Obama Rocks

[SeanMacGabhann]

cynical? - most definitely

wrong? - probably not (if a liiitle extreme)

[Ted Max]

It could be Team Clinton has done Obama an unwitting favour in foregrounding the race, inexperience and pastor Wright angles, dirty as it seemed at the time.

It means this stuff is already out there, and although the Republicans will definitely hit it, it won't have the shock of the new - and Obama has had plenty of opportunity to get his defence in first.

McCain getting through relatively unopposed has meant he hasn't really been tested yet - there's a still a story for the Democrats to tell.

Not sure about the running mate thing - especially the view that only Hilary can get the older black plus white working clas vote out? Another few months of economic stagnation, and who is that demographic really going to vote for when it comes to it?

Is there not a safely dull, efficient administrator, preferably with a nice war record, that Obama can call on?

[bon3yard]

...the mealy mouthed, the sartorially challenged, the mullet of hair...

[SeanMacGabhann]

not sure which thread this one should have gone in - it could have been

I heard the news today

I'm afraid of Americans (sorry shosh)

Political Correctness

But it's about Obama ultimately so, here it is:

O M G

ACTUAL, REAL voters saying things like:

"We'll end up slaves. We'll be made slaves just like they was once slaves,"

or

"'Look, someone will kill him. Whoever Obama picks as running mate will end up being president.' Spence's ready smile and chatty manner on the thorny issue of Obama's possible murder gave little clue as to whether he thought it would be a bad thing or not."

As the article says, what is unusual about the Appalachian constituents is that they say what others won't. But if this is what honesty is, then political correctness is the only thing fighting such ignorance surely?

[Ladygooner]

I wonder if anyone has thought if he will change the name of the "White" House?!

[????]

I don't think he'll get in Sean - as that article says, too much racism among natural traditional democrat...shit, Bush got in by miles for his second term last time, inspite of the east and west cost liberal media creaming it over....er....forgotten

[SeanMacGabhann]

you might well be right ???? - and you wouldn't be alone in thinking it

But the underlying reason WHY he won't get in should surely be challenged at every opportunity?

(which doesn't make him perfect, or all of his beliefs right - just that as noone is perfect he should have as much chance)

[gerry]

Let's remember when he started...no one thought he had a chance and look where he is today. Middle America has voted for him as well as both coasts, and McCain is still a worry to most Americans against the war. I would be happy to place a virtual wager on him winning, provided he has Hillary as his running mate. Anyone care to join??

[snorky]

I have posted on this beforem wbut I really dont get this Whole bama thing.

Its not like I am devoid of any formal understanding of the US political system.

I truly do not see Obamas USP, apart from being Non white and maybe not as teeth grindingly shrill as Hils

His manifesto is hardly unique, his Israel ( thus neatly bringing in any of the vile heinous US Christian vote that may go democrat ) stance is par for the course...

He will have his tongue up the arse of the various Energy and agicultural lobbies as usual.

Despite his tagline of "change", nothing will change because nothing can. Ob is hardly Eugene Debs & despite his Clintonesque humble beginnings, he is just another member of the elite, but a bit darker.

Is this what its come down to ? I se that Carter supports him - I have a lot of respect for Carter, but Im sure he is quietly dismayed at the utterly facile nature of the US political animal in its present form.

Poor show America.Very poor show.

[snoozequeen1]

This article by Naomi Klein rather takes the froth off...

Article - Obama's Chicago Boys

as does this

[quote name=

Cluster bombs?a horrific hybrid of aerial bombs and land mines?kill hundreds of innocent civilians and children every year. Last month' date=' 111 nations committed to a much needed global ban, but Bush won't sign it.

The United States is the largest producer, stockpiler, and user of cluster bombs in the history of the world.

When 111 nations gathered recently to draft a treaty to ban these horrific weapons, the United States was conspicuously absent.

Once again, the President of the United States came down on the wrong side of international peace.

