A Perception Problem

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  • Posted By: holly berry @ 07/19/2008 9:22:27 AM

    I disagree with your assumption that people are insincere when they question Senator Obama's bona fides vis a vis experience to be president. You stated that it is only his seeming differentness that makes people uncomfortable that, in other words, it is all a matter of perception. Senator Obama is obviously a very intelligent man and has some good ideas about how to run the country but denying his lack of experience is simply denying reality. What we have to decide is whether his brains and ideas are adequate to make up for the lack of experience. Many of us think they are. The election will show whether most of us think they are.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 2:01:09 AM

      Many of his ideas have been tried before. They don't work.

      And he has no executive experience. Neither candidate does.

  • Posted By: Mariana S @ 07/19/2008 1:58:32 AM

    take a look at what is happening in Germany, where enviro laws and "carbon" fees are inducing businesses (that means jobs) to go elsewhere - to countries that don't play that absurd game. Thank GOD Bush kept us out of the Kyoto treaty. Clinton did too, to his credit. We'd be in sad shape now.
    http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,566441,00.html

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:56:00 AM

      Have you heard the one about the proposed carbon ration card in the UK? Last I heard it failed, but all the same....

    • Posted By: tennismom @ 07/19/2008 10:12:23 AM

      Thank you - I totally agree.

  • Posted By: smg139 @ 07/19/2008 1:45:41 AM

    I am always intrigued to see just how ridiculous democracy has become. Being the founding fathers of democracy, one would think that the United States would begin to re-establish the value of true democratic rule and democratically elected leaders. But alas, here we go again with the so-called "will of the people" being dumbed down to something as petty as the colour of someone's skin and the electoral process compromised by a tasteless cartoon.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:55:07 AM

      We have NEVER been a democracy. We are a republic.

    • Posted By: switter1 @ 07/19/2008 9:15:27 AM

      this kind of thing has been going on since the founding. it's nothing new. as for the rest of your comment , it is incoherent. what do you mean by phrases like "re-establish the value of true democratic rule" or "so-called will of the people being dumbed down"

      • Posted By: cencarnacion @ 07/20/2008 1:18:05 AM

        The incoherent phrases remind me of the marxists ideologues of the 60s and 70s. Obama and marxists obamabots are of the same feather that fly together. These people are starting to urinate in their pants because Obama cannot shake off McCain. The Republican machine has yet to slam its hammer on Obama.

  • Posted By: AkamaiOkole @ 07/19/2008 12:55:46 AM

    Seems to me that columnists writing about this tend to perpetuate this non-issue. IMO, those who "believe" that the cover represents reality probably have no intention of voting for Obama no matter what. Yes, what the New Yorker did is shameful - so shameful that it is not worthy of comment and we should simply ignore it.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:53:57 AM

      And yet, you found it NOT so shameful NOT to comment on it.

  • Posted By: Experience Wins @ 07/19/2008 12:24:01 AM

    How many times in the past 7 months has Obama said "I'm offended by..."? He's offended by this, offended by that, bla, bla, bla....why don't we all whine together and be offended by his being offended that someone is offended that muslim garb keeps popping up near him. This man wants the Golden Chair, why doesn't someone that isn't hypnotised by him get him to use more than sound bites and ask him direct questions about his experience LACK OF and test his qualityfications to MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR ALL OF OUR FUTURES than focus on the cover of a known satirical comic strip...

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:52:38 AM

      It's the new American way.

      Everyone gets offended by everything. Then we find a lawyer and sue the pants off the offender for harassment or discrimination or hate speech, for making us feel bad.

  • Posted By: Mariana S @ 07/18/2008 11:36:51 PM

    I can't play here anymore tonight, but let me suggest that all you guys seem to know is what you read at Newsweek and Daily Kos. You should branch out and broaden your horizons a little. Bush said "drill" last week and oil prices have dropped for the last 4 days - not that the press will put that together for you. You live in good economic times, and relative safety. Stop bellyaching and look around. Or, you know, GROW UP.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:51:15 AM

      Phil Gramm is that you?

      But seriously, Mariana S., you make some good points.

  • Posted By: obiedobie in PA @ 07/18/2008 11:00:36 PM

    Mariana S--
    ARe you out of your mind? Unemployment is through the roof. Citigroup just laid off another 6000 people. Merrill Lynch will soon follow after their record loss this quarter. Yeah we havent been attacked in seven years. So what? Before that we'd only had two foreign attacks -- Pearl Harbor and WTC1. Get you head out of your a** and stop being such a republican troll.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:49:44 AM

      And during the Great Depression unemployment hit 25 percent.
      And in some European nations, the current unemployment rate is at least double our own.
      Zimbabwe? Uh, like 80 percent and higher.
      NORMAL unemployment is something like 4 percent. 5.5 ain't bad.

