Barack Obama '08: "There is power in hope." - Page 2

barack obama is the afghanistani candidate, it will become evident when he ... bombs a barracks!

You guys are going to have seizures once the negative campaiging starts.

What do you mean "once?"

As much as I wish Obama could win the election, I just don't see it happening. Even before he made his announcement, my redneck in-laws were sending shit out that I am sure they got sent about Obama.

Frankly, I don't currently see anyone in the Democratic side who looks like they could honestly take middle America.

Clinton is in deep shit and doesn't even realize it. People have been waiting for her to run just so they can attack her. I like what Edwards has to say, but I don't think he has what it takes to win (and I think I lot of people will see him as the guy who ran with Kerry and lost). Biden is theonly other semi-big name, and he has already had his first mis-step.


Ugh, not looking forward to this next election.

Data point: Senate staffers from both parties love Obama. He's smart, personable, and makes people feel like they matter.

Y'know, like leaders are supposed to do.

I don't know, I'm fairly cynical about the regressive tendencies of the American voters, but I'm starting to feel like Obama just might be able to pull it off. It's early, but he's hitting all the right notes so far, and has what all the other candidates wish they had: credibility on Iraq. True, there's a long time for the shine to wear off, and he'll probably face the disparity between positive polling and actual votes that black candidates have always run into, but if there's anyone who can overcome it, it's this guy. He's Morgan Freeman, but young.

On the flip side, I've been saying for a while that Edwards is the most electable candidate of either party, issues aside. I think of all 04 candidates, even the winners, Edwards came out having made the best impression on the general public. He didn't lose that election; Kerry, homophobia and the people's reluctance to acknowledge the catastrophe of our foreign policy with the shadow of 9/11 still on their minds did. Those factors may not be entirely gone in 08, but their significance will be reduced. Also, if the dems are looking to capitalize on the rep's disastrous reign to retake some red states they haven't had in a generation, a young, good-looking white southern man is going to have a shot at that, while Hilary or Obama won't(not that they couldn't win, but don't expect them to carry Mississipi or Oklahoma).

Even with all that going for him, Edwards has problems, mostly stemming from his platform. He's been a champion of the lower class, and that's generally a tough sell. We are, after all, a Christian nation, and we all know there's nothing more Christ-like than a healthy disdain for the poor. Which brings us back to Obama, who is much more palatable to the masses who really want to believe in the great meritocracy. The fucked up thing is that a guy like him can actually serve to reinforce the racist and classist views of some conservatives. They see a minority who has made good on the the American Dream, and take it as evidence that poverty is in fact a choice. I doubt too many will think of it in such explicit terms, but it's there for those looking to validate their pre-existing view*.

Anyway, the short version of all this is that I think Edwards could definitely win the general election, but he can't match Obama's momentum within the party to get the nomination. And Obama's chances are dicey. On the one hand, if you asked white people over the last 20 year to describe the model of the Black Guy I Would Vote For, he's it to the tee. The question is, in the privacy of the voting booth, whether they'll follow through or go with the familiar one more time.

*Not that this is the exclusive domain of conservatives; we're all prone to giving more weight to a single extraordinary example than 10 conflicting, pedestrian ones.

Another thing Obama can work into his favor is the young vote. Most of my friends didn't vote in '04 because they didn't feel like they had anyone to vote for--the election spoke directly to our parents and older. Obama's youth and energy is infectious on college campuses, and I've had several conversations with a lot of my more conservative friends that they like Obama and would even go vote for him if he can hold up during the debates and the campaign. Kennedy brought out a lot of the young vote; so did Clinton, and it helped them take the election. I think Obama can work the same crowd without much of a problem.

We haven't even seen the tip of the tip of the iceberg.

I don't know, I remember talk in '04 of young voters coming out in greater numbers. I don't think it really panned out. And Clinton was a bit before my time; did he actually bring out greater numbers of young people than usual, or did he just win that demographic by a big margin?

I was pretty young when Clinton got elected as well, but several biographies and histories point to Clinton appearing on Arsenio (or Letterman, can't remember which) and playing the saxaphone as a boost to his popularity and named the under-30 crowd as one of the deciding groups in helping Clinton oust Bush Sr.

Clinton was the first candidate to use popular talk shows and MTV to campaign as heavily as he did. Rock the Vote pretty much started with his election.

