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Obama seems to me to be the opposite of Bush. He is intellectually agile, Bush is as mentally rigid as a pre-set automaton. Obama is articulate Bush is not. Bush comes from a top-drawer Patrician family. Obama’s father abandoned him and his mother was a free spirit. Obama sees things as they are, Bush sees things through a prism of ideology. No wonder we voted Obama into office.
I liked his line: “it is not a question of big government or small governemnt, it is a question of a government that works”. Imagine that! I wonder if it will even remotely possible?
I hear what you’re saying. Perhaps you’re right: the time may call for a person who can be flexible and think on their feet,and not someone who will come in with an ideological “bent”.
Going back to my original point, I wish the press would start doing its job. Of course, I can understand some of the excitement about the historic aspects of this election. However, when we’re getting ready to spend $850 Billion dollars that we don’t have (more borrowing from overseas),I wish that someone would be posing some hard questions.
Last night I watched Charlie Rose,and it made me sick. Five prominent journalists were talking about Obama, and they were all ready to put the guy up on Mount Rushmore already. At one point, one of them admitted that they knew little about his plans, but nevertheless, he was ready to put the guy up on the mountain.
denton-I think he said he might not make those changes right now. But we’ll see- I agree with you on his flexibility. I think we need that and pragmatism, not conservatism, centrism or liberalism.
I’m terrified as we go forward, but what am confident about is that we have someone in the White House who understand the scope our problems and that it isn’t just a crisis of money or arms. It’s a crisis of identity and belief in ourselves as a country.
benson, as far as I can tell, you’ve pretty much rejected most of what people had to say about Obama while lobbing out comments like American Idol, or labeling responses (as to cmu) as “platitudes. when you and i had a discussion about Palin you said you liked her because of her “spunk”, and that it was no big deal to you that she didn’t have foreign policy expertise. I did call you on that because it makes even less sense to me today than it did then. Ignorance in a President or Vice-President is not bliss, and as Bush 43 has amply illustrated, a very bad omission. Yet you’re complaining that you think people are making Obama a cult of personality. What exactly did you make of Palin?
what do you think the GOP was doing by trying to convince us the Mccain/Palin were “mavericks?” what did you think the GOP was doing with Bush, the cowboy?
there is a big difference in what’s happening- it isn’t a cult of personality you’re seeing. It’s a “cult” if you will of vision and leadership. This is what we wanted- the voters. A leader with vision and pragmatism, who we believe is the right person to get us back on track. Because that is the real issue. Not who is president, but who can lead us in the right direction again. we have to have confidence in the man we elected to lead us – you can call it what you will.
benson, I’m glad he hasn’t put out his complete economic plan yet, as no doubt it will need to change with the circumstances. As the current plans have (TARP to banks).
Barrons yesterday, on the cover, set out what they believe Obama should do. A few months ago, they also set out on the cover what Obama should do. The two plans do not match. So, no one really knows what will work, but what I do like about him is that he is brilliant enough to be flexible in his thinking, he’s not stubborn like the last guy.
Because today BAC is down 20%, C is down 15%, and SKF is thru the roof. The market looks like it is about to re-test its Oct/Nov lows. The banks have been thru a 2nd round of re-capitalization, and look what we have. The markets ain’t buying it. Maybe the second shoe is about to drop, just when things were looking almost stable.
My feeling is that Obama is much better than either McCain or Bush to direct us thru this mess.
As far as policy, he said he would roll back the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy. Now he says he won’t. You could call it flip-flopping, I say it shows the man can change with the situation. I like that, and I feel good about an Obama administration.
Benson, for what it’s worth – to me it is almost beyond belief (after the last 8 years) to hear a presidential candidate, now president, say that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. To hear talk of sustainable energy and a green economy. To hear talk of taxation being an important duty we must all bear, and fairly. To hear talk of nuclear disarmament (I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on his web site many months ago). Talk, in short, of policies that are for the good of this country and its people as a whole. Of course it’s “just talk” right now, how could it not be? And he seems too pragmatic a man to make sweeping and specific promises at a time when things are in such a terrible state. I cannot believe there are citizens of this country who are just not plain overjoyed to have as their newly elected leader a man so patently intelligent, careful, thoughtful, and hard-working. I do not even have to approach the issue of his race to find this the most inspiring election of my lifetime.
Thanks for a sincere response. I’m glad that at least one of his supporters was able to say why they supported him, without resorting to name-calling and personal remarks.
I think you are still missing my point. I am not expecting anything of him yet as president ( 2 hours and counting!). I am talking about what his philosophical/policy leanings are, his “guiding principles”, if you will. I want to know the principles for which he will go to the mat. I do believe a candidate owes the American people that. Alas, let’s see what happens, and hope for the best.
Enjoy the day!
Thanks for the dialogue.
By the way, just as an aside to Bxgrl: you know very well that I have written on these pages the reason for my support for McCain/Palin. You may think my reasoning is inane, idiotic, whatever- I’ll accept it. Grant me this point: when I support someone, I state my reasons for doing so. When someone asks me what I like about the candidate, I tell them.
