The Obama Delusion

We all learn a great deal of what it takes to be successful in our positions "on the job." Someone took a chance on us simply because we showed promise. Senator Obama has done more than that. He rightly has introduced over 1000 bills in the Illinois Senate as well as Congress in a short time. His experience will come to light when it should...after Senator Clinton releases her grip on her dream of being President. She is capable in the way that the vast majority of our politicians are capable. I am not interested in that now that I've seen the way the process works. I want more transparency, more accountability from my elected officials. I want honest dealings with leaders of other countries. I want fairness, some sense of togetherness with all men and women. The details on what to do or not to do in the job of President were learned by all Presidents, essentially "on the job." I believe that all the candidates stand for what they believe in and my kudos to them. However, I want a LEADER. A true leader who inspires and works to set the example for myself and my children. I do not know Senator Barak Obama. But I am convinced that with him I will be working side by side with him to make my country great and not just as one of the "sheep" that cling to what divides us: Rich and Poor, Republican and Democrat, Black and White, Red and Blue...There is more to us all than that. Fortunately, I have met the "man," seen him with his children, and seen first hand that his "rhetoric" is simply his ideals borne from attempts to live all of our dream of making our life count. Too many comments are focused on the simple difficulties of life without remembering that what brought this country into being were people that wanted a new country with higher ideals of representation for every American. Who can do that better than Sen. Obama? Right now.? Right Here? I'm not banking on anyone else. I think President Obama has the greatest opportunity to represent ALL the people, more than any other candidate.

Samuelson's article hit the nail right on the head. That's why come general election in November Obama will be trounced by McCain. Obama is long on rhetoric but short on ideas. The problem I have with Samuelson's articles is that he complains about the "media" giving Obama a pass on this issue. If you want to look at the "media", look no further than the Newsweek magazine for which your're writing your articles.

Such much for the first woman president.................an unattractive woman, with a shrill voice, hard-edge, but with experience and a bedrock of ideas is going to lose because.......................a young, attractive man comes along with pretty words, sugar-coated speeches and woes all the ladies.

Obama is smooth - tell the girls what they want to hear, it does not matter if it is the same, repacked "change" politicians have been promising forever.

Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome with a millionare dollar smile...............

Women fall for it everytime................................................

lots of smart people on this forum that dont buy into this " elect me and its blue skies" Obama thing. glad there are a lot of people who can listen and think for themselves and not get caught up in the "a vote for me is a vote against Bush" . Many supporters of Obama seem to be caught up in this emotion; you're not voting for Obama you're voting against Bush. Not a very intellectual way of choosing someone for the most powerful position on earth. Demonstrating that you will be an effective leader who is to be respected(respect can mean many things including being feared or admired for your actions or even despised by dertain parties) on the world scene. Obama has once again showed his inexperience by suggesting opening dialogue with the cuban regime; how can we as the most powerful nation on earth put ourselves on the same level as small rogue nations by initiating talks. From a diplomatic , foriegn policy standpoint it is unthinkable as anyone who understands foreign policy and negotiation of position would cringe at the thought. He should learn how to play a strategy game before he tries for this most important position. Show weakness to your enemies and soon you are their slaves. In our history we have never backed down, only in the ill-conceived ill-concluded vietnam conflict(escalated by kenedy and johnson admin's) .

Americans in general have become wimps who dont have the stomach to defend ourselves. we would soon forget a 9/11 and try to return to the time previous even if its not possible. we search for soothing words and thereby become vunerable to this kind of Rhetoric and lack of substance which I feel is Obama.

Barack Obama deserves a chance to attempt to change a flawed system, which is going to be difficult regardless of who occupies the positon of commander in chief. If any thing, the american people are not delusional about Barack being passionate and resourceful(which he has proven on the campaign trail).Not only do we need "Change" in america we also need it in the world.We should be honored to have such a person as Barack wanting to risk everything for all of us. I for one am convinced that no one can predict what success he will have as the president ,but we can be sure that the other canidates aren't looking as promising.

Funky P Quote of the Day:
Wanted: American President
The best candidate is the one that inspires the American people. The one who is about us and not just about themselves. The one who is not just for some of us but for all of us.

The solution is for all of us to "up our game". We need a manager who can get the most out of the American team. The most important issue is to have a president who can get the country excited about a political purpose. We need another "New Deal" we need a "Change".

Does anybody know FDR's proven accomplishments before he pulled the country out of the Great Depression." Maybe HE just came in with inspiration and a good plan and the American people believed and executed. Did Abraham Lincoln have any proven accomplishments before the presidency? What do you know, a good plan and a bunch of words but with action from the American people "changed" our world forever.

In our search for a great president we are also searching for our better selves. We Americans are at our best when our spirits are stirred up. Our past great presidents are ones that caused us to do more than we thought possible. Finally, the only test that matters: Which candidate will inspire us to do more good than we think we are capable of?

Speaking of RACIST: I was raised in the White Power movement and it never felt right. I felt like a monster. After I got my head straight, it occured to me, I wasn't THE monster after all. I was just a freak who helped the REAL MONSTERS hide. I helped them feel better about themselves.

Respectable, educated, admired guys like Robert J. "Groucho Marx" Samuelson are the REAL MONSTERS who serve up plates of dog sh*t to the masses who gobble it up like it's gourmet healt food.

The problem: Dog sh*t isn't good for anything. Not even fertilizer.

Samuelson's unblinking assessment of Obama's reluctance, thus far, to seriously address some of the nation's most serious issues will not be welcomed by many Obama supporters, which I count myself among. But these issues do need to be confronted. My defense of Obama (Samuelson might call it an apology) at this point would be to recognize that engaging these issues now would almost certainly be political suicide, because the public is unwilling to even hear about these problems, let alone their unpalatable solutions. That is political reality. Just ask Kucinich or Ron Paul how eager the voters are to hear such harsh realities. Since all the other remaining candidates are ignoring these issues too, I can only base my support of any candidate on their approach to issues they do address, and hope that when elected, they will broaden the scope of their concerns to these taboo issues. Based on that process and those standards, Obama is STILL the best "hope" of all the available choices.

FINALLY, someone has viewed Obama from a OBJECTIVE point of view. The sad fact of the matter is that the media will ignore the delusion because they seem to be imfatuated by the delusion.

Thank you, Robert Samuelson! Finally, a voice of reason from the otherwise awestruck press. Keep going, keep writing about the Obama cult-like obsession. Influence your colleagues to emerge from their dreamworlds long enough to objectively examine this candidate. As a long time democrat, I'm as stunned as you are that substance and reality have so far been ignored by virtually everyone.