An Obama-Carter Reality Check

Obama's candidacy, even if he loses, has already had a huge impact on American perceptions.

By Ellis Cose | NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Jan 14, 2008

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  • Posted By: icurlamer @ 09/19/2008 5:22:50 PM

    I think Obama is an extremely intelligent man,that seems to be able to see what America needs and backs it up with sound policies,I believe that haveing him in the white house will help bring America together,and considering the alternative,yet again the Republicans offer people up that might win a popularity contest but not the brightest in the bunch.Come on Mcaine in recent interview,when asked by spanish reporter,she gave him an easy question,Would Mcain invite the Pres. of Spain to white house,Mcain had no idea where or who that was,then insults Spain,OUR ALLY ON WAR ON TERROR,and say spain is in south america!!!IIt is in Europe,all i can say is WOW

  • Posted By: rhodahux @ 08/31/2008 4:39:20 PM

    Would like to know how Obama voted re babies born alive after an abortion I have read that he voted 3 times to let the baby die on the op table--is this true???

  • Posted By: abrahams @ 06/09/2008 12:05:38 PM

    Don't forget that they Obama and Carter, obamacarter.com, are both Christians. Take a look, I think you will appreciate that they are both good guys: obamacarter.com

  • Posted By: abrahams @ 06/09/2008 12:05:24 PM

    Don't forget that they Obama and Carter, obamacarter.com, are both Christians. Take a look, I think you will appreciate that they are both good guys: obamacarter.com

  • Posted By: abrahams @ 06/09/2008 12:05:05 PM

    Don't forget that they Obama and Carter, obamacarter.com, are both Christians. Take a look, I think you will appreciate that they are both good guys: obamacarter.com

  • Posted By: pbr90 @ 01/21/2008 9:50:25 AM

    As good an inspirer as Barak Obama may be, it's highly unlikely that given the current state of disparate America - the haves and the have nots - that America will allow the poverties overrule the privileged. That happened in Russia once, but would not ever again.

    Is this America's model of salvation - a revolution in the proletariat?

    How long did it take Russia to restore organization from that chaos?
    Doesn't America wish to follow suit in the 21st Century? Probably not.

    There may be a great need to restore honor and fairness in America, but Obama's speeches are not devised to create the sentiments of stability or responsibility; they are devised to create revolution, one where the poor takeover the rich. It's idealism at its finest, but pure fantasy in the larger scheme of the realistic nature of current events. We are in a war in Iraq, and on the verge of economic meltdown - which supercedes all idealism and calls for reality checks all around. Not the time for class or race or gender based revoutions.

  • Posted By: karyn212 @ 01/19/2008 4:04:19 PM

    I was wondering when someone would remember Jimmy Carter's ticket to the Presidency. If we learn anything from history we should realize Obama's inexperience is a major factor. Being a senator for 3 years doesn't give you the knowledge to govern from day one. Hilary has been in Washington D.C. since she was 22. If she hasn't picked up a thing or two then she wouldn't put herself out there. She is the one who can . turn things around

  • Posted By: John Luma @ 01/19/2008 12:35:24 PM

    As an Obama backer, I would agree it's going to take a lot more than faith and hope to turn around a country with so many problems that was founded on such lofty ideals... Freedom and equality, "with liberty and justice FOR ALL."

    Yet I am a true believer in feeling we can achieve all of it based on our work ethic, the right inspiring leadership, and turning around the one, great equalizer so many have pointed to for the last 100 years -- education. If Obama and others can unleash innovation in education, can tap into reaching the bottom half of students who fail early on, then fail all the way through, to achieve literacy skills and a sense of their own success, our society can transform itself in a very short time.

    Once Education is the focus, the priority, the mandate, the center of our neighborhoods, then each child will find his or her way, and we will be empowered to overcome every other challenge. Education is not dreaming of a better life, it is doing a better life, one person at a time.

