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Can Obama really rescue America?
The Irish Examiner ^
| June 16, 2008
| Karen McCarthy
Posted on 06/15/2008 6:16:37 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
HE exploded into US politics with a message of hope and change that has people around the world believing President Obama will save America and the planet.
Hes running a veritable Santas Grotto stacked with promises of health care reform, protectionism in trade, cheaper petrol, more money for schools, the space program, veterans, students, infrastructure, as well as lower taxes. Hes promised energy security, an end to the Iraq war, to befriend Americas enemies and remain unindentured to big business and lobbyists.
A less optimistic panel of Harvard thinkers at the Centre for Public Leadership recently said the problems facing America today are so immense that theyre almost beyond the capacity of any human being.
Hes raised expectations to an absurd degree, said Gene Healy, the author of The Cult of the Presidency during a recent interview on Al Jazeera English. Hes not a shaman, hes going to be constrained by the political realities of the US.
Yet Obama-mania is sweeping the world, particularly in Africa.
But despite being half-Kenyan, analysts say the half-term senator has not shown a strong track record of interest in African affairs. He proposed action to resolve the Darfur crisis, but when it came to trade he backed a farm bill to protect US farmers at the expense of the Africans.
One Ugandan columnist, Timothy Kalyegira commented on Obamas decision to give his first post-primary speech to a pro-Israel group and not to African-Americans.
[This] should open the eyes of those who imagine that Obama is going to advance black interests or those of Africa. Prepare to be greatly disappointed.
Further east, the Arab world also had its first major Obama-qualm, when the Senator placated Jewish voters who disapproved of his willingness to talk to Iran and Syria, by promising unshakeable support for Israel with Jerusalem as its undivided capital.
Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi criticised the Senator for what he calls a failure to fulfil his promise of change.
Obama has been accused of more back-peddling by Senator John McCain, who said hes retracting campaign promises to meet leaders of Iran, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela without preconditions. Obama since qualified his statement saying his willingness to talk to leaders of countries considered US adversaries, doesnt necessarily mean an audience for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
This kind of political manoeuvring, his vow to respond forcefully and swiftly to an Iranian attack against Israel or any other US ally, and his willingness to attack al Qaeda inside Pakistan without Pakistani approval, prompted one Abu Dhabi based newspaper to conclude: Not much time was needed to prove that the Arab expectation of Obama grew out of a sense of hopefulness rather than an accurate reading of [his] priorities and political views.
Closer to home, efforts to court Floridas influential Cuban-American community, has the Senator calling for the normalising of relations with the communist island if preconditions like the release of all political prisoners are met.
His support of the Cuban embargo has drawn criticism from McCain, who accused him of changing his position.
Obama presents himself as a new-style politician, determined to reform Washington and steer clear of contributions from interest groups and lobbyists.
Unfortunately, while he refused any money from federal lobbyists or political action committees, he received $2.5 million from political action committees during his senatorial race, and hes lending his name to the fundraising for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee thats less discerning.
Nevertheless, he still leads McCain on domestic issues, particularly on the economy, and has launched an economy tour through the largely blue collar states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
However, his recent appointment of Jason Furman as director of economic policy is considered tantamount to hiring a Wall Street economic team.
Ultimately, campaign promises may be his biggest problem.
Whether or not he can be radically different from his predecessors, become the saviour of the middle-class, bring peace to the Middle East or democracy to Africa, he will be judged harshly because he has promised so much.
TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; blackpanthers; blueturban; communism; election; electionpresident; elections; farrakhan; hussein; iraq; islam; liberal; marxist; militants; military; moretaxes; muslims; muzzie; obama; obamamessiah; obamanation; wot
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To: stbdside
41
posted on
06/15/2008 7:58:41 PM PDT
by
SAJ
Comment #42 Removed by Moderator
To: patriot08
Omar has a grammar error.
43
posted on
06/15/2008 8:19:35 PM PDT
by
sam_paine
(X .................................)
To: 2ndDivisionVet
Obama will be the real “King George” of liberal nightmares. If he’s elected he may just push this country to finally stand up and revolt against the left.
44
posted on
06/15/2008 8:53:06 PM PDT
by
Windflier
(To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
To: skeptoid; 2ndDivisionVet; Zhang Fei; RC2; F15Eagle
45
posted on
06/15/2008 8:53:24 PM PDT
by
skeptoid
(AA, UE, MBS [with oak leaf clusters])
To: F15Eagle
EXCELLENT!
.
baa-a-aa--aa-RACK the Saviour!
(NOT!!)
