Everybody who’s complained that Barack Obama is all fluff and no substance really needs to read this piece. I was going to link to it earlier but couldn’t find it, then somebody thoughtfully mentioned it in a post somewhere else.
Short short version: the man is a skilled politician who knows very well how to get change accomplished for the better.
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19 users responded in this post
Chris,
I can respect what you have to say about the new presidential election, but at this stage in my life, I think I’d rather not have a Muslim as the President of the United States.
If it came down to Obama or Clinton, I’m pretty sure I’d vote for Clinton.
Well, if you don’t want a Muslim as the President of the United States, just mayyyyyybeeee you should consider voting for Obama, seeing as how he isn’t a Muslim.
“at this stage of my life” – so, what, if you were a teenager or a 60-year-old, you’d be OK with it; but at your age right now, you think religious bigotry is the way to go?
To reiterate the point I made before, I for one don’t think that Obama lacks a great amount of substance. I just have been more impressed with Clinton’s ability to present her points. Obama may be more inspiring, but when I watch Clinton speak I have a better idea of what she’ll do in office.
I also think of substance in terms of ability to effect her changes. I think Clinton has a greater chance to accomplish her goals. Obama’s lack of experience is attractive in some ways – it means his hands are less likely to be dirty. But I think Clinton has the experience navigating the system required to do what she’s promising to do.
Also, and I don’t have a source immediately for this (so why am I even saying it), doesn’t Obama have a more regular church attendance than Bush? Both of them are Methodists. Wait a minute, so is Hillary.
All this talk of Muslims and Mormons taking over the White House, and it’s been the wrong “m.” We need to watch out for those dastardly Methodists. They’ve had the White House for sixteen years and now they want four more. Oh shit, what if George H. W. Bush was a Methodist during his time in the White Office?
This may be the conspiracy I’ve longed for. It’s not the oil companies, or the Zionists, or the Communists, or the Masons trying to rule the world – it’s the Methodists.
But yeah, Obama attends a Christian community. Chris from Comic Hacks may be thinking of the rumor (proven false) that Obama attended an actively Muslim school in his youth.
That was a good article. I’m still concerned about a number of votes (on abortion and gun control, for instance) where he voted “present.” This is a practice he himself has condemned. It’s not as big as a lie as “There are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq,” but I’m comparing him to Clinton.
@ Chris – “Well, if you don’t want a Muslim as the President of the United States, just mayyyyyybeeee you should consider voting for Obama, seeing as how he isn’t a Muslim.”
To be honest, I don’t plan to vote for him in any case. Perhaps he isn’t a Muslim. I have found no proof that he isn’t, but what I’ve read about his upbringing makes it seem he’s more Muslim than anything else.
@ Jim – ““at this stage of my life” – so, what, if you were a teenager or a 60-year-old, you’d be OK with it; but at your age right now, you think religious bigotry is the way to go?”
“At this stage” meaning that, at this time, I’m just no comfortable with Muslims. I’m sure as I learn more about them, I’ll change my current thoughts about them and be more accepting of them.
Not being comfortable with a certain type of religion DOES NOT equate to religious bigotry at all, Jim. Before you accuse someone of it, perhaps you should be a little more tolerant yourself.
Perhaps he isn’t a Muslim. I have found no proof that he isn’t, but what I’ve read about his upbringing makes it seem he’s more Muslim than anything else.
He’s a member of the United Church. If he were a Muslim, he’d be committing the sin of apostasy by being a member of said church.
@ Chris – Thanks for the clarification. I wasn’t aware of that. Looks like I need to check out some more info about him…
Chris,
Maybe you could tell me this:
I know you’re Canadian and I was wondering if there is any particular reason why you seem to be more interested in the Democratic candidates than the Republican candidates.
Love to hear your response.
Thanks!
Just wondering: Does anyone know where the rumour that Obama is a Muslim come from? I’ve heard it quite a few times, and even in Denmark there are people who believe that nonsense. (Not implying that Danes are less prone to believing nonse than anyone else, just explaining how far the rumour has travelled).
