohio, according to speech excerpts released by his campaign.
Obama will try to make the case that McCain is too similar to President Bush to bring about change.
"Sen. McCain says that we can't spend the next four years waiting for our luck to change, but you understand that the biggest gamble we can take is embracing the same old Bush-McCain policies that have failed us for the last eight years," Obama will say.
The senator from Illinois will argue that he is the candidate who can restore "our sense of common purpose, of higher purpose."
In the online chat on WashingtonTimes.com, Wurzelbacher was skeptical when asked if he thought Obama would abide by his promise to raise taxes only on incomes above $250,000.
“That's the big question isn't it,” he replied. “What worries me is that he is deciding that $250k is rich right now, but what's to stop him from changing his mind? As we all know, politicians change their minds at the drop of a poll. Personally, I think it will have to go lower. How else will he pay for all he wants big government to do?”
I only wish that I could have remained as cool as you have been when I was attacked recently...
We could go back and forth on each fine point of an individual issue endlessly. I patently disagree with everything you have said, so we will just agree to disagree. Each voter must scrutinize the issue they're concerned with. I think if they do this, they will see that McCain...overall ... has the best plan for this country.
It is my opinion that sending Obama to the White House would be like sending an arsonist to put out a fire.
Yes , you're right, when the messenger is so anti McCain and Palin that there is nothing he says that could ever be considered objective.
Great input. I needed that. :)
Thanks, and just for the record.... you did good !!!
AYERS IS NOT A TERRORIST ????????????????
When he boasted, publicly, he was only sorry he didn't blow up more of America !!!!
Please define a terrorist, for me.
McCain was not found guilty of anything in the Keating case. Only bad judgement.
That is the only incident with McCain.
Obama has Wright, Phleger, Ayers, Rezko, Farrakhan, ACORN, Failure to provide a birth certificate, and the list goes on and on and on and on of Obama's shady dealings.
The problem with McCain is that he just doesn't recognize what bad shape this nation is in. He offers no significant departure from Bush's failed policies of the past 8 years.
In broad terms, McCain proposes 'rearranging the deck chairs' while Obama sees that the ship is sinking.
Nothing about Obama is 'dangerous', this is nothing more than a fear tactic - an attempt to frighten the uniformed. The same goes for the ignorant tactic of painting Obama as a 'socialist', a 'communist' or a 'radical'.
Luckily for this country, these fear tactics have fallen on deaf ears.
I hadn't seen that one. But they just keep on coming on Obama.
Thank you.
Everyone has an opinion, and each one is worth while. Just because you don't agree does not make it worthless. I don't agree with yours, but I don't think it's worthless. Everyone's opinion has value.
One of the biggest puzzles to me is why so many have fallen for the notion that the bland cipher Obama is “charismatic.”
But I guess if you have enough in-the-tank media propagandists photoshopping halos around your head, people start to believe it.
If you really do believe what you write, I'm curious as to where you get your news. This looks like you took it right from a partisan website that trots out smears and insinuations and makes it look like a regular news item or commentary, but is really pseudo-news. It's like a passive-aggressive smear. You don't see that? You really believe this stuff? I mean, take ACORN for example. What do you believe went on there, and what role did Obama play? I know the answers, but I'm curious what your sources have told you (or failed to tell you).
McCain doesn't recognize?? With 26 years experience in Washington?
I'm guessing you're feeling you recognize more than he.
You want to run against Bush. He's not on the ticket.
C.J., if you don't recognize Obama as a Socialist, and where he wants to take this country, then I'm sure I could not cause you to see that.
And, I'm sorry for that.
I respect everyone's opinion.
Where do I get my news?
Where do you get yours?
You ask me a question, then you answer it.
You question my honesty?
You may do that if you wish. But I must tell you, in all honesty, that how you regard my opinions is of no consequence to me. You own them.
You been doing your homework !!! More good information. Thanks again.
I find this repulsive.
Meanwhile, Sarah Palin put a windfall tax on oil and gas companies in Alaska, and then redistributes the wealth to the tune of $3,000 free money to every Alaskan.
When Obama called for allowing bankruptcy judges to restructure mortgages in order to let people keep their homes, people called it socialism because it forced banks to take a hit on profits.
When McCain called for buying up bad mortgages at full face value, and then restructuring them at current market values in order to let people keep their homes (and use TAXPAYER DOLLARS to do it), this was perfectly fine.
When Obama called for a tax credit to help small businesses pay for health insurance, people called in socialism and said he was trying to force universal healthcare on the nation at the taxpayers' expense.
McCain calls for giving everyone a tax credit to buy their own health care, but setting aside $20,000,000,000 in taxpayer money to subsidize patients that can't afford to buy health care even with the tax credit.
WHO THE HELL IS THE REAL SOCIALIST???
I can't think of another person who has been subjected to the vile and venemous criticisms that Sarah Palin has. It is out and out gender discrimination.
