The World Hopes for Its First President

[¹²³]

Really?

 

[Haakzilla]

...yeah, it's true, USA is still #1 in the world's eyes!!!

 

[¹²³]

...yeah, it's true, USA is still #1 in the world's eyes!!!

Here is the last three paragraphs:

If Obama loses, the reaction in America will likely play out along the same old divides. Democrats will interpret the loss in the framework of recent election defeats: we could not elect Al Gore or John Kerry, and now Obama, even in the midst of crisis. Their talk will turn to a new third way. Republicans will look at their implausible victory as a reason to suspend or at least dial down the soul-searching they are undergoing now, over whether they drifted too far right—or not far enough. Conservatives will crow. Liberals will weep. African-Americans will gnash their teeth. (And the media, it must be said, will be shamed for its poll-driven reporting that showed virtually no path to a McCain victory.)

The rest of the world, for its part, will see something different. America, already said to be on the decline, will look all the smaller for having failed to redeem itself with the election of a young black man with African and South Asian roots and a Middle Eastern middle name. And it will look smaller still for having had the opportunity to do so, yet failing to see the opportunity, let alone capitalize on it and breaking a line that goes back more than 200 years in the United States. To the rest of the world, in electing another Republican America will have appeared not only to extend the agonies of the Bush years, but to have missed a historical chance for which it's hard to find a precedent or parallel in any country: the ultimate triumph of a long-oppressed minority.

The world has already cast its vote, in poll after poll, and what it wants, and may not get even if Obama is elected, is an American Gandhi, a Gandhi who not only speaks for the oppressed minority but was one of them. The world caught a glimpse of their man on a sunny afternoon last July in Berlin. He stood at the base of Berlin's Siegessäule, or Victory Column, in the Tiergarten. Some 200,000 people fanned out before him, a crowd much larger than any he had drawn at home during 18 months on the stump. He took the opportunity to address a much larger audience. "People of the world," Barack Obama said, "look at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one." That may be too much for any president to deliver. Indeed the world may be setting itself up for a rather rude awakening when an elected Obama proves far more pragmatic, less progressive, than expected. But taking their cue from the title of his second book, the people of the world he addressed that day have invested in him the audacity of their hope.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Clinton & Bush have really tarninshed our image abroad, IMHO. This could be a real strength of the Obama administration, to strengthen our image.

 

[Haakzilla]

Here is the last three paragraphs:

...I wasn't quite sure what you were asking "really" about?!

 

[DaRizzle]

Dear god let him win...I will be so distraught if McCain somehow pulls this off

 

[MARIS61]

Clinton & Bush have really tarninshed our image abroad, IMHO. This could be a real strength of the Obama administration, to strengthen our image.

Clinton? Hardly.

My relatives in Canada, staunch Conservatives who laugh at my more liberal views, can't understand why we didn't wave term limits and keep Clinton in office indefinitely. They'd love it if he "defected" so he could lead their country.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Clinton? Hardly.

My relatives in Canada, staunch Conservatives who laugh at my more liberal views, can't understand why we didn't wave term limits and keep Clinton in office indefinitely. They'd love it if he "defected" so he could lead their country.

Sorry to burst your blind liberal bubble, but Clinton was seen as a hopeless boob by other countries. He was pushed around and side stepped. I know you refuse to hear anything negative about a democrat, but them's the facts.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. The political sheep are out today, Martha.

 

[maxiep]

Oh, for fuck's sake. That piece of tripe was the most ridiculous piece of polticial clap-trap I've read in a while.

I think identity politics are a joke. I couldn't care less if Barack Obama were half-black or half-martian. I couldn't care less if Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin were male or female. I could care less if Joe Lieberman were Jewish or Zoroastrian. I we were truly a society of equality, identity politics would have no place in our country.

Elect the best person available. It may or may not be Barack Obama, but right now he's being promoted for what he represents rather than his policies and I think that's sad.

 

[DaRizzle]

Elect the best person available. It may or may not be Barack Obama, but right now he's being promoted for what he represents rather than his policies and I think that's sad.

I agree he shouldnt be voted in because he is different...but that is an added side benefit on how the rest of the world perceives us.

 

[maxiep]

I agree he shouldnt be voted in because he is different...but that is an added side benefit on how the rest of the world perceives us.

Well, the rest of the world needs to grow up and realize that nothing else matters except for who you are inside. I could give a rat's ass as to what the rest of the world thinks. Pursuing a diplomatic policy like wanting to be a cool kid at high school is a recipe for disaster.

 

[DaRizzle]

Its an added benefit...not the end all be all

 

[Shooter]

Newsweek must be sleeping with Obama. They probably shine his shoes everyday, too.

