Inside Obama’s Dream Machine

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  • Posted By: wyl5326 @ 01/06/2008 4:46:10 PM

    I bet that a lot die-hard GOPs will vote for him if he wins the nomination.

    • Posted By: PoliticalRealityOnline @ 01/06/2008 5:36:48 PM

      No chance, and neither will rational independents who care about their children's security and their future. Charisma and a phony image campaign will only Obama far. He probably will win the dem nomination because you have to be naive, clueless and emotional to vote for spineless, socialist dems who would wreck the economy and send a written invitation for America's most violent enemies the attack and challenge America more aggressively. Obama will flame out in a McGovern style disaster if he gets to the general election where responsible, well informed and rational voters will not be persuaded by his phony charisma, and actually care about real wisdom, experience and qualification in the person they elect as Commander in Chief and the guardian of our economy and our children's future. Enjoy the fluff campaign while it lasts. America cannot afford a novice like Obama at a time like this.

      • Posted By: djwiz1 @ 01/06/2008 5:48:15 PM

        If you have to be 'naive' to vote for Dems, what do you have to be to vote for Republicans who constantly vote against the average joe's financial interest in the last debate? (did you hear Romney sticking up for the pharmaceutical companies in the last debate and Thompson sticking up for big oil's windfall profits).

        What about shipping all the jobs abroad in the name of free trade while real wages in this country grow smaller and smaller?

        What about the deficit and the Chinese owning more and more of our currency? I guess according to your logic, supporting these policies makes you smart.

        • Posted By: PoliticalRealityOnline @ 01/06/2008 7:00:13 PM

          Sorry dj, but you do not know what you are talking about. Read his message in full if you have the courage to have your whole premise destroyed and learn the truth about what is at stake in Iraq. I spent 32 years in the energy, banking and commodities industry. The price of oil was $21/bbl in May 2003 immediately after we took down Saddam and confirmed our willingness to defend our access to Middle East oil to the commodity markets. The price has since risen to $100/bbl in direct response to the increasing risk that America will abandon Iraq and the Middle East to chaos that will threaten access to Middle East oil. The oil commodity markets are extremely concerned that naive and uninformed voters will elect a dem President who will force a retreat from Iraq that will enable Iran, Syria and al Qeada to fill the security void in Iraq and position themselves to threaten Saudi and the other Gulf states. If we actually retreat, and the inevitable chaos ensues, the oil price will exponentially skyrocket and the American economy will tank. American's are already paying a $500 billion annual tab for irresolution on Iraq, and it will go by many multiples if we leave.

          By contrast, if we elect a republican president and congress who reinforce our commitment to stay in Iraq and defend our access to Middle East oil, and help the Iraqis stabilize their country and increase their oil production from 2.5mm bbls/day to their 7mmbbl/day potential, the oil price will fall like a rock, and the world economy will boom.

          The world consumes about 80mmbbls/day of oil and there is about 2mmbbls/day of excess capacity. If we leave Iraq, its oil production will largely cease in the chaos that follows and there will be no excess global capacity and the price will explode along with the world economy. Maybe you don't care, but any rational person would.

          As far as deficits go, it is extremely low as a % of our $14 trillion economy, and the tax cuts produced the economic growth that has caused the deficit to shrink dramatically. By contrast, the dems offer tax hikes that would hurt the economy and increase the deficits on a net basis, Clinton arranged small deficit surpluses in the 1990s by radically increasing taxes and cutting defense spending in the wake of the end of the cold war that was achieved by republicans. When the peace dividend played out in the late 1990s, we had the dot com crash and a recession that Clinton passed on to Bush. Bush correctly cut taxes to stimulate economic growth that has persisted ever since. We are slowing problems now because dem irresolution on Iraq has pushed oil prices up to such high levels that it is adversely affecting the economy. Leaving Iraq and raising taxes are the two worst things that could be done to the deficit and the American economy, but that does not stop dems from advocating both actions in their relentless quest for absolute political power.

          • Posted By: djwiz1 @ 01/06/2008 7:22:54 PM

            Being long winded doesn't make you right. The markets hate instability. Instability in the middle east is a factor in driving up oil prices. We upset the balance of power by toppling Saddam and Iraq is now an unstable country.

            Iran is now vying to become a dominant power without a Saddam led Iraq to keep them in check. The administration saber rattles about invading Iran and that spooked the markets.

            The United States is creating instability in the middle east. Not to say it was stable to begin with, but we are certainly making the situation worse.

            As far as Bush cutting taxes, I believe the truly patriotic among us wouldn't mind an increase in taxes to support our troops while at war. During World War II, American's sacrificed to support the war effort. Americans were invested in the war. Bush gave the rich a tax cut and told the rest of us to go shopping. Spending money that many of us don't have, just like he is spending our children's money on the war.

