The difference between Obama and all the rest

[mtnsnake]

1) Barack Obama inspires when he speaks. No one else we have can light up a room with the spoken word as readily as Obama can.

2) This country is deeply divided, thanks to George Bush. Barack Obama will be seen as a healer of those wounds....as the one person who can unite this country and return the honor and dignity to the United States that George Bush has taken away. Anyone who doesn't think so has never listened to what this man has to say.

I used to think it was too early for Obama to become President because he didn't have enough experience. Then I thought, WTF? If the man already has what it takes to be our President, then what's the difference if he's got 4 years in the Senate or 20. If he's got what it takes right now to turn the country around and lead it back on track, then why wait, do it now.

[aquart]

1. Jesus. It's a religious cult.

I'll pass.

[msongs]

4. LOL! that's harold ford jr's job nt

[IndianaGreen]

13. There is the Hillary cult, and the Bush cult, and... n/t

;-)

[mtnsnake]

20. Go somewhere else to pollute the forum with your incessant anti-Hillary babble

This is a thread about Obama. Got something to say about him? No? Then run along.

[IndianaGreen]

35. Love Obama because he spoke up against war in Iraq back in 2002

just about the time that Hillary was tripping all over herself to get to the Rose Garden in support of Iraq War Resolution.

[Bullet1987]

2. The Experience argument is VERY overrated...

...He could have all the experience in the world and still be a bad President. Experience doesn't gurantee a person will be good or bad. The best way to judge a potential candidate is throw Governorships...but seeing as how most of the frontrunners are Senators, it makes it harder to judge them. You can't measure experience, and years in Congress doesn't mean anything because the Presidency is unique in it's own way.

Actually, just for the simple fact that this is the ONLY argument being waged against him says a lot. He has no baggage, and that goes a long way.

[mtnsnake]

5. Exactly. The country doesn't need an experienced Senator. It needs a healer

and a leader and someone who knows right from wrong. Obama fits the bill. I can't think of anyone else who can play the role better than he can for healing such a gaping division in this nation. It's almost as if he were destined to become President and only became Senator to use it as a springboard for the full monty. That's fine by me.

[beaconess]

8. Lieberman . . .

has loads of Senate experience.

'nuff said.

[Impashund Ubique]

3. Point (1) is purely subjective....

A majority of people I know would testify that Edwards lights up the room when he speaks.

As for the 2nd point, what exactly is Obama proposing to unite the nation? Right now, he is all rhetoric, no plan. I've read his book and there is no big, overarching vision there. Just tiny fixes. I'm sorry, but we will need more than that to truly unite this nation.

I'd like him to get in the race and share his views, but he isn't on the top of my list for the primaries.

[rexcat]

36. That is why I am supporting Wesley Clark...

He excites the crowds when he speaks, he has a good sense what the problems are in the U.S. and he has solutions to those problems and is far more "seasoned" than Obama.

I think Obama is an excellent orator but he has been more conciliatory to the republicans for my taste. His religiosity is also more than I care for!

[Cosmocat]

6. Eh ...

I don't get all that "inspired" by him, frankly ... I think he has the looks, the way he carries himself, and some other attributes that kind of makes people see Martin Luther King, and other old school civil rights guys, in him ... It is kind of like people channel those guys through him ...

I don't see ALL of that in him ... I like him, more than a little, but I don't all misty with him ... I see him duck a lot of things, and he just gets away with it, kind of like McCain does ...

That being said ... There is no reason he should not throw his hat in to the mix, if he has it in him ... The positive impression of the masses, the momentum he has right now ... You never know when it might come along ...

A "healer of wounds" ... Again, that is channeling the old school civil rights people ... He has a real even keep demenor and all, but make no mistake ... The right wing WILL find a way to start their crap on him ... They will dig something up, they will find some talking points to chant ...

Honestly ... I like him a good deal as a VP ... I think that is his best position for 2008, and it would then put him in line to make a run at president down the road ...

[nevergiveup]

7. If he declares his candidacy

Hillary is doomed. I think there will be a ground swell for Obama and I don't see anyone stopping him.

[mtnsnake]

11. "there will be a ground swell for Obama and I don't see anyone stopping him"

Very well said

[Clark2008]

17. Really?

I see a lot of people who simply won't vote for a black man stopping him.

What country do you live in? I live in the USA, which has steadily been going backward since the Fairness Doctrine was repealed.

[Cocoa]

27. how has it been going backward?

many more African Americans were elected to Congress after the Fairness Doctrine compared with before.

Obama can obviously win. So could Condi Rice and Colin Powell if it hadn't been for their Iraq disaster.

Imo, if race is going to be a factor, it will be because of misconceptions that "he can't win."

[whistle]

9. The U.S. does not need its wounds healed or its honor and dignity returned

....that just sounds like more of the GOP bullshit.

We need to get our economy back on track with a return of full production capacity, machine-tool design engineering and a restoration and development of every aspect of this country's infrastructure so that the next two generations can get back to working again. We need to kick the fascist forces out of government and out of the U.S. economy by restoring government control to the Federal Reserve and stick to the constitution. And we need to abolish the "free trade" globalization empire oligarchy and set up long term "fair trade" agreements with real trading partners who will work toward the mutual increase in the standards of living for the general welfare of all their populations.

[mtnsnake]

10. I'm living in a different world than you are

if you really don't think this country needs its wounds healed. Hey, but to each their own....

[bling bling]

12. I hope he runs.

I agree with your post. I think I'm one of the few people around that actually like all of them. I hate seeing people smearing Clinton, Kerry, Obama....or any of the rest of them because they all have something important to contribute to our party.

