Posted on 10/24/2006 3:59:13 AM PDT by rdb3
By Richard Cohen
Tuesday, October 24, 2006; A19
Ancient Rome had a term for a certain political process: cursus honorum , the honors race. It was, I am told by Anthony Everitt in his new biography, "Augustus," the process by which politicians moved up the ladder. Along the way, they were evaluated until, finally, some made it to the top. Nowadays, the system is different. All you have to do is appear on "Oprah."
I am referring, obviously and insidiously, to Barack Obama, who announced Sunday that he might run for president. This followed, of course, the aforementioned appearance on "Oprah" which I, diligent in pursuit of truth, watched. This is how I learned that Obama loves his wife and she loves him and they both love their children. Cursus honorum this is not.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Is it just me, or are Obama and Hitlary! acting in concert here? Hmmm... </chin-stroke>
And Osama's qualified to be President?
Well, I figure after John Edwards ran with only one completed term (and then out of office) I figure they will take anyone who has good hair and can string a sentence together.
Hell, why not just elect my cat?
They both would have about the same experience.
- and about the same chance.
So if Michael Steele wins in Maryland will the MSM consider him a viable GOP candidate in 2008?
Now theres sound reasoning for choosing a leader.
If I as a white guy said that I'd be accused of seeking a "token", I wonder what this authour is seeking?
Why not the Maytag Repair Man? Hell he's never done anything either! Oh wait... he is more qualified than oasama barak hussein obama in that The Maytag Repair Man actually wears a uniform!
LLS
Obama on the campaign trail....
Perhaps "Why Obama?" would be the more pertinent question for them to start with.
Well, for starters, he's a nobody from nowhere who didn't exist on the public stage until Osama Bin Laden made his name sound famous.
I'd say that's an inauspicious launch to the land of political heavyweights.
Furthermore, I have a hunch that the whole thing is a practical joke cooked up by some malicious "gods" somewhere, to stuff that name or something like it in our faces and make us say we like it.
Right....because we care so much about nations rife with corruption, where the standards of living make the Dark Ages seem modern.
Obama is the perfect candidate to change the subject. We are very much entering a post-Vietnam era soon. People are sick of war on their television and they are eager for another "holiday from history". Nobody is eager to watch another war movie (Flags of Our Fathers). Instead people will want to Disco while the world burns. Change the channel, vote for Obama. I'll bet he signs a treaty with anyone who will pose for a photo op. Peace in our time...oooooh it feels so good, just do it. /sarc
well said rhombus!
Jesse Jackson ran with less. He was considered a hopeful for the same reason -- he was black. Criticize his credentials and you're a racist.
And that would say...what? Cohen doesn't explain. He offers not a single "oodle." Claiming there are plenty of reasons or examples and then failing to cite one is evidence of lazy thinking.
After eight years of George W. Bush and his narcissistic foreign policy -- me, me, us, us -- it would be great to have a president who presents a different message just by his complexion and who compensates, if anything can, for how Iraq has tarnished America's reputation, particularly in the Third World.
Exactly how does Obama's complexion do that? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
Notice how this piece begins as a pseudointellectual contrast of Roman and American political history, and morphs into a brainless, knee-jerk liberal cheer of "Wouldn't it be cool if a black guy was President?"
Let me interject at this point that I am a black guy myself.
Since 99.9999995% of the people will never be President, it is a far more pertinent question to ask why a person should be President, rather than why not. After all, almost everybody will not be President by default.
I think it would be cool, insofar as the guy was qualified for the job, and not an outright socialist. Then again, that's how I feel about any candidate.
They are looking for the women to have a empty suit who looks good and forget what he does or says.
Barack Obama == Jimmy Carter #2
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