Barack Obama

[literally exaggerated]

I'm just curious as to what people's opinions around here are of Barack Obama. As a young voter who has been thoroughly disillusioned with politicians for as long as I can remember, he's one guy who makes me feel genuinely excited and hopeful. Unlikely as it is to ever happen given the way the next election is likely to play out, the thought of a John McCain/Barack Obama presidential race is something that makes me believe it might be possible to restore some measure of civility, integrity and honest, intelligent and moral debate to our current political climate. So what do others think? Do you like him or agree with him? Would you vote for him in a presidential race (not '08, obviously)? Do you think he'd have any shot at winning? Do you think he'd make a good president?

[Chiasm]

He's been elected to a national office. Therefore he is by default corrupted by the system. You can't succeed in politics without sacrificing your ethics and what few you might make it to office with are gone within the first year or two. Obama might talk a good talk but in the end he's just as bad as the rest. Voting is just choosing your poison.

[StoneGold]

Seems like a nice enough guy. But the most important thing: we don't know a whole bunch about him.

[literally exaggerated]

Voting is just choosing your poison.

Choosing your poison is underrated, some'll just give you a headache and indigestion or make you trip balls for a little while, some will kill you slowly and to varying degrees, painfully, and some will kill you quickly. In the absence of any sort of alternative (not voting out of protest is a joke, and not a very good one), I'll pick the poison I like the best, thank you very much.

[Ian Boothby]

He's been elected to a national office. Therefore he is by default corrupted by the system. You can't succeed in politics without sacrificing your ethics and what few you might make it to office with are gone within the first year or two. Obama might talk a good talk but in the end he's just as bad as the rest. Voting is just choosing your poison.

We'll all die anyway, why eat?

[Shellhead]

I'm just curious as to what people's opinions around here are of Barack Obama. As a young voter who has been thoroughly disillusioned with politicians for as long as I can remember, he's one guy who makes me feel genuinely excited and hopeful. Unlikely as it is to ever happen given the way the next election is likely to play out, the thought of a John McCain/Barack Obama presidential race is something that makes me believe it might be possible to restore some measure of civility, integrity and honest, intelligent and moral debate to our current political climate. So what do others think? Do you like him or agree with him? Would you vote for him in a presidential race (not '08, obviously)? Do you think he'd have any shot at winning? Do you think he'd make a good president?

It's really way too soon after 9/11 for the Democrats to even dream of running a presidential nominee with a name that rhymes with "Osama." I don't care how intelligent, decent and charismatic Obama seems to be, that is a gigantic, insurmountable marketing problem right not. He knows it, too, which is why he is not going to waste a presidential run at this time. And I really hate to say this, given that the first time I ever voted in a primary it was for Jesse Jackson, but I don't believe that America is quite ready for a black president. It's possible that Colin Powell could have won if he had chosen to run for president for 2000. But his own wife was convinced that he would be assassinated.

[Paradox]

What Shellhead said...otherwise I never even heard of him, and he's apparantly a senator in a neighboring state. Must keep his profile fairly low or I'm more out of it than I thought (or a combination of the two, prolly).

[pennywisdom]

He's been elected to a national office. Therefore he is by default corrupted by the system. You can't succeed in politics without sacrificing your ethics and what few you might make it to office with are gone within the first year or two. Obama might talk a good talk but in the end he's just as bad as the rest. Voting is just choosing your poison.
Nice excuse for irresponsible apathy.

[jessecuster]

What Shellhead said...otherwise I never even heard of him, and he's apparantly a senator in a neighboring state. Must keep his profile fairly low or I'm more out of it than I thought (or a combination of the two, prolly).

He spoke and gave a really impassioned speech at the 2004 DNC. He has been called the fastest growing star in the Senate, and won in an area of Illinois that commonly votes Republican. He was all over the news following the DNC. here is his website: http://obama.senate.gov please read about him.

[Winslow]

He's a charismatic presence, which gives him a lot of appeal.

I actually don't know a lot about his stance on issues.

I do agree, American politics needs to get out of the current age of mudslinging and spin. I don't know if Obama is the guy to do it.

[Calybos]

He seems promising, but as noted he has at least two severe drawbacks:

1. His relative lack of experience.
2. He's black.

Granted, #2 shouldn't matter; but also granted, it does. We've still got a lot of racist jerks in this country (although they vote Republican lately, so it may be a lesser effect).

