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. . . but if he (OBAMA) does, he'd better be ready to face nasty opposition (GREELEY ALERT)
Chicago Sun-Times ^ | December 8, 2006 | ANDREW GREELEY

Posted on 12/09/2006 8:41:00 AM PST by Chi-townChief

Should Sen. Barack Obama run for president? It will be a tough call for the senator and for those who admire and respect him personally. If he runs, he has a good chance of winning because he represents what Americans want in their president at this very troubled time in their history, a man of firm principles but not an ideologue, a moderate who can sympathize with his opponent's position, a modest man with self-deprecating wit, a politician who tries to bring people together instead of polarizing them against one another. A candidate who does not swagger or shout and whom no one would ever call a cowboy.

For voters, sickened by attempts to demonize others in an era of "slash and burn" politics practiced by Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove, Obama seems to represent a possibility for a change in political rhetoric, a politician with honor, integrity and intelligence and one who writes his own material. A public figure who constantly questions his own motives and ambition -- on the record. He would also represent a new image of the United States to the world. The president of the United States is also the president of the Free World, the one to whom people around the world turn for leadership and inspiration. A charismatic moderate who is an African American would transform attitudes toward America almost overnight.

It is small wonder then that the senator's ratings in the polls have surged. There will be many disappointed Americans if he decides not to run. There are three reasons why he should not run.

The first is that he has not had enough experience. One could reply by citing another citizen of Illinois who ran for president, another man of integrity, intelligence and honor whose experience was also mostly in the Illinois Legislature and a year in the House of Representatives. With two years in the Senate, Obama could boast more "experience" than Abraham Lincoln.

Moreover consider the "experienced" presidents who have served the Republic in the last couple of decades. Lyndon Johnson was as skilled a politician as one could want. Yet he made the terrible mistake of escalating the Vietnam War and presided over a failed presidency. Richard Nixon, a man with a tremendous amount of "experience," continued the war, spent much of his time in the Executive Office Building writing paranoid memos on legal size yellow sheets and was forced out of office by the Watergate scandal. Jimmy Carter was a successful governor but did not succeed in Washington despite a large congressional majority because he never learned that you can treat Congress like you treated the Georgia legislature. Bill Clinton was an "experienced" governor but he did not realize that you can't engage in escapades in the Oval Office. The present incumbent had the experience of presiding over the baseball franchise and governing Texas, got us into the Iraq war and cannot admit mistakes.

Honor, intelligence, integrity and self-deprecating humor are superior to "experience" any time.

A second reason for not running is that the political rhetoric in this country is toxic. Attack ads, negative campaigns, personal assaults are an essential part of American politics. Bloggers, radio talk show hosts (like the poisonous Rush Limbaugh who calls the senator Osama Obama), columnists, mean-spirited editorial writers (especially at the Wall Street Journal), Republican operatives, spin doctors, publicity seekers, ambitious small-time politicians, fundamentalist preachers and rich businessmen will seek to destroy the candidate as soon as he announces. Like the Swift Boat crowd in the last election, they will stop at nothing in their efforts to turn him into political toast. Who needs it?

Finally, it is foolish happy talk to say that the United States is ready for an African-American (or perhaps a Kenyan-American) president. Racism is alive and well in the United States and is still as American as cherry pie. Obama starts out with the South solidly against him. Crazy white supremacists will fall over one another in their attempts to derail the campaign even before the primaries. If he decides to run, the senator is a very brave man. He should invest in flak jackets and helmets -- emotional and physical.

mailto:agreel@aol.com


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: andrewgreeley; barackhussien; crackhead; doofus; doper; druggie; greeley; hussein; liberals; muslim; obama; osama; rats
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To: x
Obama doesn't have what it takes to break out of the pack.

Hey! He's accomplished in 2 years in the Senate almost as much of John Kerry did in 18 years in the Senate before he ran for President.