Obama, though, really is special. He seems to transcend the image of the stereotypical politician, like leading is more than just a job to him, it's *who he is*. He makes me feel hopeful.

Personally, it's disappointing to see how many people here shut that hopeful excitement down because they're just waiting for him to do something they don't like. Then they can say "HA! I told you. I knew there was something sneaky about him. I didn't fall for the Obama love-fest back when.....blah blah blah."

We'll see how it plays out. If he joins the race he'll have to campaign and we'll see more as time goes on. I'm looking foward to it. And if he ends up proving to be but a shadow of the man we thought he was, well, I'll be pretty surprised. But I won't feel stupid or naive for having been excited over him in the first place.

[David Dunham]

14. Experience does matter. 2 years in the senate is not enough for voters.

[beaconess]

15. If it's not enough for voters, he'll wash out in the primaries

But I tend to think that voters will look at the totality of his experience (including his seven years in the state senate), his world view, his intellect and his vision.

If time in the Senate were the sole qualifying factor for the presidency, the White House Christmas cards would feature the Lieberman family.

[bling bling]

18. The voters can't be pegged like that.

They voted for Bush because they thought he was the kind of guy they'd like to have a beer with.

The only thing that stands in the way of Obama becoming president of the U.S.A. in 2008 is the Democrats being ineffective at getting him elected. He's got the goods. They can play up other experience. His charisma will go a long way to balance out any potential downsides.

The Dems *must* be more clever than they have been the past 2 elections. They *must* figure out how to get airtime on the media. And when they DO get that time they *must* use that time smartly. Keep it short, simple, to the point, and repeat it over and over. No long answers, no long explanations. Talking points. Nothing that can be taken out of context.

Furthermore, the Dems *must* be prepared for the attacks and attack back. Anybody who wins the Democratic nomination would be wise to enlist the help from someone like Bill Clinton as an advisor, if possible. He's a master at understanding the voters, the media, and the game.

Obama can win it. The Dems will need to help him, though. I do believe the voters will vote for him despite his U.S. Senate experience if we run a smart campaign.

[BluegrassDem]

16. People underestimate the power of charisma

That's why JFK became president. It's so rare for a politician to have listeners mesmerized. Hillary can't...Gore can't...Clark can't...and Lord knows Bayh can't. Maybe he's mesmerizing cause of who he is? A black guy with mixed ancestry with a funny name that became the only black in the U.S. Senate. But Obama is very honest and genuine. He doesn't give typical political speak like the others. Obama has attributes that only other pols could dream about.

[mtnsnake]

19. Very well said. nt

[TankLV]

31. That's why JKF LOST in his first times out...

Only AFTER he gained experience and the DEEP support of his daddy did he finally succeed - barely.

And even then, it WAS a VERY CLOSE race that he won, I remember it well...

[THUNDER HANDS]

21. i hope he runs

i think he's the one guy who could beat any Republican they throw up there.

[LWolf]

22. I beg to differ.

1) Barack Obama inspires when he speaks. No one else we have can light up a room with the spoken word as readily as Obama can.

I've listened to him speak, and I'm not lighting up. I have not found him inspiring. Of course, I'm a tough audience. I light up over substance rather than performance when it comes to the spoken word, and I expect spoken words to reflect actions. Obama just doesn't do it for me. I'm in the room, too.

2) This country is deeply divided, thanks to George Bush. Barack Obama will be seen as a healer of those wounds....as the one person who can unite this country and return the honor and dignity to the United States that George Bush has taken away. Anyone who doesn't think so has never listened to what this man has to say.

I have no clue why Obama should be seen as a "healer." I know this sounds suspiciously like "uniter, not divider," and THAT gives me the creeps.

I call BULLSHIT on "the one person who can...." There are plenty of people who can unite people, there are plenty of people who can provide the U.S. with some honor and dignity. There is NEVER any "only one" who can achieve something.

If Obama makes you feel good, I'm happy for you. As for me, the jury is still out, and I'm not ready to render a verdict one way or the other. I won't be for a few years yet; I need to see more time and action behind the words. The only way the verdict will come in early is if I feel someone is pushing me; then it will be a resounding "NO." If pushed hard enough, it could become a "NEVER." Of course, that's true with just about all those on TPTB's list of potential candidates, not just Obama. I've yet to figure out just what the mainstream Democrat finds compelling about ANY of the so-called "front runners."

[SaveElmer]

23. The last President elected from Illinois...

Had a couple terms in the state legislature and 1 term in Congress under his belt...

He did alright!!

[beaconess]

24. :-)

[wisteria]

25. Inspiration with no firm foundation.

Words only go so far. It will take more than just words to lead the country and keep us safe and prosperous.

[SutaUvaca]

26. Like Impashund said..

let him put his hat in the ring and lets hear what he has to say.
But personally, Edwards lights up a room for me.

[Blue_In_AK]

28. It takes more than a silver tongue

to be a good president. I need to see more.

[onecent]

29. How much experience did George W. Bush have? I really

don't know.

[TankLV]

32. which proves we don't need ANOTHER lightweight inexperience ken doll

pushed on us...

Besides, I don't like MOST of the things he has said since being elected.

Take away his identity and most here would run screaming in the opposite direction.

WAY too conservative and repuke-lite sounding to me...

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jefferson_dem]

33. Totally uncalled for. Fact is ...Obama inspires more passion than *anyone* on the political scene

today. You may not be an Obama supporter but let's not project your narrow view onto others.

[mtnsnake]

34. "Are you all done masturbating to him yet?" WTF?? Is that supposed to be

relevant or something?

Are you all done masturbating to him yet?

I'll tell you what, Tank. When you stop jacking to your sister's picture every night, only then should you ask someone else on this board about masturbation. Now run along, dipshit.