            In the meantime, he raises the maximum contributions allowed on IRA's and 401k's when it's a fact that Americans have a negative savings rate. So who benefits from these policies? People who already have money., thats who

            It's great the economy and his policies are working for YOU. How about an economy that works for EVERYONE.

  • Posted By: BacaAngel @ 01/06/2008 4:28:17 PM


    As an agent of Change, Obama has already had a positive effect and change on our political landscape as evidenced by the "nicer tones" of the current campaign commercials and political discourse prevalent today among the candidates, which heretofore has been down right dirty and ugly. This is due to Obama's position not too take the low road, continuing to walk the high road in spite of earlier low poll numbers --, and continuing to stay positive and above the fray, and continuing to focuss on the important issues facing us today, and continuing to speak about his message of hope and change. -- And then they followed.

    And, we all know that experience matters -- but what matters more is Judgment, Wisdom, Honesty and Integrity, the ability to lead in a positive way. We have to remember and weigh its serious implications, that in the most important policy decision and debauchale of our times, the Iraq War, which has helped to escalate the present situation, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards got it Wrong. Barack Obama got it Right. (See Obama's October 26, 2002 Iraq speech at an anti-war rally in Chicago.)

    In summary, we in the United States know innately that United we stand and Divided we Fall. Barack is asking us to unite in a Common Cause so togeher we can face and defeat the Herculean Problems facing us today. This is our time, this is our calling!

    • Posted By: PoliticalRealityOnline @ 01/06/2008 5:18:05 PM

      Yeah, we all would be so much better off if we had only followed Obama's advice and left Saddam and his psycho sons in power and trusted them to never convey WMDs to Al Qaeda. The war critics love to ***, but they never consider the disastrous possibilities of where we could be today if we had stayed out of Iraq. We will never know, but the debate is not a reason to abandon Iraq and the Middle East to chaos that would threaten our access to Middle East oil when Iran, Syria and al Qaeda fill the security void we leave in Iraq and perfectly position themselves to attack or undermine Saudi Arabia a and the other Gulf states

      Exactly what real evidence do you have that Obama has judgment, wisdom, honesty and integrity that would overcome his complete lack of economic and national security experience? He is a 100% charismatic fluff candidate with 0% credible substance to offer on any of the critical problems that are facing our nation. He refuses to articulate specific plans for the economy or national security that have any credibility and relies instead on a phony image campaign that is designed to offer false hope to economically distressed people while advocating socialist solutions and a retreat from Iraq that would cause oil prices to skyrocket. Together they would wreck the American economy, and that represents the worst kind of political deceit that should be condemned, not celebrated.

      • Posted By: djwiz1 @ 01/06/2008 6:00:57 PM

        Any economist will tell you that us invading Iraq is *one* of the reasons oil prices have skyrocketed.

        And the economy is already on the verge of being wrecked thanks to Bush and his supporters in the Congress. When has it been sound financial policy to spend, spend, spend on credit (ie: run up huge deficits) and take a pay cut at the same time (cut taxes). This is what the current administration has done.

        • Posted By: PoliticalRealityOnline @ 01/06/2008 7:16:20 PM

          See response on the thread above.

  • Posted By: an obama girl @ 01/06/2008 7:16:07 PM

    MSNBC backing Hilary? Do you watch Hardball? Odviously....NOT!..

    Keeping the HOPE Alive! an Obama Girl!

  • Posted By: rei155 @ 01/06/2008 7:10:52 PM

    thank god for Obama. he is a real person. inspires hope.
    rei155

  • Posted By: awithoff @ 01/06/2008 7:10:26 PM


    excellent post danielgouldman... and one we all should follow.. esp. the suggestion to google "CanddatesName Legislation"..

    i just did for Hillary...and sorry... the amount of resulting links are just way way way to long to post...

    ....but you bring up a good point...

    ..th

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 01/06/2008 7:09:49 PM

    WE ALREAY KNOW OBAMA IS GOING TO WIN THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION. NEW HAMpSHIRE HAS MANY YOUNG COLLEGE GRADUATES AND INDEpENDENTS. THIS IS OBAMA'S BASE, AND HE IS GOING TO WIN BY A LARGE MARGIN THERE. THIS IS NOT pROpAGANDA, THIS IS A MOVEMENT FOR REAL CHANGE AND NOTHING CAN STOp IT. THIS WAVE IS GOING TO RISE HIGHER AFTER EVERY STATE.

