Posted on 05/30/2008 10:35:39 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A new narrative seems to be developing about Barack Obama; that he is smart but also a "gaffe machine." The WSJ's John Fund writes:
"As smart and credentialed as he is, Sen. Obama is often an indifferent speaker without a teleprompter. He has large gaps in his knowledge base, and is just as likely to dig in and embrace a policy misstatement as abandon it. ABC reporter Jake Tapper calls him "a one-man gaffe machine."
Let's be honest, when you talk as much as presidential candidates must, some gaffes are unavoidable. Others occur when a candidate is tired. But Obama's gaffes seem to be the result of a candidate who is in over his head -- who has gotten by on style points -- not the substance.
To me, this is the real story -- that Obama's gaffes actually reveal something more dangerous than a candidate who merely "misspeaks." That his gaffes are the product of someone who is not quite ready for prime time...
Of course, going from the Illinois state senate to being a presidential frontrunner is a lot of ground to cover in just a few years ...
Another interesting thing to consider is whether or not this lack of historical understanding is uniquely due to Obama's inexperience -- or if his lack of knowledge is actually a cultural phenomenon.
While Obama is a child of the 80s, he seems to have a lot in common with today's generation. In his new book, The Dumbest Generation, author Mark Bauerlein says this phenomenon is true of most "Millenials." In short, Bauerlein argues today's young people are great at using the internet to retrieve information, but that they lack knowledge of history. Might Obama's emphasis of style over substance be a result of the era in which he was raised? Is it unique to him? Or is it merely a product of a young man who is still finding himself? These are all interesting to ponder.
Consider the Reagan vs. Obama contrast. When Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, he had lived through The Great Depression, WWII, Vietnam, The Civil Rights Movement, etc. He had also achieved success in other areas of life. For this reason, he did not need the presidency to give his life purpose. Of course, being compared to Reagan is never a good thing for the person being compared.
Still, it's fair to say that Obama has been playing "over his head" for quite some time. He's like a young football team who starts off winning a lot of games. Deep down, you always suspect it won't last.
It's also interesting to note that Obama has really won few contests in the last several months. To over-extend the football metaphor, he's like a football team who "backs into the playoffs". One wonders if McCain will be facing the Obama of February -- or the Obama who got his clock cleaned in West Virginia.
There is no doubt he has run a surprisingly smart primary campaign. But because he and Hillary agreed on most major policy issues -- he was not forced to defend his political philosophy. That is about to change. McCain will challenge him, and most likely, this will create "forced errors."
At least, Obama appears to be demonstrating that he is, in fact, human.
I work at a university. I can agree with the author, and I also understand what he is saying because of my personal observations off this campus.
Young people who grew up on video games, cartoons, and TV sitcoms (AND who are graduates of public education as it is presented now days) understand history in a way that is, at best, limited, basic and very often biased. I picked up my cousin’s text book and I shocked out of my wits!!! There was not a single page without a graphic, usually a color photo.
These young people understand only what is literal. And to make the situation worse, they are NOT readers. My generation read books (not just text books) our entire lives...in grade school, high school and college. I can actually say that once I graduated from college, I read more than I did when I was a student. Most of what I know, I basically taught myself after graduation from college. My reading since graduation put a perspective on what college taught me and I am certain my college education would be worthless, if I had not continued to read on my own. Obama likes to pass himself off as an urbane personality and well-informed individual … I am certain he is NOT a reader!
“And here we were thinking he could also walk on water and raise the dead!”
dang.
I was looking forward to my soul being healed.
Affirmative is just one feature of liberalism. It hurts the intended beneficiary as well as the worthy ones displaced by preferences. A number of blacks promoted beyond their abilities develop a style of shuck and jive to deal with their errors (gaffes) like Obama’s. And the liberals will defend them and rationalize in the most amazing unlogical ways.
I respect your service and thank you for it. Obama? What has he done to serve anyone other than himself? I agree with you; how is this guy remotely qualified to be President? If this were a job interview, how would he even get a face to face interview?
He can't raise the dead, but he can get them to vote for him in large numbers - especially around Chicago.
Like any rock star his has image (partly body shape) and a quality to his voice. The new American Idol that America watches is him, the golden calf, the Bal that puts the ball in his court. And everybody does want to court him including Rupert Murdoch. He is the seller of dreams but the doer of nothing. Nothing needs to be done except sell the dream. And America sees him with his pancakes and it's like American apple pie... he is the kid that fulfilled the promise held out -- the American Beauty that Hollywood and media so desperately despair for. It's all sugar and spice, attractive and nice, and everything commie deep, deep, deep down below that pops up and is instantly forgiven.
The point is not that the President of the United States should know everything about anything, it’s that he should have the humility to know when he does not know and seek the appropriate advice.
Obama should have taken the time to educate himself about his (great)uncle and his exploits before he tossed off that quote.
McCain suffers from a similar arrogance when he embraces the cause of illegal aliens and global warming. He just knows what’s right. Don’t try to confuse him with facts.
I knew it but "re remembered" it when it was pointed out by others. I would not have caught the gaffe on my own.
I'll be 63 next month and my theory is that my old brain has reached it's capacity and when new information is presented to it, some of the old stuff has to go.
What was the subject again?
Although that doesn’t mean he does not keep a copy of St. Augustine’s confessions on his nightstand...
It bothers me greatly that the media keep referring to these liberal, dumba$$ yack-offs as “smart”. ...What’s smart about Obama, Hillary, OR McCain for that matter?
In private industry — this ass clown called Obama, would be self revealing as a failure in his first assignment with PERSONAL responsibility for ACCOMPLISHING a business objective..
Obama is what was referred to in our industry - as a dog and pony show presenter — but NOT a closer, not a technology guru and not the Project Manager... He would have been assigned the “smile and smooze” role -— but NONE of the decision making roles.
This guy if elected President — will be the sock puppet for forces we as yet haven't been shown, PUBLICLY.
“If this were a job interview, how would he even get a face to face interview?”
I like Obama’s standard response to criticism from opponents.
When confronted with a challenge or critique, he responds with a 2 parter.
Part 1: “I don’t need a...”
as in ...”I don’t need a lecture about...”
or ...”I don’t need to be told about...”
Part 2: The American people
as in ...”Americans aren’t interested in....”
or ...”Americans would rather talk about...”
or ...” what should really concern Americans is...”
As well as the fact the guy gave a Veteran's Day speech for Memorial Day, which leads me to believe that he will surround himself with idiots (and it was a terrible speech at that).
We don't require our presidents to be intellectual giants, but I don't think it is too much to ask of them to have an understanding of solemn occasions, the number of states in the union, and not stretch a story to the point it breaks.
He’s not...and in the coming months that will be abundantly clear. It’s gonna be kinda fun!
“What’s smart about Obama, Hillary, OR McCain for that matter?”
Certainly none of them took a basic economics course.
Or if they did - they didn’t retain a thing.
And you know, when minorities fail because affirmative action puts them in a position that they aren’t prepared to handle,
they can blame that failure on racism,
and demand a continuance of affirmative action.
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