Right, but my question was whether he actually drew out larger numbers under-30 voters or just won a larger proportion of a relatively static pool.

Mark my words, the day of the california primary is going to turn out for him just like the 1st season of 24.

Not sure. Here's how the votes were split.

--1992 election--Clinton-Bush-Perot
-------------------%----%----%
18–29 years old---43----34----22
30–44 years old---41----38----21
45–59 years old---41----40----19
60 and older------50----38----12

Check out Bill rockin the old person vote.

Younger voters did turn out in greater numbers. The issue is that everybody turned out in greater numbers too, so the percentages didn't change much.

I voted for the first time in 92 because of Clinton and the young people turning out was part of the reason for his victory.

I'm voting for Obama just because of the dumb remark I heard from a co-worker who said, if he was elected, 'she's moving to Canada.' Yeah, sure you are, skank.

I have two bits of advice for people that classify Obama as an empty shirt. Check out his website and read his book.

Here's an overview of his issues, each link has items of legislation he's written and/or sponsored: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

He has not yet gotten deep into policy in his rhetoric yet... because policy doesn't make for good rhetoric. Give him time.

For those that say he lacks experience, I ask you this: how does 24 years in the Senate prepare you to be president? How does being a governor? The demands of the presidency far outstrip any other office. The only candidates with real applicable experience for the job are Hillary Clinton, who lived in the White House for eight years and was an incredibly active First Lady, and Bill Richardson who was a cabinet secretary, congressman, and is currently a governor.

I'm not saying that experience isn't important, just that it's not the be all end all... especially for a legislator who, as time goes by, accrues politically damning votes like my cousin collects the tabs of aluminum cans (don't ask). Obama has ten years of experience in the legislature (8 State, 2 Federal). That's more in years than Romney (four years as Governor of Massachusets) and Giuliani (eight years as mayor of NYC). Don't expect the experience card to be played too heavily if they get the GOP nomination. Edwards has six years in the Senate and, unlike Obama, that number isn't going up.

Most importantly, don't count any one out as unelectable. If you like any one as a candidate, but can't support them because you think they're unelectable, we're just going to end up with another milquetoast candidate. At this point four years ago, Bush looked untouchable. Before Katrina and before the war dragged on and on it seemed incredibly unlikely any one would be able to unseat him. And then things started slipping away... but by that time the Democratic Party had nominated Kerry. Not an inspiring choice, but he was deemed more electable than the polarizing Dean.

Well... Obama is inspiring. And he's not polarizing unless you can't look past his skin color. Rather than bemoan the fact that he can't get elected, I'm going to go out and see if I can change that.

The dude really needs to change his name. President Barack Obama? People will wonder what country he's president of. President David Palmer. Now that's a name.

I know that Obama is black and running against Clinton for Dems' presidential candidate, but I don't care. I feel that he has the perfect mix of sincerety, eloquence, and intelligence to make it as the U.S. president. It'll be a hard-fought battle come 2008, and there are Americans out there who convinced themselves that they'd never vote for a black man into WH. But maybe, just maybe, it could happen. At any rate, I'm support Obama's candidancy fully, and I hope a man of conviction like him can get elected.

Racism is still alive and well in this country. The southern states get stereotyped as backwards and redneck "nigger-haters", because they ask for it and also it's mostly true simply because they refuse to change with the times. It was only in my parents generation that the civil rights act was passed. 40 plus years ago, but not long enough apparently.

My Dad, up until a few years ago was still using the word "Colored" to describe a black person. I had to explain to him many many times that it's not acceptable, but he honestly meant nothing by it. As a kid I heard the word "Nigger" used many times not out of hate or bigotry, just good ole' fashion ignorance. My parents were/aren't by no means racists, it was just how they were raised. Again, they meant nothing by it, but thank god, they grew and eventually changed with the times and evolved past all that. As for other family members and the area I live in, not so much. Too many people in my area are still not comfortable with the notion of a black man for president.

Skin color will Obama's biggest enemy. I know several in my own family and plenty of douchebag co-workers who will not vote for the man simply because he's black. Ironically enough, I know just about the same amount who won't be voting for Hillary just because she's a woman. Yes, I live in a real progressive part of the country. All they want is a good ole' boy whitey in White house and NASCAR on their televisions.