Obama Does Fox!

Weekly Standard ^ | April 27th, 2008 | Dean Barnett

[The_Republican]

It seems like a long time ago that Barack Obama delivered these stirring words in the wake of his victory in the Iowa caucuses:

On this January night - at this defining moment in history - you have done what the cynics said we couldn't do. You have done what the state of New Hampshire can do in five days. You have done what America can do in this New Year, 2008. In lines that stretched around schools and churches; in small towns and big cities; you came together as Democrats, Republicans and Independents to stand up and say that we are one nation; we are one people; and our time for change has come.

You said the time has come to move beyond the bitterness and pettiness and anger that's consumed Washington; to end the political strategy that's been all about division and instead make it about addition - to build a coalition for change that stretches through Red States and Blue States. Because that's how we'll win in November, and that's how we'll finally meet the challenges that we face as a nation.*

My, how times and the perceptions of Barack Obama have changed. Will his unifying rhetoric someday seem as much a quaint curiosity as George W. Bush's promise to be a uniter and not a divider?

OBAMA BRAVELY ENTERED the lion's den this afternoon, daring to answer questions from the ferocious Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. People who have lives and don't set their Sunday plans around the Beltway weekend chat-fests are probably wondering how he did. (I'm sure our Sonny Bunch will be along shortly with his take.)

I say Obama did quite well for himself. Earlier today, I posted something that analogized Obama to Ronald Reagan. Well, brace yourself, because here comes another Reagan/Obama comparison. When Reagan ran against Jimmy Carter in 1980, the most common charge that Reagan had to handle was that he was a crazed warmonger who couldn't wait to blow up the world. The best way for Reagan to counter these charges was to appear on TV and let his natural affability shine through. The narrative that Reagan's foes peddled didn't square with the genial 69 year-old candidate who popped up in America's living rooms.

Right now, the biggest threat Obama faces is the solidifying narrative that he's an elitist who comfortably keeps company with some rather unsavory characters. His associations have led many to infer that Obama isn't just a liberal, but a member of the fringe left, a part of this country that repulses the majority.

When Obama makes appearances like this morning's on Fox News Sunday, he helps dispel this narrative. He's likable and engaging. He's appealing. He certainly doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would condone bombing the Pentagon or support a pastor who yells "God Damn America!" In other words, Obama got great mileage out of this morning's performance. Even though he’s a clunky extemporaneous speaker (as Reagan was in the latter part of his career) and stumbled over his own words repeatedly again this morning, he should make appearances like today's a habit.

Of course, Obama didn't do anything today to add more substance to his unity shtick. His claim that he stood up to the left by supporting John Roberts even though he voted against Roberts's confirmation comically highlighted the emptiness of Obama's rhetoric. Nevertheless, this was a good morning for the Obama campaign, which will have to tackle its existential threats one at a time.

(*HT: Someone else quoted Obama’s Iowa speech and noted his relative fall from grace since then, but I forget who. Sorry. May have been Tom Maguire. He does lots of clever stuff.)

[Jeff Head]

Obama is trying to poish a turd and and sugar coat a big cow paddy. No matter how hard he and Wright try...what they represent, their Black Liberation Theology aboration, is still a big cow paddy and it is never ever going to be sweet or polished.

...no matter how hard they try, all they will do is draw more and more attention to the steaming pile of stench, scraping off the crust to reveal the decrepid innards each time.

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - OBAMA'S CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND SUPPORT


Communist Party Members, Marxists, Communist Leaders, Marxist Leaders, Communist Party USA


Domestic bombers & terrorists, International Islamic Terrorist Organizations & Financiers, Fundamental Islamic Leaders


Black Liberation Preachers and militants, New Black Panther Party, Black Nation of Islam, Socialist Party

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY AND OBAMA'S CHURCH


"Not God Bless America, no, no, no, God Damn America!" "911 is America's chickens coming home to roost"


"AIDS was created by the US for black geneocide," "If God is not for us & against whites, then he is a murderer, and we'd best kill him."

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - OBAMA'S LACK OF PATRIOTISM TOWARD THE FLAG



THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - OBAMA'S IDEOLOGY ON DISPLAY




Che Guevara was a radical, murderous Marxist revolutionary in Argentina, Cuba, and Bolivia. He became Fidel Castro's executioner.
Why, then, is his picture proudly diplayed at Obama election Headquarters? What change does Obama intend. What is his hope?

[kittymyrib]

Just caught the very end of the show while channel surfing and have to say that when Chris Wallace shook Obama’s hand in parting, the O lit up with that fabulous 100-watt smile he has, so it couldn’t have been that tough an interview.

Did anyone see it? I’d like a critique.

[Army Air Corps]

He stammered a lot and was boring.

[kittymyrib]

Thanks for the succinct summary. “Brevity is the soul of wit.” (Hamlet)

[NRA2BFree]

Isn’t Chris an Obama supporter? I can imagine that it was not a ‘fair and balanced’ interview!

[wayoverthehill]

Yes, he does stammer a lot and seems to lose his train of thought quite easily.

I thought it was a pretty bland interview. I wish Wallace had asked about the twice-made reference to Wright as his “former” pastor. Does that mean O has left the church or that Wright has not actually retired yet? I read (here somewhere I think) that he isn’t officially retiring until June.

[MNJohnnie]

He sure did, Chris Wallace did everything but get on his knees live on National TV for the Oessiah.

[Army Air Corps]

Well, that is the essence of the interview. He stammered when asked a policy question that required detail. He, then provided little detail and spoke in generalities. On top of it all, he was ruddy dull.

[bmwcyle]