I don't give a rat's ass who the rest of the world wants to be the U.S. president. We need a president who will represent US--not the French, or the Germans, or the Scandinavians. Obama is the least experienced and most radical person to ever run for the highest office in America, and he'll be a disaster if elected.

 

[CelticKing]

Oh, for fuck's sake. That piece of tripe was the most ridiculous piece of polticial clap-trap I've read in a while.

I think identity politics are a joke. I couldn't care less if Barack Obama were half-black or half-martian. I couldn't care less if Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin were male or female. I could care less if Joe Lieberman were Jewish or Zoroastrian. I we were truly a society of equality, identity politics would have no place in our country.

Elect the best person available. It may or may not be Barack Obama, but right now he's being promoted for what he represents rather than his policies and I think that's sad.

God bless you for seeing things fair and balanced.

 

[maxiep]

Its an added benefit...not the end all be all

How and why is it an added benefit to placate the racism inherent in the rest of the world?

 

[CelticKing]

Newsweek must be sleeping with Obama. They probably shine his shoes everyday, too.

I don't give a rat's ass who the rest of the world wants to be the U.S. president. We need a president who will represent US--not the French, or the Germans, or the Scandinavians. Obama is the least experienced and most radical person to ever run for the highest office in America, and he'll be a disaster if elected.

1 year in the senate, and a couple of years being friends with Rev. Wright, Terrorist Ayers, and many other bad people he could have found.

I'll say it here again, I could name 1000 (one thousand) names from the Democratic party that are more qualified than him, and that's just the liberal side of things, not counting the conservatives, the moderates, etc.

 

[CelticKing]

Well, the rest of the world needs to grow up and realize that nothing else matters except for who you are inside. I could give a rat's ass as to what the rest of the world thinks. Pursuing a diplomatic policy like wanting to be a cool kid at high school is a recipe for disaster.

And you just hit it on the nail.

Obama will try and be the cool kid and bring us in relationship with bad countries like Iran, etc, while McCain will not give a F about popularity and do whatever is right for the Americans and the free world.

One of the major reasons why I'm voting for McCain.

 

[¹²³]

Obama is the least experienced

No he is not.

The first president cited above was Abraham Lincoln, who is usually at the top of every list of great presidents. Yet he was the only president with no experience as a governor, senator, Cabinet member, general or vice president. Lincoln’s previous experience in public office consisted of one term in the U.S. House, several terms in the Illinois Legislature and a brief tenure as postmaster of New Salem, Ill. He was also an unsuccessful merchant, a successful lawyer and twice an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Link

 

[maxiep]

No he is not.



Link

And if the job of President were as simple today as it was in 1860, then it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[CelticKing]

He is the least experienced out of the two running for the white house.

I didn't know Lincoln was on the ballot as well.

lol

 

[¹²³]

He is the least experienced out of the two running for the white house.

I didn't know Lincoln was on the ballot as well.

lol

Read Shooter's post again.

Obama is the least experienced and most radical person to ever run for the highest office in America, and he'll be a disaster if elected.

He says he is the least experienced person to EVER RUN for president.

 

[¹²³]

And if the job of President were as simple today as it was in 1860, then it wouldn't be an issue.

I am just pointing out Shooter's inaccurate argument. I am not saying experience is not relevant.

 

[Colonel Ronan]

Dear god let him win...I will be so distraught if McCain somehow pulls this off

Same. My parents have said that they're going to move to Canada if McCain gets in. CANADA?!

 

[Minstrel]

Obama shouldn't be elected because he's "black" (half-black, but seen as black by many). He should be elected because he'd make a better President than the other candidates.

However, Obama being elected will be significant due to his colour: ten years ago, let alone fifty years ago, a person perceived as black couldn't have been elected, whether he/she was the best person for the job or not. The fact that the nation is now capable of electing someone seen as non-white is a great comment that the nation has progressed socially. Obama isn't being elected because he's black....despite what bitter opponents of affirmative action claim, being black in this nation is still nothing close to being an advantage. He's being elected because the majority of voting Americans think he's the best person for the job. It's just nice that we, as a nation, no longer hold the colour of skin against a person enough to change those votes.

 

[maxiep]

Obama shouldn't be elected because he's "black" (half-black, but seen as black by many). He should be elected because he'd make a better President than the other candidates.

However, Obama being elected will be significant due to his colour: ten years ago, let alone fifty years ago, a person perceived as black couldn't have been elected, whether he/she was the best person for the job or not. The fact that the nation is now capable of electing someone seen as non-white is a great comment that the nation has progressed socially. Obama isn't being elected because he's black....despite what bitter opponents of affirmative action claim, being black in this nation is still nothing close to being an advantage. He's being elected because the majority of voting Americans think he's the best person for the job. It's just nice that we, as a nation, no longer hold the colour of skin against a person enough to change those votes.