It is patently absurd – if Obama WAS a Muslim, everyone would be talking about it, i.e. he wouldn’t just be the first black man who became president, he would also also be the first Muslim.
Heksefatter-
It’s not surprising that people as far away from America as Denmark have heard the “Obama’s a Muslim” rumors; this bit of noise, that Obama is a secret Muslim, is at its strongest on the Internet, in forums, blogs, and emails. Given that Obama’s middle name is Hussein and he lived for some time as a young child in his step-father’s Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country, it’s a given that the right-wing would try to tie Obama with Islam, the better to prey on fears that Obama would either not effectively fight the War on Terror OR is a secret Muslim, attempting to destroy us from within.
Insight magazine published stories insisting that Obama attended a radical madrassa and at least was Muslim at some point. Fox and Friends, John Gibson, Glenn Beck, and the New York Post repeated these allegations. Then, CNN and Obama himself published facts debunking the “Secret Muslim” theory.
Thus, tv, print, and radio has been reduced to using code, mainly by stressing that Obama’s middle name is Hussein. Blogs, forums, and emails continue to push several storylines about Obama being a secret Muslim. They discount reports from Obama and the so-called MainStreamMedia, instead citing like-minded individuals. And so all the lies and fears and exaggerations of real fact continue to be circulated online–and it will only get louder, eventually creeping back into tv, print, and radio if Obama becomes the nominee. There’s no one command center for the right wing noise machine directing the “secret Muslim” line of thinking. It’s just that right-wing reporters share the same fears, prejudices, tendancy to rely upon lies and exaggerations, AND they use one another for their sources, as opposed to non-right-wingers or Obama himself.
I know you’re Canadian and I was wondering if there is any particular reason why you seem to be more interested in the Democratic candidates than the Republican candidates.
Because they’re a goddamn freakshow. MGK has said so, but in kinder words.
At this point in time… I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with a Christian in office, given the track record. And I am one.
My feeling about the three candidates remains the same: I think Edwards is the most likely to attempt to truly fix healthcare, etc, but I have no confidence that he has the ability to survive the full blast attack of the right wing machine, Clinton’s already done the latter but I have no confidence of her doing much that isn’t middle of the road, and I have my doubts on Obama on both counts. Things like the Donnie McClurkin thing do not help — he seems to have far more tender consideration for the homophobes than their victims, which is not a good sign to me.
Thanks for the information, Brian.
@ Ken – “At this point in time… I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with a Christian in office, given the track record. And I am one.”
Same here. I’ll be glad when Bush is out for good. Thank God!
@ tavella – “Things like the Donnie McClurkin thing do not help — he seems to have far more tender consideration for the homophobes than their victims, which is not a good sign to me.”
What “Donnie MClurkin” thing are you talking about?
Donnie McClurkin is a notable “ex-gay” black gospel singer, very big in the gospel world. He was invited to attend an Obama rally, and when people got offended, instead of removing him, Obama countered by adding a gay pastor to the rally as well.
He wasn’t invited to attend; he was invited to perform at an Obama fundraiser, and then he was made MC of the event. Which he took as an opportunity to rant about homosexuals. Again, *as the featured star of a Obama fundraiser.*
Yeah, I was able to find some info about the incident.
McClurkin should have simply done what he was brought there to do, nothing more.
Thus, tv, print, and radio has been reduced to using code, mainly by stressing that Obama’s middle name is Hussein.
Now this amuses me. Take a look at the Middle East and try to find a less muslim leader than Saddam Hussein. The reason our chums in Iran and Al Qaeda hated him so much wasn’t just that he was a close friend of the USA for so long: it was because he was working so hard to turn Iraq into a secular state. He was an utterly godless man, who only played up his “muslimness” (muslimity? muslimism? whatever) when he realised (with some surprise) that the US media hadn’t noticed any of the above and just assumed he was a muslim.
So saying “Obama is a muslim because his middle name is Hussein” is like saying “Clark Kent is a Buddhist because his middle name is Jerome”. Dumb.
Still, that’s what you expect from right-wingers and other such potplants: dumbness. Dumbity? Dumbtion? Whatever.