In discussing Obama's presidential prospects--perhaps as a running mate for Hillary--Jon Stewart of the Daily Show commented:

"Yes, this is the Democrats' ideal strategy to win over those crucial 'swing voters.' The war hero didn't work, so let's offer up the black guy with the Arabic-sounding name... and an outspoken woman. THAT'LL work!"

[west3man]

I don't know his stance on all the issues, but he impressed me, as well. Gut reaction? He'd make as good, if not a better, President as anyone else.

As far as his prospects...

While I'm very surprised that Paradox never heard of Obama, I think it says something about just how hard he'd have to work (Obama) to have a strong enough national presence to win the Presidency. "A lot."


As far as his name, if America's not ready for a President simply because of what his name rhymes with, then we're not really ready for the kind of President we claim to want.

"You'd make a GREAT Prez. Too bad your name sucks."


Then again, this overlooks the recent Dick, Bush, and Colin administration.

[Nate C.]

I like what I see. He has the charisma and the personality to win.

He's a Democrat with ideas. I enjoyed his speech at the DMC convention.

I actually had one of his lines in my sig for a while.

[The Mirrorball Man]

It's really way too soon after 9/11 for the Democrats to even dream of running a presidential nominee with a name that rhymes with "Osama." I don't care how intelligent, decent and charismatic Obama seems to be, that is a gigantic, insurmountable marketing problem right now.
Actually, his full name is Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.

[Ayo]

Actually, his full name is Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.

Good Christ.

[Loren]

He seems promising, but as noted he has at least two severe drawbacks:

1. His relative lack of experience.

Yeah, 11 months (currently) in the US Senate isn't exactly a VP-level resume.

[west3man]

Good Christ.
I think he's joking.

[Expletive Deleted]

... and won in an area of Illinois that commonly votes Republican.It was a state-wide race, and his Republican opponents were Jack "Sex Club" Ryan and Alan "The Last Minute, Out-of-State Draftee" Keyes.

Obama's win, while a fine one, wasn't exactly strenuous.

[The Mirrorball Man]

I think he's joking.
No (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama) I'm not. (http://www.nndb.com/people/208/000055043/)

[Michael P]

He's been elected to a national office. Therefore he is by default corrupted by the system. You can't succeed in politics without sacrificing your ethics and what few you might make it to office with are gone within the first year or two. Obama might talk a good talk but in the end he's just as bad as the rest. Voting is just choosing your poison.
Tages, try and think of Jesus, and the dirty thoughts will go away.

Seriously, I like Obama. He's got spunk. We'll see if he still has it after a few terms.

[Sam]

Nice excuse for irresponsible apathy.

It's funny to see someone with a Bill Hicks avatar say that. After all, Bill is the man who said of voting:

"I'll show you politics in America. Here it is, right here. 'I think the puppet on the right shares my beliefs.' 'I think the puppet on the left is more to my liking.' 'Hey, wait a minute, there's one guy holding out both puppets!' 'Shut up! Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control. Here's Love Connection. Watch this and get fat and stupid. By the way, keep drinking beer, you fucking morons.'"

[Dennis K]

He's a fairly regular guest on the Imus in the Morning program, and I like what I've heard so far.

[Mike Smith]

Yeah, 11 months (currently) in the US Senate isn't exactly a VP-level resume.

It may, however, serve a little better than 6 year stint as Texas governor. :p

[Shellhead]

Actually, his full name is Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.

Wow, there is a very short list of worse names for an American politician right now, and two of those names are Saddam Hussein and Osama bin-Laden.

[Tages]

Tages, try and think of Jesus, and the dirty thoughts will go away.
I was perplexed by this comment for about twenty seconds. Then it hit me.

Touche`.

[pennywisdom]

never mind.

[The Mirrorball Man]

I never said anything about anyone being wrong, I just said it's a shitty excuse for throwing your hands up in the air and quitting. Yeah, politics in America is exactly like that. I never questioned Hicks, and I never questioned the fact that politicians are shitbags.
So who came first? Cynical American politicians or cynical American citizens?

[Magneto_X]

No (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama) I'm not. (http://www.nndb.com/people/208/000055043/)

Worst. Name. Ever. :eek: