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The Affirmative Action President
Topic Started: Oct 7 2012, 08:47 AM (817 Views)
Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Obama: The Affirmative Action President

By Matt Patterson
Years from now, historians may regard the 2008 election of Barack Obama as an inscrutable and disturbing phenomenon, a baffling breed of mass hysteria akin perhaps to the witch craze of the Middle Ages. How, they will wonder, did a man so devoid of professional accomplishment beguile so many into thinking he could manage the world's largest economy, direct the world's most powerful military, execute the world's most consequential job?

Imagine a future historian examining Obama's pre-presidential life: ushered into and through the Ivy League despite unremarkable grades and test scores along the way; a cushy non-job as a "community organizer"; a brief career as a state legislator devoid of legislative achievement (and in fact nearly devoid of his attention, so often did he vote "present"); and finally an unaccomplished single term in United States Senate, the entirety of which was devoted to his presidential ambitions. He left no academic legacy in academia, authored no signature legislation as legislator.

And then there is the matter of his troubling associations: the white-hating, America-loathing preacher who for decades served as Obama's "spiritual mentor"; a real-life, actual terrorist who served as Obama's colleague and political sponsor. It is easy to imagine a future historian looking at it all and asking: how on Earth was such a man elected president?

Not content to wait for history, the incomparable Norman Podhoretz addressed the question recently in the Wall Street Journal:

To be sure, no white candidate who had close associations with an outspoken hater of America like Jeremiah Wright and an unrepentant terrorist like Bill Ayers would have lasted a single day. But because Mr. Obama was black, and therefore entitled in the eyes of liberaldom to have hung out with protesters against various American injustices, even if they were a bit extreme, he was given a pass.

Let that sink in: Obama was given a pass -- held to a lower standard -- because of the color of his skin. Podhoretz continues:

And in any case, what did such ancient history matter when he was also articulate and elegant and (as he himself had said) "non-threatening," all of which gave him a fighting chance to become the first black president and thereby to lay the curse of racism to rest?

Podhoretz puts his finger, I think, on the animating pulse of the Obama phenomenon -- affirmative action. Not in the legal sense, of course. But certainly in the motivating sentiment behind all affirmative action laws and regulations, which are designed primarily to make white people, and especially white liberals, feel good about themselves.

Unfortunately, minorities often suffer so that whites can pat themselves on the back. Liberals routinely admit minorities to schools for which they are not qualified, yet take no responsibility for the inevitable poor performance and high drop-out rates which follow. Liberals don't care if these minority students fail; liberals aren't around to witness the emotional devastation and deflated self esteem resulting from the racist policy that is affirmative action. Yes, racist. Holding someone to a separate standard merely because of the color of his skin -- that's affirmative action in a nutshell, and if that isn't racism, then nothing is. And that is what America did to Obama.

True, Obama himself was never troubled by his lack of achievements, but why would he be? As many have noted, Obama was told he was good enough for Columbia despite undistinguished grades at Occidental; he was told he was good enough for the US Senate despite a mediocre record in Illinois; he was told he was good enough to be president despite no record at all in the Senate. All his life, every step of the way, Obama was told he was good enough for the next step, in spite of ample evidence to the contrary. What could this breed if not the sort of empty narcissism on display every time Obama speaks?

In 2008, many who agreed that he lacked executive qualifications nonetheless raved about Obama's oratory skills, intellect, and cool character. Those people -- conservatives included -- ought now to be deeply embarrassed. The man thinks and speaks in the hoariest of clichés, and that's when he has his teleprompter in front of him; when the prompter is absent he can barely think or speak at all. Not one original idea has ever issued from his mouth -- it's all warmed-over Marxism of the kind that has failed over and over again for 100 years.

And what about his character? Obama is constantly blaming anything and everything else for his troubles. Bush did it; it was bad luck; I inherited this mess. It is embarrassing to see a president so willing to advertise his own powerlessness, so comfortable with his own incompetence. But really, what were we to expect? The man has never been responsible for anything, so how do we expect him to act responsibly?

In short: our president is a small and small-minded man, with neither the temperament nor the intellect to handle his job. When you understand that, and only when you understand that, will the current erosion of liberty and prosperity make sense. It could not have gone otherwise with such a man in the Oval Office.

But hey, at least we got to feel good about ourselves for a little while. And really, isn't that all that matters these days?





Update:

Author's Note. A lot of readers have written in asking me how I came to the conclusion that Obama was an unremarkable student and that he benefited from affirmative action. Three reasons:

1) As reported by The New York Sun: "A spokesman for the university, Brian Connolly, confirmed that Mr. Obama spent two years at Columbia College and graduated in 1983 with a major in political science. He did not receive honors..." In spite of not receiving honors as an undergrad, Obama was nevertheless admitted to Harvard Law. Why?

