Who Is The Real Barack Obama?

National Review Online: Even Democrats Don't Know The Answer

(National Review Online)  "People were satisfied,” Barack Obama writes in his first memoir, Dreams From My Father, “so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves.”

Such was Obama’s strategy as a high-school student for dealing with white people who might be discomfited by a young black man. In the closing weeks of the campaign, Obama has hewed to this long-ago operating procedure. If “the economy, stupid” was the de facto slogan of Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, “no sudden moves” could be the motto of Obama’s.

After the Democratic primaries, Obama’s challenge was connecting with working-class voters on their economic concerns. Could the dispassionate Obama rouse himself to do it? Could he overcome his exotic background and elitist vibe? Then, a stock market that lost almost 21 percent in value in seven days rendered the questions moot. The vertiginous drop sent every Republican candidate in the country reeling, and relieved Obama of the burden of connecting. Now, he only has to seem reassuring and nonthreatening. That he knows how to do.

The masterly execution of a political straddle is among Obama’s many talents. His second book, The Audacity of Hope, is devoted to the craft. As Time magazine writer Joe Klein noted at the time, he “counted no fewer than 50 instances of excruciatingly judicious on-the-one-hand-on-the-other-handedness.” So while the McCain campaign wants to revive the Obama of Dreams - an angry young man, lost until he finds a home in left-wing Chicago - Obama is presenting himself as the cautious candidate of the inaptly named Audacity.

Obama could have been prepped for the presidential debates by Shakespeare’s Polonius, whose perfectly balanced advice to his son - “be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar,” etc. - is weak-mindedness masquerading as wisdom. Obama repeatedly promised “fundamental change” in the second debate, but otherwise portrayed himself as the embodiment of moderation, nay, even a kind of conservatism. In his own telling, he wants to cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans, reduce spending, preserve but improve the current health-care system and win the war in Afghanistan while prudently drawing down troops in Iraq.

In the first debate, he said John McCain was “absolutely right” about the need for more government accountability, for fewer earmarks and for spending cuts, and about the success of the surge in reducing violence in Iraq and the danger of a nuclear Iran. At times, he seemed determined to be the first presidential candidate to win a debate on the basis of sheer agreeability.

The Democrats are on the verge of a strange victory. If Obama is elected, they will arguably have won the most left-wing government in American history. FDR and LBJ had raging Democratic majorities in Congress early in their presidencies, with which they forged massive increases in the size of government. But that was before the post-Vietnam culture revolution in the Democratic Party that produced a leftward lurch on social issues and a reflexive hostility to American power. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton also had Democratic majorities, but they both consistently ran as, and had records as, Southern moderates.

But no one can know whether Obama is the leftist his associations suggest, or the irenic uniter of his iconic 2004 convention speech; whether he’s the down-the-line liberal who kowtowed to the base of his own party in the Democratic primaries, or the pragmatist who readjusted to the center as soon as enthralled liberals handed him the nomination. The consistent line running through his career is opportunism, a willingness to accommodate whoever - Bill Ayers or the swing voter in Ohio - can help him up the next rung in his ladder of ambition at any juncture.

When McCain asks, “Who is the real Barack Obama?” it is taken as a desperate smear. But it’s a question even Democrats don’t know how to answer. We’ll find out with more certainty only if Obama is elected and has to make tough governing choices. Until then - no sudden moves.

[frank775-2009]

Right now there is an investigation going on in several states into ACORN and voter fraud and fraudulant. Individuals in Ohio have registered to vote up to 72 times and voted with the help of ACORN. A piece of the pork in the bail out plan was to give acorn 150 million dollars to register voters. Which candidate is connected to ACORN? Barack Obama. Who is the real Obama? And why isn''t CBS covering the ACORN voter fraud and covering Obama''s effort to fund ACORN aqs part of the bailout bill?

[redfromla]

SamTheTVCat

If after treating you with respect and talking to you without the regular name-calling, labelling, derogatory remarks and insults, the way that is normally seen in web forums, the best you can do is reply with veiled insults then so be it.

I actually know that that there is a way McCain can pull this one off...he, or maybe his campaign strategists, are just not thinking hard enough.

