The Obama Phenomenon and the 2008 Presidential Campaign
'This Week with George Stephanopoulos' ends their show with squibs from the late night comedians. They showed one today from the Daily Show which I thought perfectly captured the dynamic of the Obama buzz.
Unfortunately, it isn't really something that I can convey verbally, but it was typically astute.
Unfortunately, it isn't really something that I can convey verbally, but it was typically astute.
Avatar photo by Richard Lykes, used with permission.
- Primula Baggins
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YouTube is fannnntastic.
And, as usual, Jon Stewart's bit was cogent and funny.
And, as usual, Jon Stewart's bit was cogent and funny.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Túrin Turambar
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Fox News doesn't seem to like Obama very much.
I can't quite get my head around showing pictures of him while running a story about a sex offender.
I can't quite get my head around showing pictures of him while running a story about a sex offender.
Par for the course for Fox, if you ask me. Keith Olberman covered part of this on his program last night. The Washington Times magazine Insight printed the story about Obama attending a Muslim Madrassa, which turned out, of course, to be a complete lie. Fox then took the story and claimed that it was Clinton who was spreading the lie. Which, of course, was a lie.
Keith Olberman
Personally, I’d vote for Olberman for president.
Keith Olberman
Personally, I’d vote for Olberman for president.
- Primula Baggins
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I wouldn't. I think we need him in his present job—no matter who's president.
He has done a lot to stir the mainstream media out of their cowardly paralysis, simply by reporting realities about the war and the president's handling of it and not immediately being snuffed out by the finger of God (and in fact getting better ratings—that always gets their attention).
He has done a lot to stir the mainstream media out of their cowardly paralysis, simply by reporting realities about the war and the president's handling of it and not immediately being snuffed out by the finger of God (and in fact getting better ratings—that always gets their attention).
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- axordil
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There's been an interesting exchange of essays over at salon.com this week on the question of whether Obama is "really" black.
I will see if I can link...if not I will cut and paste. I think they have an ad preview for material if you're not a subscriber.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/20 ... index.html
http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/200 ... n_america/
I will see if I can link...if not I will cut and paste. I think they have an ad preview for material if you're not a subscriber.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/20 ... index.html
http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/200 ... n_america/
Articles like that make me very sad. It's hard to articulate why it saddens me.
However.
I do agree that Mr. Obama is too young and inexperienced.
If I was an American, and this is one of the times I'm thankful that I'm not, I would think I was between a rock and a hard place.
And, quite frankly, no matter what colour I might be, I would loathe Jesse Jackson from the bottom of my phony-hating heart. He comes across, to me, as the most insincere person I've ever seen. Insincere and totally, absolutely, utterly devoted to being a "star".
However.
I do agree that Mr. Obama is too young and inexperienced.
If I was an American, and this is one of the times I'm thankful that I'm not, I would think I was between a rock and a hard place.
And, quite frankly, no matter what colour I might be, I would loathe Jesse Jackson from the bottom of my phony-hating heart. He comes across, to me, as the most insincere person I've ever seen. Insincere and totally, absolutely, utterly devoted to being a "star".
Dig deeper.
- Voronwë the Faithful
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You know what? This is stupid! It's way too early for this.
No, not the thread. The thread only reflects the media reality. No, it's way too early for all this presidential talk.
Oh, and the Patriots lost, so maybe H. Clinton can be taken down. Obama has to make sure he avoids throwing easy picks, though.
No, not the thread. The thread only reflects the media reality. No, it's way too early for all this presidential talk.
Oh, and the Patriots lost, so maybe H. Clinton can be taken down. Obama has to make sure he avoids throwing easy picks, though.
- Angbasdil
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I agree, Faramond. And so does Eric Boehlert at mediamatters.org.
The man says what I've been thinking much better than I could.
The man says what I've been thinking much better than I could.
I agree, in a way, but I think the media reality reflects the reality of the nation where at least half the population can't wait to replace the current Administration with anyone. It also reflects the perception that the Democrats lost the last two elections largely because their candidates lacked charisma. That may go some way to explain the excitement over a candiate who is, finally, nothing if not charismatic.Faramond wrote:You know what? This is stupid! It's way too early for this.
No, not the thread. The thread only reflects the media reality. No, it's way too early for all this presidential talk.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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- Deluded Simpleton
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Charisma be damned. What fair citizen of the world can fail to be impressed by a woman and a black man making a serious try for the top slot of a major party ticket? (Both will have automatic constituencies, though they'll overlap in some states.)
Let there be color!!!! And light! And clean fruity white wine!!!
Let there be color!!!! And light! And clean fruity white wine!!!
- Primula Baggins
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Clean fruity reds aren't bad, either.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
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- axordil
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I have no problem with acknowledging that Obama should not expect automatic support from the black community, no matter how that community is construed. I do have a problem with the reasons the first author provides, which smack of identity politics of the worst kind. Would a descendant of West African slaves be OK for expecting automatic support from the black community? That's the implication.
The second article is more subtly problematic. I think there are a lot of things that have to happen before the "quotes" come off, to use the author's parlance, and those mileposts are both personal AND societal.
The second article is more subtly problematic. I think there are a lot of things that have to happen before the "quotes" come off, to use the author's parlance, and those mileposts are both personal AND societal.
- Voronwë the Faithful
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I didn't say that I necessarily agreed with the articles, Ax, just that I thought that they were helpfully thought-provoking. I don't think the author of the first piece was saying that a descendent of West African slaves would automatically earn support from the black community; I would doubt very much that she is a big fan of someone like Clarence Thomas or Ward Connerly. But I do think that her main point -- that being a descendent of West African slaves is distinctly different background then being an African immigrant, or a child of an African immigrant. Forget for a moment that Obama's mother is white, and that his father is from East Africa. Because I know from experience that the same point is valid when dealing with immigrants from West Africa. They have a very different perspective about things then most African-Americans do.axordil wrote:I have no problem with acknowledging that Obama should not expect automatic support from the black community, no matter how that community is construed. I do have a problem with the reasons the first author provides, which smack of identity politics of the worst kind. Would a descendant of West African slaves be OK for expecting automatic support from the black community? That's the implication.
The second article is more subtly problematic. I think there are a lot of things that have to happen before the "quotes" come off, to use the author's parlance, and those mileposts are both personal AND societal.
Does any of this mean that Obama can not be an effective advocate for the African-American community? Of course not. It just means that he does not have the automatic connection to the African-American community that some people might think he has, based on the color of his skin.
As for the second article, I agree with you completely.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
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Well said, Voronwë. In total agreement. I am very interested to see how the differences between Obama's background and the majority of the black American demographic will shape things in this race.
I won't just survive
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise