The Politics Thread

[Tombwfc]

As someone who is completely uneducated on this subject, what has Obama actually done anything to justify his new found position as the re-incarnation of Christ and the saviour of the world?

Wish him luck obviously. I'm not sure how this is a signal for the end of racism though, being as i'd guess that a significant amount of the votes were done along racial lines, on both sides.

[Puskas]

As someone who is completely uneducated on this subject, what has Obama actually done anything to justify his new found position as the re-incarnation of Christ and the saviour of the world?

He's not Bush.

Or connected to the Bush government.

I believe that's his main claim.

[H. Pedersen]

As someone who is completely uneducated on this subject, what has Obama actually done anything to justify his new found position as the re-incarnation of Christ and the saviour of the world?

He's not Bush.

Or connected to the Bush government.

I believe that's his main claim.

Well said. Much like John F. Kennedy, I think his appeal comes from a combination of youth, speaking ability, and virtually no track record.

[communistworkethic]

and who, exactly, has a track record of being president of the USA? It's not like there's an apprenticeship. Most Senators and Govenors are hardly up on the international stage are they?

What skills do you need to be president? Not many based on the incumbent.

in fact, i'd suggest he's over qualified....


A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, he became the first African American to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70 percent of the vote.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

As someone who is completely uneducated on this subject, what has Obama actually done anything to justify his new found position as the re-incarnation of Christ and the saviour of the world?

Wish him luck obviously. I'm not sure how this is a signal for the end of racism though, being as i'd guess that a significant amount of the votes were done along racial lines, on both sides.

Well IMHO (and that is derived from visiting US a few times, reading a few books, and listening to some American radio podcasts where often many of the contributors are African Americans), speaking very generally many Blacks (by no means all) in America were until Obama came along a kind of a resigned and defeated bunch - basically the compounded psychological effects of three centuries of unfair treatment with its origins in slavery - as they saw it.

Today an African American family sits as the politically most powerful family in the world - the feelings of unfairness, despair, resignaiton are instantly lifted - the feelings of injustice are forgotten. They as a people are clearly to all the world equal to other races and capable of anything. In short there is a sense that they are psychologically liberated and personally I find it good to see.

The effect is also magnified by the speed in which Obama has gone from obscurity to the very top, a reflection of his political ability and charisma, and the liberated thinking of large sections of the US public. I personally didn't think a black guy would be president in my lifetime, and I'm sure African Americans feel the same.

Given much modern racism (I am aware that this word by definition covers much more than racism against black people - but its that kind of racism I am really thinking about) seen in our lifetimes in Africa, Europe and South America is and has been based on the American model then Obama being the world leader basically loosens its grip, reduces its effect, makes racist people and thinking in general look that much more stupid than they/it did already, which must be a good thing?

A French friend of mine said to me last week - "I still don't think they will do it, but if they elect Obama then we can trust America again".

IMO Obama will probably not emerge to be the most popular leader in US history, he has far too many difficult decisions to make for that, and we don't know enough about him politically anyway, but his candidancy and victory alone has shifted the racial view of America, which could impact (positively) much of the rest of the world.

[H. Pedersen]

and who, exactly, has a track record of being president of the USA? It's not like there's an apprenticeship. Most Senators and Govenors are hardly up on the international stage are they?

What skills do you need to be president? Not many based on the incumbent.

His political experience is much more limited than that of his rivals in this election cycle, McCain and Hillary Clinton. I think we've seen that this is actually an advantage - consider Bush/Gore, Clinton/Bush, and Kennedy/Nixon. People would rather vote for an unknown, someone who they can project their hopes and beliefs onto, rather than a person who has had to make compromises and deals in order to get things done.

[Verbal]

and who, exactly, has a track record of being president of the USA? It's not like there's an apprenticeship. Most Senators and Govenors are hardly up on the international stage are they?

What skills do you need to be president? Not many based on the incumbent.

in fact, i'd suggest he's over qualified....


A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, he became the first African American to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70 percent of the vote.

I'd imagine HP refers to his relatively short amount of time in Congress compared to other Presidents.

[communistworkethic]

anyone running a sweep on when the first assassination attempt is?

[H. Pedersen]

anyone running a sweep on when the first assassination attempt is?

I'm guessing the Secret Service were overwhelmingly hoping for a McCain win.

[Lord Kangana]

anyone running a sweep on when the first assassination attempt is?

They don't bother with that crap anymore - its too obvious. They'll just buy his acquiescence like all the other members of the Senate/House.

