The Obama X Factor
by Lee
As I’ve said on the blog before, I’ve been intrigued by Obama for quite some time. I doubt I’d ever vote for him (unless it came down to Obama and Huckabee), but I think he’s a man of great integrity. There’s just something inherently appealing about him, but I’ve never really been able to figure out exactly what. However, over at Sully’s blog he links to a post which, I think, hits the nail on the head.
As a libertarian-minded conservative, I agree with almost nothing of Barack Obama’s actual policy positions. Whether it is with education, health care, or fiscal matters, Obama is a liberal in the truest sense of the word. He fails to respect federalism and his policies can often border on socialism. Indeed, I have trouble identifying any policy positions of Obama’s that appeal to me. In short, I think Barack Obama would make a terrible Head of Government.
Yet, as David Kopel has deftly noted, the Head of State is an entirely different role altogether, and regardless of your ideological perspective, there is something tremendously appealing about Obama. Indeed, several of his recent speeches - his Iowa victory, a speech on MLK Jr. Day, and the South Carolina victory - have given me goosebumps and caused me to swell with pride at being an American.
I think this is exactly correct. As a president I think I’d oppose pretty much everything he did, but as a head of state, representing America on the world stage, I don’t think there’s anyone else in the race who could do as good a job. As someone who is very much an internationalist (dual citizen, spent most of my life living outside America, etc.) Bush has been nothing short of a monumental embarrassment. An Obama presidency, for all the political differences I have with him, would do more to restore America’s dignity in the world than just about anything else I can think of.
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And yes, it does seem like Obama would make a great ass-kisser—largely because he agrees on the issues with much of Europe.
And yes, it does seem like Obama would make a great ass-kisser—largely because he agrees on the issues with much of Europe.
I don’t think it’s got anything to do with “ass kissing,” though I do think it’s quite telling that this is instantly the position you assumed.
so “looking pretty” is more important that actual content.... gotcha,..............
What do we want from a president? We have a whole Congress full of ass-monkeys to pass good and bad legislation. When it comes down to meeting with heads of state to win them to our way of thinking, you don’t want a dipshit like Bush. That’s where Obama would shine.
so “looking pretty” is more important that actual content.... gotcha,..............
Other than Ron Paul, is there anyone in this race offering “actual content”?
What do we want from a president? We have a whole Congress full of ass-monkeys to pass good and bad legislation. When it comes down to meeting with heads of state to win them to our way of thinking, you don’t want a dipshit like Bush. That’s where Obama would shine.
Exactly. Other than resurrecting Barry Goldwater, we’re all going to have to accept the fact that, for the immediate future, big government is in. We’re probably going to get some form of socialized healthcare. The federal government will spend more on and become more intrusive towards education. And the Republicans in Congress are going to line up to continue spending us into oblivion.
So, really, can anyone here honestly claim that it’s going to make a lot of difference on the domestic front who the president is?
I think there’s more to it. With a Democrat in the White House, the GOP might find its balls and oppose his legislation. I honestly think that if we have a Democrat who doesn’t fall back on the “you want poor people to starve” mantra every time Republicans oppose something, conservatism will do well in the arena of ideas.
But I agree with Lee on the foreign policy thing. Electing someone like Obama (or McCain) would go a long way toward restoring our “soft power”.
It’s interesting, Lee, that you say that there is something inherently appealing about Obama. I actually find that there is something inherently wrong about Obama. Every time I see him and here him speak, I just get a feeling that there is something just incredible wrong and false and fake about him. It’s just a feeling I get; there’s nothing logical about it. Obama just seems so wrong for America.
I’ve seen so many normally cynical people get swept up in Barack Obama’s folksy, Oprah-esque revolution of Change and Hope… Ugh. The normal assumption is that this is a great thing—more young people getting involved in the political process, blah blah blah. But as someone that thinks politicians are among the worst types of scum and that government is inherently stupid, I don’t “swell with pride” whenever Obama starts riffing about “a new politics,” “working together,” “healing the nation”—I reach for a vomit-bag.
I think this is exactly correct. As a president I think I’d oppose pretty much everything he did, but as a head of state, representing America on the world stage, I don’t think there’s anyone else in the race who could do as good a job. As someone who is very much an internationalist (dual citizen, spent most of my life living outside America, etc.) Bush has been nothing short of a monumental embarrassment. An Obama presidency, for all the political differences I have with him, would do more to restore America’s dignity in the world than just about anything else I can think of.
This is pretty much what lots of Europeans think. While most of over here have a fondness for Clinton (the male one) it seems Obama is the one people want, not because of his policies of which few people know anything about but because of the more core character traits you talk about and that a black president might help improve America’s image in the eye of the world; something that certainly couldn’t hurt.