    EDWARDS MIGHT COME IN SECOND IN NEW HAMpSHIRE, NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THAT.WHY/ THE ESTABLISHED MEDIA, IE. MSNBC IS BACKING HILLARY. THERE ARE pEOpLE WITHIN THE HILLARY CAMp WHO REFUSE TO ACCEpT THE NEW pOLITICS OF CHANGE. ALL MY ANALYSIS HAVE BEEN DEAD ON. MY COMMENTS ARE SO ACCURATE THAT pEOpLE ACTUALLY THINK I WORK FOR ONE OF THE CAMpAIGNS. WHEN pEOpLE ARE DEFEATED, LIKE THE HILLARY CAMp, THEY BECOME BITTER AND DESpERATE AND REACT LIKE TOM. WITH A LOT OF ANGER AND DENIAL. IT IS THEIR WAY OF TAKING BACK CONTROL FROM A SUpERIOR CAMpAIGN. HILLARY UNDERESTIMATED YOUNG pEOpLE IN THIS COUNTRY, MAYBE SHE THOUGHT THIS GROUp WAS 'NAIVE" AND COULD NOT SEE THROUGH HER SCRIpTED CAMpAIGN. HOpEFULLY THE HILLARY CAMp WILL LEARN FROM pEOpLE LIKE TOM, YOU LOOK DUMB WHEN YOU REACT NEGATIVE AND BEGIN TO LIE. WHAT A pOLITICAL FAN LIKE ME WILL BE LOOKING AT IN NEW HAMpSHIRE IS THE BATTLE BETWEEN OBAMA AND McCAIN FOR THE INDEpENENT VOTERS. THIS WILL BE A GOOD INDICATOR TO SEE HOW STRONG OBAMA IS NATIONALLY.
    LET'S LOOK AHEAD TO THE pRESEDENTIAL ELECTION. OBAMA VS ?. THIS IS WHERE THE ANN COULTIER'S AND THE RUSH LIMBALLS WILL BEGIN THEIR MADNESS. BOTH ANN COULTIER AND RUSH LIMBALLS HAVE BEEN ADDICTED TO pAIN KILLERS. THAT IS WHY, AT TIMES, THEY SOUND LIKE TOM OR LIKE SOME CRACK HEAD FROM THE "HOOD'. THEY GO ON THESE TIRADES WHICH SEND A MESSAGE OF HATE AND RACISM. THE ONLY WAY THE REpEBULICANS CAN WIN IS TOO LIE THEY DO NOT HAVE A REALISTIC CHANCE OF WINNING THE pRESIDENCY. pEOpLE WANT CHANGE.
    BY THE WAY TOM, I DONATED ONE Dollar to the Downsnyndrome society at the outback steakshouse restaurant today.

  • Posted By: rei155 @ 01/06/2008 7:09:30 PM

    Obama is like a breath of fresh air. He is believable. He inspires people to have confidence in his ability to bring this country together again, Clinton is old news. It's time for a change.
    shirray@695onlime.

  • Posted By: Cascadia @ 01/06/2008 7:07:31 PM

    About 4 months ago many of us who had worked and volunteered for the Dean campaign were trying to decide who to support in Seattle. We went to a Hillary Event and it was full of old school politicians (many of whom we respect) and they announced that there would not be any campaign office in our state as we were to late. On the other hand there has been a grass roots Obama office with events every single week. Many of us are independets and Hillary could have captured us. She didn't It is over. Obama is the next Preisdent. Look at the hits on each web sit for more evidence. Or look at the crowds shown via video on the Obama blog with no enterires all day on the Clinton one.

  • Posted By: rpbuffalo @ 01/06/2008 6:53:01 PM

    Most of you really are clueless. Check out the Senate record and look at the legislation that Clinton has passed only because she reached across the aisle to get it done. Ask Mccain and others. Political campaigns are SO STUPID. The best marketing machine wins and good candidates get left in the dust. Obama is just words and no real deeds. Perhaps it is a lack of a track record that makes him a better general election candidate.........if he wins I hope he APPOINTS HILLARY to the SUPREME COURT. You guys on board with that?

  • Posted By: adam in iowa city @ 01/06/2008 6:44:27 PM

    The United States is NOT one giant corporation. That is a mindless, tired cliche. Give me a leader who was the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review, who chose to serve his community as a community organizer and civil rights lawyer on the south side of Chicago, who had the courage of his convictions and voted against this mindless, immoral, disastrous war when it counted, over business as usual.

    • Posted By: oldrunner48 @ 01/06/2008 6:49:08 PM

      What an eloquent comment. thanks!

  • Posted By: adam in iowa city @ 01/06/2008 6:47:55 PM

    I'd support Hillary against any of the GOP candidates, but I don't like her vote for the Iraq war, her vote for the bankruptcy bill that would have forced children owed child support to compete with credit card companies, or her attempt to pass off a "career" of being a first lady as experience. I don't think that she's as electable come November, both because of how she mobilizes (misogynist) Republicans, and because she personifies a return to the past. She's business as usual when the U.S. is starving for something new and fresh.

