How Obama Won—and May Win

[AZXD]

"We cannot entrust our beloved America, in a time of war, to this radical and exotic figure who has so many crazy and extremist associates. "

These words pretty much sum up my views of this candidate. His associations and the mentality being portrayed, when one starts playing connect the dots ... Equates to some of the worst things I can think of for this nation. Even if we were not at war, I could not agree with the mentality this candidate wants to bring to the White House.

Yes, he is smart. You don't get into the position he is now in without being smart. But smart does not equal right, and IMO he is very wrong for this nation.

I truly hope Buchanan has this figured out.
If you agree, spread the word, and help him loose ground as he did when doing battle with Hillary.

June 09, 2008
How Obama Won—and May Win

By Patrick J. Buchanan
"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. ... I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Thus did Joe Biden famously describe his rival for the nomination, Barack Obama, to The New York Observer, a year ago.

Biden, however, thought Obama might not be able to win the fall election, as he is "a one-term, a guy who has served for four years in the Senate. ... I don't recall hearing a word from Barack about a plan or a tactic."

Biden was forced to apologize, but was dead on in
discerning Barack's strengths as a candidate in the primaries, which might prove weaknesses in the fall.
A new face in the game, Barack opened with three aces. He opposed the Iraq war, the defining issue in a party that had come to detest the war. He was an African-American. Thus, as the hopes of millions rose that he could be the first black president, there were surges of black voters whom he begin to sweep 90-10.

Lastly, Barack is a natural, a Mickey Mantle, a superb political athlete like JFK, who has looks, charm, youth and a speaking style that can move crowds to cheers or laughter.

Barack was thus able to unite the McGovern wing—young, idealistic, liberal, anti-war—with the Jesse Jackson quadrant of the party, black folks, and defeat Hillary's coalition of working-class Catholics, women, seniors and Hispanics.

As of today, by the traditional metrics of national politics, Democrats should roll up a victory this fall like FDR's first in 1932.

Bush's disapproval is near 70 percent, and 80 percent of the country believes the nation is on the wrong course. Unemployment is rising. Surging gas and food prices compete for the top story not only on business pages but front pages, with home foreclosures and the housing slump. Family incomes of Middle Americans have ceased to rise, as millions of their best jobs have been outsourced overseas.

Yet, national polls show McCain-Obama a close race, and the electoral map points to critical problems for Barack.
He seeks, for example, to target Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. But in all three the Hispanic vote may be decisive. And Barack was beaten by Hillary two to one among Hispanics, and between these two largest of America's minorities, rivalry and tension are real and rising.

Barack must hold Michigan and Pennsylvania and pick up Ohio or Virginia. Yet, his weakness among Southern and working-class whites and women is remarkable. By two to one they rejected him.

After his string of primary and caucus victories in February, Barack proceeded to lose Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, then West Virginia by 41, Kentucky by 35, Puerto Rico two to one and South Dakota by 10. That last one Barack was supposed to win.
The longer the campaign went on, the more reluctant Democrats seemed to be to embrace his nomination.
What is Barack's problem?

Middle America knows little about him, and much of what they know they do not like. When West Virginians were asked what they knew about Barack, a plurality said the Rev. Wright was his pastor. In Pennsylvania, a goodly slice of Democrats knew Barack had said they were "bitter" about being left behind and were clinging to their bigotries, Bibles and guns.

By June, resistance to Barack's nomination in the party that he now leads was extraordinary, stemming from a belief that he is too naive to be commander in chief in wartime and too far left, and does not like or understand Middle America or its values.

"He is not one of us."

And if Barack cannot erase this hardening perception in the American mind, he will not be president.

Democrats may talk of making the economy the issue this fall, but Republicans are going to make Barack the issue. Story line: We cannot entrust our beloved America, in a time of war, to this radical and exotic figure who has so many crazy and extremist associates.

Barack's problem is thus Reagan's problem.

As the country wished to be rid of Jimmy Carter in 1980, so the nation today wishes to be rid of Bush and his Republicans. But America is apprehensive over a roll of the dice, in Bill Clinton's metaphor.

How did Reagan ease the anxiety? In the debate with Carter, he came off as conservative, yes, but also traditional, mainstream, witty and the more likable man. The real Reagan came through.

