Barack Obama's Worrisome Campaign

In the latest Washington Post poll, Barack Obama continues to lead John McCain among likely voters 50 percent to 46 percent. This, after sinking hard in the polls from the summer through the respective political conventions.

That Obama leads at all - and that lead has diminished from the previous survey - has more to do with, as the Post reports, "negativity about the country's financial prospects" than any particular proposal or piece of rhetoric the candidate has put forward. Despite his clear ability to energize people and haul in buckets of cash, there have been and there continue to be elements to Obama's campaign which are troublesome harbingers of what kind of president he could be. One who's distracted and reactive, rather than focused and proactive. One who's constantly moving to a rhythm set by others.

In the Democratic primary Obama was constantly reacting to nontroveries - Jeremiah Wright and his vanishing lapel pin - and was unable to decisively "finish off" Senator Clinton.

He bit at McCain's accusations that he had not spent enough time overseas. He traveled to the Middle East and Europe to great international acclaim but a public yawn here at home. That cost him. Obama had enjoyed an average 7 point lead over McCain in the polls in late June. By the time he held his rally in Berlin that differential was cut in half.

When the conflict in South Ossetia began, Obama read tepid remarks and equivocated.

The force of Obama's monumental acceptance speech was blunted by McCain's selection of Sarah Palin, then made worse by Team Obama's seeming inability to coherently respond to Palin on the Republican ticket.

Early September saw a ten point shift in favor of McCain.

Then the bottom dropped out of the economy and John McCain could not hide from the stink of deregulation run amok.

Between now and November 4th Obama may need to do literally nothing to get into the White House. Just let John McCain arbitrarily suspended his campaign when he sees fit (or in the case of Michigan, fully suspend it), and let the Couric/Palin interviews continue.

Perhaps there is some sweet science to be admired in the tactic of merely allowing your opponent to implode. The rope-a-dope of politics.

It may be the only campaign style Obama knows.

The bolt of the decisive fight isn't in Obama's quiver. In his last major campaign his opponent, Jack Ryan, was forced to drop out of the race prior to Alan Keyes getting airdropped into Illinois as the great black hope.

But the presidency in general - and I believe 44th presidency in particular - does not and cannot suffer come-what-may-isms. It doomed Jimmy Carter, and it doomed any number of Democratic candidates who never made it to the White House.

Let's hope president Obama, different from candidate Obama is more proactive rather than deus ex machina.

For more Obama news and opinion, visit www.thatminoritything.com

Comments

[jacqmac]

Obama is NOT going to be a passive observer when he is President. He can't be. He KNOWS what's COMING-look at all the blustering and squawking done by the opposition over this 'rescue', 'bailout' whatever the heck it will be next week------First he wasn't 'doing anything', then he was 'doing too much', then he went and voted for something he BELIEVED was necessary. He has REPEATEDLY stated that that 'bill' was ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THE END of the mess. IN ORDER TO REALLY DO SOMETHING HE HAS TO BE ELECTED FIRST!! No-he didn't 'wave a magic wand' and instantly restore 1,000's of homes to their original buyers, NO-he didn't 'wave a magic wand' and restore the 100,000 jobs LOST during the month of September, NO-he didn't END THE WAR IN IRAQ either. These are things that are NOT in his POWER to even concretely PROPOSE until AFTER THE ELECTION. So again-the question is WHICH WAY, AMERICA? BACK?? or FORWARD?? It's OUR choice!

Obama/Biden '08

[ChuckWhite]

Like driving an automatic transmission car:

D for Democrat goes forward.
R for Republican goes backward.

[mnash]

I see him as a person who has "commen sense" a rare thing to have these days. I also see him as a loving husband and a loving father. And what would you precieve JM as???

[dagnew]

I agree. "Common sense" has been so lacking in the B ush years. I think it will be first and foremost with O, because it is a part of who he is. His family life also says a lot about his character.

[PT6]

I read him as an "OPEN MINDED" and clear thinking decision maker who takes advice from very smart people, then finds ways to bring people together to create action.

He is constantly learning and improving himself and accepts "constructive and useful" critism!

Look at his improved performance in the debate!

Thank GOD he is not a STUBORN, "I AM ALWAYS RIGHT", "MAKE UP SOMETHING SO I LOOK GOOD", and "BANG THEIR HEADS TOGETHER" politician LIKE BUSH/ROVE AND CHENEY.

Obama is JUST WHAT WE NEED!