  • Posted By: mavrik78 @ 01/08/2008 2:49:43 PM

    Being a state senator has little to do with success in Washington. Success in Washington requires coalitions and relationships. For anyone to claim that they will change the system in Washington by bucking it is foolish. As this article points out Obauma is very much a mirror of Jimmy Carter, both are good men and great idealist but that does not translate into being a good president. Jimmy Carter while being brilliant and one of the worlds leading humanitarians was also the worst / least affective Democratic president of the 20th century. For the sake of the nation I hope Obauma doesn't get the chance to be the worst Democratic president of the 21st.

    • Posted By: Twhit1007 @ 01/17/2008 4:02:48 AM

      I'm glad you specified that he would be the worst DEMOCRATIC president of the 21st century because we already have the worst president of the 21st century.

  • Posted By: dg17256 @ 01/10/2008 11:34:14 AM

    Get real. It's nice to dream of idealism and vote for a candidate that seemily epitomizes it, but when the smoke clears someone still has to do the work. What sort of tangible change has the Jr. Illinois Senator realized in the Senate with that idealism? I mean, really, Congress just approved a $4000 pay raise for themselves. I guess that is change. Why will a presidency acheived on that idealism realize any better? It necessarily won't. As sick as it may seem, change is only realized with bipartisan cooperation, and a extreme leftist President will fair no where near as well as a moderate liberal with bipartisan alliances. Boy, that Kerry endorsement should really remind all of the success acheived by democrats in the last election.

    • Posted By: Twhit1007 @ 01/17/2008 3:55:33 AM

      Change is only realized with bipartisan cooperation? How about when republicans controlled all three branches of government? I believe we experienced a...hmm...how to put this nicely...a giant ***-maelstrom of change. Change happens constantly, it is only a matter of what kind of change you are looking for. As far as the power of bipartisanship, the word you are looking for is "compromise" and out of all the candidates in all of the parties, Obama's greatest quality is his ability to compromise.

      Extreme left? Such a nicely phrased derogatory label. Kucinich or someone from the green party may fall under this category but please, Obama?

  • Posted By: sayslaw @ 01/06/2008 10:34:05 PM

    Just what exactly in Obama's background gives an indication that he is a unifier? Or an agent of change? He's all talk and is nothing but an empty suit. No details, just glittering generalities and pious platitudes. It's amazing at how these 20-somethings don't realize that they;re being suckered. He wins in one significant state and the media have all but proclaimed him the next president.

    • Posted By: Twhit1007 @ 01/17/2008 3:22:46 AM

      Actually, Obama was known in the Illinois senate as being a unifier because he was so good at crossing party lines and compromising. He had a major role in campaign finance reform while in the US senate which is evidence that he is an agent of change. If you think he has no details then you haven't been paying attention. That's the same argument they used against Kerry because they knew if he started talking details apathetic America would fall asleep. The news channels are more interested in sound bites, who is 'winning' today, and dismantling pointless arguments based on ignorant accusations.

      Maybe we should listen to you wiser older voters who know a lot about being suckered. After all, you more experienced voters gave us presidents like the Bushes! and Ronnie! and Nixon! Thank you so much!

      Obama won in Iowa and came in a REALLY close second in New Hampshire. He is also leading the democrats in delegates. No one will be proclaimed the next president until the election and as it looks now he is the most likely one to be elected.

      Thank you for playing!

  • Posted By: Twhit1007 @ 01/17/2008 2:58:50 AM

    It is very easy for a white man in America to look at Obama's presidency and say "Look we shouldn't make his race an issue. We should look beyond that." If you want to then more power to you. The fact of the matter is this: Racial inequality in America has always been here and still is. Obama is the first African-American who could actually win the Presidency and begin to right some of the wrongs (Sorry Sharpton and Jackson). If only all African-Americans would realize that their time is now. If they don't unite together and vote for Obama then they will miss the opportunity to have made a part of history and brought this country closer to the equality that we are trying to achieve. If not Obama then who? and when?

