But Obama is surely just as much a phony. He is long on "uplifting" speeches and extremely short on policy and platform. Change, change, change - what the hell is he, a bank? Change to what? For what reasons? Change everything?
Blech.
He makes us feel like everything is going to be alright because we are all standing at a "special" moment in history and we can all save the country if we can just "unite." This is, of course, complete and utter horseshit. Democracy is not about unity. It is about disagreement, but civil disagreement. "Unity" is the kind of crap that you hear about in, dare I say it, totalitarian societies. It is the sophisticate's patriotism by another name.
And I, for one, have had enough of it. Uplifting speeches accomplish very little. What is needed are solid ideas, well thought out and vigorously, but courteously, pursued and defended. That's not unity, that's a functioning democracy.
Somehow I think this whole carnival comes crashing to a halt if he gets the nomination and has an opponent with more experience and different ideas. Bring it on.
(As a side note, I am also heavily amused by the constant comparisons between JFK and Obama. The fact is, JFK would probably be the nominee of the Republican Party today. He was a vigorous internationalist in foreign affairs who was prepared to send American troops in harms way and who used the CIA to assassinate political leaders. The Democrats would have a heart attack if he were actually President today.)
5 comments:
How could any of these idiots not wear on you? Too much coverage; I'm sick of them all, except that Ron Paul, I'll never tire of his schtick. Watching Ron Paul is like watching old Steve Martin stand-up - brilliant.
Primary season is why newspapers still have a purpose. I read what I need to to stay dial in, but turn the channel on the tube when the spin starts. Probably why I'm not as sick of Obama as you might be at this point.
With the trouncing the Hill got this weekend it looks like I might just end up owing you that dollar.
Misanthrope, thank God someone said it. I've been telling people for three months not to believe the hype, but they don't listen. Obama is a junior senator with mixed racial telegenic looks combined with a huge ego and a wife who helps to deify him (anyone watch Larry King last night? Ugh).
Stand up for the right one! Ed Norton for President!
Bullshit on Kennedy. Media has an impact on the presidential process that was unheard of 50 years ago. If Kennedy were alive today, he would weigh the political situation and figure out what it took to get elected.
And to think that Nixon should've won. When time machines are built, I'm going back to 1960 and slapping everyone.
Mike. that's nonsense about the media and Kennedy. He was an avowed interventionist in international affairs. That's not the media or the campaign, that's the result of his personal experience informing his beliefs. As he said over and over, he and his colleagues were haunted by what had happened in Berlin after WWII and were determined not to sit by and let it happen again.
Kennedy's foreign policy would have been abhorrent to most Democrats today.
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