Obama's Hyperbole

No one in the race has more foreign policy experience than Barack Obama.

"And nobody has spoken out more fiercely on the issue of anti- Semitism than I have."

Some Obama campaign aides privately admit that their boss has a tendency to use superlatives when a comparative is called for. What's weird about Obama's peacock displays is that they're unnecessary. No one -- not even messianic Obamniacs -- believe that he has more foreign policy experience than John McCain, although many millions of voters may well come to believe that Obama's life experience in general gives him a better vantage point.

Obama's confidence is one of his more attractive qualities as a candidate. Sometimes, though, that confidence crosses the border into other, less attractive qualities.

Comments

Marc, where does he say he has more foreign policy expeerience? He doesn't, so it might be best if you corrected your first sentence.

Secondly, talking about knowledge regarding foreign policy, it is entirely within his rights, and is probably accurate to say he has the most foreign policy knowledge.

His whole point is that "experience" does not necessarily equate to "knowledge" or "judgement."

Posted by John M | April 11, 2008 10:40 AM

This post reads like a McCain talking point.

Obama is making the argument that foreign policy experience should be measuered a different way - that doesn't equate to hyperbole

Posted by Nate | April 11, 2008 10:41 AM

Nate, I agree that Obama meant something more nuanced. However, saying that his experience abroad let's him understand the world better than Clinton or McCain sounds arrogant, whether or not it is true. I think it might of come off better if he could show why.

Posted by Lesley | April 11, 2008 10:49 AM

Marc,

The weird thing about this post, is that it seems that the argument he is making in the linked to piece is that "Obama's life experience in general gives him a better vantage point". Which you acknowledge as a reasonable assessment of the facts.

You seem to be arguing against a straw man, while admitting that the real man is actually standing in the room. Odd post. Is this how that whole Fournier-says-Obama-is-arrogant meme plays out in the media?

Posted by Joe | April 11, 2008 10:55 AM

Lesley: Good point. Arrogance is a worry, hyperbole not so much.

Posted by Nate | April 11, 2008 10:55 AM

I agree with Lesley--he's aiming for a nuanced point, but it's not coming across without a fair bit of familiarity with his life and views. Which most at that fundraiser had. Still, it's something to address, and will be when debating John McCain.

All the candidates are arrogant enough to think they're qualified to be president. It's a job requirement.

Posted by Deborah | April 11, 2008 10:55 AM

Those who prefer facts to fiction will appreciate the good sense of what John M said above. Experience and expertise or insight are two very different things.

Posted by Fact Checker | April 11, 2008 10:56 AM

Marc -
Obama has never said he has more foreign policy experience. He said he has a better understanding of the world. Now that is debatable, but it is certainly a reasonable claim for someone running for president. He can back it up by evincing his judgement about the wisdom of attacking Iraq. John McCain may have "experience", but he seems to have trouble distinguishing between Sunnis and Shiites, and according to the NY Times yesterday, his foreign policy POV seems strangely unformed.

So I think you should correct your post because frankly it is misleading and erroneous.

Posted by marc | April 11, 2008 10:58 AM

Isn't "arrogant Obama" simply a Karl Rove talking point?

To claim that any one of these politicians is more arrogant or self-important, etc. seems very silly.

Posted by Vermonter | April 11, 2008 11:05 AM

"And nobody has spoken out more fiercely on the issue of anti-Semitism than I have."

Anyone else laugh out loud when they heard Obama make this ridiculous claim? He's spoken out 'fiercely' to everyone but his pastor of the past 20 years.

Posted by sbj | April 11, 2008 11:21 AM

I agree with you on this one Marc. I generally like Tapper's assessment's, although I have to admit, he sometimes crosses the twilight zone (see Obama smoking incident). I do think he has to use comparatives instead of superlatives. For example, with him saying that "nobody has spoken out more fiercely on the issue of anti-Semitism" than he has, he's probably trying to say that he's against it. But by using a superlative, he gets himself in trouble. Good thing you guys are pointing this out. HOpefully he takes a cue and changes his language accordingly.

Posted by David | April 11, 2008 11:36 AM

"No one -- not even messianic Obamniacs -- believe that he has more foreign policy experience than John McCain"

I guess it depends on whether you are ignoring the quality of the experience and just focusing on the quantity. David Eckstein for instance has more "experience" than Troy Tulowitzki in the sense that he has been a major league ball player for more years but you'd be hard pressed to argue Eckstein is therefore a better player. Likewise for all McCain's "experience" (years in Washington), his foreign policy views are profoundly idiotic. So yes I'd take Obama's experience correctly judging whether the U.S. should invade and occupy Iraq over McCain's.

Posted by Ron | April 11, 2008 11:42 AM

There Ambinder goes again...

Lying about Obama.

Seriously, when will it stop, Marc?

Ambinder is a Clinton Shill and everything he writes needs to be looked at in that context. He is a closet case that pretends to be an impartial reporter when he is really a partisan hack.

Fire. Ambinder. Now.

Posted by Jimmy James | April 11, 2008 11:46 AM

Ok, Im confused. Aside from associating with Farrakhan, who hates Jews, what has Wright done personally to indicate that he is an anti-semite? I've heard those clips...and there is nothing specifically anti-semitic in any of them (anti-a bunch of other things, but not anti-semitic).

I'd agree that Obama's traveling abroad doesn't qualify as foreign policy experience, but I do think it is more akin to the kind of experience, in general, that we need right now. Too often, "foreign policy" seems to be code for blowing stuff up. (Also, John McCain's "foreign policy experience" should not include the war in Vietnam. He was a soldier, not making substantive decisions and not involved in military planning, etc.)

But I, as a Jew, agree with Obama's statement about forcibly speaking out against anti-semitism. He has gone in to black churches and berated the congregation for their prejudices. Contrast that with Clinton and McCain, who'll wear a yarmulke in a synagogue and pander on American Jews on Israel (because that's all the Jewish community cares about, anyway...)

Posted by Kim | April 11, 2008 11:54 AM

So Ambinder is now lying on his blog? Saying Obama said he had more foreign policy experience when of course he never said that?

Is Ambinder now just part of the propaganda wing of the Clinton campaign? Or is it the McCain campaign?

Another retraction/correction is in order. Hopefully this time it won't be with the usual self-serving Snark Ambinder passes as an apology.

Ambinder is a joke.

And not a very funny one.

Posted by John McSame | April 11, 2008 11:54 AM

Ron:

Troy Tulowitzki (2008) .194 Avg, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 4 Runs

David Eckstein (2008) .222 Avg 0 HR 6 RBI 5 Runs

Just funnin' with ya, but I would argue that Eckstein is better, at this moment, in that he has proven himself over time. Tulowitzki had a better 2007, probably has vastly more potential, but I would never argue that he is the better player. His career stats are in no way comparable to Eck's (as you acknowledge) but career numbers really are one of the best ways to compare players. That's the measure typically used for the Hall of Fame. And I think Eck has a World Series ring, too, doesn't he? Not sure about Troy ...

Posted by sbj | April 11, 2008 11:55 AM

By "other, less attractive qualities," do you mean uppityness? Is that the less attractive quality you allude to?

'Cause John 'Keating Five' McCain says he's the poster boy for ethics in government, and as I remember, he had a near-death experience during the S&L crisis.

Why doesn't McCain exhibit even more of the "other, less attractive qualities" you indicate?

Posted by Michael's Mom | April 11, 2008 11:57 AM

Two things:

1. Why is it that any time someone says something negative about Obama, they are suddenly a Clinton shill? Get some perspective people.

2. Comparing David Eckstein to Troy Tulowitzki is like comparing Chef Boyardee ravioli to dinner at Per Se. That's not to say Tulo is that good, it's just that Eck is that mediocre. Eck's career OPS+ is 88, which means significantly worse than league average. The one year we have of Tulo is way better than Eckstein's best year in the majors. Moreover, World Series rings are an insane way to measure one person's skills. By that logic Scott Brosius is a better player than Alex Rodriguez (that by the way would be poor logic).

Posted by Jonathan | April 11, 2008 12:14 PM

They'll call him arrogant to substitute for "uppity". The new talking points have been delivered to Ambinder and his ilk.

Posted by Hope | April 11, 2008 12:37 PM

Marc's reporting is much better than his little asides.

Posted by lowellfield | April 11, 2008 1:19 PM

Tapper's childish reading of the anti-Semitism quote is just silly. Of course, Obama was comparing himself to Clinton and McCain, the other candidates in the race, not people like Foxman, Wiesel, and Dershowitz. C'mon now. I thought strained readings by journalists of candidate's sentences went out in the 2000 race.

Posted by dan | April 11, 2008 1:23 PM

MEGLOMANIA is characteristic of all CULT LEADERS.

Insipid little men like Adolph Hitler, Napoleon, Mao Dze Dung, Bhagwan Ragneesh, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Charlie Manson, never doubted THEIR OWN DIVINE GIFTS.

Posted by robert ethan | April 11, 2008 2:49 PM

that's why BARAK HUSSEIN OSAMA is THE NEW ADOLPH HITLER

Posted by ethan robert | April 11, 2008 4:25 PM

Please, ethan robert, let's not be children. I am not a fan of Obama, but I like him better than McCain and considerably better than, say, Hitler. I think both sides need to tone down the rhetoric a whole lot, policy attacks are fine and even attacks on style, but the venom needs to go.

Posted by Jonathan | April 11, 2008 4:30 PM

And while he might not have meant himself to the exclusion of all others who are surely greater on this issue than he (Elie Weisel? Simon Wiesenthal?) He surely does not hold a candle to Hillary Clinton when it comes to combatting anti semtitism. no siree.
(and imagine if even with all of her credentials, if she dared to say such a thing, the media would be all over her) Can obama even attempt to back up this silly claim?

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