The guy can make a speech, no doubt about it. With Obama's large win in North Carolina, it looks all but over. And like I said, I admire Obama's speech-making capabilities. In fact, I'm thinking that it might not be such a bad thing if Obama wins in November.
Why, you ask?
If you love Obama, you may not like my answer.
I was watching the people around Obama during his speech. They seemed mesmerized. That kind of cultish fanatacism is scary, and when you see it happen around one charismatic politician, you have to step back and say 'whoa, wait a second here......'
I immediately thought of Greg Stillson from Stephen King's "The Dead Zone".
I'm also thinking that a cult of personality that strong can only be exercised one way : let the guy get elected.
With the huge increase in taxes Obama is planning, coupled with a shaky economy that could go either way, electing a Socialist President is akin to lighting a fuse that leads to a shack full of TNT (just like in the Bugs Bunny cartoons). Politically, the 1976 Presidential campaign is an almost exact repeat of this one. Jimmy Carter, the most Left Wing politician in 2 decades, won a surprise election. The word "Change" was in the air, and you saw banners proclaiming it everywhere. Today, we have an almost identical situation brewing. Instead of a smiling white peanut-farming governor from Georgia, now we have a slick black civil-rights-organizing junior Senator from Illinois.
Both were/are naive, full of hope, and starry-eyed.
We know how the Carter disaster.............errrr, I mean, Presidency worked out.
Maybe we should let this neophyte run the country into the dirt the way Carter did. At least we wouldn't have to listen to any more Liberal nonsense for another 30 years..........
And it would only cost us 4 years to get this venom out of our system. I don't know, maybe it's worth the investment.
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Uhhh, uhhhh, he can't do any worse. Bush is bad, bad. Obama, is da messiah. He gonna save us.
If it wasn't so pathetic it would be funny.
Superdelegates flood in days to come. They were looking for a reason. They've got it. The race was over for all practical purposes. Now, the spin race is over. The popular vote argument has been mathematically killed. Waiting on Lake county where Obama is supposed to win anywhere from 10 to 30. If wins by 25+ he wins Indiana. I have no idea why she said she won. She can be wrong.
In the end, i do not think a McCain presidency is good news for our country. Now there is talk of him having his VP as the Indian Gov of LA who has promised to make abortions illegal for women, regardless if they are raped or if it is by incest. Making this illegal will only force them into underground, dangerous abortion clinics where they may die. Also continuing the Iraq war for 100 years is not good either.
However, i do agree with McCain on lower taxes, and Barack Obama i am scared of his tax proposals because he is very vague and may try to raise top income brackets by 15%, which would be devastating to the economy. It would also probably force town budgets in wealthier towns to significantly scale back their budgets, as they will be voted down consistently.
In the end though, i would rather see Obama as president just because of the important civil rights issues, not because of his socalist taxation proposals. I'd much rather see Hillary though, but i donot think it is as likely. She seems more moderate on the issues of taxation.
If Don thinks that Bush has done a good job of acting as president these past years, he can and should say so rather than posting childlike mockery. If he doesn't think Obama would make a president...he could say so also... just as Bret, the host of this thread has done, sarcastically but with fair criticism.
Apparently...a little more than 2 out of every 10 Americans would agree that Bush has done a good job...so those who defend Bush's record do have some company.
Personally, like Brendan F, I do not COMPLETELY agree with any of the candidate's positions and proposals. But then who does?
I love my country, and would really hate to see it go through another Carter Presidency.
Perhaps you've forgotten how we tend to knee-jerk then recede into a stupor. Indeed, our nation is destined to lose track once again.
Vidal had it right. Our country IS 'The United States of Amnesia."
Good word : miasma.
Nixon's miasma did birth Carter.
Bush's Presidency will probably birth Obama.
However, Carter turned out to be still-born..............and his lifelessness begat the Reagan Revolution. Since 1979, we haven't had a Socialist in the White House. Now we're looking at putting another one in. And most likely he'll perform similarly to Carter.............thus birthing...........who knows?