With his persona, Barack may be able to do the same—in the debates. The problem is that he had two dozen debates with Hillary and, by the end of the primary season, five months after it began, he was still losing ground.

[KEVWYO]

I like Pat Buchanon. Can't say as I always agree with him ... he's certainly entertaining, certainly thought provoking at times as he is in this article.

He hit on something that I've been saying for the past year: "As the country wished to be rid of Jimmy Carter in 1980, so the nation today wishes to be rid of Bush and his Republicans. But America is apprehensive over a roll of the dice, in Bill Clinton's metaphor."

It's no stretch at all to say that AZXD is "apprehensive" about Obama. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that Obama to AZXD is syrup of Ipecac !!! At any rate, the past 8 years have set up the scenario for an Obama personality to rise to the top. I know you don't like it AZXD and believe it or not I have some serious cognitive dissonance regarding Obama but I have no qualms whatsoever in not supporting McCain because I truly believe this country will have another 4 years of a totally failed and miserably pathetic administration. Obama may be all fancy speeches and no substance as you allude to from time to many times but more of the same of the past 8 years is a definte no way no brainer.

[AZXD]

I don't like McCain either, but I also realize McCain is not Bush.
Given the choice, McCain is the better candidate, IMO

[KEVWYO]

Originally Posted by AZXD

I don't like McCain either, but I also realize McCain is not Bush.
Given the choice, McCain is the better candidate, IMO

I'd appreciate your take on how McCain and Bush are different in terms of Iraq, illegal immigration, energy policy, domestic spending, health care.

[XDConvert9mm]

Originally Posted by KEVWYO

I like Pat Buchanon. Can't say as I always agree with him ... he's certainly entertaining, certainly thought provoking at times as he is in this article.

He hit on something that I've been saying for the past year: "As the country wished to be rid of Jimmy Carter in 1980, so the nation today wishes to be rid of Bush and his Republicans. But America is apprehensive over a roll of the dice, in Bill Clinton's metaphor."

It's no stretch at all to say that AZXD is "apprehensive" about Obama. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that Obama to AZXD is syrup of Ipecac !!! At any rate, the past 8 years have set up the scenario for an Obama personality to rise to the top. I know you don't like it AZXD and believe it or not I have some serious cognitive dissonance regarding Obama but I have no qualms whatsoever in not supporting McCain because I truly believe this country will have another 4 years of a totally failed and miserably pathetic administration. Obama may be all fancy speeches and no substance as you allude to from time to many times but more of the same of the past 8 years is a definte no way no brainer.

So we're left with Bush's 3rd term or Carter's 2nd. The very definition of a Hobson's choice, isn't it?

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by KEVWYO

I'd appreciate your take on how McCain and Bush are different in terms of Iraq, illegal immigration, energy policy, domestic spending, health care.

Sorry, you can look it up if you wish to. In my mind the similarities and differences are not as threatening as what I truly believe Obama represents. Therefore given a choice between the two candidates ... I choose McCain.

[KEVWYO]

Originally Posted by XDConvert9mm

So we're left with Bush's 3rd term or Carter's 2nd. The very definition of a Hobson's choice, isn't it?

Carter's 2nd .... you think that one up on your own or did you hear it on nearly every news outlet that had a Repub/McCain spokesperson talking today???? Seriously?

[XDConvert9mm]

Originally Posted by KEVWYO

Carter's 2nd .... you think that one up on your own or did you hear it on nearly every news outlet that had a Repub/McCain spokesperson talking today???? Seriously?

The same sources that dubbed McCain's run a third Bush term came up with this one KEV. As much as I would like to I can not take credit for it. But then I think you knew that, didn't ya?

Little touchy about this, are we? Did I strike a nerve? If you have a problem with one then you ought to have a problem with both.

Hasty generalizations, as I believe they're called, are never a great idea. That's why I brought them both up at the same time, to illustrate how stupid both of the labels are. I suspect you may agree with me about er...50% on this one, am I right?

[Dhunter55]

Originally Posted by XDConvert9mm

So we're left with Bush's 3rd term or Carter's 2nd.

I'd say that pretty much describes it.

[PackerfanXD]

Face it; we're in serious trouble either way.