The Obama Delusion

For those who viewed Obama as a messiah, there is already disappointment. For those who viewed him as a political candidate, and weighed him against other political candidates, he remains a good choice.

His promises will be no harder to keep than McCain's or Clinton's. At least Obama asked me to do something--turn off the television and the video game, and be a parent. At least he didn't tell me he would do it all for me. Obama has said consisently that I, and others, will have to stay involved to make any changes.

Contrast that to McCain--cut taxes for the rich and everything will be fine. Hillary--spend more on government programs and everything will be fine. Barack--if we all work at it, things might change for the better.

I'm with Barack.

I was watching the McCain "victory" speech and I thought he was just gonna fall over and die right then. He looks like he has one foot in the grave already. He's been a "foot soldier" for Reagan and yet all the right wing conservatives hate him and don't trust him. All these endorsements he's been getting lately is because the repulicans know their days are numbered in the white house. And as far as Hillary goes, sure she'll get my vote if she gets the nom. But i'm extremely disappointed in her negative attacks lately. Mrs Day one looks and sounds tired. She needs to get a day of rest.

He plagiarized this; she borrowed that... Oh please! I can't think of any politician, at any time, that hasn't done these things to some degree or another. Every last one of them has gone into this game with hopes and ideas - and not necessarily their own - and anyone who thinks otherwise is themselves delusional.

What I am looking for in a presidential candidate are all of the things Obama has already displayed: intelligence, a willingness to work hard and little (if any) baggage from having to deal with the Washington machine. In other words, he represents a refreshing and much needed change from the status quo. Besides: I don???t believe all of those experienced politicians would just throw away an endorsement on someone who isn???t capable of solving problems and making real changes for the benefit of everyone.

Exactly! I'm a Clinton supporter but will vote for Obama in November if it comes to that. Obama's constant chant of '...change, change, change...' is meaningless, empty, inane! What does 'change' mean? What nonsense!

You miss the point of the Obama movement entirely. His supporters are moved by the man, and the belief that he represents what is to come. Ratioal analysis has nothing to do with it.

Thank you for covering this worrisome aspect of Obama's campaign of CHANGE. Without the cooperation of Congress he cannot deliver on most of his promises, and we have past years of conflicts between Presidents and Congress to recognize this reality. Obama is a "feel good" candidate at a time when we all want to feel better. So was Jimmy Carter and look where he took us - to long gas lines, high inflation and the dimming of Christmas lights during a season of joy. I want to see more of Obama's accomplishments in the Senate before he has the "audacity" to run for President. Bodojanbo

Why dismiss eloquence? Our greatest presidents have been communicators - Roosevelt, Lincoln, Kennedy - all of whom, by the way, were considered legislative lightweights by their peers. Communication is an integral part of leadership, and those who dismiss it show a failure to understand the nature of leadership, history, and character.

dfe

Wow finally someone from the media who isnt mesmerized by the techniques of persuasion and trances.
He is definately getting a pass from the media, from the speeches (now we know they are not even his) to his policies which he has stolen from Hillary, to the debates which is only 1 since it was just the 2 of them. There is even a lawsuit on Obama and David Axelrod from a Mr. Larry Sinclair about his past drug use, and gay behavior well beyond his teenage years
People please quit drinking the koolaid and ask yourselfs WHAT HAS HE DONE??

Let's just keep the same old farts in office spending $9 billion a month of our tax paying money on a war we will never win. Or better yet let's put McCain in office and we can keep this war going for another 100 years..giving our childrens children something to thank us for. This seems like a much better option than Barack's plan. Oh let me not leave out Hillary if she runs her health care plan anything like her campaign - those poor folks will be without health insurance before the first year runs out ;o)

Finally, a story that makes sense. I can see Obamas rhetoric from a mile away. He runs on the premise of change yet he has no real solutions for change. What are we thinking as a country? Why would we put someone into office that has very little experience as a statesmen or as a leader. He is not seasoned and he is not ready for the presidency. I said the same thing about President Bush; not qulaified, not ready. Why are we thinking about doing this again. When Obama speaks, really try to listen to his mesage...there is nothing there, not change, not experience, not wisdom, and certainly not the qualities we should be looking for in a President. Think of it this way; if you were interviewing someone for the Presidency what questions would you ask? One of the biggest questions I would asked is tell me about your experiences and what experiences qualifies you to be President? I believe Obama would fall way short. I will not vote for Obama, he simply is not ready. We are in a full scale war, potentially in a full scale recession and things as a whole need great care to get back on track. We need someone that is ready to go from day one. Clinton or McCain are miles above Obama in terms of being ready for the Presidency. It will be a sad day in our nations history if we put a non qualaified inexperienced person into the Oval Office. We just spent 8 years of the republican version of Obama and our country has been set back generations because of it. I am a dedicated Democrat but I will not vote for Obama. If it is a choice between McCain and Obama I will probably vote for McCain.