(Of course, JFK accomplished zilch in 18 years, so Obama has accomplished less than zilch.)
21 posted on 12/09/2006 9:14:26 AM PST by TomGuy
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To: TomGuy
This MSM feeding frenzy over Obama soon, too, will pass.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

I disagree. The media sees a star rising . This guy is dangerous, precisely because he is an inexperienced liberal, feel good, harmonizer, Clinton like in his ability to manipulate people into thinking he has simplistically harmonic answers to the worlds great problems. He's the mister Rodgers of the one world neighborhood, and is absolutely the worst choice for president exactly because he has absolutely no qualifications for the job.What is terrifying about his candidacy is that much of the country looks for this vacuousness in a candidate and will vote for him happily.
22 posted on 12/09/2006 9:15:56 AM PST by photodawg
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To: TomGuy
This MSM feeding frenzy over Obama soon, too, will pass.

Not soon enough.

I live in the Chicagoland area, almost every night on the news and every day in the paper, there is something the media is WOWWING about Obama.

WOW! Obama planted a tree.

WOW! Obama visited a school today.

WOW! Obama is against hunger.

WOW! Obama is against AIDS.

WOW! Obama was on Oprah today.

WOW! Oprah likes Obama.

WOW! Puppies like Obama.

WOW! Obama likes puppies (but not to the exclusion of kittens)

WOW! Kittens like Obama.

WOW! Puppies like Obama more than kittens do.

WOW! Kittens like Obama more than puppies do.

WOW! Obama sings Kumba Ya while holding a kitten and a puppy.

23 posted on 12/09/2006 9:17:38 AM PST by mountn man (The pleasure you get from life, is equal to the attitude you put into it.)
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To: dighton

That's what I thought. Teddy called him that at some hearing, between sips of vodka...


24 posted on 12/09/2006 9:19:13 AM PST by joonbug
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To: Chi-townChief
Finally, it is foolish happy talk to say that the United States is ready for an African-American (or perhaps a Kenyan-American) president. Racism is alive and well in the United States and is still as American as cherry pie. Obama starts out with the South solidly against him. Crazy white supremacists will fall over one another in their attempts to derail the campaign even before the primaries. If he decides to run, the senator is a very brave man. He should invest in flak jackets and helmets -- emotional and physical.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

these people are stuck in the sixties. The unabashed fawning over this man is embarrassing. He is not an American black man. If anything he is a white American and a black African. What's more racist than making this guy into a stereotype black man when he's not. It it color or culture? Libs are so totally superficial and wrong.The entire tone of this piece disgusts me to the core. The libs are truly blind to any existing reality. It's scary really.
25 posted on 12/09/2006 9:26:22 AM PST by photodawg
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To: Chi-townChief

Racial demagoguery whining and sniveling already??


26 posted on 12/09/2006 9:27:21 AM PST by tkathy (The choice is clear: White hat people or white flag people.)
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To: Chi-townChief

MORE GREAT ADVICE FROM LIBERAL MEDIA~!!


27 posted on 12/09/2006 9:28:29 AM PST by Mr. K (Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help...)
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To: x
Greeley doesn't mention how the Illinois RINOS had a hand in this creation. Obama's candidacy sounds like a bet between two media moguls with one betting a huge sum he could foist a least qualified candidate for presidency on the Democratic party.But the other betting against in order to collect can't disclose or stop the attempt.

Anybody remember Alan Keyes ? I covered that Senate race in my website
http://www.theusmat.com/mdwbea.htm
And what IL RINO Party Chair Judy Baar Topinka did to this guy ? RINOS like, Thompson, Edgar, and Ryan helped slate Topinka to run for governor and she lost. Good riddance !

28 posted on 12/09/2006 9:28:50 AM PST by mosesdapoet
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To: Chi-townChief

The following comments, classify just who and what Mr. Greely is.

"For voters, sickened by attempts to demonize others in an era of "slash and burn" politics practiced by Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove,

Racism is alive and well in the United States and is still as American as cherry pie.

Attack ads, negative campaigns, personal assaults are an essential part of American politics. Bloggers,

radio talk show hosts (like the poisonous Rush Limbaugh who calls the senator Osama Obama)

columnists, mean-spirited editorial writers (especially at the Wall Street Journal),

Republican operatives, spin doctors, publicity seekers, ambitious small-time politicians,

fundamentalist preachers and rich businessmen will seek to destroy the candidate as soon as he announces.

Like the Swift Boat crowd in the last election, they will stop at nothing in their efforts to turn him into political toast.

