If you're like me, and the bloom has come off the rose a little bit, Andrew Sullivan's article on Barack Obama should help. Even if you're not like me, I encourage you to read it. It's a powerful argument for why Obama is the best choice for president.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
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6 comments:
I've been focusing a lit more on Barack lately myself. I wish he would be as strong in debate as he is on the stump. He was certainly right on the issues, out in front of most of his rivals. My wife thinks he's positioning himself for '12 or '16 and she could be right. I have to go read Sullivan's article.
For some reason this wouldn't post the first time, so here goes again. Interesting article. Thanks Brendan. I didn't find the rationale "powerful" but it was interesting. I think Obama does get a little insulation from the right because even the repube right doesn't want to seem racist. Remember Clarence Thomas was getting pounded by the left pretty good until he said that the whites were beating up an "uppity" black boy. That shut the democrats up. I don't think the right would attenuate criticism of Hillary because she's a woman. The Clinton name would be just too tempting.
Sullivan's article was extremely well thought out and insightful. He puts words into gut feelings I've been having. I like that. I'm very self-absorbed!
Seriously, it was good stuff and I think I agree about 90% and that's a bit unusual with Andrew and me.
I think I disagree with the analysis of TC, concerning the reason the Reps and Inds seem to support Obama. I'm pretty sure the polls are not set up in such a way that you would in any way APPEAR racist for not supporting Obama. You'd kind of have to assume that they are SO sensitive to the issue (REPUBLICANS?) that they fall over themselves saying they would vote for Obama istead of Hillary or Edwards or Richardson.
I don't see it. I think it's probably true that, especially Inds, would give him a good long look. His biggest problem is gettting the nomination. Of course, that's the problem for all the candidates on the Democratic side. If Obama/Edwards could finish ahead of Hillary in Iowa then that would through everything wide open. Let's hope so.
I was thinking of Obama vs whomever in the general election rather than in the run up to the nomination in terms of Obama having a buffer. The L.A. Times has run some op eds saying that the repubes want to run against HIllary because they figure she is the most beatable of the dems running. The one they fear (according to the authors) is John Edwards. So they attack Hillary during the nomination process to keep her name in the papers and to make the Dems rally around her in defense, thus making it seem she is the one they fear and giving her a boost.
I hope either Obama or Edwards can beat or at least come close to Hillary in the Iowa primary. If Hillary gets the nomination the Dems might actually lose the general election again even with everything going for them and a weak field of repubes in the middle of an unpopular war and rotten gas prices.
TC -
I certainly agree with you on all that.
Brendan -
You doing your steroids tonight?
Nice to see a little debate break out without my intervention (egging on).
(*sigh*) Once accused of taking steroids, never seen clean again. Leave Brendan alone!!! He's a human being!!!
More seriously (but not much more, 'cause it's horse-race talk):
o I think John's wife is right, but not completely, about Obama and positioning. Certainly he could run again, and he won't do anything today to screw up tomorrow's races, but I think he wants to win this one.
o I'm pretty sure the LAT stuff about Edwards is a pathetic plant. The Republicans would like nothing finer than the Breck Girl as the opposition nominee. I'd say don't fall for these Rovian tricks, but it ain't gonna happen in any case.
o I'm dead certain many on the right are thankin' Jesus they don't have to consider how to play the race cards. They can stick with the Barack Hussein Osama, (so sorry, I meant Obama) meme, and they're damned glad to do it.
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