The Obama Delusion

It is a wonderful article, I agreed with you 100% - Congratulations

Wow - excellent article. I totally agree. Obama is an attractive donut with a hole right through the middle.... with no substance other than warm air. Will the electorate wake up to it before someone who is qualified - Hillary Clinton - gets drubbed in the primaries?

Thank you for your article! You have articulated my impression of Obama completely. Although I think you could have included his votes of "present" instead of "yes" or "no" in his time in the Senate. He said he does this because he only agrees with "part" of a bill.

Just want to congratulate you on your wonderful article I agreed 100%

Maybe we are too cynical, maybe it is hopeless, maybe Barack Obama cannot bring us together to actually work on progressive solutions to our problems. But, isn't there at least something inspiring about a politician that still wants to appeal to the American spirit in this way instead of demonizing the other party? Do people think an opportunity to actually improve things comes along every four years? My 51 years on this planet says otherwise. Shame on us if we don't at least try to improve our country in this way.

Barack, I want to believe again. We, the people of these United States, want to believe again. Stay honest, stay open, admit mistakes when you make them, and lead us somewhere better.

This point of view is one I have held ever since I heard him for the very first time. It is too bad that the media really wants him to be our first "black" president. While the media dissects the history and views of all of the other candidates, it has given Obama a pass since he declared his candidacy. I have no problem if we elect a president who happens to be black. I fact, I believe that it would be a great reflection on our country... that we have overcome the problems of our long ago past. For example, people like Condi Rice or Colin Powell... whether we agree with their actions or not. However, they are people who have been there and understand the issues. At the present time, our country needs much much more than just EMPTY rhetoric. The problems we face today are too grave. Obama has not offered any solutions or a plan to solve these problems. In fact, his copying of the Clinton agenda (only after being criticized on not having a plan) demonstrates that he understands absolutely nothing about how the country works. Do we really want to make president someone who knows absolutely nothing??? WE ALL NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION THAT MR. CONOLLY ASKED OF JIMMY CARTER: "WHO IS BARACK OBAMA?" Nobody knows!!!

Hey Robert

I find much humor in this article. Apart from Obama's gender and ethnicity, you can almost take his name out of your article and replace it with either other Senator's name and it would apply just the same. I mean seriously, how many people actually know in any detail what John McCain's been up to in his years as a Senator? All I know about him is that he's a former POW and a war hero. And what do we really know about Hillary Clinton's "thirty-five years" of experience apart from her constantly talking about it?

What your commentary ends up being is nothing more than vanity (or frustration) run amuck. You're obviously an old school political thinker. You, like so many other political journalist and pundints just don't know how to assess Obama's candidacy. It's understandable since it goes against all conventional thinking and your frustration or ineptness is all too omnipresent in your written tone. You're so-called years of following then writing about American politics all of the sudden doesn't fit anywhere into the discourse that speaks to what looks like and unavoidable change happening in this country. But you would do yourself some good to try and discredit Obama's canidancy using an argument that doesn't also apply to any other candidate running for President this time around.

And who do you think you're writting this article to; traditional voters? If your answer is yes then you're way more out of tune with the collective thinking of America (which includes many Obama supporters) than you probably know--which also means that more people probably don't even care about whatever point you're trying to make. 57% of the voting age poplulation didn't even vote in the mid-term elections. 45% stayed home in the last presidential election. I have a feeling the numbers will be much higher this time around; you need look no further than these primaries for proof. Record numbers all over the place--who do you think mobilized this nation to participate this time?

And it is a mobilization on many different levels. It's got you making an argument against Obama that could have made against any candidate not already in the US excecutive in our history. And it doesn't seem to be ringing through because more Americans have voted for Obama than any other candidate. I'll let you discredit these milliions of people in such a condecnding way.

What I think you're really asking America to do is "lets go back to the way we've always done things. The old way. The way that makes over half of the voting public stay home on election day. All of this record turnout stuff and all of these new people showing up is just to much to take. Let's go back to our normal ultr-polarized politics that has disenfranchised our own people and has gotten country in such a funk that you can acutally smell it." We'll just have to wait and see what prevails in November.

