Barack, You're Nice Enough

I write this before the New Hampshire primary results are all in, but from the early morning voting tally it appears that Barack Obama will have a victory over Hillary and Edwards, and probably go on to capture the Democratic nomination. America seems to be prepared to give him the keys to the car. I know he's got the gas, but I am still not sure that he can drive, and without that knowledge, I am unprepared to become a passenger in his vehicle. If he does win the Democratic nomination, I fear that we will all of us be panning for facts and policies, knee deep in a puddle of rhetoric. Highfalutin' words are quite nice, useful in a seduction, but they are insufficient in a marriage. Yes, yes, yes, I'll vote for him against any of the twisted sisters the Republicans are offering, but I still have my questions about this Mr. Smith going to Washington.

Did I see a bit of mean spirited sarcasm coming from Barack when during the ABC debate he remarked, "Hillary, you're nice enough," his voice dropping on the enough, just enough to suggest that he finds her a middle-aged pest, a first class nuisance for daring to run against and withstand his all powerful charms? Nice enough for what? For losing what has become a beauty contest. Barack will grant her "Miss Congeniality" if she will only drop out now, taking Edwards with her, and stop speaking about the issues that interest some savvy voters: real national health insurance, the true diplomatic engagement of this country with the rest of the world, the outsourcing of jobs overseas, and a better education for America's children.

Right now I know that Barack Obama would make the best high school class president in these United States. He has the smarts, the looks, the charm, and the popularity, likes sports, and he plays well with others. But this isn't high school, or even Harvard Yard, and I think we should ask more of our Presidents. We don't. Ergo, George W. Bush. Hush, yes, I do know he won't be another Bush. He's smarter, more decent, and I think he's truly idealistic. At least I hope he is, otherwise all this talk of change and bringing people together is so much palaver. But incompetence takes many forms, and it starts with an unwillingness to articulate practical policies. Speaking in generalities is a wonderful election strategy, you become all things to all people, but it's a helluva lousy way to run a government. Having said all this, Barack may well become a great president, should he survive the Republican attack machine which is revving up, and the doubts of a few old guys like me.

A note of warning to all interested parties: As a New Yorker I caution you, "Beware of Michael Bloomberg." He has the power to convince so many that a billionaire frog is really a genial prince by using those billions to bombard the electorate. He has been a decent enough mayor and New York looks pretty good and feels good these days -- despite some hideous architectural additions and the pricing out of the middle class through astronomical rentals -- but he is arrogant, willful, and secretive, just what we don't need more of these days. He cannot become president, but he can become the new Nader, the spoiler who brings the presidency by default to a McCain with his hundred year occupation of Iraq.

Comments

[nellie]

Sherman:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

And don't forget about the Supreme Court. No matter whom the Democrats nominate, it will be a better choice than whoever the Republican candidate is.

Randi Rhodes made an interesting comment on her show today. Listen to Obama—he talks about "we will change the country." Hillary says "I will change the country." That's a big difference.

And even though I prefer Obama, I will gladly vote for Clinton if she is the nominee. Let's be glad we have such an embarrassment of riches on the Democratic side.

[zagyzebra]

A previous poster suggested that Obama pick Hillary as his VP if he were to win the nomination. I second that, because he'll need all the hands-on, level-headed experience he can get. He can continue spinning his messages of inspiration while she runs the flippin' country.

[zull2]

If you have questions, stop watching C-Span and the campaign speeches to get all your information and go to his freaking website. It's not hard! The answers to the majority of your questions are right there.

A whole lot of other people have done it already. You don't have to donate to see what his stance is on the issues. You don't have to give him one cent to see what this "change" thing is really all about. You need less technical skill to do this than you need to post a comment or blog on Huffpo. If you've done this already and still have questions, then you know what? You should contact the campaign. You have a blog that some people read, they might give you some feedback.

This is a whole lot more than just about buzzwords. But if you keep saying that it's only about buzzwords, and you know where he stands, then what you're really doing is passive-ag­gressively attacking Obama.

[utebell]

It is useless to argue that Obama is like a hot air balloon that will go where the wind of opportunity takes him, driven by blind ambition and annointed by the MSM, right wingers and yes, even Huffpo. This is a personality cult exploided by rhetoric cut right from MLK, but with the little difference that MLK had a goal that meant to uplift people. Obama gets the nomination and, doubtfully the presidency, the cartoonist will not even have to chance the old Bush cartoons, because he will be just as useless.