I'm somewhat surprised that we've started off simpatico. There may be some agreement here.
The historical sweep of unfolding events is breathtaking. I long ago concluded that the ill effects of Bush & Company might take us to mid century to sort out. And in fact, we may be living through the "tilt" in the empire's fulcrum. I agree: Carter's inept shenanigans drove to the Reagan revolution. It follows that Bush's immoral reign can very well drive us into the maw of national disaster.
I happen to share the belief of some of your literary adversaries that Barack Obama is our best available option. Hey, I could be wrong but it seems common sense to conclude that much, much bad news awaits us as individuals and as a nation. It will take a leader like Barack who is imbued with über-communication skills to talk us through and around the 'miasma.' (You are right. It is such a rich word.)
Bret, I have followed your argumentative dance with Michael H. with some interest. You boys are like two seasoned prize fighters and I soon expect you to tear into me. But for now, this has been a pleasant preamble. Good to meet you, sir.
Sincerely.
"I'm somewhat surprised that we've started off simpatico. There may be some agreement here."
Why? Have you been talking to Karl Leuba, Don S., Tony S., Sandy Knauer, Sheryl O., Doyle, Clark Kent, or any of the rest of the "Bret Fan Club"? LOL
"I agree: Carter's inept shenanigans drove to the Reagan revolution. It follows that Bush's immoral reign can very well drive us into the maw of national disaster."
Well, "immoral" is up for debate.
But I will say that Mr. Bush has spawned something yet to unfold.
Wow, you've used the word "miasma" more than once........impressive.
"Bret, I have followed your argumentative dance with Michael H. with some interest. You boys are like two seasoned prize fighters and I soon expect you to tear into me. But for now, this has been a pleasant preamble. Good to meet you, sir."
Great to meet you too!
And just to let you know, I like Michael H. a lot - even though he's a Lib and I'm a Conservative. He is a reasonable Liberal, however, and doesn't get into name-calling, like virtually every other Liberal on Gather.com does (see the "Bret Fan Club" above.....lol). He's refreshing that way, and I appreciate it.
Would you be surprised to discover that I'm actually a Democrat? Yep, its true! Part of the Illinois Democratic Conservative caucus too.
Michael H.
Get over yourself. I never even gave you a thought. Why should I? I really don't care whether you like what I write or not. If it offends you, read something else. AND, I don't have to explain anything to you.
Hey thanks Bret...gee....I like you too.
Al Sharpton! A-L S-H-A-R-P-T-O-N! Just the sight of these two words cast me into a state of flowing emotional effluvium. Add the preposterous prefix, 'Reverend,' and I'll explode.
I swear it.
One more word about that self-centered bigot and I'll blow. Talk about a classic "muddy idiot." Sheesh.
(I'm just sayin'.)
It's costing us more than that to get the Bush venom out of our system. vote McCain and it might turn into 100 years!
Ken G. That guy(you know who) is making his living from spouting his racist propaganda. (didn't want you to blow)
"Thing" is perhaps our nation's premier fustian cartoon character. I saw him being arrested on TV last night just before I commented. Unfortunately, he was still in my conscious when I wrote.
"Al Sharpton! A-L S-H-A-R-P-T-O-N! Just the sight of these two words cast me into a state of flowing emotional effluvium. Add the preposterous prefix, 'Reverend,' and I'll explode."
You see Ken, I have that same knee-jerk revulsion when someone mentions the name "Reverend" Wright. I can't revere someone who says the stuff he does. So I don't give him the title when I use his name. To me, he's just another guy off the street.
Al Sharpton, however, is an intelligent, calculating, cunning, old-school black leader. I've heard him speak live, and on TV, and I admire his intelligence even though it is often misguided. Is he an Extreme Left Winger? Hell yes! Is he a frequent race-baiter? Hell yes! But he can be very reasonable at times too. I kinda like him....lol.
