The Obama Delusion

I have been following the campaign of the candidates, and I agree with your opinion on Obama. I am from Illinois, and he is a slick candidate, that tells everyone what they want to hear. And while you are listening, you get swept up in it and end up finding out he's no different then the rest. In fact, he's worse.

I haven't gotten swept up by him, but I have seen several people who have. I often wonder other than mainstream media, how do these voters become knowledgeable? The sad truth is, they don't. This doesn't bode well for our country, especially when someone like Obama may be placed in a position based upon passion and not logic. I pray that voters wake up and act before it is too late.

God Bless America!

My patience for this kind of journalism is wearing thin. Very, very thin. The whole "rhetoric" verse "reality" debate is weak at best. He delivers speeches based on a core set of beliefs regarding how the world is and how it can be. His beliefs have been consistent and his presentation of reality accurate. You're simplifying the situation and you're smart enough to know it. You're trying to argue that to speak about morality you can never kill a fly. Or an environmentalist can never drive a car. You're presenting a slippery slope of presumptions that does not even attempt to address the complexity of our political and media system.

We finally have the opportunity to elect a decent president and you're trying to crush it because he'll never be decent enough.

I'm so glad that you wrote this article. The idea of Senator Obama becoming the President plain out scares me. While I do laud his eloquent speeches and stirring rhetoric, I hope that other people really read and listen between the lines, because, that what it really is, rhetoric. He has no original idea, he has no plan; he is banking all of this on a wave of popularity but has no substance or experience to back it. The thought of who he might choose to be his cabinet members is terrifying. I think he may be so arrogant and stuck on the whole 'change' thing that he might actually appoint others to his cabinet who also have no experience! Scary!

So glad someone finally is speaking my thoughts. We need to tell our young generation not to gamble the future in the hands of a rookie...nothing beats experience when the nation and the world is involved.

Why in the heck do I care about Robert J. Samuelson's opinion!?? I care more about my mailman's or my taxidriver. He is a journalistic hack, whose words are not worth the paper they are printed on. As byrdlegs said below, go to below site and check it out. http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/sarahramey/gGCPbv

Lets put an end to the fear-mongering and class-dividing politics that Bush has brought back these past 7 years, and that McCain is already continuing. As far as longevity and age, I do not vote for a candidate because of that. I vote for the one who I think is going to lead this country in a different direction than where we have been heading. American simply cannot afford 4 more years of failed economic and foreign policies, lies, and distortions. Obama in '08!!

You say that "the subtext of Obama's campaign is that his own life narrative???to become the first African American president, a huge milestone in the nation's journey from slavery???can serve as a metaphor for other political stalemates." This is fundamentally wrong. The reason why Obama inspires people is not because of his background or even the history of America from slavery to freedom or from an African American being able to become President. People know that this is not the reason. The reason why Obama inspires is because of his leadership. He knows that social change comes from the bottom, not from the top and he will involve people in the process. . Also you suggest he can talk but not do. Well, he has already DONE a lot of things already- first overcome a well known "Clinton" brand by mobilising masses of people. What President would not envy that? He can bring people together which is what you need in Government. Pleople like Obama. They are tired of having to rely on the media to tell them who to vote for. Obama is the voice of the people, democracy in its pure form, and he will run a Government that removes the special interest and where people will feel they are part of the process. Obama is the Next President, and colour does not matter.

Why is it that so many folks think they have the right ideas, they know how and what to think, and that everyone else is just plain stupid??? It is truly amazing how many "experts" reside in this country! Politicians are politicians - not miracle workers, not saviors of the world as we would like to see it, not omniscient superbeings who can change in one term what has taken several presidents and many terms to mess up. Any career politician knows what buzzwords to use, what "pie in the sky" speeches to deliver, how to appeal to peoples' emotions (not their reasoning). Get a grip on reality, folks. Research, objectively, the histories and claims of your candidates.
And, BTW, if Obama is elected, he will not be the first black president - he will be the first half black president. Like it or not, everyone, Obama is also half white - just as I am. But, unlike Obama, I am PROUD to claim my biracial heritage.

FINALLY, a journalist that is willing to address this issue! I like Sen. Obama and see him as a great motivator, but not much else to convince me to vote for him . I want more than a rock star that seems to be gathering momentum based on a popularity contest. The past few weeks have felt like I'm watching "The Candidate". Very scary.