46
posted on
06/15/2008 9:01:27 PM PDT
by
skeptoid
(AA, UE, MBS [with oak leaf clusters])
To: patriot08
I think it should say “become a dominatrix.”
47
posted on
06/15/2008 10:33:59 PM PDT
by
TChad
To: 2ndDivisionVet
Can Obama really rescue America?
No, we'll need RESCUING if he gets ELECTED. This Marxist could make Jimmy Carter look like Bill Clinton - and Bill Clinton look like Reagan!
48
posted on
06/15/2008 10:37:00 PM PDT
by
EagleandLiberty
(El Rushbo Tribal name -- RinoHunter Coming Soon - a new CONSERVATIVE PARTY --- www.falconparty.com)
To: All
JPOST.com - THE JERUSALEM POST: "Malik Obama says his brother will be good president for the Jews" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Barack Obama's half brother Malik said Thursday that if elected his brother will be a good president for the Jewish people, despite his Muslim background.") (June 12, 2008, 12:15)
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "Hope, Change, and Che Guevara" (June 13, 2008, 8:50 am PST)
THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, June 6, 2008"): "EDITORIAL IN SAUDI PAPER: Obama Most Capable of Bringing Change in U.S. Policy" (Posted June 6, 2008)
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "SIX DEGREES OF GEORGE SOROS" (June 10, 2008, 3:20 pm PST)
Photo - Link
TOWNHALL.com: "OBAMA'S VETTER GETS VETTED" by Amanda Carpenter (June 9, 2008)
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "At the Official Obama Site: Support for Cop Killers" (June 9, 2008, 11:37 am PST)
FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "When Will The Big Media Investigate Obama's Communist Influences?" by Bill Steigerwald (June 9, 2008)
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "At the Official Obama Site: 'Jemaah Islamiyah For Obama'" (June 8, 2008, 1:09 pm PST)
Link
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "AT THE OFFICIAL OBAMA SITES: 57 FLAVORS OF CRAZY" (June 8, 2008, 6:24 pm PST)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com (AP): Springfield, Ill. - "OBAMA'S ASSOCIATIONS MAY HAUNT BID" (June 8, 2008)
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "Obama Campaign Throws Antisemitic Blog Down the Memory Hole" (June 8, 2008, 12:34 pm PST)
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "Searching Obama's Site for 'Jewish Lobby'" (June 8, 2008, 10:07 am PST)
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "AT THE OFFICIAL OBAMA SITE: 'HOW THE JEWISH LOBBY WORKS'" (June 8, 2008, 9:08 am PST)
JIHAD WATCH.org: "Obama's Brilliant Career as Defender of Israel Lasts About One Day" (June 5, 2008
FOX NEWS.com (AP): Chicago - "POLITICAL FUNDRAISER TONY REZKO FOUND GUILTY ON 16 COUNTS IN CORRUPTION TRIAL" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A prominent fundraiser for Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted Wednesday of fraud and money laundering after a high-profile federal trial provided an unusually detailed glimpse of the pay-to-play politics that has made Illinois infamous.") (June 4, 2008)
Link
LittleGreenFootballs.com - blog: "Obama the Self-Proclaimed Messiah" (June 4, 2008, 8:41 am PST)
WorldNetDaily.com: "NATION OF ISLAM ACTIVISTS ON OBAMA CAMP PAYROLL Former insider worried by senator's connection to Louis Farrakhan, members of radical group" by Aaron Klein (June 3, 2008)
NEWS BUSTERS.org - blog: "BET Founder: Election of Obama 'Greater Than the Emancipation Proclamation'" by Matthew Balan (June 4, 2008, 13:37 ET)
RNC - VIDEO: "Democrats vs. Obama" (Added June 3, 2008)
POLICElink.com: Portland, Oregon - "OBAMA USES POLICE MEMORIAL FOR PORTA POTTIES" (May 30, 2008)
REAL CLEAR POLITICS: "OBAMA OBFUSCATES ON CHAVEZ & FARC" by Jack Kelly (May 27, 2008)
Link
VIDEO (RNC): "Obama and The Second Amendment" (Added May 16, 2008)
TOWNHALL.com: "PALESTINIANS PHONEBANK FOR OBAMA" -Column by Amanda Carpenter (May 13, 2008)
Video - Link
DANIEL PIPES.org (FOX NEWS - Hannity & Colmes - Video): "Terrorism Troubles [i.e. George Galloway enthuses for Barack Obama]" (June 6, 2008)
MEMRITV.org - VIDEO CLIP: "Title of Video: British MP George Galloway to Hamas TV: I Pray for the Safety of Barack Obama. Arab Puppet Presidents and Corrupt Kings Will Discover That the Ground Has Moved under their Feet in November" ("Clip #1785 Broadcast: May 2, 2008")
Link
DANIEL PIPES.org (FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com): "Barack Obama's Muslim Childhood" by Daniel Pipes (April 29, 2008)