It is a sad state of affairs that this happens. It's not only her...no member of her family escapes it. I feel particularly bad for her children.
I find this repulsive, as well.
And I get my news from Google news. Just search for the topic you are interested in, and then read a few articles to get all the information. Don't depend on one source to reveal all, and especially don't rely on a partisan opinion piece.
But again, what do you believe occurred at ACORN and what role did Obama play?
Just because you live in Chicago is immaterial and irrelevant. I'm pretty sure Obama and Ayers didn't look you up to advise you that we were costing Chicago their affordable housing. This has been in every major media outlet.
That is correct, McCain either refuses to recognize or his handlers will not allow him to recognize just how bad Bush's policies (which McCain supported over 90% of the time) have been for this country. Since he does not see a problem, he cannot correct it.
Correct, Bush is not running, but McCain has shown he offers nothing more than more of the same. In essence, we are being asked to vote for a 3rd Bush term (different faces, same policies).
If you really believe Obama is a Socialist, you have allowed yourself to be lied to by the GOP propaganda machine.
Please remember that McCain voted for the bailout (along with Obama). I suppose that makes McCain a Socialist.
Ayers is not attempting to blow up America anymore. I am reasonably sure of that, but I'm also reasonably sure that you could shred that to your liking. Please don't tell me that you never knew about Ayers terrorist activity.
You asked me what those people tell me about Obama.
They make me worry about what his intentions were when he was in the midst of all the shady activity with them. Before he was a candidate. There are so many of them, and so many incidents. You will make me real upset if you pretend not to know about all of them for the purpose of this thread. They tell me about his character. They tell me about his judgment, they make me wonder what his real intentions were when he was associating with each of them, on an individual basis, at separate times. The associations cover a big period of Obama's life. Now, none of them are doing what they did then, that we can prove. The truth is, and my main concern is what will Obama revert to after Nov 4th? I don't want to take the chance.
You, David, are perpetuating the rumors of the two men's disposition. Based on rumor, and what you've read !!! So please don't say it's right for one and wrong for the other.
No, David, I know the world doesn't reach the same conclusion I do, or there would be no one voting for Obama.
And McCain in particular is just unorganized. He thinks he's so cool that he can just do everything "from the gut". In his own way he's still crashing his airplanes.
When you have to resort to calling me names or insulting my intelligence, our conversation is over.
You know nothing of me. My status, my educational achievements. Nothing.
Your whole thread is a mixture of convoluted facts and opinions.
I love your hat.
I have attracted all the name calling site people now.
I hope you liked my article.
The bottom line is this: There is a wide difference between being a socialist (read the first two paragraphs of the Wikipedia article) and having socialist tendencies. No matter who's tax plan goes into effect, those making higher incomes pay more money than those in lower incomes. Then again, those in higher incomes have the opportunity to utilize tax credits and loopholes that the middle and lower classes do not. How is increasing the bracket of the upper class making over $250,000 redistributing wealth? It's not. It's asking those that are much more well off than those that are not to contribute a fraction more to make this a better country for everyone. If that's "socialism" count me in. If I were making $250,000, you bet I'd be fine with paying another 2% (let's point out that that is a mere $5000).
Additionally, one easy way that small businesses making more than $250k can reduce their tax burden? Hire someone! If your business is netting $275,000, imagine the savings if you hire someone at $30k per year - you just saved $5000 in taxes, and ADDED a job to the economy. That's what worked in the Clinton era and what COULD work now.
Why can't Obama close the deal? Because too many people fear the word "socialist" because they fear what it is they don't know. Because fear-mongering like some of the comments tossed in here are par for the course when it comes to Republican campaign messages. Misdirection, fear, and twisting of the facts.
I'm not saying that there is only one side that twists facts; anyone that reads and listens could easily see that both candidates have done their share of embellishment. But the difference, for me, is when I hear racist slurs and "death threats" to an opponent dropped at campaign rallies and speeches without serious rebuke, then I get scared.
I posed the article that way, because Obama has been in the lead according to media, polls, etc.
Had McCain been in the lead, the article never would have happened.
Even someone who is so racists that they couldnt share a water fountain with a black man can see the Obama is the best choice is this convoluted election.
You said a lot, and a lot of it made sense.
I can only answer for myself about my fears of Obama and what I see as his Socialist aptitude,and it didn't just begin with Joe the plumber, altho Obama's statement to Joe got all my defensive mechanisms going. I quoted that statement ...above. It's all about the means I understood Ob ama to imply about distributing wealth, about how government will be in my personal business.
That really frightens me.
I, too, get scared when death threats are shouted out. But I'm sure that it's just not you and I that get scared about that. That should not even be tolerated.
Now, Jason, can you tell me that a threat of socialism in this country does not send a chill or two over you?
Spell it any way you like ! Thankfully, we don't have that type of racism alive and well !!!
Interesting!
Re-read your post.