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The Two Obamas
New York Times OP-ED ^ | 6/20/08 | David Brooks

Posted on 06/20/2008 2:42:38 AM PDT by Brandonmark

God, Republicans are saps. They think that they're running against some academic liberal who wouldn't wear flag pins on his lapel, whose wife isn't proud of America and who went to some liberationist church where the pastor damned his own country. They think they're running against some naïve university-town dreamer, the second coming of Adlai Stevenson.

But as recent weeks have made clear, Barack Obama is the most split-personality politician in the country today. On the one hand, there is Dr. Barack, the high-minded, Niebuhr-quoting speechifier who spent this past winter thrilling the Scarlett Johansson set and feeling the fierce urgency of now. But then on the other side, there's Fast Eddie Obama, the promise-breaking, tough-minded Chicago pol who'd throw you under the truck for votes.

This guy is the whole Chicago package: an idealistic, lakefront liberal fronting a sharp-elbowed machine operator. He's the only politician of our lifetime who is underestimated because he's too intelligent. He speaks so calmly and polysyllabically that people fail to appreciate the Machiavellian ambition inside.

But he's been giving us an education, for anybody who cares to pay attention. Just try to imagine Mister Rogers playing the agent Ari in "Entourage" and it all falls into place.

Back when he was in the Illinois State Senate, Dr. Barack could have taken positions on politically uncomfortable issues. But Fast Eddie Obama voted "present" nearly 130 times. From time to time, he threw his voting power under the truck.

Dr. Barack said he could no more disown the Rev. Jeremiah Wright than disown his own grandmother. Then the political costs of Rev. Wright escalated and Fast Eddie Obama threw Wright under the truck.

(Excerpt) Read more at mobile.nytimes.com ...


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1 posted on 06/20/2008 2:46:02 AM PDT by Brandonmark
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To: Brandonmark
He's the most effectively political creature we've seen in decades.

I keep saying that myself. I think people are seriously underestimating his ruthlessness and desire for power. David Brooks seems to think this might be an advantage because then he wouldn't be concerned about breaking agreements with foreign powers, etc., if he found them unhelpful to US interests; I say he doesn't have US interests at heart. I say he does anything and everything because he wants power in a way no US politician, even Hillary from heck, has ever wanted it before. I think even some Dems are a little scared by this.

2 posted on 06/20/2008 2:58:45 AM PDT by livius
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To: Brandonmark

Good editorial, but all I could think of was the title and the possible children’s book here:

“Scarlett has two Obamas”


3 posted on 06/20/2008 3:04:30 AM PDT by Forgiven_Sinner (For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not die)
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To: Brandonmark
God, Republicans are saps.

Uh... Mr. Brooks, I believe that's a given. But then again, isn't it the presses duty to place Obama's duplicitous behavior under the spotlight?

4 posted on 06/20/2008 3:11:22 AM PDT by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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To: johnny7

He tried his best, but in the end, he ended up believing that Obama’s duplicity would be a huge asset for American interests. lol. Incredible, really. By the end of his column, he ends up looking as duplicitous as he accuses Obama of being. A little “mini-Obama” named David Brooks.


5 posted on 06/20/2008 3:36:31 AM PDT by smedley64
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To: Brandonmark
Here is Barry's first national campaign ad, courtesy of Hot Air. He talks about those good Kansas values that he has, not one word about Hawaii or Indonesia. He talks about this country that he loves so much, but not a word about why he wants to “change” everything about it. Barry is a scheming pol, but more, he is a dangerous Marxist whose friends and associates tell us that he has no judgment, he has no standards, he has no character.

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/06/19/obamas-first-general-election-ad-country-i-love/

6 posted on 06/20/2008 3:36:40 AM PDT by ishabibble (ALL-AMERICAN INFIDEL)
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To: Brandonmark
I think there's 3 Obamas. The one he says he is. The one we think he is and the one he really is.

We're getting to the 3rd Obama little by little....

God Help America!!

7 posted on 06/20/2008 3:39:11 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: Brandonmark

duplicate thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2033770/posts


8 posted on 06/20/2008 3:39:23 AM PDT by Enchante (Barack Chamberlain: My 1930s Appeasement Policy Goes Well With My 1960s Socialist Policies!)
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To: smedley64

There’s really only one Obama and hopefully most people will figure out he’s not the kind of person we want at the top of our chain of command.


9 posted on 06/20/2008 3:41:29 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.)
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To: livius

So, your assessment of this want for power that ‘no US politician ... has ever wanted before’, is based on an in-depth analysis of some kind?

Remember, our government is, supposedly, made up of three branches, with the intent that they each provide checks-and-balances on one another. Our current administration seems to have found a way to usurp this structure, in ways not seen before.

Ask Halliburton, or ExxonMobil, if their advantages gained by the Iraq war are in the best interests of the US.


10 posted on 06/20/2008 3:47:31 AM PDT by MarineBugler (We all are walking the plank.)
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