Posted by Lee on 01/28/08 at 10:08 PM from Australia
so “looking pretty” is more important that actual content.... gotcha,..............
Other than Ron Paul, is there anyone in this race offering “actual content”?
Well to me, only ron Paul ad Fred Thompson… but you see how that turned out.
Obama, to me, looks like the VERY polished salesman, you know the one that could talk a Eskimo into buying a freezer.
This is how I’ve always felt about Colin Powell. From the first time I saw him on TV in 1990. I wish he’d run, but he never will. I thought he was an ideal Secretary of State. I think Obama might also be a good Secretary of State, for similar reasons, although he has precious little international experience.
the one that could talk a Eskimo into buying a freezer
Or an Iranian President into shutting down his uranium refinement?
Seems to me that such a trait is a positive, not a negative.
This is how I’ve always felt about Colin Powell. From the first time I saw him on TV in 1990. I wish he’d run, but he never will. I thought he was an ideal Secretary of State. I think Obama might also be a good Secretary of State, for similar reasons, although he has precious little international experience.
Unfortunatly lying for Bush ended the political credibility of Powell, particularly at the UN.
I have always thought he is the most likely to write a revealing book about the whole thing once the Bush administration, partly as payback for having his department marginalised and being required to lie on top.
Unfortunatly lying for Bush ended the political credibility of Powell, particularly at the UN.
Agreed. Although he could have recovered it by speaking out afterwards. Always the good soldier, he sacrificed himself rather than sell out his CiC. He deserves respect for NOT taking the low road, much as I think it’s deserved.
Queue up Para and Thrill with “he didn’t lie!”
“I doubt I’d ever vote for him (unless it came down to Obama and Huckabee), but I think he’s a man of great integrity.”
I’d hold off on that one. Not that he must, therefore be corrupt, but the man is a Chicago Democrat who did, indeed, get caught up in a real estate with Tony Rezko when my ex-girlfriend’s goldfish knew what Rezko was. If he isn’t one of “them”, he’s incredibly naive.
"I’ve seen so many normally cynical people get swept up in Barack Obama’s folksy, Oprah-esque revolution of Change and Hope… Ugh.”
This is the same thing I heard people say about GWB back in 2000, it was an act then, as we all saw. Who really thinks Obama isnt acting now?
So, really, can anyone here honestly claim that it’s going to make a lot of difference on the domestic front who the president is?
{sigh} Sometimes I really can’t believe some of the things I read here.
Do you remember this?
“As a libertarian-minded conservative, I agree with almost nothing of Barack Obama’s actual policy positions. Whether it is with education, health care, or fiscal matters, Obama is a liberal in the truest sense of the word. He fails to respect federalism and his policies can often border on socialism. Indeed, I have trouble identifying any policy positions of Obama’s that appeal to me. In short, I think Barack Obama would make a terrible Head of Government.”
A big government socialist, just what we need right now. Do you remember Charlie Rangle’s “The mother of all tax increases” legislation he came up with a few months ago? How much trouble do you think he will have fast tracking that train wreck if Obama is elected?
Did you find it all telling that in the last few months (before the Stimulus talks) that while all the Republican candidates were all coming up with different fair or flat tax proposals, the Democrats were all trying to play who is the biggest Santa with promises of hand outs and extentions of existing government programs?
If for nothing else, we need a Republican in the White House just for the gridlock effect.
Obama’s voting record in the Senate is more liberal than Hillary’s, he is on record as favoring fixing all of societies ills on the backs of “the rich”.
When it comes down to meeting with heads of state to win them to our way of thinking, you don’t want a dipshit like Bush. That’s where Obama would shine.
Again, are you kidding? You don’t think all the world leaders are salivating at the chance to get at this neophyte? They would love the chance to buffalo this kid, they would have him for breakfast. Even our friends would jump at the chance to manipulate discussions more in favor with their political interests, not ours.
Again, are you kidding? You don’t think all the world leaders are salivating at the chance to get at this neophyte? They would love the chance to buffalo this kid, they would have him for breakfast. Even our friends would jump at the chance to manipulate discussions more in favor with their political interests, not ours.
I take it you are happy with our standing in the world today, brought to us by the “neophyte”, GWB??? I mean, for God’s sake, how could it get any worse???
Oh, and let’s not forget that Obama’s campaign is co-chaired by Bill Daley, ultra-corrupt Mayor Daley’s *BROTHER*.
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I like that he’s the only politician I’ve ever seen that doesn’t seem so transparently insincere.
My landlord, upon hearing this, statedn “If he’s sincere then he’s retarded”.