The wind of change is beyond comprehension, a change of the status-quo is exactly the change in view -- return the media to the people; so you don't usurp your grip to the pen to rein your fear-doctrine on an idea still in incubation. You have crucified him, without evidence and facts. What happened to giving one - a benefit of the doubt. Prejudging and knocking the last nail in Obama's coffin is so "Old-School" -- ideas of years past. The moment is so strong that NO Willie Horton or SwiftBoat attack will sink this ship. It is Clinton today and McCain tomorrow. It is a movement and not just Obama, the nation is drifting on a new tectonic plate. It is not too late for McCain to surrender and join the boat.

OBAMA RECORDS
What has Obama done in the 3 years he's been in the Senate?
During the first eight months of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced 233 regarding healthcare reform, 125 on poverty and public assistance, 112 crime fighting bills, 97 economic bills, 60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills, 21 ethics reform bills, 15 gun control, 6 veterans affairs and many others. His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included **the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law), **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law), **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law), **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee), and many more.
In all since he entered the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096. An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no legislative record. . . .


CLINTON RECORDS
Senator Clinton, who has served one full term (6yrs.) has managed to author and pass into law 20 twenty pieces of legislation. 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.

The ???mass delusion??? label applies to this author and his generalized, poorly substantiated article (that accuses a candidate of being general and poorly substantiated). Of course ???certain issues remain contentious,??? that???s why they???re issues! It does not then follow that Obama won???t affect change as president. As a Senator he championed ground-breaking Ethics Reform. That proved to be a significant change and one that affirms what many everyday people would like to see in our politics: less corruption. Then you imply that wanting to preserve certain aspects of Social Security negates his entire message of transformation? Don???t be ridiculous.

Yes we can do, 666 Barack Husein Obaama, He will reign for 42 months. No stopping him now media lords...

How much is Senator Clinton paying you to write "The Obama Delusion?????"

??? Posted By: zackisaiah @ 02/20/2008 11:35:26 AM
Comment: Mr. Samuelson, to disagree with Obama's policies is one thing. (Surely even Obama wouldn't expect total agreement from the population.) But to call him a "mirage" is to call the millions of Americans who have voted for him idiots. We are not idiots, Mr. Samuelson.

Your argument against Obama is an argument against political campaigning. A campaign does not accurately reflect an individual's ability to be president. Surely by now most people realize that campaign policies do not become law as soon as the president is sworn in. What Obama represents, more than McCain or Clinton, is a willingness to listen and compromise. Not to K-Street, not only to the elite, but to the American people. What his campaign has done is prove that he is capable of energizing our stagnant population --- the first step in getting us involved in the greater good of our country.

Please keep your personal feelings in check and help us understand the real issue.
Posted By: fa4hire44 @ 02/20/2008 12:40:04
Comment: You won't understand the real issue, because in reality, Obama's campaign does not have any substance. Mr. Samuelson's words certainly are not based on personal feelings, however calling yourself an idiot, or implicating the impression of an idiot, is personal.
Posted By: robsmimi @ 02/20/2008 11:52:13
Comment: People in Germany didn't think they were idiots either. Their country was in dire straights, they wanted hope, they wanted change and Hitler promised it to them. He didn't have plans of "how" he just kept telling them things would be different. And, on that, he didn't lie. Things were VERY different.

Someone else posted, "AntiChrist"- Funny, the thought actually crossed my mind too. Well, not funny, but hey, it fits.










wanted hope, they wanted change and Hitler promised it to them. He didn't have plans of "how" he just kept telling them things would be different. And, on that, he didn't lie. Things were VERY different.

Obama's charm may not be so endearing after Tuesday February 26, 2008. Larry Sinclair is taking a polygraph test that willb e reviewed by two renowned examiners, and he is hoping to add this to the evidence that he already has to back up his claims of sexual and drug allegations involving Barack Obama.

Who knows what will result from it all, but it will definitely be the hot topic for next week!