On January 20, 2009, the world will watch with hope as this country inaugurates a new President. A president who has the potential to undo the damage George Bush has done. A president committed to joining the world community in its struggle for a more peaceful future.

So far, the leading presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, have been silent on whether they will endorse this new treaty banning cluster bombs. We need a President who will do the right thing.]

But will they/we get one?

[SeanMacGabhann]

so - McCain's running partner then - Palin. A help or a hindrance to McCain?

Seems mean as a snake to me. A self-interested snake at that

[Jah Lush]

Well, Sean what do expect from a politician? They are all mean self-intererested snakes to me.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Cynical you Mr Lush

So you don't think that had a different party or even a more benign Republican administration in power for the last years, some things might not have turned out better?

[lordship_bod]

does anyone else see the similarities between Obama and Tony Blair when he got into power in 1997 or is it just me? i.e the optimism, the "we can make a change/difference speech" ... i'm just worried its going to go the same way for the american people as it has done here... i.e one big fat disappointment...

[SeanMacGabhann]

Definitely not alone there lordship_bod - in fact I allude to as much in my first post on page one of this thread

It's highly possible - and yet, and yet - I still think Obama is made of stronger stuff than Blair. It might be over optimistic fluff, but his biogs suggest a moral core that nothing Blair published pre-97 hinted at

[????]

THE BIG PROBLEM FOR OBAMA IS WHITE, LIBERAL, EUROPEANS DON'T GET TO VOTE IN US ELECTIONS hth

[ruffers]

citizenED Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Could conservative, redneck America really vote in

> a black guy as president? Just trust he beats the

> pants off McCain

That fellah off the first series of 24 got in....

[SeanMacGabhann]

Quids - was that a pastiche of that guy who posts in CAPS ONLY on the commentisfree site - spot on if it was. If it wasn't.... hmmmmm

[snorky]

dont fall for the hype.

nothing will really change - It cant

this is another production line US politician

[Jah Lush]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Cynical you Mr Lush

>

> So you don't think that had a different party or

> even a more benign Republican administration in

> power for the last years, some things might not

> have turned out better?

Nope!

[Tony.London Suburbs]

West Ham fan?..Don't remember him in the "Chicken Run" or the North Bank(?)

[mockney piers]

I've missed the Mash

[shoshntosh]

obama is slipping steadily in the polls b/c palin has given the right something to be excited about. AND she does speak perfect redneck-ease... i know this because my family are all texas rednecks (albeit of the stacked variety) and they LOVE her.

in fact, last week i was having a truly awful day when my dad phoned, out of the blue, just to tell me how excited he is about sarah palin, and how much she reminds him of ME (!!!! does my own dad know me AT ALL????), and how i should really "give her a chance... just listen to her".

obama made a cynical choice when he chose joe biden (in my view) and mccain made a genius choice when he chose sarah palin. i think it was the turning of the tide and i am devastated. i have the same pit in my tummy that i did 4 and 8 years ago.

i didn't think obama could do it... then i did... now i don't again. am sort of kicking myself, really, for having dared to hope that he could make it to the white house.

it may be, as you say, "politics as usual" but it will be, as sean says, at least politics with some sort of moral compass.

[candj]

I take it you are sending in your absentee ballot then? At least we can feel better about trying to get rid of this disastrous administration/political party and a trip up to Grosvenor Square is always a treat!

[p_in_ed]

Yeeha ! Last night felt like some grand and glorious episode of West Wing. Who knows what tomorrow holds, but at last I feel optimistic about it. Not wishing to trivialize an extraordinary event, but Obama's election means that I can leave behind the resentment I felt about Ken Starr and the Republicans and the obsessive way they went about diminishing the Bill Clinton presidency; can leave behind the resentment of the Hanging Chads eight years ago, and the way the Supreme Court gifted the election to the Republicans; can leave behind the resentment of the attack ads four years ago. We can ignore the Bush hawks and the neocons for the next four years. It makes me feel tremendously warm about America and Americans again. It even makes me admire John McCain; makes me admire him more for having the decency to lose. The whole world feels like a better place.