[samthetvcat]

---"I do hope the campaign returns to a more issues focused competition."---
Posted by RedfromLA

95% of people probably take this kind of statement at face value, don''t they . . .

You know what, I never thought about it like this before but if somebody can delude hoards of people into believing he''s actually got a clue the way Barack can, maybe having someone in power who''s claim to fame is getting people to believe beyond reason at a time when people have stopped believing beyond reason in something like the stock market is maybe an actual asset.

Like maybe the global market can''t be healed with Government market intervention, it needs the guy with the hope change schtick that the world is gaga over.

RedfromLA, the slickster thing must really be rewarding if you''ve gotten so good at it - you have to figure there IS tremendous merit to your style . . . interesting . . .

[samthetvcat]

---"Character - TIE (Obama - Undefined / McCain - Ill-defined)"---
Posted by RedfromLA at 11:22 PM

---"I started asking myself about McCain''s character . . . That''s when I saw differences in stark contrast to each other."---
Posted by RedfromLA at 12:33 AM

Maybe I just don''t have the aptitude for double-talk to appreciate the merits, because I have no idea what we''re even talking about any more :o

I guess I''ll leave it at good luck to you and your candidate too . . .

Have a nice evening . . .

[redfromla]

SamTheTVCat

I see your point. You have to be one of those who support McCain for the right reasons one should support him. There are those who are voting for him for reasons that are "extremist". Then again there are also those who are supporting Barack for reasons that are also extremist and that is what I do not agree with.


I was seeing both sides at their best. But when McCain''s campaign turned away from the economic issues just to focus on character, I started asking myself about McCain''s character. I found out things I didn''t like and are totally different from the McCain that is so well known. I did a similar research on Obama from beginning to now. I read both their books Faith of my Fathers by Sen. John McCain and Dreams of my Father by Sen. Barack Obama. That''s when I saw differences in stark contrast to each other. Not so much in the details they mention in their respective books but in the character that they want to portray themselves in their narratives.

Good luck to you, and hopefully, more power to your candidate, Sen. John McCain. I do hope the campaign returns to a more issues focused competition.

[samthetvcat]

---"The fact that you are considering who to vote for in the most intelligent and reflective manner is the most important thing to do."---
Posted by RedfromLA

Well, while I commend the level of expertise you demonstrate in cloaking jabs with charm, flattery, and some creative liberties, like I said down below when it comes down to it some of us just tend to prefer people who are straight up.

It''s not true respect to think people can be manipulated by appealing to their vanity . . . that was the turning point for me when Barack started double-talking on stuff like FISA, etc.

[redfromla]

SamTheTVCat

The fact that you are considering who to vote for in the most intelligent and reflective manner is the most important thing to do.

The problem is the majority just vote for party allegiances.

If you ask me, I would do away with the party system, but I''ve seen what happens when that happens. I''ve seen countries with more than 5 competing parties and a free-for-all in presidential elections. Ever heard of 6 presidential candidates from different parties running against each other? AYAYAYAYAYAY.

Yes, there is a big possibility that McCain won''t win. I don''t have a problem with people voting for the candidate they want. But the tone and respect has to be there. Honestly, I never sided with any of the candidates until 5 days ago. I was "enjoying the spectacle" and viewing the situation.

It got to me that both are doing their best and have good and bad plans.

The Basis I Had Was

Experience - McCain
Intellect - Obama
Vision - Obama
Character - TIE (Obama - Undefined / McCain - Ill-defined)
Judgement - Obama
Service to Country - McCain
Quality of Service - Obama
Honesty - TIE ( Obama - undefined / McCain - Questionable)

When the mudslinging really started with Palin''s Broadsides then that tilted everything. It was being diverted to be not about issues but about Mutuall Assured Destruction if the other side responded in kind.

[samthetvcat]

---"Surprise! They BOTH are. JohnnyMac said he''s going to balance the budget in his first term? A lot of both candidate''s proposals are really cr*p."---
Posted by RedfromLA

ha ha Yeah, I''m just kind of down on politicians so I blow off some steam with these comments and Barack gets most of my ire because McCain''s just not going to win I don''t think . . .

