What's driving Obama-mania?

CS Monitor ^ | Dec 11, 2006 | Gail Russell Chaddock

[jdm]

MANCHESTER, N.H. – With standing room crowds chanting for the star to show, Sunday's Democratic fundraiser could have been a rock concert. But it was only Sen. Barack Obama's first visit to the nation's first primary state.

If Senator Obama should jump into the Democratic presidential primary, where he is now ranked just behind Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York in recent polls, Democrats in the land of retail politics wonder if there's a living room big enough to hold the throngs who'd come to hear him.

"Right now, he's a rock star. Getting 1,500 people out on a Sunday afternoon ... says something different is going on here," says Jim Craig, former Democratic leader in the New Hampshire House.

So what's driving Obama-mania?

It isn't a single set of issues such as the war or the economy. Rather, the attraction seems to be a mix of Obama's own compelling personal narrative and many voters' desire for a less caustic brand of politics.

"It's the sense that you're in the presence of someone who is touched with the gift of grace," says Ross Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. Obama, Illinois' junior senator, exemplifies the hope that there's some way to triumph over the intense polarization of American politics, he adds.

A barely known state lawmaker and community organizer in Chicago, Obama shot to superstar status after an electrifying speech at the 2004 Democratic national convention in Boston. With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, he embodies two racial cultures deeply at odds in American history.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

If you think FR is a racist website under the guise of conservatism, you are very very wrong. You probably think Rush Limbaugh is a racist too. If you want to see real hate, try stormfront. Over here we are very unPC because we like to speak the plain truth.

[JCEccles]

Yet another example of Freerepublic casual racism.

Let' see: you've got William Jefferson, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Alcee Hastings.

We've got Clarence Thomas, Condoleezza Rice, J.C Watts, and Thomas Sowell.

You have Barack Obama, but he's whiter than John Kerry. That's the only reason you're comfortable with him. Although you tolerate and humor Al Sharpton as a kind of court jester, he was much "black" for you to support for president in 2004.

You also have Bill Cosby who, if you'd listen to him, has a lot to tell you about the aggressive racism of the Democrat Party that sacrificed black families and honor on the altar of the Great Society (aka the Great Black Enfeeblement) fraud.

Democrats have been vile racists from the start. It took a Republican president to free the blacks, and about six white Democrat presidents to re-enslave them.

Liberal bigot.

[Valin]

So what's driving Obama-mania?

Stupidity?

[PhilDragoo]

[LiberalGunNut]

Hmmmm. From one comment you assume I agree with Sharpton, Jefferson(a KNOWN CROOK!), Jesse Jackson and Alcee Hastings and you assume I disagree with J.C. Watts.

I admire Watts a great deal. (you're right, I dont agree with Rice and Thomas most of the time). I also admire Barack Obama

Bill Cosby is my hero (as he is most of the black people I talk to)

And I wouldn't mind if Robert Byrd fell off the face of the earth. I don't know why he is allowed to serve to this day. It is equivalent of having an ex-Nazi officer in congress.

There is nothing I hate more than a Limousine Liberal. I believe illegal aliens are stealing the jobs of the underclass. i strongly support the right to bear arms. I'm pro-life. I could careless if gay's got married. I also love horseback riding and Cowboy-ing. I'm a black male.

How's that for busting stereotypes?

But the comments I responded to are flat out racist.

[LiberalGunNut]

(But when you consider that many blacks make a deliberate attempt to speak "Ebonics" which is basically an euphemism for poor grammar, pronunciation and accent, and to teach Ebonics to succeeding generations just to set themselves apart from mainstream whites,)

I'm from the south, North Carolina to be exact. What is the difference between so called "ebonics" and hillbilly slang or Cajun patois? i strongly agree that anyone looking to be taken seriously should speak good English, whether they're a white dude from Arkansas or a brother from Oakland.

What is all this about names (females with "sha"?)? How about CONDOLEEZA? Should Asian's stop calling their children Asian names? What about LEROY? That is an English name right? What names are acceptable to you? I'm sorry this is a bit biased. I don't want to live in a world where everyone is called Roger. I am proud to have named my niece NAIMA, after the song by the great Jazz musician John Coltrane. In case you didn't know, NAIMA is Arabic for "to be contented". Do you object to my niece's name? I should've went with Heather, sorry about that.

Listen to different music? Should everyone listen to Country Music? Or Classical? And may I remind you, black people had a HUGE hand in developing AMERICAN MUSIC. From Gospel to Jazz to Blues to Country to Rock and Roll, to Hip Hop, this country has been rocking to our beat for over 100 years. The African drum is the foundation for American music. Should we only listen to 17th Century english hymns?

And yes, young people always dress wierd. I'm sure you raised your parents eyebrows with your choice of dress. I think a man over 21 should dress like an adult.

I'll await answers to the questions above.

[shrinkermd]

After I wrote my previous post I watched Fox News prior to attending a Christmas concert. M Eliason and M Kondracke were gushing in there assessment of Obama. Eliason more than Kondracke.