2) Obama himself has written he was a poor student as a young man. As the Baltimore Sun reported, in:

"'Obama's book 'Dreams from My Father,'....the president recalled a time in his life...when he started to drift away from the path of success. 'I had learned not to care,' Obama wrote. '... Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it.' But his mother confronted him about his behavior. 'Don't you think you're being a little casual about your future?" she asked him, according to the book. '... One of your friends was just arrested for drug possession. Your grades are slipping. You haven't even started on your college applications.'"

3) Most damning to me is the president's unwillingness to make his transcripts public. If Obama had really been a stellar student with impeccable grades as an undergrad, is there any doubt they would have been made public by now and trumpeted on the front page of the New York Times as proof of his brilliance? To me it all adds up to affirmative action.


The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Copper
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Jolly
Oct 7 2012, 08:47 AM

How, they will wonder, did a man so devoid of professional accomplishment beguile so many into thinking he could manage the world's largest economy, direct the world's most powerful military, execute the world's most consequential job?


Good question.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Amanda
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Quote:
 
'Obama's book 'Dreams from My Father,'....the president recalled a time in his life...when he started to drift away from the path of success. 'I had learned not to care,' Obama wrote. '... Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it.' But his mother confronted him about his behavior. 'Don't you think you're being a little casual about your future?" she asked him, according to the book. '... One of your friends was just arrested for drug possession. Your grades are slipping. You haven't even started on your college applications.'"


The author (where was this published BTW?) is basing his claims that Obama was a poor student on this quote about his being a lackadaisical HIGH SCHOOL student? (And from a quote from his OWN book?). This from over eight subsequent years of higher education that followed - not counting working as a professor? Speaking as a mom AND former student (who did a complete about- face, once I "grew up" academically and otherwise) - noooo! :darthno:

And FWIW Obama graduated MAGNA CUM LAUDE from the Harvard Law School. This is only a step down from the very best or "Summa". (NOT possible with "unremarkable grades"). So where does this Matt Patterson get off, with these wholly unvalidated claims about Obama's record - on which his whole argument that Obama is an affirmative action student rests? Nb., Patterson is on record at Snopes for misstating claims about provenance of this very same article! I.e., he himself has ZERO credentials, except at being extremely opinionated.

If I were you, I wouldn't rely on his embarrassingly made-up justifications for claims about Obama's "weak" school record - only one example of his unsubstantiated opinions. (And I can't stand leaving this, without repeating that he based his claim entirely on extrapolating from Obama's OWN comments about his - own - High School career! HIGH SCHOOL! GET REAL!!)

Most of all, though, I'm still shocked by the following (however much I quail every single time I see such a claim in reference to Obama):
Quote:
 
-- it's all warmed-over Marxism.
.
Speaking as a someone who's first major was Russian and East European history, it makes me ill to hear such ignorance blathered about. Why am I positive that this self-righteous journalist has NEVER even read Karl Marx? Such comments anywhere they might be quoted, ought to be forbidden. To cite them, though, ought be self-censored by any intelligent person - and I know Jolly counts as one. What can you or this author tell me about Marxism? What has Obama said that counts as Marxist - warmed over or cold? Well? More to the point, ask him to recap ANYTHING from Marx, apart from the famous: "from each according to his capacity,...etc."

It's as if someone were described as a Christian theologian without ever having said anything resembling the Gospels or Christian commentary. Or the same about Freud on Psychoanalysis or Einstein on Relativity. There comes a point at which someone needs to prove their acquaintance with the theories whose names they're bantering about. :veryangry: :lol2:
.

Edited by Amanda, Oct 7 2012, 03:38 PM.
[size=5]
We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
[/size]

"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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Copper
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Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 02:52 PM
ask him to recap ANYTHING from Marx, apart from the famous: "from each according to his capacity,...etc."



That's enough for me.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Amanda
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Copper
Oct 7 2012, 03:41 PM
Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 02:52 PM
ask him to recap ANYTHING from Marx, apart from the famous: "from each according to his capacity,...etc."



That's enough for me.
Acquaintance with Bartlett's Famous Quotations is not enough to justify a serious claim that someone (else) is a practitioner of a given political ideology or religion. :no:

[size=5]
We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
[/size]

"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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Copper
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Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 03:47 PM
Copper
Oct 7 2012, 03:41 PM
Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 02:52 PM
ask him to recap ANYTHING from Marx, apart from the famous: "from each according to his capacity,...etc."