[NJDEM]

For someone who argues that Barack's platform is rather vacuous, Yellen could do a much better job of discussing the issues in this article. Oh, and speaking of the diplomatic engagement of this country...­remember when Barack discussed shifting our diplomatic focus to Pakistan and talking with Iran without preconditions??? Well, that does not seem like such a bad idea these days, does it (Look no further than the Bhutto assasination and the recent NIE Report)? Hillary and the media had a field day labeling Barack as inexperienced after he made those remarks, but it acutally was a well thought out and fresh stance on U.S. diplomacy. Enough said....

[Dailyfare]

For those still doubtful of Obama's youth and experience, I suggest becoming familiar with Abraham Lincoln's biography: http://www.historyplace.com/lincoln/index.html

For those who think that one should be a senator or governor for more than two years, you'll probably be surprised that Lincoln was neither. Zero years. He was not a particularly good businessman and had little "executive" experience. Granted, the world wasn't as intricate or dangerous then...Oh, wait! There was that pesky Civil War. You know - where this man of little "practical" experience kept a young nation from being two or more young nations.

[missy538]

I see your point. I'm a Hillary fan and would vote for her, but I'm an Obama fan as well. I'll vote for whoever will win the general. I want desperately for Dems to take back the White House. I'm scared that GOP sits back and lets Obama fever take over only to reveal skeletons in his closet once he locks up nomination leading to GOP win. One thing is that, even if they attempt the manufactured swift boat, Obama won't lay down like Kerry. He'll fight. I, too, lose sleep thinking of Bloomberg being this yr's Nader. In any case, Obama should pick Hillary as his VP if he wins.

[THEINSULTEDANDINJURED]

If Obama wins the presidency, which he won't and the Republicans are pushing hard for him because of that fact, we working poor will never see an increase in the minimum wage, never see universal health care, never see better jobs for our children, never see a reduction in college costs. He's not in it for us, there's not one shred of authenticity coming from this man; he's sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[Dailyfare]

Geez. After being dogged for days by Hillary and her machine, Obama utters one smartass comment to her and now he's "mean spirited".

[LeeFromVA]

Hillary is basically Bill minus the likeability. His likeability got him over the top. Without it, she can never close the deal.

[Star123]

I am suspicious of a rush to anyone. I think we will get to know this guy, but I have already responded positively to Edwards. I feel comfortable that he would come in and take apart some of this nonsense visited on us for the last eight years. This is probably totally unfair, but I keep seeing an image of Obama on a plate with the Washington types about to chow down. Just little glimpses--­impression­s. The thing about change is sort of comical, though--anyone will be a change. I was thinking a change for the better is overdue, though.

[vbond]

"Right now I know that Barack Obama would make the best high school class president in these United States. He has the smarts, the looks, the charm, and the popularity, likes sports, and he plays well with others. But this isn't high school, or even Harvard Yard, and I think we should ask more of our Presidents. We don't. Ergo, George W. Bush. Hush, yes, I do know he won't be another Bush. He's smarter, more decent, and I think he's truly idealistic. At least I hope he is, otherwise all this talk of change and bringing people together is so much palaver. But incompetence takes many forms, and it starts with an unwillingness to articulate practical policies. Speaking in generalities is a wonderful election strategy, you become all things to all people, but it's a helluva lousy way to run a government­."

Okay... let me try this again...

HAVE YOU READ HIS POLICIES?

www.barackobama.com

Exactly HOW MUCH DETAIL DO YOU NEED?

There are five pages of the health care plan... in the SUMMARY ALONE (I just printed it out).

We can debate about mandates, but anyone but a total healthcare "wonk" has more detail than they can possibly want...

Are... you... kidding... me.

I have begun to think that this call for more detail is:

- Ignorance about the detail that there is already available.

- Willfull misreprese­ntation... born of desperatio­n... or

- A bizarre effort to tempt Obama into interminable recitations of it all every time he speaks.

Thank goodness he also has a detailed education policy!

READ!

[DasBoot]

Good blog, and mostly fair comments, but also a bit of nitpicking. Obama has presented a very detailed health care plan, and on Iraq there is really no big difference between him and Hillary, except of course that he had the right judgment when it really mattered.

Hillary would have been a great candidate in 2004. The whole Left would have supported her enthusiastically against Bush. She let the moment pass, and now it is gone.

Of course Obama is taking advantage of forces beyond himself: his natural machismo that Hillary cannot draw on, the fact that he is black but yet "acceptable" enough to many whites. But remember that MLK was very young and far from perfect too. Leaders don't make movements, but vice versa.

I just hope Hillary and her establishment friends won't try to take him down with them.

[tsugury]

He'll take his policy orders from AIPAC, just like the current regime

"Obama Has Courted Jews From Beginning"

http://www.forward.com/articles/12407/

[DrPaulProteus]

"If he does win the Democratic nomination, I fear that we will all of us be panning for facts and policies, knee deep in a puddle of rhetoric."

And this is different from any other politician how?