No bias here, just a wonderful example of journalism gone horribly awry as one Chicagoan, helps out the career of another.


29 posted on 12/09/2006 9:32:02 AM PST by wita (truthspeaks@freerepublic.com)
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To: mountn man

The Sun-times has been Obamarama for months now; Carol Marin, Neil Steinberg, and Lynn Sweet all take turns fellating the guy. (figuratively speaking, of course)


30 posted on 12/09/2006 9:38:31 AM PST by Chi-townChief
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To: tkathy

It's getting ugly real quick - seems they've forgotten Michael Steele, Ken Blackwell, and Lynn Swann.


31 posted on 12/09/2006 9:40:45 AM PST by Chi-townChief
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To: wita
At this moment I see Newt as the best possible candidate for Republicans; however, in the Democrat party I see only two and both are horrible thoughts. Looking at hillary and osama I think we all should get behind him every chance we have. Bad as he might be he is a far lesser evil than hillary. Knock him when talking with conservatives but praise him with your Democrat acquaitances. Get a real conflict going if possible.
32 posted on 12/09/2006 9:41:11 AM PST by sinbad17
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To: Chi-townChief

I have heard Hussein Obama called a lot of things---Moderate isnt among them.

Baby killing pro-abortionist sounds about right.


33 posted on 12/09/2006 9:42:47 AM PST by sgtbono2002 (The fourth estate is a fifth column.)
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To: Chi-townChief
(figuratively speaking, of course)

Of course

34 posted on 12/09/2006 9:43:35 AM PST by mountn man (The pleasure you get from life, is equal to the attitude you put into it.)
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To: Chi-townChief

Run Hussein Run!


35 posted on 12/09/2006 9:46:38 AM PST by ßuddaßudd (7 days - 7 ways Guero » with a floating, shifting, ever changing persona....)
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To: mosesdapoet
The author is enamored with Obama claiming honor, intelligence, integrity. What proof does he have of this? Image alone. He's been on the national scene just over 2 years. The left love this guy, there ain't no way they're going to look for any possible faults. And they aren't going to allow anybody to present any if they are there.

The auther claims honor, intelligence, integrity. Obama has nothing on Keyes. Keyes was torpedoed from the get go. Its not hard to appear honorable or to have integrity when your not under the microscope or attacked by your own party. Keyes knows more about honor than this guys even heard of. Integrity isn't saying something nice sounding that everyone will agree with. Integrity is standing up for whats right even if its unpopular. Keyes has trumpeted pro life, family, and moral causes in the face of mainstream and pc rantings, and yet his message hasn't changed. THATS integrity. (Or at least moreso than what Obama has proven)

36 posted on 12/09/2006 10:00:08 AM PST by mountn man (The pleasure you get from life, is equal to the attitude you put into it.)
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To: ßuddaßudd

Who are they fooling?

Considering the times we live in, I don't think America is quite in the mood to vote for...

...President Barak Hussein Obama.


37 posted on 12/09/2006 10:00:12 AM PST by singlemomofone
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To: csmusaret

Cept Hillary she was already pos potus hey she can't run term limits


38 posted on 12/09/2006 10:16:10 AM PST by al baby (Hi mom)
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To: sam_paine

Your homonymophobia is showing.

< }B^)


39 posted on 12/09/2006 10:27:50 AM PST by Erasmus (Go to Sebastopol and Crimea River.)
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To: Chi-townChief
Should Sen. Barack Hussein Obama run for president?...If he runs, he has a good chance of winning because he represents what Americans want in their president at this very troubled time...

Pure, unadulterated, male bovine excrement.

What experience does he have?

What's his name?

What color is he?

Where is he from?

All of that tells me that he has a icecubes chance in hell of winning.

Like it or not, that's the way it is.

This country will elect the likes of Hillary Clintoon before they'll elect a light-skinned black man from Illinois with an Arab-sounding name that has a couple years experience as a US senator.

And I could care less, because I'd vote for a fence post before I'd vote for either of them.

('Course, that's all we may have to choose from; either a fence post or a crazed maniac.)

40 posted on 12/09/2006 10:28:02 AM PST by OldSmaj (Death to Islam. I am now and will always be, a sworn enemy of all things muslim.)
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