I don''t mean to rain on anbody''s parade - it''s great that some people are excited about the election . . . just the fact that Dems''ll be in power ought to bring some change for the better :)

PS I haven''t decided who I''m going to vote for yet . . . probably neither :o

[samthetvcat]

---"Surprise! They BOTH are. JohnnyMac said he''s going to balance the budget in his first term? A lot of both candidate''s proposals are really cr*p."---
Posted by RedfromLA

ha ha Yeah, I''m just kind of down on politicians so I blow off some steam with these comments and Barack gets most of my ire because McCain''s just not going to win I don''t think . . .

I don''t mean to rain on anbody''s parade - it''s great that some people are excited about the election . . . just the fact that Dems''ll be in power ought to bring some change for the better :)

PS I haven''t decided who I''m going to vote for yet . . . probably neither :o

[redfromla]

SamTheTVCat


"Sorry if I ..."

That''s very minor and usually happens in forums.
------

"Either Barack''''s being unrealistic or he''''s lying..."

Surprise! They BOTH are. JohnnyMac said he''s going to balance the budget in his first term?
A lot of both candidate''s proposals are really cr*p.

-------
"So when you said it was for our own good that he not provide more detail..."

Objectively it is. Subjectively, it is not for our own good but for his. What''s the alternative? McCain?


"jmo - clearly we don''''t see eye to eye on that."

Everybody is different but we are all alike. No biggie. I respect your point of views. We may not agree with each others POV but respect is what is really needed.

Bank Bailout - It''s like putting band-aid on a bullet wound.

[samthetvcat]

---"Are you open to having your plans hijacked and distorted by your opponent to your and your supporters disadvantage? Do you consider that wise?"---
Posted by RedfromLA

And with this I guess we are just different because if the plans were wise then yeah I would think it''d be to one''s benefit to get them out there because then nobody else could compete.

Silence from a competitor would then be fatal for them assuming one''s plan is good - if they''ve fostered a vacuum of ideas, it gives one the option of either drawing the contrast of direction versus silence, or taking the liberty of filling in the blanks for the competition.

jmo though . . . I don''t much like passivity any more than I like deception . . .

[samthetvcat]

Posted by RedfromLA

Sorry if I was putting words in your mouth - I didn''t mean to direct my frustration towards you. I''m just frustrated with both the candidates.

Like both candidates have been asked point blank twice what they''re going to cut out of their programs and Barack answered that he was going to be able to afford his trillion dollar programs because he was cutting out $30mil of other programs. So is he saying he''s going to let the deficit balloon?

Either Barack''s being unrealistic or he''s lying. And given that he''s a control freak, I think he''s deliberately trying to paint a portrait that he knows he''s not going to stick to.

So when you said it was for our own good that he not provide more detail, I was skipping some steps and drawing some conclusions.

jmo - clearly we don''t see eye to eye on that.

PS I supported a bailout, I just didn''t support the plan being put forth by Paulson of buying up the bad debt of the investment banks in question so that they could conduct business as usual. Both the candidates did, and they had no alternatives like providing loans or giving the support to regular banks who don''t create those CDO''s.

[redfromla]

SamTheTVCat

"You''''re saying you need to lie and deceive people for their own good because people are self-defeating?"

Where you got that "need to lie and deceive" is not from anywhere I said silence on an issue is neither deception nor lie. Saying that people are self-defeating is a misrepresentation of what I said. I was saying that people would, in stressful times, prioritize short-term personal needs instead of impersonal long-term needs for the good of all.



"...the same result could be achieved by laying facts out . . ."

In ideal non-competitive situations that would be good. But consider the fact that it is a presidential campaign prone to distortions, and contortions by both sides. Are you open to having your plans hijacked and distorted by your opponent to your and your supporters disadvantage? Do you consider that wise?



"... And then he went and supported a bailout of investment banks so we could have an economy of complex financial instruments once again . . . "

Much as I disagree with the bailout, it is the most immediate pressing issue, and when you are on the edge of a cliff, even a knife sticking out is a good handhold.