Obama seems to me to be the opposite of Bush. He is intellectually agile, Bush is as mentally rigid as a pre-set automaton. Obama is articulate Bush is not. Bush comes from a top-drawer Patrician family. Obama’s father abandoned him and his mother was a free spirit. Obama sees things as they are, Bush sees things through a prism of ideology. No wonder we voted Obama into office.
I liked his line: “it is not a question of big government or small governemnt, it is a question of a government that works”. Imagine that! I wonder if it will even remotely possible?
Denton;
I hear what you’re saying. Perhaps you’re right: the time may call for a person who can be flexible and think on their feet,and not someone who will come in with an ideological “bent”.
Going back to my original point, I wish the press would start doing its job. Of course, I can understand some of the excitement about the historic aspects of this election. However, when we’re getting ready to spend $850 Billion dollars that we don’t have (more borrowing from overseas),I wish that someone would be posing some hard questions.
Last night I watched Charlie Rose,and it made me sick. Five prominent journalists were talking about Obama, and they were all ready to put the guy up on Mount Rushmore already. At one point, one of them admitted that they knew little about his plans, but nevertheless, he was ready to put the guy up on the mountain.
denton-I think he said he might not make those changes right now. But we’ll see- I agree with you on his flexibility. I think we need that and pragmatism, not conservatism, centrism or liberalism.
I’m terrified as we go forward, but what am confident about is that we have someone in the White House who understand the scope our problems and that it isn’t just a crisis of money or arms. It’s a crisis of identity and belief in ourselves as a country.
Senator Kennedy collapsed from a seizure at the lunch, AND Senator Byrd apparently became ill as well.
benson, as far as I can tell, you’ve pretty much rejected most of what people had to say about Obama while lobbing out comments like American Idol, or labeling responses (as to cmu) as “platitudes. when you and i had a discussion about Palin you said you liked her because of her “spunk”, and that it was no big deal to you that she didn’t have foreign policy expertise. I did call you on that because it makes even less sense to me today than it did then. Ignorance in a President or Vice-President is not bliss, and as Bush 43 has amply illustrated, a very bad omission. Yet you’re complaining that you think people are making Obama a cult of personality. What exactly did you make of Palin?
what do you think the GOP was doing by trying to convince us the Mccain/Palin were “mavericks?” what did you think the GOP was doing with Bush, the cowboy?
there is a big difference in what’s happening- it isn’t a cult of personality you’re seeing. It’s a “cult” if you will of vision and leadership. This is what we wanted- the voters. A leader with vision and pragmatism, who we believe is the right person to get us back on track. Because that is the real issue. Not who is president, but who can lead us in the right direction again. we have to have confidence in the man we elected to lead us – you can call it what you will.
benson, I’m glad he hasn’t put out his complete economic plan yet, as no doubt it will need to change with the circumstances. As the current plans have (TARP to banks).
Barrons yesterday, on the cover, set out what they believe Obama should do. A few months ago, they also set out on the cover what Obama should do. The two plans do not match. So, no one really knows what will work, but what I do like about him is that he is brilliant enough to be flexible in his thinking, he’s not stubborn like the last guy.
Because today BAC is down 20%, C is down 15%, and SKF is thru the roof. The market looks like it is about to re-test its Oct/Nov lows. The banks have been thru a 2nd round of re-capitalization, and look what we have. The markets ain’t buying it. Maybe the second shoe is about to drop, just when things were looking almost stable.
My feeling is that Obama is much better than either McCain or Bush to direct us thru this mess.
As far as policy, he said he would roll back the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy. Now he says he won’t. You could call it flip-flopping, I say it shows the man can change with the situation. I like that, and I feel good about an Obama administration.
Darn you Cobblehiller, now I want some chowder.
Benson, for what it’s worth – to me it is almost beyond belief (after the last 8 years) to hear a presidential candidate, now president, say that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. To hear talk of sustainable energy and a green economy. To hear talk of taxation being an important duty we must all bear, and fairly. To hear talk of nuclear disarmament (I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on his web site many months ago). Talk, in short, of policies that are for the good of this country and its people as a whole. Of course it’s “just talk” right now, how could it not be? And he seems too pragmatic a man to make sweeping and specific promises at a time when things are in such a terrible state. I cannot believe there are citizens of this country who are just not plain overjoyed to have as their newly elected leader a man so patently intelligent, careful, thoughtful, and hard-working. I do not even have to approach the issue of his race to find this the most inspiring election of my lifetime.
Montrose;
Thanks for a sincere response. I’m glad that at least one of his supporters was able to say why they supported him, without resorting to name-calling and personal remarks.
I think you are still missing my point. I am not expecting anything of him yet as president ( 2 hours and counting!). I am talking about what his philosophical/policy leanings are, his “guiding principles”, if you will. I want to know the principles for which he will go to the mat. I do believe a candidate owes the American people that. Alas, let’s see what happens, and hope for the best.
Enjoy the day!
Thanks for the dialogue.
By the way, just as an aside to Bxgrl: you know very well that I have written on these pages the reason for my support for McCain/Palin. You may think my reasoning is inane, idiotic, whatever- I’ll accept it. Grant me this point: when I support someone, I state my reasons for doing so. When someone asks me what I like about the candidate, I tell them.