JEFF HEAD.com: "THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA"
FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (JEFFHEAD.com): "Barack Hussein Obama's Circle of Friends and Support - II" by Jeff Head (April 18, 2008)
FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum: "A SMALL-TOWN PENNSYLVANIAN'S VIEW OF ARROGANCE" -Commentary by Joanie (April 13, 2008)
ZOMBIE TIME.com - zomblog: "Obama's 'bitter small-town Americans' speech at Getty fundraiser: good, clear audio file now available here!" (Added April 12, 2008)
Link (mp3)
VIDEO - "Shocking Obama words: what he really thinks of white folks" (Added April 9, 2008)
VIDEO: "BARACK OBAMA: THE COMPANY HE KEEPS" -Hal Lindsey (Added March 22, 2008)
VIDEO: "IN 52 SECS WHY BARACK OBAMA CANNOT WIN A GENERAL ELECTION" (Added February 16, 2008)
AMERICAN THINKER.com - blog: "Barack Obama and Israel" by Ed Lasky (March 22, 2007)
49
posted on
06/15/2008 10:37:31 PM PDT
by
Cindy
To: RC2
The Economist (a brit pub.) did a line up of potential BHO appointees. Most are moderate academics and egg heads; NOT radicals. They may be naive, but they will have some old hands available to help out.
I suspect that he will end up governing from the “middle” while pushing a heavy leftist agenda when they can get away with it. Much will depend on congressional majorities, which may be near filibuster proof on the dem. side.
Approval ratings will be very high in the first two years, as voters expecting the worst case scenario are surprised by the moderate tone.
BTW, those posting about McCainiacs are correct. If BHO is elected, “conservatives” will not be proven out; they will be marginalized, as they are in Europe. A third, or forth, party will only complete that process.
50
posted on
06/15/2008 11:22:31 PM PDT
by
Wiseghy
("You want to break this army? Then break your word to it.")
To: 2ndDivisionVet
The biggest set of problems America faces is the 5th column onslaught by liberals. Obama is part of that, so how is he to save us from him and his own ilk?
51
posted on
06/15/2008 11:30:01 PM PDT
by
highlander_UW
(illegal alien is to an undocumented worker as a drug dealer is to an unlicensed pharmacist)
To: hinckley buzzard
Ah ha. Someone who knows their history. The phrase you mentioned was a part of Carter supporters’ arguments in 1980. They laughably told us that the problems of the day were too big for any president to solve.
52
posted on
06/15/2008 11:54:58 PM PDT
by
Luke21
To: 2ndDivisionVet
Can Obama really rescue America?
Since the U.S. must be rescued from Obama, yes, he could rescue us by choosing to drop out of the race in any of a number of ways.
53
posted on
06/16/2008 12:15:34 AM PDT
by
aruanan
To: All
PODS: Princess Obama Derangment Syndrome My oh my, what a firestorm I appear to have started with my
remarks two days ago on Obamas background! It was wholly expected, of course, but nevertheless the posters comments are
so revealing. They graphically illustrate the way in which Obamania has quite obviously destroyed the capacity for reason.
America has a problem-- there is a fairly large segment that longs, pines, and hungers for a religion, but finds the traditional Judeo-Christian ethic repulsive, because it has the effrontery to tell them there are certain things that they like, that they should not do...
( Think "abortion," with its own bloody sacrament... )
For them, The New, Improved Black Jesus
( And yes, I mean each of those semantically "loaded" words... parse them carefully... )
is tailor-made-- here's a random pull from my files:
( So, how did the photographer take this shot? From a foxhole? Down in a ditch? Enquiring Minds want to know... )
America- and Americans-- are in danger of getting all the Hopiness and Changiness they deserve, "good & hard..."
America can probably survive another corrupt, empty politician as President- what I fear we can't survive is an increasingly shallow, naive, and gullible electorate.
54
posted on
06/16/2008 1:03:37 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: 2ndDivisionVet
55
posted on
06/16/2008 3:12:23 AM PDT
by
DarthVader
(Liberal Democrats are the party of EVIL whose time of judgement has come.)
To: backhoe
56
posted on
06/16/2008 1:45:58 PM PDT
by
rdl6989
To: rdl6989
Thanks- I may borrow that one.
57
posted on
06/16/2008 2:24:27 PM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
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