[communistworkethic]

anyone running a sweep on when the first assassination attempt is?

They don't bother with that crap anymore - its too obvious. They'll just buy his aquiescence like all the other members of the Senate/House.

fookin ell, not even in the white house and he's cashing in with a line of aftershave already!!!

[Lord Kangana]

Edited you pedantic feck

[communistworkethic]

and who, exactly, has a track record of being president of the USA? It's not like there's an apprenticeship. Most Senators and Govenors are hardly up on the international stage are they?

What skills do you need to be president? Not many based on the incumbent.

His political experience is much more limited than that of his rivals in this election cycle, McCain and Hillary Clinton. I think we've seen that this is actually an advantage - consider Bush/Gore, Clinton/Bush, and Kennedy/Nixon. People would rather vote for an unknown, someone who they can project their hopes and beliefs onto, rather than a person who has had to make compromises and deals in order to get things done.

mccain - yes lots of experience in the senate, so what? there are plenty of examples of 'experienced' politicians that haven't been political geniuses as president.

clinton - 3 extra years in the senate, you'll excuse my stated of underwhelm. Oh she watched her husband do the job? Maybe she should have watched him on the job.

and as president, espsecially wth a majority in both houses, compromise isn't always something you have to do.

[H. Pedersen]

Not necessarily, as it seems unlikely that the Democrats will have the 60-seat so-called "filibuster-proof" majority in the Senate. They'll still need to bring a few Republicans on their side to pass any controversial legislation.

[notlob]

I'm not sure how this is a signal for the end of racism though, being as i'd guess that a significant amount of the votes were done along racial lines, on both sides.

Something like 43% of whites voted Dem -- most to do so since Carter in 76 -- this is no small feat. It clearly IS a signal of substantially less racism in the U.S. than conventional wisdom would have led you to believe. But as you say, it isn't a signal for the end of racism -- that'll never happen until we're all the same shade of brown some day in the distant future, IMHO.

[communistworkethic]

Not necessarily, as it seems unlikely that the Democrats will have the 60-seat so-called "filibuster-proof" majority in the Senate. They'll still need to bring a few Republicans on their side to pass any controversial legislation.

presidential veto?

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

I fear the weight of expectation as he tries to live up to this 'defining moment' (his words not mine).

Kennedy almost killed us all trying to live to the hype.

[superjohnmcginlay]

anyone running a sweep on when the first assassination attempt is?

As soon as I can fooking get there. Im sick of hearing about this already.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

As someone who is completely uneducated on this subject, what has Obama actually done anything to justify his new found position as the re-incarnation of Christ and the saviour of the world?

Wish him luck obviously. I'm not sure how this is a signal for the end of racism though, being as i'd guess that a significant amount of the votes were done along racial lines, on both sides.

Well IMHO (and that is derived from visiting US a few times, reading a few books, and listening to some American radio podcasts where often many of the contributors are African Americans), speaking very generally many Blacks (by no means all) in America were until Obama came along a kind of a resigned and defeated bunch - basically the compounded psychological effects of three centuries of unfair treatment with its origins in slavery - as they saw it.

Today an African American family sits as the politically most powerful family in the world - the feelings of unfairness, despair, resignaiton are instantly lifted - the feelings of injustice are forgotten. They as a people are clearly to all the world equal to other races and capable of anything. In short there is a sense that they are psychologically liberated and personally I find it good to see.

The effect is also magnified by the speed in which Obama has gone from obscurity to the very top, a reflection of his political ability and charisma, and the liberated thinking of large sections of the US public. I personally didn't think a black guy would be president in my lifetime, and I'm sure African Americans feel the same.

Given much modern racism (I am aware that this word by definition covers much more than racism against black people - but its that kind of racism I am really thinking about) seen in our lifetimes in Africa, Europe and South America is and has been based on the American model then Obama being the world leader basically loosens its grip, reduces its effect, makes racist people and thinking in general look that much more stupid than they/it did already, which must be a good thing?

A French friend of mine said to me last week - "I still don't think they will do it, but if they elect Obama then we can trust America again".

IMO Obama will probably not emerge to be the most popular leader in US history, he has far too many difficult decisions to make for that, and we don't know enough about him politically anyway, but his candidancy and victory alone has shifted the racial view of America, which could impact (positively) much of the rest of the world.

Well, at least we can put the "it's not about race" nonsense to bed now..... this kind of thing has been non-stop since he actually won.

[Worthy4England]

anyone running a sweep on when the first assassination attempt is?

I thought they arrested two blokes last week for attempt number one?