It was almost as if they had waited and waited for his appearance. In thinking about it, I am sure they have. For decades the Democrats have relied on the African-American vote yet they have seldom awarded them a Governorship or a US Senatorship. I suspect like many elitists they secretly are embarrassed or dislike the average AA who looks and sounds quite different from the White overclass.

Their guilt over this is now assuaged. They have a dark skinned man who looks like he might be an AA but he is not only just half Black and he is not of the usual AA tradition and has no hint of an Ebonics problem. Quite the contrary he is a Harvard attender with an upper class mother.

Now they can vote for a Black man (actually dark man) with joy and thus disprove to themselves and others that they are in the least bit racist or inclined to see themselves as somewhat superior to the working class AA.

Their joy is almost palpable. Obama to his credit is enjoying his celebrity status and seems perplexed how it all occurred. Eventually, he will figure it out. In the meantime all he has to say is inanities or vague, high sounding talk and the liberals swoon.

Since the overwhelming majority of posters on this lack any racial guilt they are puzzled as to why his celebrity is so explosive. The problem for them is the reverse of the White, overclass Democrat.

The big danger is Obama is being given a free ticket he can use to go anywhere with no requirement he give his destination in advance. Dangerous! If he is, deep down, a ruthless egalitarian he will damage this country more than any Clinton ever could. If they have wanted a democratic despot they have a potential candidate whose skin color will attenuate any and all issues raised by conservatives.

It will be interesting to see if the average African American will be as enamored of Obama as the average White Liberal with a postgraduate degree or equivalent.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

It took a Republican president to free the blacks, and about six white Democrat presidents to re-enslave them.

Well said.

[Robert A Cook PE]

True.

Who's driving the media reports about who's driving the media to sanctify this non-experienced nitwit??

The media.

[CtBigPat]

Obama-mania?

I think this is the start of something bigger!

I think this is the start of - The Obama nation!

[potlatch]

Good post Phil, I missed it earlier.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

What is all this about names (females with "sha"?)? How about CONDOLEEZA? Should Asian's stop calling their children Asian names? What about LEROY? That is an English name right? What names are acceptable to you?

"Condolezza" is a musical term, Italian in origin. con doleeza , means 'with sweetness'. She is a concert level pianist, and a very classy lady.

I don't want to live in a world where everyone is called Roger. I am proud to have named my niece NAIMA, after the song by the great Jazz musician John Coltrane. In case you didn't know, NAIMA is Arabic for "to be contented". Do you object to my niece's name? I should've went with Heather, sorry about that.

There are lots, and lots and lots (and lots more) names to choose from besides Bob, and James , and Robert, and Jennifer and Amy. The names that end with "sha" are a relatively recent phenomenon, I would say not more than 20 -25 years. And men too with names like Jamal, Shaquille, and Rashid.. Seems to me like the intent is to have names that sound distinctly 'non white', as if they want to remain separate. Why ? Haven't we had enough segregation in the past, haven't we moved on since then. Not, if you ask a Democrat. To them it's only gotten worse.

And may I remind you, black people had a HUGE hand in developing AMERICAN MUSIC. From Gospel to Jazz to Blues to Country to Rock and Roll, to Hip Hop, this country has been rocking to our beat for over 100 years. The African drum is the foundation for American music.

Absolutely. American blacks have contributed very richly to America's music. Scott Joplin, one of my musical heroes , practically invented the Ragtime. Then over the years there were other greats making all kinds of music-- from Duke Ellington to Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Nat King Cole, Bo Diddley,Chuck Berry.. the list is endless. Those were the people who made music But over the last 15-20 years, Black American music has taken a decidedly violent and un-musical turn. Look at the garbage that comes out today in the name of music. Hip Hop is music ? It's torture, especially in stuck traffic.

And yes, young people always dress wierd. I'm sure you raised your parents eyebrows with your choice of dress. I think a man over 21 should dress like an adult.

Tying belts around one's knees is not just weird, it's a statement. 'Whites wear their pants up, so we will wear ours down.' I am not sure what the thinking is, but it looks grotesque to say the least.

[paulat]

The names that end with "sha" are a relatively recent phenomenon, I would say not more than 20 -25 years.

Tell that to all the "Trisha"'s in the world.

[devolve]

[potlatch]

Lol, looks great!

[FlyVet]

The way people are flocking to him, I suspect he could be the Anti-Christ.

Nah. I think he's just a smart, confident guy who had visions of grandeur from a young age, much like Klinton. He has spent hundreds of hours in front of a mirror learning how to be slick and likeable. And, he has studied how to be inoffensive, be all things to all people. And he gambles that his leftist voting record is irrelevant, because the mediots will hide it, and most voters will not check it.

"He makes me feeeeel so good about myself."

[devolve]

Putting Hillary on the left was not a random choice

But you knew that!

[potlatch]

I would mostly think of it in terms of his 'flower power' but you always have deeper hidden meanings for what you do.

She pretends to walk the middle road.

[devolve]

That's not it

It's sort of like him "touching" her elbow and winking

But worse

[potlatch]

[but you always have deeper hidden meanings]

But I repeat myself, lol!!