Things I like about Obama
By 
Introduction
Just some quick thoughts on what I like about Obama right now. I'm not going to get into policy too much because, as with many things, the devil's in the details and execution. The ideas and words and generalities are easy. Getting it done is the hard part. Getting many of people pointed in the right direction is hard. For most electable candidates the vision comes easy. So it's more a matter of "can the candidate get it done?" for me. (Assuming you have reasonably similar priorities and view points.)
1
He makes people care.
Out of all the candidates I think he generates the most excitement. People want to believe in what he's saying. They want to contribute. They want to get active. I see this as a refreshing change of pace from the apathy and disenchantment with politics and government. There's an open and entirely different question of whether that will actually translate to action or even voting but I still think this is an important quality.
2
Man of our time.
Out of any of the candidates, I feel he is plugged into the modern world. I believe he understands the opportunities that technology and emerging gloabalism present. Obama is of the moment.
3
Outside of the "system"
Although Obama has done much to cultivate this image, i still believe it's true. He doesn't have years of "politics as usual" skewing his vision or weighing him down.
The down side: he doesn't have years of experience either.
Lingering question: how much does this experience matter? is this a positive or negative?
The down side: he doesn't have years of experience either.
Lingering question: how much does this experience matter? is this a positive or negative?
4
Issues.
www.onmylist.com/category/politics/Issues_that_ar…
Barack's stated issues of importance line up very well with mine. He often talks about our standing in world, energy, technology. Although most candidates support ending the war in Iraq, I give bonus points to Obama for being outspoken against it since before it even happened. He had the presence of mind to see what was going to happen. He called it and he was right. If this foresight is really a skill of his, I want a person like that in office.
5
Image.
Now, I know what your thinking. Image sounds like an empty word. It conjures up this idea of all surface and no substance. But that's not what I'm talking about here. In the media era, projecting well has significant meaning. You must be able to influence your own citizens as well as the citizens of other countries, and other world leaders. Obama has this magnetism in spades. It's the "it" factor. And "it" is an important in our world today.
Basically the polar opposite of Bush.
Basically the polar opposite of Bush.
6
Substance.
I believe him to be an honest and thoughtful man.
I am sure Obama is a very nice man, with all the best intentions in the world. But he is a lightweight; his legend has been created from whole cloth, and is “full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.”
What has he done? What has he said? What is his health care plan? His plan for renewable energy" Education? How will he get us out of Iraq?
These are serious times; we have serious problems in this country, and we need the smartest, toughest, most serious person we can find to even begin to get our country back.
This is a time for pragmatism, not idealism. Please use your brain, and your reasoning ability, and not your heart.
What has he done? What has he said? What is his health care plan? His plan for renewable energy" Education? How will he get us out of Iraq?
These are serious times; we have serious problems in this country, and we need the smartest, toughest, most serious person we can find to even begin to get our country back.
This is a time for pragmatism, not idealism. Please use your brain, and your reasoning ability, and not your heart.
I am planning on making a list of all the candidates that I would consider.
How about a list for each of the candidates you won't consider and why not?
I just saw a t-shirt with Obama and Hilary's faces stating "Bros before Hos". Hilarious.
Looks like Obama might ride this wave all the way through now. Pretty impressive victory in Iowa.
Well, I do love the fact that he managed to get so may people involved; doubling the number of caucus attendees from '04. Perhaps this will actually be the beginning of the quantum change we have been waiting for, and the internet will finally do for the political process what television did in 1960.
But please remember we are only talking about 90,000 folks in Iowa, and traditionally, any candidate who has counted on young voters has been screwed when those young voters failed to materialize on election day.
Enjoy the glow for a couple of days, and then try to figure out how Obama is going to change anything. Change in and of itself is not a platform. The only two men to ever win in Iowa and then ride the wave to the White House were Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush. Carter was and is brilliant, and he won by promising change, but the Washington establishment ate him up. Obama isn't brilliant, and hasn't been taken seriously as a senator; he has accomplished virtually nohing in two years as a senator.. How is that going to change when he is president?
But please remember we are only talking about 90,000 folks in Iowa, and traditionally, any candidate who has counted on young voters has been screwed when those young voters failed to materialize on election day.
Enjoy the glow for a couple of days, and then try to figure out how Obama is going to change anything. Change in and of itself is not a platform. The only two men to ever win in Iowa and then ride the wave to the White House were Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush. Carter was and is brilliant, and he won by promising change, but the Washington establishment ate him up. Obama isn't brilliant, and hasn't been taken seriously as a senator; he has accomplished virtually nohing in two years as a senator.. How is that going to change when he is president?
Hey, your pessimism is well founded. No arguing that, BUT...
1) I am not wowed by Clinton or Edward's experience levels either. Deeper? Probably. But deeper than someone like George H Bush or Nixon. Not even close. I don't think experience is everything.
2) Experience may mean less with a supportive congress. I think any of the democratic candidates will jump into a *relatively* good situation in terms of being able to get things done with a Democratic majority.
3) George W has showed that the people who you surround yourself with can have a big impact. I think George W has been extremely effective even though he is a political lightweight IMHO.
(Even if I don't like what he's done and potentially trampling the constitution in the process nevertheless. Effective.)
4) I like believing that things can significantly change for the better. Obama seems to believe that too. With everyone else I hear the words but I see more of the same.
Maybe I just haven't been disappointed into submission yet by years of dashed hopes :) Give me a few more decades...
1) I am not wowed by Clinton or Edward's experience levels either. Deeper? Probably. But deeper than someone like George H Bush or Nixon. Not even close. I don't think experience is everything.
2) Experience may mean less with a supportive congress. I think any of the democratic candidates will jump into a *relatively* good situation in terms of being able to get things done with a Democratic majority.
3) George W has showed that the people who you surround yourself with can have a big impact. I think George W has been extremely effective even though he is a political lightweight IMHO.
(Even if I don't like what he's done and potentially trampling the constitution in the process nevertheless. Effective.)
4) I like believing that things can significantly change for the better. Obama seems to believe that too. With everyone else I hear the words but I see more of the same.
Maybe I just haven't been disappointed into submission yet by years of dashed hopes :) Give me a few more decades...
By 
By 
By 
By
9 Comments