I'll go ahead and say it. In the case of Barack Obama, his skin color has been a huge advantage. He wouldn't have been asked to speak at the Democratic Covention had he been white. If he wouldn't have been black, the investigation of his background would have been much more rigorous. Instead, the media was largely scared off for fear they would be viewed as racist.

And whose to say Obama is the better candidate? He's a Democrat in the most anti-Republican year in my lifetime. Mister Hanky could have run as a Democrat and beaten a Republican. And even given that, it took the collapse of the credit markets to ensure his victory.

 

[barfo]

I'll go ahead and say it. In the case of Barack Obama, his skin color has been a huge advantage.

He's used it to his advantage, but it is not a fundamental advantage. After all, there are lots of other blacks in the country, and they aren't being elected president tomorrow.

He wouldn't have been asked to speak at the Democratic Covention had he been white.

That's right. Whites aren't allowed to speak at the democratic national convention. Especially whites who are really good public speakers.

If he wouldn't have been black, the investigation of his background would have been much more rigorous. Instead, the media was largely scared off for fear they would be viewed as racist.

He was investigated. They just didn't find anything more important that Wright, Rezko, Ayers, etc.

And whose to say Obama is the better candidate?

The voters.

barfo

 

[Minstrel]

I'll go ahead and say it. In the case of Barack Obama, his skin color has been a huge advantage. He wouldn't have been asked to speak at the Democratic Covention had he been white. If he wouldn't have been black, the investigation of his background would have been much more rigorous. Instead, the media was largely scared off for fear they would be viewed as racist.

Right, which is why the media went on and on about whether Obama attended a "an Islamic madrassa," whether the touching of hands with his wife was a "terrorist fist bump," and spent weeks on Reverend Wright. Because that's how you give a guy a free pass.

He spoke at the 2004 Convention because he's by far the most charismatic Democratic politician. Democrats clearly saw the chance to cast him as a new JFK, and JFK was not black.

And whose to say Obama is the better candidate?

Me, obviously. Who the best candidate is is clearly opinion, and that's my opinion. The point is, I don't think people are favouring him because they want black President. They are favouring him because they think he's the best choice...whether they think that because they think Republicans are failures is another issue. I think it's a little from column A and a little from column B. Obama is inspirational and intelligent and has spoken more to the concerns of most people. In addition, Republicans have been in power for the past 8 years (in all ways for 6 of them) and thus they are taking the blame for the what people see as the catastrophes of the day: unending conflict in Iraq and a financial melt-down.

Is that all Republicans' fault? Clearly not. But that's how politics has always worked. The party in power gets the blame and credit for what happens on their watch. It's not a new phenomenon this year. Reagan rode it in 1980, when the economy was distressed and Iran had taken US hostages. The idea that it was all Carter's, and the Democrats', fault was just as silly as blaming all the current woes on Bush and the Republicans. But that's the impetus for change. Reagan created a big change (despite being mocked by his political opponents in much the same way Obama is...lightweight, celebrity). It remains to be seen whether Obama effects as much change, assuming he wins.

 

[maxiep]

He's used it to his advantage, but it is not a fundamental advantage. After all, there are lots of other blacks in the country, and they aren't being elected president tomorrow.

It's been his primary advantage that has put him above any other legislator of his generation. Without it, he's Dennis Kucinich with a jump shot.

That's right. Whites aren't allowed to speak at the democratic national convention. Especially whites who are really good public speakers.

So you believe he would have gotten a keynote speech in 2004 if he were white? We'll agree to disagree.

He was investigated. They just didn't find anything more important that Wright, Rezko, Ayers, etc.

And those were important and blown off for fear of appearing racist. If a white candidate on the right would have attended a "White National" theological church for 20 years, their campaign would have been over. What Obama did with Rezco was far worse than what Clinton did with Whitewater, but look at the length and depth of that investigation compared to the one with Rezco. And what do you think the chances of any Republican candidate who were friends with Terry Nichols or Tim McVeigh?

He got a free pass.

The voters.

barfo

Like I said, it's the most anti-Republican year in my lifetime, moreso than even 1976. We're both old enough to have seen Watergate (although you likely remember it more than I), and the sentiment wasn't this much against the GOP as it is today.

 

[Shooter]

Obama isn't being elected because he's black.... He's being elected because the majority of voting Americans think he's the best person for the job.

Silly me. I thought the election was being held tomorrow, and we didn't know the outcome yet.

 

[Minstrel]

Silly me. I thought the election was being held tomorrow, and we didn't know the outcome yet.

I said "being elected." Votes are already being cast and exit polling on early voting has Obama with healthy margins.