The Obama Delusion

Yes, I find it inspiring to listen to him. I support him, because his are the words I have been waiting for. We are in the primaries, and his approach apparently is working. The 2 democratic candidates have told us what they want to achieve. The nominee, no matter who she/he is, will come up against reality, once he/she is elected President. Obama has made clear that he knows that and I think the voters know it. Neither Obama nor the Obama supporters are suffering from delusion.

It is only human nature to align oneself with those who inspire hope and promise to deliver change, when we so desperately need it. However, without much of a track record, it would be a gamble to choose the next president based on our good feelings about the guy. Unfortunately, most political races eventually turn into popularity contests. Look how that turned out 4 years ago. It is sad to see a reenactment of the last two presidential races. We should not forget where it has gotten us today when we followed our "good feelings" and ignored the facts. At the end of the day, whoever is sitting in the White House need to be able to steer our country back on track, and I would much prefer that someone to have thought a lot about the challenges we are face with and have had a track record on implementing solutions. Wouldn't you?

Has anyone else noticed that the worse Hillary does, the more we see these unfounded ridiculous no content articles coming-out!??! Really makes you wonder how many favors old Bill is trying to pull-in to steal this election for his wife????

Some of your comments simply prove why so many of us do believe Senator Obama is the right person for this job. As far as known quantities, I'm always amused when folks would rather elect known liars and people of questionable actions than to take a chance on electing someone who actually may have integrity. I'm not looking for a perfect person or politician to work in the White House. I'm looking for someone who is intelligent, willing to listen, and trying to make a positive difference for us, not for themselves or the powerful.

Barack Obama has never claimed that there are a lack of good ideas in the country. On the contrary, he recognizes and praises Senator Clinton for her policy views and focus on key issues in America. But Washington has been a place in the past where solutions to our most important problems are swept away by polarizing party politics and corporate influence. Your article is contradictory, as you say you fear an unproven Obama and then in the next sentence scrutinize him for not having original ideas. Why would you be afraid of ideas that the more experienced candidate has as well? It's the vote of fear that Bush won twice with, it's the vote of fear that Hilary and McCain are running on, and the American people are showing in overwhelming force that they are tired of being afraid. Change is frightening, it's unknown, it's not safe, but so was the Declaration of Independence. the 14th Amendment, the liberation of Europe from Hitler, the Civil Rights movement, the journey to the moon, and the collapse of the Berlin Wall. With Hilary in power her liberal ideas make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but at the end of the day you know gridlock will occur with such a divisive figure at the helm, and very little will change. You claim that his narrow agenda should be held to a higher standard because his campaign has labeled the results of that agenda as change, but if every one of his polices are pushed through, the country will no doubt experience the change he speaks night in and night out. No Mr. Samuelson, it's not that your afraid Barack Obama won't live up to his promises, it's that you???re afraid he will

Barack Obama has never claimed that there are a lack of good ideas in the country. On the contrary, he recognizes and praises Senator Clinton for her policy views and focus on key issues in America. But Washington has been a place in the past where solutions to our most important problems are swept away by polarizing party politics and corporate influence. Your article is contradictory, as you say you fear an unproven Obama and then in the next sentence scrutinize him for not having original ideas. Why would you be afraid of ideas that the more experienced candidate has as well? It's the vote of fear that Bush won twice with, it's the vote of fear that Hilary and McCain are running on, and the American people are showing in overwhelming force that they are tired of being afraid. Change is frightening, it's unknown, it's not safe, but so was the Declaration of Independence. the 14th Amendment, the liberation of Europe from Hitler, the Civil Rights movement, the journey to the moon, and the collapse of the Berlin Wall. With Hilary in power her liberal ideas make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but at the end of the day you know gridlock will occur with such a divisive figure at the helm, and very little will change. You claim that his narrow agenda should be held to a higher standard because his campaign has labeled the results of that agenda as change, but if every one of his polices are pushed through, the country will no doubt experience the change he speaks night in and night out. No Mr. Samuelson, it's not that your afraid Barack Obama won't live up to his promises, it's that you???re afraid he will

This article wrongly suggests that Obama should be penalized for his rhetorical skill. The article seems to argue that Obama's policy proposals are just as ordinary as those of the other candidates, but that we should hold Obama to a higher standard than the other candidates because of his effectiveness as an orator. That makes no sense. If the policies of the candidates are all fairly mainstream, but Obama distinguishes himself by having the ability to inspire people, that should count in his favor -- the way I see it -- because that ability is critical to leadership and suggests that Obama may be able to get more of his agenda enacted than the other candidates, thereby actually bringing about greater change.

Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania......Do you love America????

intent to alienate obama campaign from the younger generation and independent supporters. example: obama promises tax break, and samuelson argues that shifts tax burden to younger generation. what????? how? why? just because you spin it that way, we're supposed to believe that? what a crock.

After the last 7 years of suffering, its time for a change. Its easy to say vote for comfort, familiarity, but look where its gotten us? We are a divided nation, we need someone to unit us, inspire us, lead us. I dont want another "do as I say, not as I do" President. Do you? Show me one politician who can guarantee the things they say, and I will elect them. The are SUPPOSED to invoke thinking, and ideas different from those currently ruining the country (yes, I mean RUIN). We have been governed on fear, and the media's insistence on pushing the fear button along with our current administration. People such as the writer of this article dont want change. they dont want to help insprire a nation to change, they work towards furthering controversy, so they have more and more to write about. its time for that to change too.

one of many military members who does not support our current administration...

I'm afraid an election campaign is the wrong forum for any substance to come out. The depth of the problems is such that a rigorous investigative analysis as to be first done as part of the government to come up with substantial ideas. Elections are won with rhetoric as a rule. If you attempt to spell out specifics, then you have a pack of wolves jumping at you critically. So I find the criticism in this article a bit 'context-free'.

You can make this ridiculous argument knocking Obama on minor details all you want.. I'll give you three simple bullet points that will knock this lame article out of the water.

1. He was against Iraq - at her very best Hillary was believed a President that cannot tie his own shoes laces, everybody in the country ( and around the World ) heard the same lies about Iraq but not all of them where fooled into sheepishly going along with them.
2. He does not take money from Lobbyist - like eh Hillary
3. He is not hated by nearly 50% of the country. Elections are decided by Independents. The Right HATE the Clintons in each and every one of their incarnations - they are not going to vote for her.

Even if Obama is the biggest phony in American political history, which he isn't, how about giving somebody from a different family a chance to change things up, after all there are only 300 million of us !

Shave your mustache, it is just more of the same "journalist" look. It lacks rhetoric and meaning.... Obama 2008!

Is the rumor true that George W. Bush is the last American president?

Everyone is focused on how little experience Obama has. I believe he is intelligent enough to surround himself with experience. Finally someone who can turn it around. I haven't got a good raise since Clinton was in office. But I am voting for Obama.

The title says a lot about this author of this article. He and a lot of Americans cannot see that America needs to turn the page and give a chance to a man who wants to make an attempt to bring America where it should and needs to be. We are all frustrated, disgruntled, angry and so polorized and biased on the economy, war, race, religion and politics that this is evidence of our still a long ways from being the country we should be. Barack Obama is asking for a chance to be given a job to unify americans and to get prorities straight and in order to turn this country around for new needed direction to the future. So many like this author of this article want to do nothing but throw the stones of negative attacks at this man. The Clintons and the McCains feel it okay to show their so called good side by slanderous negative attacks. Obama has not attacked, only said what is good about me to have me as your President and what I want and will do for you America and the American people.

Beware Welfare!

Vote for Clinton.

What America needs right now (we are currently in our most precarious situation, both domestically and internationally, in several decades) is Bi-Partisanship cooperation in the Congress (where the real power in American Politics is) to help address these pressing issues over the next several years. As such, I am concerned about a Congressional roadblock against Mrs. Clinton if she were elected because of her divisive history with the Republican Party............As a registered Independent, I am torn between Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain right now as the two best choices we may have for the country.......If McCain wins, I hope that he is more open-minded than the Bush Administration.......If Obama wins, I hope he stacks his Cabinet with some good Bi-Partisan thinkers who can help build bridges to the Republicans so we can all move the country forward instead of backwards as the last eight years have demonstrated........