That's enough for me.
Acquaintance with Bartlett's Famous Quotations is not enough to justify a serious claim that someone (else) is a practitioner of a given political ideology or religion. :no:


If Mr. Obama had a beard you couldn't tell the difference.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Copper
Oct 7 2012, 10:14 AM
Jolly
Oct 7 2012, 08:47 AM

How, they will wonder, did a man so devoid of professional accomplishment beguile so many into thinking he could manage the world's largest economy, direct the world's most powerful military, execute the world's most consequential job?


Good question.
Unbelievably difficult to answer, though.

Based on the result, it almost looks as though the entire Presidential election process is a celebrity-driven triumph of showbiz and style over substance, where the minor personal foibles of anybody running are subjected to an idiotic level of scrutiny and all serious consideration of political policy is almost completely ignored in what for most people appears to a competition between opposing bands of cheerleaders who have little to no idea of what they're actually voting for, since they're engaged in something approaching rival cults of personality.

Obviously, it couldn't be that.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Mikhailoh
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Why would you say that? Obama's predecessors have, in my lifetime anyway, all been men of genuine accomplishment.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Horace
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Mikhailoh
Oct 7 2012, 05:24 PM
Why would you say that? Obama's predecessors have, in my lifetime anyway, all been men of genuine accomplishment.
Which accomplishments did GWB have that weren't an offshoot of the fact that he was american royalty? What did he do that couldn't have been done by joe average with that particular credential? Do you honestly believe that a GWB given up for adoption by his parents and raised by school teachers would have done anything remarkable in his life?
As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good?
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Copper
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Horace
Oct 7 2012, 05:45 PM
Mikhailoh
Oct 7 2012, 05:24 PM
Why would you say that? Obama's predecessors have, in my lifetime anyway, all been men of genuine accomplishment.
Which accomplishments did GWB have that weren't an offshoot of the fact that he was american royalty? What did he do that couldn't have been done by joe average with that particular credential? Do you honestly believe that a GWB given up for adoption by his parents and raised by school teachers would have done anything remarkable in his life?

So his accomplishments don't count because he was part of the 53%?
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Mikhailoh
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What of Kennedy's? Carter's? History is rife with people who had a good start and did badly. Almost all our presidents have come from the upper echelons either by birth or achievement. Obama is the first to have done neither.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Amanda
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Copper
Oct 7 2012, 03:55 PM
Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 03:47 PM
Copper
Oct 7 2012, 03:41 PM
Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 02:52 PM
ask him to recap ANYTHING from Marx, apart from the famous: "from each according to his capacity,...etc."



That's enough for me.
Acquaintance with Bartlett's Famous Quotations is not enough to justify a serious claim that someone (else) is a practitioner of a given political ideology or religion. :no:


If Mr. Obama had a beard you couldn't tell the difference.
OK, I laughed. :D But you still don't get away with this, my good man! :veryangry:
.
[size=5]
We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
[/size]

"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 02:52 PM
Quote:
 
'Obama's book 'Dreams from My Father,'....the president recalled a time in his life...when he started to drift away from the path of success. 'I had learned not to care,' Obama wrote. '... Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it.' But his mother confronted him about his behavior. 'Don't you think you're being a little casual about your future?" she asked him, according to the book. '... One of your friends was just arrested for drug possession. Your grades are slipping. You haven't even started on your college applications.'"


The author (where was this published BTW?) is basing his claims that Obama was a poor student on this quote about his being a lackadaisical HIGH SCHOOL student? (And from a quote from his OWN book?). This from over eight subsequent years of higher education that followed - not counting working as a professor? Speaking as a mom AND former student (who did a complete about- face, once I "grew up" academically and otherwise) - noooo! :darthno:

And FWIW Obama graduated MAGNA CUM LAUDE from the Harvard Law School. This is only a step down from the very best or "Summa". (NOT possible with "unremarkable grades"). So where does this Matt Patterson get off, with these wholly unvalidated claims about Obama's record - on which his whole argument that Obama is an affirmative action student rests? Nb., Patterson is on record at Snopes for misstating claims about provenance of this very same article! I.e., he himself has ZERO credentials, except at being extremely opinionated.

If I were you, I wouldn't rely on his embarrassingly made-up justifications for claims about Obama's "weak" school record - only one example of his unsubstantiated opinions. (And I can't stand leaving this, without repeating that he based his claim entirely on extrapolating from Obama's OWN comments about his - own - High School career! HIGH SCHOOL! GET REAL!!)