    • Posted By: switter1 @ 07/19/2008 9:01:20 AM

      you obviously have no concept of basic economics. the unemployment rate is 5.5%. sorry, that is not trough the roof. through the roof was the 10% under Jmmy Carter.. Having not been attacked in seven years is a big deal. your "so what" comment is amazing and disturbing at the same time. I think your the one with your head "you know where".

  • Posted By: motorcycleharleigh@hotmail.com @ 07/18/2008 10:45:57 PM

    Arabs did 9/11 so it is not inconceivable that they could sponsor one of their own all the way from marriage to a White to giving her offspring the mission of claiming to be a Christian, attending Columbia and Harvard to produce a political candidate capable of infiltrating our system who in the end would represent their interests rather than ours. You can process horse or buffalo meat the same way as beef and few people might know the difference, especially if it were packaged and labeled as cow.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:47:59 AM

      WRONG: A group of men (mostly from Saudi Arabia) who held extremely radical (not to mention homicidal) views of their religion committed 9/11. Although, I will never vote for Senator Obama, I can certainly find reasons not to support him based on his politics rather than basing my reasons on untruths.

  • Posted By: PaulStewart @ 07/18/2008 10:04:00 PM

    I think the main point is that it is not funny and the way it was presented allows it to be abused. It is like the New Yorker is supporting the lies that have been put out by the extremists in America and the right wing, the bigoted and the stupid. Why would it do that? Why? To sell a magazine? Where are its morals? Where is its intellect? Where is its common sense?

    Or does it have some other purpose in mind. Yea, I guess it must have. It sure does not admit it made a mistake. I think the New Yorker crossed a line that a right thinking, well intentioned, intelligent, savvy publisher would not have; at least not without malice aforethought. I think the magazine should be boycotted.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:44:40 AM

      Intelligent, savvy people recognize that the cartoon is satire.

  • Posted By: Mysty22 @ 07/18/2008 6:02:05 PM

    The New Yorker opened some eyes. I say good job. We need more people in the media talking about the potential threat to our country that Obama poses. Obama is Muslim by blood. There is no denying it no matter how hard you all try. He is a big risk because of it.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:36:23 AM

      A few words of advice for you:

      1. Find a dictionary
      2. Look up the word "s-a-t-i-r-e"

  • Posted By: loriw @ 07/19/2008 9:53:11 PM

    If you think "Americas problems will vanish the moment Obama puts his hand on the Bible.." Ms Clift, you will be very disappointed. Obama has yet to be made the nominee, has yet to win and even if he does I doubt he has that much magical power.

    • Posted By: desertgirl @ 07/20/2008 1:32:49 AM

      Sadly, people who make comments about Obama (or any Presidential candidate) fixing everything have never read the document that started it all: The US Constitution.

      Separation of powers? WTF is that?

  • Posted By: bootslack @ 07/18/2008 9:07:15 PM

    I understand that everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon and use the cover to make points and score points -- but at the risk of sounding elitist -- I think that an IQ of 80 is about the cut off for people who wouldn't get the point of what the cover is satirizing. It isn't even subtle -- in fact it is so obviously a lampooning of right wing paranoia that it almost risks not being funny because it's too obvious. As a liberal supporter of Obama I am AHAMED at the liberal responce to this fairly funny and appropriate bit of satire.

    • Posted By: Zombiehero @ 07/18/2008 9:42:40 PM

      Thank you...

      • Posted By: Silverzone @ 07/20/2008 1:20:32 AM

        It's obvious because publication's name is New Yorker (left wing magazine)

  • Posted By: FoxyBrown @ 07/20/2008 1:17:49 AM

    I plan to make my cover of the New Yorker into a t-shirt. i think it's an accurate depiction of the Obamas. I dont know why the MSM and the O-bots are constantly trying to convince everyone he is not a Muslim and has never been involved with Islam. To me this is the highest insult, that we are all so stupid, ignorant, racist (take your pick) that we just can't see what is obvious or cannot add 1+1 to get 2. In Obama land, 1+1=whatever obama says on that day.