    Please people! Have we not learned anything from these Bush years?

    Obama is too inexperienced...Obama is too inexperienced...Obama is too inexperienced...

    If you repeat it enough times people will actually believe it.

    How about this one: Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction

    You naysayers are nothing more than sheep...go watch your O'reilly factor or Glen Beck and stay out of the way.

    The revolution WILL be televised and it is happening now.

    Get out there and vote my brothers and sisters because only Obama can start to dismantle the corruption that plagues our government and free us all, regardless of race and gender, from the control of corporate america.

    Take the power back!

  • Posted By: oughtab @ 01/06/2008 2:17:31 AM

    Obama is a brilliant, inspired leader who will get things done, not just talk about it. LEADER, that is why all the other candidates are stumbling over themselves trying to act and say the same things he is. Typical political pandering, and I am so sick and tired of it. How stupid do they think Americans are anyway? He did not get this far just by talking. He developed a smart staff and a campaign of intergrity. And will somebody please tell me what makes Hillary Clinton so qualified, because she was first lady? So does that mean Laura Bush or Barbara Bush should be president?

    • Posted By: reinadelaz @ 01/15/2008 6:34:55 PM

      They think we are REALLY stupid. They intentionally neglected to properly educate two generations so the majority of us would fall for their rhetoric. Do you realize how many Americans have graduated high school and cannot even spell "rhetoric"?

  • Posted By: stopthebitch @ 01/11/2008 11:52:31 PM

    Obama is someone both democrats and republicans can respect. I would rather have inexperience than the alternative democrat. www.stopthebitch.org

  • Posted By: youheardithere1st @ 01/10/2008 10:38:01 PM

    YOU DONT MESS WITH THE CLINTONS

  • Posted By: youheardithere1st @ 01/10/2008 10:31:25 PM

    the clintons will butcher him like a hog, making him unelectable in 2008, thus leaving the door open for hillary for one last push in 2012. that is assuming he can get nominated. but either way the clintons will slice and dice barack/ he will be lucky to win his senate seat back when they get trough with him. if he bows down to the clintons, drops out after super tuesday, they may ask him to be VP. IF NOT, HE WILL BE YESTERDAYS NEWS

  • Posted By: 93jaguar @ 01/07/2008 3:22:22 PM

    why are people acting like obama has a chance,,if he did it ended when america saw his speech at the iowa caucus,,he looked too regal and proud,not to menton popular and non-threatening,,i hate to play the race card on this issue,but i must,,the fact of the matter is white america isnt reacy to follow a blackman any where,,let alone allow him to lead the whole country,,barack was one of the few positive images i see in the media,be prepared for the media to start trying to bring him down,,

    • Posted By: chrison5 @ 01/09/2008 11:34:15 AM

      why is it about race.....or do we as whites distain the thought of a black person being president. Is our minds so consumed with power that we believe that we are the onlt race the matters .......It we don't change our ways we are destine to fall.

  • Posted By: bharvey @ 01/09/2008 6:50:05 AM

    Obama grills General Petraeus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9wtAqXq7Sg

  • Posted By: chongyeeyap @ 01/08/2008 11:09:12 PM

    Vote Clinton for a white America. We want an America that still pepetuates a White superior. If Obama wins he will dismantle the racist USA and then all whites and coloured people will be equaals and that is bad for us Asians. We Asians love a USA that holds every white man as superior; that way we will get to forge ahead because then the USA will continus to be divided.

    Vote Clinton !

  • Posted By: chongyeeyap @ 01/08/2008 8:48:32 PM

    I hope and pray that Obama does not get elected, because the USA needs another President Bush so that America will consolidate her decline. Sen. Obama has the charisma and the leadership to bring about change for the USA and that will arrest the rot of the American SUPERPOWER; and we in the third world do not want that. We do not want the USA to regain respect; we would die to see the world spit at the eye of the USA.

    Obama is not the right man for us in the 3rd world and we put the curse on his campaign.


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