Most of all, though, I'm still shocked by the following (however much I quail every single time I see such a claim in reference to Obama):
Quote:
 
-- it's all warmed-over Marxism.
.
Speaking as a someone who's first major was Russian and East European history, it makes me ill to hear such ignorance blathered about. Why am I positive that this self-righteous journalist has NEVER even read Karl Marx? Such comments anywhere they might be quoted, ought to be forbidden. To cite them, though, ought be self-censored by any intelligent person - and I know Jolly counts as one. What can you or this author tell me about Marxism? What has Obama said that counts as Marxist - warmed over or cold? Well? More to the point, ask him to recap ANYTHING from Marx, apart from the famous: "from each according to his capacity,...etc."

It's as if someone were described as a Christian theologian without ever having said anything resembling the Gospels or Christian commentary. Or the same about Freud on Psychoanalysis or Einstein on Relativity. There comes a point at which someone needs to prove their acquaintance with the theories whose names they're bantering about. :veryangry: :lol2:
.

How did Mr. Obama get into Harvard Law, if he was a so-so undergrad?

Is it like med school, where one standard exists for white students and another standard exists for black students?
If so, I'd say that supports the AA theory, fairly well.
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Amanda
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Jolly
Oct 7 2012, 08:14 PM
Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 02:52 PM
Quote:
 
'Obama's book 'Dreams from My Father,'....the president recalled a time in his life...when he started to drift away from the path of success. 'I had learned not to care,' Obama wrote. '... Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it.' But his mother confronted him about his behavior. 'Don't you think you're being a little casual about your future?" she asked him, according to the book. '... One of your friends was just arrested for drug possession. Your grades are slipping. You haven't even started on your college applications.'"


The author (where was this published BTW?) is basing his claims that Obama was a poor student on this quote about his being a lackadaisical HIGH SCHOOL student? (And from a quote from his OWN book?). This from over eight subsequent years of higher education that followed - not counting working as a professor? Speaking as a mom AND former student (who did a complete about- face, once I "grew up" academically and otherwise) - noooo! :darthno:

And FWIW Obama graduated MAGNA CUM LAUDE from the Harvard Law School. This is only a step down from the very best or "Summa". (NOT possible with "unremarkable grades"). So where does this Matt Patterson get off, with these wholly unvalidated claims about Obama's record - on which his whole argument that Obama is an affirmative action student rests? Nb., Patterson is on record at Snopes for misstating claims about provenance of this very same article! I.e., he himself has ZERO credentials, except at being extremely opinionated.

If I were you, I wouldn't rely on his embarrassingly made-up justifications for claims about Obama's "weak" school record - only one example of his unsubstantiated opinions. (And I can't stand leaving this, without repeating that he based his claim entirely on extrapolating from Obama's OWN comments about his - own - High School career! HIGH SCHOOL! GET REAL!!)

Most of all, though, I'm still shocked by the following (however much I quail every single time I see such a claim in reference to Obama):
Quote:
 
-- it's all warmed-over Marxism.
.
Speaking as a someone who's first major was Russian and East European history, it makes me ill to hear such ignorance blathered about. Why am I positive that this self-righteous journalist has NEVER even read Karl Marx? Such comments anywhere they might be quoted, ought to be forbidden. To cite them, though, ought be self-censored by any intelligent person - and I know Jolly counts as one. What can you or this author tell me about Marxism? What has Obama said that counts as Marxist - warmed over or cold? Well? More to the point, ask him to recap ANYTHING from Marx, apart from the famous: "from each according to his capacity,...etc."

It's as if someone were described as a Christian theologian without ever having said anything resembling the Gospels or Christian commentary. Or the same about Freud on Psychoanalysis or Einstein on Relativity. There comes a point at which someone needs to prove their acquaintance with the theories whose names they're bantering about. :veryangry: :lol2:
.

How did Mr. Obama get into Harvard Law, if he was a so-so undergrad?

Is it like med school, where one standard exists for white students and another standard exists for black students?
If so, I'd say that supports the AA theory, fairly well.
I'd say that subsequently becoming President of the USA is enough of an achievement to justify the faith in Obama the Harvard Law Admissions Office clearly felt in him, as expressed by letting him in. Good call.

Just as a fer' instance, in comparison to any other grads - of any color - whose stats they might collate. :D

.
[size=5]
We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
[/size]

"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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ivorythumper
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Amanda
Oct 7 2012, 08:25 PM
I'd say that subsequently becoming President of the USA is enough of an achievement to justify the faith in Obama the Harvard Law Admissions Office clearly felt in him, as expressed by letting him in. Good call.
That makes no sense whatsoever.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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JBryan
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Horace
Oct 7 2012, 05:45 PM
Mikhailoh
Oct 7 2012, 05:24 PM
Why would you say that? Obama's predecessors have, in my lifetime anyway, all been men of genuine accomplishment.
Which accomplishments did GWB have that weren't an offshoot of the fact that he was american royalty? What did he do that couldn't have been done by joe average with that particular credential? Do you honestly believe that a GWB given up for adoption by his parents and raised by school teachers would have done anything remarkable in his life?
He was governor of Texas for two terms.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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John D'Oh
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JBryan
Oct 8 2012, 03:11 AM
Horace
Oct 7 2012, 05:45 PM
Mikhailoh
Oct 7 2012, 05:24 PM
Why would you say that? Obama's predecessors have, in my lifetime anyway, all been men of genuine accomplishment.
Which accomplishments did GWB have that weren't an offshoot of the fact that he was american royalty? What did he do that couldn't have been done by joe average with that particular credential? Do you honestly believe that a GWB given up for adoption by his parents and raised by school teachers would have done anything remarkable in his life?
He was governor of Texas for two terms.
And Obama was an Illinois Senator for 7 years.

If one can argue that Obama only got that position because he is black, then arguing that GWB only became governor because of his dad is pretty straightforward too.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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JBryan
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One can also argue that the governor of Texas or of any state could not mangage to get himself reelected by just voting "present". That is by no means clear with regard to a state legislator. In fact, the real and obvious lack of any identifiable accomplishments in Obama's record as a legislator, both at the state and federal level would seem to indicate as much.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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John D'Oh
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JBryan
Oct 8 2012, 04:30 AM
One can also argue that the governor of Texas or of any state could not mangage to get himself reelected by just voting "present". That is by no means clear with regard to a state legislator. In fact, the real and obvious lack of any identifiable accomplishments in Obama's record as a legislator, both at the state and federal level would seem to indicate as much.
I'm not one of those people who think Bush was a waste of space, however he clearly got the job to begin with at least partly because of family connections.

The real question regarding Obama is not why he beat McCain/Palin, which frankly was a pretty horrible ticket (a guy who appeared very old, tired and lacklustre coupled with someone who appeared totally clueless), but why he beat Hillary in the primaries. There is a certain degree of truth in the fact that people fell in love with the idea of having a black President, but also I think a lot of people vote for personality - they elect the guy they like, and Hillary isn't that likeable - she's extremely hard working, very smart and tough, but let's face it....you fill in the blanks.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Mikhailoh
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Do you think Obama did not get where he is partly due to his family connections on the left as well? They may not have been in a wealthy group, but he had a lot of hand up and introduction here and there nonetheless.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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JBryan
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As I have said before, many people were so enamored with the idea of having a black guy for president that they forgot to figure out whether the particular black guy running could actually do the job. That is a sort of AA by itself.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Mikhailoh
Oct 8 2012, 05:07 AM
Do you think Obama did not get where he is partly due to his family connections on the left as well? They may not have been in a wealthy group, but he had a lot of hand up and introduction here and there nonetheless.
I'm not defending Obama, I'm just saying that his situation isn't unique. There's so much hype and mind-numbingly trivial stuff associated with the election process, it's a wonder anybody decent wants to do it at all. Let's just thank God for these humble public servants who want to make this sacrifice.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Renauda
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HOLY CARP!!!
John D'Oh
Oct 8 2012, 05:00 AM
The real question regarding Obama is not why he beat McCain/Palin, which frankly was a pretty horrible ticket (a guy who appeared very old, tired and lacklustre coupled with someone who appeared totally clueless), but why he beat Hillary in the primaries.
Mrs. Clinton's campaign was lost the day she wept during the TV interview.
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Dave Spelvin
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Mikhailoh
Oct 8 2012, 05:07 AM
Do you think Obama did not get where he is partly due to his family connections on the left as well? They may not have been in a wealthy group, but he had a lot of hand up and introduction here and there nonetheless.
What does this mean? Of course Obama had help. What he didn't have was a grandfather who was a senator and a father who was a president. His "family connections" were his intelligence, his charm, his hard work, his vision -- whatever you want to call it -- that convinced people, a lot of people, that he was a man of substance worthy of their support. But family? If you insist on believing that he has nothing to offer, then by all means believe that the rules are tilted in his favor and that he didn't really earn his success. People just handed him the presidency, like they handed it to all the other black men and women in this country who became president.
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Dave Spelvin
Oct 8 2012, 06:12 AM

If you insist on believing that he has nothing to offer, then by all means believe that the rules are tilted in his favor and that he didn't really earn his success.

In order to earn the job you have to get the votes, clearly he did that.

That doesn't mean he has anything to offer, at least not much that is good for the country.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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