Posted on 10/09/2008 9:42:17 AM PDT by BuckeyeTexan
Barack Obama was sworn into office as a United States Senator on January 4, 2005. He announced his candidacy for President of the United States on February 10, 2007. He had served two years of a six-year term. Congress had been in session 242 days between his first day in office and the day he announced his candidacy. I thought it might be interesting to see what Obama had to say during his first year in office. The following is a list of direct quotes from him in 2005. Beneath each quote, I’ve added my own perspective for your reading enjoyment.
“The kind of education I received makes you confident in your ability to understand problems—not necessarily to have good answers but at least understand the nature of the questions.”
As President, he promises to always understand the fundamental questions so he can avoid answering them directly.
“The way I approach problems is to say, ‘What’s the optimal solution?’ and then work backwards. I like to start with the idea—what’s true to me? Or what’s the best approximation of true?”
Truth is relative. That’s not the truth he knew.
“I am a believer in Woody Allen’s adage that 80 percent of success is showing up.”
He demonstrated this concept for us during the Presidential debates. Don’t forget, we can always call him if we need him.
"We could have a nuclear bomb going off in the middle of the Chicago Loop. Without fear-mongering, if we don't keep nuclear devices out of the hands of terrorists, it could just kill hundreds of thousands of people."
Thanks to President Bush, that scenario didn’t happen.
"I didn't know Lenin was a player."
It takes one to know one, I guess.
“Why is McDonald's having difficulty opening restaurants in Baku?”
That’s a very import question to ask when meeting with the President of Azerbaijan about nuclear disarmament. We definitely need more McDonald’s and less nuclear weapons on the loose.
“Right now, rogue states and despotic regimes are looking to begin or accelerate their own nuclear programs. And as we speak, members of Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations are aggressively pursuing weapons of mass destruction, which I think all of us believe they would use without hesitation.”
But it was wrong, wrong, wrong to go into Iraq. Conversely, it’s okay to go into Pakistan. Iran is a tiny country though, we don’t need to worry about them. And the U.N. Security Council needs to deal with Russia.
Below are the links to the articles from which I gathered the quotes. If time allows, you might read the Washingtonian and Chicago Tribune articles to see the reporters’ perspectives back in 2005. Obama was a rock star then, as now of course.
The Legend of Barack Obama
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/mediapolitics/1836.html
A Foreign Classroom for a Junior Senator
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509230360sep23,0,1103689.story?page=1
All men are created equal.
Heres on of my favorite quotes from Baquack!
“Uh, um.. well, um... you see, its like- um.. like this. Uh, T-t-t-t-t-t-he way we should, uh, look at this problem is”
What do the Baquack Obamailures see in this guy
Exquisitely done, Buckeye!
ping
Well, I have been reading Ann Coulter lately. And I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
““The way I approach problems is to say, ‘What’s the optimal solution?’ and then work backwards.”
Yes, back away from the optimal solution. A bit like saying “America is the greatest country on Earth and I want to change that!”
“I am a believer in Woody Allen’s adage that 80 percent of success is showing up.”
So if he shows up for his Senate job 30% of the time is that a 24% success rate? Sounds about right for the O man.
“I didn’t know Lenin was a player.”
He was a player, it’s just that without Paul McCartney he was a pretty bad song writer...
What’s funny about the Lenin quote is that it was Obama’s response to a tour guide in Russia at Vladimir Lenin’s tomb. The tour guide pointed out that many of the bodies buried near the Kremlin were rumored to be Lenin’s lovers.
But, yes, you’re absolutely right about McCartney. :)
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