« Yepsen: Thompson Underwhelmed | Main | Alan Keyes May Be Weighing A Presidential Bid » The messenger? Or The Messenger?07 Sep 2007 07:39 am Walter Shapiro notices a bit of messianic language coming from key advisers to Sen. Barack Obama: Paul Tewes, Obama's Iowa coordinator, marveled, "It is something I've never seen before in politics. After people hear him speak, they say that they feel at peace." That phrase -- "feel at peace" -- has also never been used before by a veteran campaign staffer since I covered my first Iowa caucus in 1980. Comments (8)
The problem with Obama and his campaign is that they have zero respect for how difficult it actually is to win the presidency. They keep running off at the mouth about transformation and enlightenment when they need to focus on the blocking and tackling of winning an effing election. If he doesn't splice some oh-so-terrible "transactional" politics into his repertoire, HRC is going to eat his lunch. 
dry_fish: I agree completely. The cult of personality surrounding Obama won't stand up to the elbows Clinton's campaign will throw come December. Politics is a brutal full-contact sport, as it should be, and I think Obama has a glass jaw.
I think Obama is considerably tougher than we've been led to believe. He's been in the Illinois State Senate, and in the U.S. Senate, and it is just naive to believe that he got to that level and maintained it singing kum-by-yah with Lassie tagging along. Forget about Harvard Law Review--those are some MAJOR sharks, in fact, world leading sharks!! And did you see his response to Brown when the Aussie tried to butt into our affairs?! That is a preview of what is coming. He's biding his time, wisely, since we have many months until the first ballots are cast. He'll make mincemeat of Hillary when it counts, and not a moment before.
Sebby, he's not considerably tougher. He got a free pass in the US Senate due to the sex scandal of his Republican opponent who was forced to drop out, and Obama ended up running against Alan effing Keyes. State Senate experience-- getting elected or serving (even in Illinois)-- cannot be compared to the White House, and you and Obama's people seem to think it is ("I've passed more bills than Hillary or Edwards"). Glass jaw understates what Obama is in for. And, frankly, it's a shame, b/c it will alienate yet another generation of people who ought to be in politics.
jmh - You're wrong to dismiss Obama's 70% victory in Illinois because of Keyes, because Obama has maintained that approval rating of 70% or higher for his ENTIRE term, including a whopping 40% of Republican voters who approve of him. It's funny how you think that over ten years as a legislator is meaningless, and yet being first lady is a major qualification; with that logic, you believe Laura Bush is ready to be President. The bottom line, though, is that this "glass jaw" idea is completely ignorant of the primary process, as Iowa rewards the positive campaigners and discards the negative campaigners; just look at 2004.
Hillary's experience President of Wellesley Republicans Barack's experience: President of Harvard Law Review Neither has the leadership experience comparable to that of Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton (two-term governors, LBJ (Senate Majority Leader), or even of Ike, who led a massive army. Republicans also fail to match up to historical standards. America has never had a President who rose from the mayor's office directly to the Oval Office. Voters haven't elected a one term governor to the White House in 75 years and we haven't elected a senator since 1960. In a time of great pressure for truly competent leaders, Americans will have to choose from a field of underqualified candidates. Once voters realize this, they will likely focus less on the nebulous term "experience," and more on which candidate has the clearest vision for America.
Hillary's experience President of Wellesley Republicans Barack's experience: President of Harvard Law Review Neither has the leadership experience comparable to that of Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton (two-term governors, LBJ (Senate Majority Leader), or even of Ike, who led a massive army. Republicans also fail to match up to historical standards. America has never had a President who rose from the mayor's office directly to the Oval Office. Voters haven't elected a one term governor to the White House in 75 years and we haven't elected a senator since 1960. In a time of great pressure for truly competent leaders, Americans will have to choose from a field of underqualified candidates. Once voters realize this, they will likely focus less on the nebulous term "experience," and more on which candidate has the clearest vision for America.
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Haven't we tried The-Messiah-In-The-Oval-Office thing already?
Posted by JoeCHI | September 7, 2007 8:29 AM