[TRYKER]

Well John Ridley, it looks like not many agree with your column.
That is very heartening, when you think that the change we want has already started to take hold and grow.
Already we can agree that Obama knows what he is doing, thank you very much.
Already most of us are saying that the change in discourse from Brute to Gentleman is a welcome and necessary choice and a new pathway we expect to walk. We are headed for peace.
We are not going to "finish anyone off" we are going to talk to them.
If a pretender runs against Obama, we do not have to give him the time of day. Mac is out-classed in this election.

[todayslies]

Contrary to what my fellow HuffPo readers think, I believe Ridley is dead on: Obama cannot treat his potential presidency as passively as he has treated his campaign.

[EZKY]

Im not entirely convinced that his 'reactions' aren't actually something entirely different, that he hasn't controlled some of these "accusations," a la lipstick on a pig. smartly and deliberately.

[castlerider]

For trying to seem insightful and tell it like it is, your post fails by lacking total clarity and true historic insight.
You go through great lengths to describe the economical situation as one of the greatest arrows in or out of any quiver, but you overlook something even larger that is staring you right in the face....
If you recall correctly, in '00, and '04 America still did not have the internet, for all practical purposes as it does now. The great majority of us just didn't have it and we were subject to a slanderous corporate MSM hate machine on TV, which was the main source then, that held us captive as we tried to get our news, and they worked us and John Kerry over pretty good. The big difference in '06 was that we could finally network in a manner that we seemed to have an opportunity to be more informed thanks to blogs like this, and look what happened. Dems took over BOTH houses... Remember? The right wing spin machine was stunned,,,, And truly shocked!
Americans are smarter... They now read more, which influences a great step up in intelligence, and they are simply immensely more informed.
So brother, I think you should go back and start over, because your essay's just not banging on all cylinders.

Obama, God bless him, is a man of his time, a man of his and our, moment.

Obama-Biden 08-12!!!

[EvilCartman]

"Obama Recognizes Afghanistan Is The Central Front In The War On Terror And Has Been Calling For Increased Troop Levels"

Obama is pro-war like McCain.

[Zeev]

I'd say we are obligated to help in Afghanistan, if we had never fought a proxy war there with the Russians we would not be having this discussion. We should have been involved in Afghanistan 20 years ago when we armed the Taliban. Afghanistan had no government and was an anarchic state. Al Queda and other groups would have been free to recruit and have a safe base to launch attacks on the west. Unlike Iraq, Afghanistan was and is an immediate security threat.

[starkweather444]

Involved with Afghanistan 20 years ago? I guess you would have welcomed World War III?

[WolfLarsen]

John I have great respect for you and I generally agree with your analysis but I think what many people take as detachment is really just a calm and reasoned approach. That is an anomaly in the current political climate that usually looks more like a knife fight then a reasoned approach. I would like to see him get more fire but only if it comes natural...­.if it is from the heart and not a manufactured response to manipulate the electorate.

Obama avoids the limbs and stays close to the trunk. He leads with his brain instead of his heart. His very approach is so radically different from the norm that it takes some getting use to.

Everyone seems to have an opinion about why Obama is where he is today. Most of it lays the credit at the feet of various events instead of the man himself and you know I think Barack likes that just fine....if it will win in the end.

Anyone who can beat Hillary...­...throttl­e McCain and overcome his name and a deep-seated racism aimed at denying minorities higher office has to be doing something right.

[time2act1]

Hello, because of the cave in over the bailout for the 2nd time in my life I am leaving blank my choice for president. I had such high hopes for Sen. Obama and up until the last couple of weeks, thought that there was significant hope that our very ailing nation can correct itself through courage, sacrifice and unity. my hopes have been dashed.
The elected officials had the bloody nerve to say such things as "I hate it" & "It stinks" & Iam against it" and
yet ram it through congress is beyond anything I think I could imagine, let alone watch it happen before my very eyes. If is is so wrong then why on earth vote for it and the pressure others into becoming part of your hippocracy.
Imagine Obama, Frank, Reid ect. all laying down to a lame duck faillure and his rotten "team" of cold-hearted bureaucrats!

The homeless, no health care fof the poor, the VA turned into a HMO,
Mentally ill people filling 30-40% of our jail and prison cells, credit card fees out of this world,
a cop on every corner who can stop and question you for no reason, monitoring what we read from
books borrowed from the library, and most of all the "hope for the future -Obma& Biden" like sheep,
following the D.C.-Wall St. mandate AGAINST the will of the majority of we citizens!Fearr and mediocrity
is what governs our once beautiful country.