[samthetvcat]

---"Personally I tend not to be drawn to people who don''t talk down to me with lies supposedly for my own good."---
Posted by SamTheTVCat

oops I was all in a lather - that should read ''Personally I tend not to be drawn to people who talk down to me with lies supposedly for my own good"

[samthetvcat]

---"SamTheTVCat, if you had a plan to make things better, and need the support of people(who would be adversely affected in the short run) to get things better, would you want to alienate them away from you because they are only thinking of the short-run(their immediate needs) instead of the long run?"---
Posted by RedfromLA

You''re saying you need to lie and deceive people for their own good because people are self-defeating?

I guess maybe we''re just different people because the same result could be achieved by laying facts out and informing people of the choices while pointing out that the competition is in the same spot, but that the difference is that the other person''s plan will lead to result B while the plan that''s being proposed will lead to result A in the long-run . . . (paint the portrait of peace and prosperity, then delineate the plan, acknowledge the trade-offs but paint the portrait of chaos that would otherwise ensue) . . .

Personally I tend not to be drawn to people who don''t talk down to me with lies supposedly for my own good. But that''s not even my point - my point was that the secret plans he''s got seem to suck. Have you read some of them? They say stuff like that Barack, unlike every other human being before him, will recognize crises before they happen so that they will never happen again. And then he went and supported a bailout of investment banks so we could have an economy of complex financial instruments once again . . .

[redfromla]

Be very scared of this Man.

He pals around with people who wanted to overthrow the government. One of them is His closest follower.

He also pals around with persons whose business dealings are shady.

He was listening to a raving religious lunatic, and spoke well of him, but rejected the vision of that raving lunatic, still He showed respect for him.

He despises capitalism and instead promotes a very socialistic vision during speeches.

He believes health care is a right not a privilege and allows people to be cured for the least expense.

He talks about hope and did not incite fear, nor promoted it, with those He talked to.

He kept back a lot of things secret and would not say everything He knew to everyone.

He did not speak or rile the crowds to anger and hate but pushed for change.

He also talked about meeting your enemy without precondition.

He only told the truth about Himself to those He trusted.

Somebody shouted "Kill Him!" at an important political gathering.

In the last minutes of His Life forgave a thief and died besides scoundrels.

Oh, and He lived 2000 years ago...maybe that''s why...

[redfromla]

creeper00

Ask yourself why you can''t see. You don''t even know what "Leadership" is if it was a wall 6inches in front of you. McCain/Palin can''t even provide good leadership to the crowds at rallies. If his cr*p hadn''t blown in his face McCain wouldn''t have partially stood up for Obama at a recent rally.

[creeper00]

Like isn''''t it kind of backwards to wait for others to come around rather than him making a tough call and selling it to others because he''''s done the analysis and his plan is sound? He''''s got access to information and resources that the rest of us don''''t have . . .

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 06:32 PM : Oct 11, 2008

Sam,

That quality you''re not seeing is called "leadership".

[skysoldier75]

It''s truly hard to pull away from the macabre spectacles of Palin''s irresponsibly incendiary town hall campaign appearances long enough to really wonder much about Sen. Obama these days.

Palin''s town hall meetings have steadily devolved into ever more disturbing events that have all the sophistication and ambiance of a KKK cross-burning.

One watches them in fearful anticipation that at any moment the enraged, blood-thirsty crowd might finally start grabbing any available protesters and media crews and simply begin lynching them from nearest lamp poles right before the eyes of the entire world.

With Palin eagerly and passionately baiting "Joe Sixpack" into giving in to his most homicidal, religiously intolerant, racist, homophobic, xenophobic vigilante urges, who really has time to wonder about Mr. Obama''s comparatively mundane inner workings?

[idnnsg]

This whole "who is the real Barack Obama?" thing is yet another attempt by the repugs, who have NOTHING of their own to run on, to smear Obama and to make people fear him, hoping to reduce the landslide to something they can finesse with their crooked voting machines.

Oooh! He''s "different", he''s "risky", be afraid, be VERY afraid!!! Is THAT supposed to make us want to vote for McInsane and his pet Strumpet? I THINK NOT!!!

The ONLY thing the NRO is going to get by running this stu.pid opinion piece is to make re.tards fear Obama. Well, guess what? The re.tards are already afraid! We''ve seen them on the news, threatening violence against Obama, claiming he''s a "muslim" and an "Arab", and a "terrorist", etc. etc.

When all you''ve got is LIES, then you''ve got NOTHING!

The GOP is toast.