    I read a great Obama joke the other day:

    Q. What do Obama and Osama have in common?
    A. They both have friends who bombed the Pentagon.
    LOL

  • Posted By: liberalguy @ 07/20/2008 1:15:20 AM

    Barack Hussein Obama was born in
    Honolulu,
    Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from
    Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHIEST from Wichita,
    Kansas.As a moderate muslim I cannot longer tolerate obamahe and his wife are haters for his wife to say that this country is no good and this country has never been good to her,and obama should renounce his pastor jeremiah wright, who has connections with louis farakan, along with him being friend s with that underground guy william ayres he said its his firnd after he bomberd petagon in1972, he received money from william ayres,and this guybis way worst than mark richObama's parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two
    years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a
    RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia.Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta.He also spent two years in a Catholic school.Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also
    attended Catholic school."Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that
    Obama's
    introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was
    temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce,
    and never again had any direct influence over his son's education.Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham,
    introduced his stepson to Islam.Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta.Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim
    terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world.Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking Major
    public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined
    the
    United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim
    background.Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential
    candidacy.The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside
    out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the
    President of the United States, one of their own!!!!ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office - he DID NOT use
    the Holy Bible, but instead the Kuran (Their equivalency to our Bible,
    but very different beliefs)Obama also refuses to pledge allegiance the the USA flag. How can
    someone who wants to be president refuse to commit to the USA.Before you vote for any candidate I'm sure you can search the internet
    and find out about all the candidates.O f course he is amuslim his own brother in kenta said so!! their is excerts of this onyou tube were brit hume reports this, you are what your father is

  • Posted By: Pete Kent @ 07/20/2008 12:32:12 AM

    In every joke a little truth. I think the Obama's set themselves up for this. Thiers is clearly a different kind of patriotism and Obama surely is not the sort of cheerleader in chief the country years for.

    Worse their reaction has portrayed them as sour and humorless people who are hypertensive and cannot take a joke. Those are not the best of qualities to look for in a first couple.

    The New Yorker cartoon touched a raw nerve and picked a scab that the Obama's had self-inflicted -- going back to her Princeton thesis and negative remarks about this country as recently as this Spring and with his having found Jesus in at the knee of bigoted man who has contempt for America but affection for Louis Farrakhan and Muamur Quadafi.

    It's ain't all that complicated, folks.

    Couple this with Obama being on the wrong side of the war and energy debates and you have the makings of a draft Hillary movement!

    Go PUMAs!

  • Posted By: deconnollyjr @ 07/20/2008 12:15:47 AM

    The fact that Barack denies his Muslim roots so vehemently tells me he is politically expedient in in big way. Being Muslim is not in style in America today, so he will deny his father, his name, his genes, and his upbringing to distance himself from a perceived threat to his presidential aspirations. What difference does it make what religion you are? God is God, regardless of what format you wish to worship. Then, comparing himself to John F. Kennedy constantly is deranged, and tasteless. Kennedy served his country in a world war, and received this nations highest honor for it, as well as ultimately giving his life in service to his country. I find it revolting that Barack is trying to come off as the second coming, and someone we can't live without. Al Gore would have had the same platform on most issues, maybe he just doesn't have the charisma, and in this T.V. age that is Barack's real claim to fame.

  • Posted By: FatKat66 @ 07/19/2008 11:24:49 PM

    Ms. Clift, the Germans are really good at picking leaders. In the 30's they choose Hitler to lead them into blistering hell. But if you feel better because the Germans are getting weak-kneed over B. Hussein, remember that it has taken them nearly 50 years to crawl out of the ashes of that previous choice. So I feel glad that you feel glad that Europe welcomes B. Hussein. Perhaps instead to speaking at Victory Column, he should be speaking from the bottom of the Winged Ash Bin to better reflect his German environment. Long live Europe!

  • Posted By: PacificGatePost @ 07/19/2008 10:53:08 PM

    OBAMA WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY MEETING EXPECTATIONS, INCLUDING HIS OWN ---

    Obama???s impossible road ahead:


    http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-obama-will-win-but-cant-deliver.html

  • Posted By: doctorfixit @ 07/19/2008 10:35:39 PM

    I found the cartoon immensely accurate, highly amusing and a perfect example of satire. For years the marxist cartoonists have had a field day with vicious libelous portrayals of conservatives. It's time for a little "fairness doctrine" in political satire. I just wish this cartoonist would also do a similar a cartoon of Mohammed . Those Muslims sure need to develop a sense of humor.

  • Posted By: j_jaime197 @ 07/19/2008 10:18:23 PM

    this is disgusting to note how stupid is the american electorate. where in the world have you seen a virtually unknown politician leading in a presidential election. because of his sheer mastery of the words... maybe next elections will be swamped with writers and poets. america i hope will not drop its stature in the succeeding years because obama himself is damaging americas standing by telling the world how bad the economy is and we are in recession. this is an example of politics of fear... is this the change we are looking for.

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