Signing in Tears,
Daniel Carroll

[zahavi]

You would fail to vote? This is an incredibly foolish position. If you care so little about your own future that you would allow John McCain to become President without even trying to stop him, then try to think of others.

You seem to be saying there is no difference between candidates just like those idiots who voted for Nader because "there is no difference between Bush and Gore". Get your head out in the fresh air and look around at the world! Your personal disappointments are very petty compared to the chance to make a real difference in how this country functions.

[JodyMcg]

Dear John,
This feels like a dear John letter. I think you've missed several positive ads by Obama. Did I say positive?? Yep. Not negative mudslinging ads. Optimistic, motiviating and maybe not all that specific since details on the Obama/Biden economic plan are on the website but INSPIRING.

Just the fact that he is taking the high road, that he is looking straight at America, that he is able to reach a DIVERSE group of voters that represent a broader cross section of America means that his run for presidency is a campaign to be proud of. I'm proud to be a part of it.

Check out the Ads: Plan for CHANGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONM7148cTyc

Next Generation Vets for Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS1_uw_N2Wg

The American Promise so EXCELLENT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCx0J3NiABY

[Owlygirl]

I get what you're saying and fair enough. There have been times I've questioned his behavior or lack of fire. But thank God I've never questioned his integrity or motives. I think this is a fair point to bring up however. Thanks.

[kroses98]

It's not fair at all. Senator Obama has a lot to overcome, and Mr. Ridley of all people should understand that! In addition to the corrupt Republican voter fraud problems and the lethargy of the public, he has to overcome the legacy of racism. We can worry about the rest once he gets in office. But he most get in office, because the alternative is so frightening, as to be blood-curdling!!!!!

[JacqueItch]

Obama is a politician who wants to be the President of the USA, a post regarded by many as the most powerful leadership on the planet due to its monarchical status.
That in itself is worrisome.
Anybody who aspires to extreme power is already in some state of compromise with principles of normalcy, of being a human being.

That said, I agree with what you've written. He is already established that he is willing to honor his commitments to his rich backers, Wall Street/mil­itaryCorpo­ratists, with his avowal to increase the troops in Afghanistan. Anybody who plays the military card is being a minion to those who profit from war.
Screw the BS about national security-----we've already seen how much this is simply smokescreen to rationalize the bloodmoney, and increase the need for defense spending.
A true reformer will stand up to this madness and reel it in bigtime.

Having said that, I also believe that anybody who stands up to it will be killed, either politically or physically. They will be eliminated because they will be perceived as threats to profits.

I wish him well. But I hope he has a body double who will take his place if he decides to do the right thing and begin to dismantle the military industrial government war machine.
I hope he appoints Ralph Nader to an independent post of Official Watchdog against Government Waste.

[TRYKER]

I second that...Ral­ph Nader needs a seat at the table of Govt.
It always seems strange that we have only ONE Ralph Nader in this country. Where on the horizon is his successor? We do need to utilize his wisdom before its too late.
Its sad to hear people giving up on Obama because he hasn't saved the world yet. Good grief, the man has to win this election before he can do one thing. Give him a break.
The only way he can stand up to any special interests is with us standing behind him and going after them with him. This will be safer than if he tried to go it alone. Safety in numbers...­they can't kill us all.
A lot of us are glad that he isn't taking the bait to act like a brute and "finish her off"...wha­t kind of thing is that to say anyway?
There is a level below which men should not tread and Obama taking the high road is the example we need in this America.
He is showing us that being an intelligent gentleman can work.

We are through with the "fight mentality" in this nation and on to a more reasonable approach this new century.

[charlygardel]

In other words, Barack Obama is an adult.

[PhDiva]

Thank you. Calm, intelligent, thinks-bef­ore-he-act­s. My kind of president.

[RaderBarbarian]

You, sir, are living in some other universe from the one where I live. In my world, Obama and his campaign is playing it just right, and is slowly and steadily building up an insurmountable lead in EVERY SINGLE STATE that Democrats usually win, and in ALL SIX OF THE BATTLEGROUND STATES that Repugnicants won last time. His finely tuned campaign and message is resonating like no national candidate since Bill Clinton in 92. I really recommend you come to my world for a visit. I think it will keep you from becoming so "worrisome".

[ExpatDane]

I've been hanging out in your world for the past week - and I'm lovin it!!!