I do think Obama is all retoric and would be a failure as president because he would not be able to deliver real change, particularly when you look at his past voting record. Hope is what we all need, hope with reality. I think Hillary's experience would enable her to deliver some change, I do not think Obama is politically capable of it. There was great hope for Kennedy, but little to show for it in his presidential record.

Dear Mr. Samuelson:
Thank you for writing this piece. It is insightful and true. It's good to see that someone from the media has sobered up from their Obama rhetoric drunk and is looking at the facts (or lack thereof) behind his overly lofty rhetoric, never-ending promises, and that of his candidacy. I don't mind the media loving the horserace so much as I mind that every word he utters is taken as original and as fact by the media at large, and every word Hillary Clinton speaks is treated with incredible scorn. He has had 3 straight months of incredibly positive press coverage. So much so that it is unprecendented. While I am encouraged that so many in America are embracing Obama, I am equally disturbed that this new found openness and sense of fairness is not being extended to, Hillary Clinton, America's first woman candidate with real shot at winning. I am so utterly disappointed and angered at the way she has been demonized by the media, and by Obama's young supporters. If Obama wins, and doesn't substancially deliver on the countless promises he's made, voters will soon realize that Hillary Clinton was thrown under the bus for no other reason than for her her having the "audacity of hope" that she could become our first woman President. Call me what you like, but after much thought I am not willing to give the helm of the world's most powerful economy and keys to the nuclear arsenal over to someone with no real experience and no record. Count me as a former Barack Obama supporter. If he wins the nomination, I am voting for McCain.

Hillary's got no shot and you better deal with it sooner or later...Besides , he can't do any worse then the Bozo we have in office now...

You have hit the nail on the head! Each point you've discussed within this aritcle is exactly what I've been repeatedly saying to friends, colleagues & most often to the television set! What I'm most dissappointed in, are the American voters who are falling for this ? it seems as though they're desperately trying to redeem themselves for re-electing such a horrible president such as Bush, comfortable with someone "they knew" now it seems as if they are all jumping on this Obama "Change" banwagon which holds no real weight at all. It seems as if their opinions, feelings for Obama are purely emotional with claims of how "inspiring" he is and how enlightening his speeches are. Honestly this isn't the intelligent way to choose a president. Hillary doesn't necessarily preach she states facts, solutions to problems she has been working on already and it seems as if Americans are turning a deaf ear to the candidate who is offering point on point intelligent solutions. Instead they've \chosen to follow Obama's so called message because it makes them feel inspired, it makes them feel good spiritually????? Americans, please find a religion!!!! Meditate!!! find something to bring peace among your soul but don't take that emptiness and make electing a leader of our country the solution for it!!!! What we need is not someone who inspires us, brings us to tears during his speeches??? We need a leader who is willing to present us with the facts and his or her way of providing solutions.

Let's take a closer look at who's really qualified and or who's really working for the good of all of us in the Senate. Obama or Clinton.

Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term - 6yrs. - and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law - 20 - twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years.
These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress www.thomas.loc.gov, but to save you trouble, I'll post them here for you.
1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.
2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.
3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.
5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.
6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea.
7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.
10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.
15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty. Only five of Clinton 's bills are, more substantive. 16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11.
17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11 18. Assist landmine victims in other countries.
19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.
20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system.

There you have it, the fact's straight from the Senate Record.

Uh, The only way to fix social security is to raise the cap above $102,000. If it is raised to 250,000, the program becomes solvent without adding a burden to the next generation. This is well-established by just about every economic expert, so to say Obama is somehow not fixing the program is disingenious on your part. The $4000 college tuition credit and the middle class tax benefits are coupled with raising more money by removing tax breaks on the rich and corporations. The fact that you failed to report that as well really makes me think you are grinding an axe here. Attacking Obama's position on healthcare as "unoriginal" and then not pointing out what is unoriginal about his plan but so original about McCain's or Clinton's is also biased. His plan is unique (I've read all three) because he is in fact blending the interests of Insurance, Doctors, and Patients. He is insuring an additional 30 million Americans and reducing the cost to the rest without breaking the bank to do it. It's actually a brilliant and bipartisan plan, unlike Clinton's mandatory tax healthcare and McCain's dont rock the boat healthcare. Honestly, it really appears you are throwing an awful lot of irresponsible bias at Obama. Not sure if that's because you are a Clinton supporter, a McCain supporter, a racist, or just looking too swing the pendulum in another direction, but you certainly aren't being fair to Senator Obama's actual policies.

Maybe as a journalist you need to attend some of the Obama's rallies. Why do you people think you have to be in Washington DC to be able to say you accomplished something. We all know in the past 8 years, they have done nothing besides disagreeing on everything. The man has been in the IL legislator for years, he has been in the senate for 3 years. He wa a community organiser right after law school Why do you people need and want a president who is out of touch with the public. Thank you for your article but I think you need a reality check. I wonder how you get a job at newsweek with such an empty article. You lack substances.
Good Luck but ther American people know what is best for them.