Comments on: My Problem With Barack Obama http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/ posts, links, and whatever else Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:52:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: twosquaremeals http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1232 twosquaremeals Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:44:52 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1232 I'm with Marcus on this one. Even his policies just mostly sound good. No politician puts the details on his/her website or in a book. But when pressed to give details, I feel like Clinton and McCain give much clearer and well-thought out ways of dealing with the issues. I'm interested to look at the Shelby Steele book. I hadn't heard of it. I’m with Marcus on this one. Even his policies just mostly sound good. No politician puts the details on his/her website or in a book. But when pressed to give details, I feel like Clinton and McCain give much clearer and well-thought out ways of dealing with the issues. I’m interested to look at the Shelby Steele book. I hadn’t heard of it.

]]> By: Catherine http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1230 Catherine Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:26:05 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1230 Enough of it. And like I said in my previous comment on a different post - I think it comes down to how you communicate content, not if. Enough of it.

And like I said in my previous comment on a different post - I think it comes down to how you communicate content, not if.

]]> By: marcus http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1226 marcus Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:36:06 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1226 I read "The Audacity of Hope" from cover to cover. I still have no idea what he thinks on most things. He has plenty of platitudes about bringing people together and healing divisions and all kinds of great stuff. That's all well and good. But how are you going to do that. Have you read Steele's "Bound Man"? I read “The Audacity of Hope” from cover to cover. I still have no idea what he thinks on most things. He has plenty of platitudes about bringing people together and healing divisions and all kinds of great stuff. That’s all well and good. But how are you going to do that.

Have you read Steele’s “Bound Man”?

]]> By: Catherine http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1223 Catherine Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:12:40 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1223 That book was so lacking in actual fact and so full of quickly collected opinion/heresay stated as fact. Have you read Obama's books? His website? he's got plenty of specifics out there...people are equally being "marketed" to believe that he hasn't. That book was so lacking in actual fact and so full of quickly collected opinion/heresay stated as fact. Have you read Obama’s books? His website? he’s got plenty of specifics out there…people are equally being “marketed” to believe that he hasn’t.

]]> By: marcus http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1222 marcus Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:05:05 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1222 My biggest problem with Obama is that much of his success is that he's sold himself on image rather than substance. Part of that is the media's fault, as they are the ones who have fallen in love with a first-term Senator with a paltry legislative record. But Obama and his campaign have parlayed that myopic approach to politics into a presumptive nomination. I'd much prefer to hear Obama stop talking about "hope" and "change" as abstract concepts and start talking about specific ways to achieve those goals. I don't just want the ends; I want the means to those ends. I fear that Shelby Steele is right when he talks about the problem with the Obama candidacy in his book "A Bound Man" (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/books/chapters/1st-chapter-bound-man.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2" rel="nofollow">excerpt here</a>). Steele asserts that Obama's popularity is rooted in the ideas that Americans like the IDEA of a Obama, because of some long-held guilt about racism, but when Obama is pressed to talk about actual policy ideas, he will lose much of that appeal. <a href="http://560wind.townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=4&ContentGuid=6b8c53a4-ace3-4120-89b1-9fcd9e860250" rel="nofollow">Here's a great interview with Steele on this topic.</a> My biggest problem with Obama is that much of his success is that he’s sold himself on image rather than substance. Part of that is the media’s fault, as they are the ones who have fallen in love with a first-term Senator with a paltry legislative record. But Obama and his campaign have parlayed that myopic approach to politics into a presumptive nomination. I’d much prefer to hear Obama stop talking about “hope” and “change” as abstract concepts and start talking about specific ways to achieve those goals. I don’t just want the ends; I want the means to those ends.

I fear that Shelby Steele is right when he talks about the problem with the Obama candidacy in his book “A Bound Man” (excerpt here). Steele asserts that Obama’s popularity is rooted in the ideas that Americans like the IDEA of a Obama, because of some long-held guilt about racism, but when Obama is pressed to talk about actual policy ideas, he will lose much of that appeal. Here’s a great interview with Steele on this topic.

]]> By: Catherine http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1221 Catherine Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:57:42 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1221 Here's what Talking Points Memo had to say about it: This was just painful to watch. Chris Matthews skewered a hapless state senator from Texas during last night's primary election coverage. I don't think we'll be seeing this guy trotted out as an Obama surrogate again any time soon...I suspect this is a bit of a Rorschach test. Depending on your perspective, it's proof that Obama is a lightweight, just goes to show what a gasbag Matthews is, or appeals to the same voyeuristic instinct that makes you slow down and gawk at a car accident. Here’s what Talking Points Memo had to say about it:

This was just painful to watch. Chris Matthews skewered a hapless state senator from Texas during last night’s primary election coverage. I don’t think we’ll be seeing this guy trotted out as an Obama surrogate again any time soon…I suspect this is a bit of a Rorschach test. Depending on your perspective, it’s proof that Obama is a lightweight, just goes to show what a gasbag Matthews is, or appeals to the same voyeuristic instinct that makes you slow down and gawk at a car accident.

]]> By: Catherine http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1220 Catherine Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:14:56 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1220 I'll just say this...it has become just as cliche to say he has accomplished little as it is to say that he's a miracle worker. And those who say he has done little are just as ignorant as to what he has or has not done as those who say he's a miracle worker. Just let the poor guy be a guy. I’ll just say this…it has become just as cliche to say he has accomplished little as it is to say that he’s a miracle worker. And those who say he has done little are just as ignorant as to what he has or has not done as those who say he’s a miracle worker. Just let the poor guy be a guy.

]]> By: twosquaremeals http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1219 twosquaremeals Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:12:49 +0000 http://www.thegimmick.com/wordpress/2008/02/20/my-problem-with-barack-obama/#comment-1219 I'm not sure if I should be happy that someone in the media pointed this out or upset that I actually agree with Chris Matthews on something. I think Obama has actually done a few things, but I don't think many people who support him have a clue what he has done. Most just think he sound nice. I've been having a debate with Cath about him, and I'd love to hear your stand on the remaining candidates. Wish we could debate it over dinner up there! I’m not sure if I should be happy that someone in the media pointed this out or upset that I actually agree with Chris Matthews on something. I think Obama has actually done a few things, but I don’t think many people who support him have a clue what he has done. Most just think he sound nice. I’ve been having a debate with Cath about him, and I’d love to hear your stand on the remaining candidates. Wish we could debate it over dinner up there!

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