  • Posted By: TicTock @ 01/06/2008 5:50:02 PM

    It's because of people like me that Obama will win. I'm 40 years old with a wife and (2) kids.and we do well finacially. I've voted GOP in every election since I was eighteen and I voted for GW twice. Let me cut to the chase; If Hillary get's the nod from the DNC, I'm going to vote GOP. If they pick Barack, I will enthusiastically vote for him in November.
    By the way, I like the way he's running his campaign. I don't care for the people he's running against right now, but I don't need to see them "knee-capped"either

    • Posted By: Leebo @ 01/06/2008 5:59:00 PM

      Well said, TicTock. I am 44 with a husband and two kids, independent voter. If Hillary gets the nom, I move to Canada! :) Obama has the qualities we need to restore our role on the world stage to one of respect and vision. He cares and knows how to get things done. This article did a really good job of showing us what he's made of.

      Why does Obama get so much positive press? He deserves it! Obama '08!

      • Posted By: rpbuffalo @ 01/06/2008 6:46:50 PM

        PS
        Follow Obama's message and stop the hateful attacks on Clinton. She has served her country over and over and deserves to be treated with more respect than this hate lanugage that you spew. Obama would not approved. Stick to issues and track records please>

      • Posted By: rpbuffalo @ 01/06/2008 6:41:42 PM

        I really would like to hear specific reasons why peopel hate Hillary so much. She has always been an outspoken critic of the establishment and has, as a result, incurred the complete wrath and dirty tactics of Carl Rove like jerks and well-funded corporate groups like the health insurance industry. If you don't like her, then fine. But, for you to brand her as evil is SO unfair and simply wrong. Please try to give her credit for what she has done. Afterall, her first job out of law school was to help impeach Richard Nixon. I think people don't want to forgive her for sticking by Bill with his crap, but come on she has suffered for that and we should stop hating her for it.

    • Posted By: djwiz1 @ 01/06/2008 5:57:03 PM

      What's your stand on the issues? Pro-Iraq war? Pro-big deficit?

      I wish people would vote on the issues and not the personality. Your post suggests you vote on the personality because Obama and the Republicans candidates vastly differ on the issues. If Obama doesn't get the nomination and you want to vote for someone who is idealogically in the same all park, that would mean another Democrat or Independent or Ron Paul. :-)

  • Posted By: maxtexture @ 01/06/2008 6:46:03 PM

    Barack Obama is TOO GREEN! HILLARY CLINTON for president!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: awithoff @ 01/06/2008 6:43:41 PM


    History check: the real Iraq War...started in 1991

  • Posted By: oldrunner48 @ 01/06/2008 6:43:39 PM

    Wow!!! All the crap I read about Obama's lack of experience. Washington is full of experience men and look
    at the mess we are in.

  • Posted By: awithoff @ 01/06/2008 6:42:24 PM


    History check: the real Iraq War...started in 1991

  • Posted By: powderKeg @ 01/06/2008 6:40:58 PM

    OK armchair QB's... we al know more than anyone out ther eand we can impute the merits off any candidate just by filtering their communication through our own ideology. HEre's my 2 cents (and then some)...

    I think we all understand the math that when you are in the lead, you don't (DO NOT) put hard policies out for people to trash you, 2) it depends what you call "substance," and 3) since "change" indicates a movement from where we are now, any movement would necessitate a certain amount of compromise.

    I think it is arrogant when politicians "promise" what they will do. Has Bush delivered on his promises? Especially conservatives? As a conservative, he has let me down in the areas of 1) deficit spending a big no-no, 2) nation-building, 3) conservative fiscal policies, 4) big-gov't (think medicare drug policy), 5) increasing spending larger than any Dem ever did.

    There isn't a single Rep in the bunch who has true conservative credentials other than Ron Paul. I think the best choice for sane leadership and real change is either Obama or Paul.

  • Posted By: scottked @ 01/06/2008 6:38:18 PM

    Obama/Osama Hussein in "08!!

  • Posted By: parforthecourse @ 01/06/2008 6:33:16 PM

    I am glad to see people are debating issues..........
    It is easy to say that Mr. Obama is an agent of change....now tell me what change.
    It is easy to say we should turn the page......now tell me what will be on the Obama page.
    It is easy to say that we are tired of the old way of doing things...now tell me what is your way.

    SOMEBODY HELP ME....WHAT IS OBAMA'S WAY....
    DOES ANYONW KNOW?
    Do you think for one second that the Republicans will work with him. If you do...i have a bridge to sell you? The United States is one giant corporation...and we have had enough of on the job training!!! We deserve more....We deserve more!!!

  • Posted By: awithoff @ 01/06/2008 6:31:28 PM


    President Oprabama's Secretary of State: Dr. Phil!!

    Oprabama 08!!!!

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