The Hopeful Audacity of Barack Obama
By ATWadmin On February 13th, 2008Barack Hussein Obama is 47 years old. He has already penned his autobiography as well as a book on politics which titled: The Audacity of Hope. He is currently running against Hillary Clinton in a race for the Democrat Party’s nomination to be President of the United States.
Here is the complete list of Barack Obama’s accomplishments:
- Elected to the United States Senate on 11/04, he has voted and given speeches on the floor of the US Senate.
- He is a gifted orator and he is likeable.
- He is African-American.
Ladies and gentlemen, with only a few years in the US Senate, well-spoken and charming, Barack Hussein Obama is the candidate most likely to win the Democrat nomination to run the most powerful nation on earth. Oh… did I mention that he is black?
Hope and audacity. Indeed.
I think it would be great for America to have a black president. All else being more or less equal. But his inexperience is a big problem. The next president will have to deal with two wars a probable recession and whatever else happens.
That’s why I think McCain would beat him and I also still think Hillary will.
Henry94: Let’s HOPE that Obama doesn’t win. He might. the Conservatives within the Republican Party are disheartened by McCain. (not conservative enough) and Obama has clear momentum.
If we wake up with Obama as President the country will have a bad hang-over. He has very little experience and the policy positions of the George SOros far left.
I could care less if a President is black or white.
Well Patty, judging by your prior strident opposition to McCain we do know that Obama is signifiacnlt younger than John McCain whose age you previously found to be disqualifying. Oh, but then we’d have to look at your record (not just Obama’s).
Oh, did I mention you are white?
Frankly, I am not sure Obama has the necessary experience, and his lack of experience is in fact a consideration for any voter. His positions while eloquently advanced seem quite vague on paper, and his command of foreign affairs seems at times to be less than stellar. His race should be happily incidental and not determinative for those who vote for him.
Mahons: McCain’s age matters. Can you figure out why without my help?
My race, of course, is irrelevant. If you want to get personal, I really, really like Michelle Obama. Smart. Feet on the ground. Very attractive. Good role model. But my liking her isn’t going to keep our country safe, is it? It doesn’t give Obama judgement learned on the field of experience, does it.
But is relevant is that Obama does represent change. Change in the Democrat party!
Per Hugh Hewitt:
"But an Obama nomination would be so destabilizing for Beltway bigs and their networked supporters that the effects could be deeply destructive for leadership elites through the various power centers.
The GOP is unsettled right now, but the smash-up underway within the Democrats could easily become the biggest since their 1968-1972 convulsions."
Patty: If McCain’s age matters as you claim, then you are inconsistent at best in voting for him.
Mahons: "His race should be happily incidental and not determinative for those who vote for him."
I totally agree. It should be incidental. And happily so. We are a better country if race and gender are happy incidentals and not determinants.
Obama is winning for 2 reasons:
race
likeability.
So, Mahons…race is not a "happy incidental." Sadly. It is a key determinant in the contest. And not of my making.
Mahons – if you don’t vote for Obama, it means you’re racist. Whitey.
Mahons: McCain’s advanced years matter for 2 reasons:
1. his health and possible fraility. Can he pysically withstand the gruelling requirements of the White House. It is riskier than were he young.
2. It impacts his electibility against a much younger candidate like Obama who is running on "change." The contrast could put off voters.
McCain is not my first or second choice. But against Obama or Clinton he is my only choice. I’m an adult, not a cry baby. If I don’t get my way, I will adjust.
Monica,
Mahons and I are the only Americans on this blog (that I know of) who have already had the opportunity and chose to vote for Clinton over Obama. Now we shall wait to see who runs in the general election and make our (no doubt wise) decisions once again.
Patty – I could make a serious argument that race and likablity were George Bush’s two strongest poitical points as well (but I’d have to throw in the fortunate circumstances of his birth).
I didn’t suggest that race itself is happily incidental, rather that the election of a black President would be happily incidental to a problem in our nation’s history that has neither been happy or incidental.
Monica: If someone suggests that voting against Obama is an act of racism they are a fool (at best). Indeed as Alan note, we’ve both voted against him already, and possibly in my case may have the opportunity to do so again.
Mahons: "rather that the election of a black President would be happily incidental"
In the real world – not the hypothetical world – many are voting for Obama BECAUSE he is black. BECAUSE he’s likeable. Look at the exit polls. Look at what the Democrats are saying.
black
likeable
These are not good enough reasons in my mind for a person to be President in this dangerous day and age.
Patty – he indeed is getting votes from some people merely because of his race which is wrong. He’ll also lose votes because of it.