Hillary Clinton is a very smart person - smart enough to know better than the "less experienced" Obama how to manipulate. It surprises me that more people don't acknowledge that.
I think they are both great candidates.
Nothing at this post to argue about your comment regarding Ol' Sharpie.
I suppose I brindle at the thought of him being the v-e-r-y unwanted side dish that comes with 2008 Demo chops. And he sports pompous quasi-religious peccadilloes that I eschew.
He's like a herpetic rash that never quite goes away.
I tip my hat to Hillary for her dogged tenacity. Veracity is a separate issue. It seems to me that a successful candidacy should include both qualities.
But you got to give her props. She hung tough and fought well.
Let's just hope that she quarantines herself now so we can heal our nation and fight the Bushbonic Plague.
The Illinois Democratic party does frequent polling during campaigns, and one I ran across when doing the payroll for polling, struck me as odd. When polling at the University of Chicago, our polling group asked 1114 self-professed pro-Obama college students a series of questions about Obama and some of his platforms. Most were 'choose letter A, B, C, D, or E' type questions.
Of those polled, only 14% had ever visited barackobama.com.
Only 6% knew anything at all about his health care platform.
Only 9% had heard anything about his foreign policy.
However, 76% identified Obama as the SENIOR Senator from Illinois.
38% identified Jeremiah Wright as Obama's UNCLE.
When asked if Obama was a Muslim, 33% said yes.
Diana, these are people that actually LIKE Obama! Talk about numbskulls..........
When you examine the numbers and the demographics, Hillary has the power to become President. She just has to get by the angry Left first. She'd be super in the general election. But the party has abandoned her........much like they abandoned Joe Lieberman. Neither Joe nor Hillary has enough venom to keep these Left Wing kooks pacified.................to the detriment of our party.
I have been saying this same thing for a while. But, then I'm old enough to remember the Carter debacle...er...Presidency.
The only real fear I have of Barack "Stillson" Obama is that he will be Commander-in-Chief, and MY beloved country is at war with an insidious enemy. I fear for the lives that may be lost in four years, and I don't just mean soldiers.
.............thus birthing...........who knows?
Well Bret......
It's only fair........
after all.......
Rush Limbaugh birthed YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hilarious.
I'm sure you'll be shocked to discover that I'm a registered Democrat in Illinois, and a Hillary supporter...............but not because Rush told me so....lol.
We know how the Carter disaster.............errrr, I mean, Presidency worked out.
Maybe we should let this neophyte run the country into the dirt the way Carter did. At least we wouldn't have to listen to any more Liberal nonsense for another 30 years.......... Carter failed to manage an economy on the exact same course we are on today, following A course that was set up by a real crook, Richard M. Nixon. And the damage that man did to the USA is not yet fully patched up. Now, would you consider a railroad engineer who climbed into the engine of a wrecked train responsible for knocking the train off the track? I will accept the charge that Carter Failed to fix what RMNixon and GFord so thouroughly damaged, but IT WAS NOT REPAIRED BY REAGAN BUSH EITHER.
Hillary voted for the War in Iraq, and she voted for the funding too. How could I NOT like that?
"Bret : With the huge increase in taxes Obama is planning, coupled with a shaky economy that could go either way, electing a Socialist President is akin to lighting a fuse that leads to a shack full of TNT (just like in the Bugs Bunny cartoons)
Karl : Please provide evidence of any or all of the assertions contained in that statement."
Go directly to barackobama.com for confirmation of what he plans to spend.
For this country's economic data, go here : http://www.federalreserve.gov/Releases/
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"I will accept the charge that Carter Failed to fix what RMNixon and GFord so thouroughly damaged, but IT WAS NOT REPAIRED BY REAGAN BUSH EITHER."
Reagan created a whole new game.
Liberals were locked out of that game.
That why we see so much revisionist history these days, regarding the Reagan/Bush years. The Libs are still upset about what happened back in 1980-88. Sour grapes.
Obama was just better at delivering a speech and brainwashing than any other candidate.
Mooch