Obama the last-chance kid for Democrats, says Redford

Irish Times ^ | July 10, 2008 | Ruadhán Mac Cormaic

[Zakeet]

If Barack Obama doesn't win November's presidential election in the United States, "you can kiss the Democratic Party goodbye", the actor and director Robert Redford told an audience in Dublin last night.

Speaking at a public interview in Trinity College in advance of his conferral with an honorary degree by the university today, Redford said he hoped Obama would win because while John McCain "represents yesterday", the Democrat embodied the sort of change America needed.

Asked by Michael Dwyer, film correspondent of The Irish Times , if he was looking forward to "regime change" in the US, Redford said: "Yes. Where my country is at the moment, I'm not confident of anything. I'm hopeful.

"I think Obama is not tall on experience . . . but I believe he's a really good person. He's smart. And he does represent what the country needs most now, which is change."

"I hope he'll win. I think he will. If he doesn't, you can kiss the Democratic Party goodbye . . . I think we need new voices, new blood. We need to get a whole group out, get a new group in."

The 71-year-old American is best known for his roles in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid , The Sting and All The President's Men .

He won his first Oscar as a director for the emotional family drama Ordinary People in 1980.

[avacado]

It simply amazes me how these Hollywood “save the world” types completely ignore the fact that 50 million world citizens are now struggling to form and maintain representative governments after decades of rule under two of the most brutal and oppressive regimes on this Earth.

Thank you GWB and the U.S.Armed Forces!

[gusopol3]

isn’t he the guy who looks like Dan Quayle?

[randita]

I think we need new voices, new blood. We need to get a whole group out, get a new group in."

Then what the heck are you doing out there bloviating.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

He's assuming the DemocRAT party is far more honorable than it is. Unfortunately for the country, the DemocRAT party is the party of extortion, bribery, intimidation, and cheating. They will survive just as the mafia survives.

In fact, if there ever were a nuclear holocaust, the world would only have left cock roaches and Democrat party leaders.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

McCain represents yesterday.

And Hussein Obama represents Marx, which is so, what, tomorrow?

[Viking2002]

Damn, and I thought he'd died already. Well, at least I have a day to look forward to.

[The Great RJ]

Quite the opposite. If Barry wins the Presidency in four years the Democratic party will have about as much clout as Ralph Nader’s Green Party. Four years of Obama’s leftist politics, crippling new taxes, a crumbling economy, terrorist IEDs and suicide bombers moving from the streets of Baghdad to shopping malls in the US and gasoline prices in excess of $6 per gallon the American people will be fed up with the Democratic party for decades.

[Miss Didi]

Well Steve Doocey asked Bill Richardson, looking more and more like Mr. French, why Barry's got what it takes being he has never run anything and was a senator 150 days before deciding to be president. Bill stumbled around with some babble on how he inspires, he brings both parties together, young people, etc. Steve was quick to interrupt--when has he done that in the past? (Steve does not dig the Barry hysteria) Well, he's done it in the campaign, he's done it as a US Senator (really?) The look on Bill's face, and his almost whining tone, was so obvious that he doesn't believe a word of that. The Friends let it go. So vote for the Messiah because he inspires.

Next Howard Wolfson was on spinning away for Barry, too, with the usual Dem talking points. McCain is more Bush, Barry is change and not politics as usual. How come all of Barry's advisers and supporters are the same old Dems?

The really hysterical part of the morning was Geraldo's segment where he just went off on that darn Jesse saying such horrible horrible things about Barry. He says that Jesse is just jealous and an egomaniac because it's not about him (gee, Geraldo, sound familiar?) and that Barry represents personal responsibility. I was screaming with laughter on that one.

[N. Theknow]

I believe he's a really good person. He's smart.

Only an actor could recognize that kind of smart.

[Right Wing Assault]

I love these apocalyptic pronouncements that always turn out to be false.

Redford forgot the second part. “If Obama loses, I’m moving out of the US and never coming back.”

[gusopol3]

57th state

[Right Wing Assault]

Don’t you just love it when a 71-year-old guy calls a 71-year-old guy ‘old’?

[OKSooner]

"I think Obama is not tall on experience . . . but I believe he's a really good person. He's smart. And he does represent what the country needs most now, which is change."

Yeah, Redford, you have a point. He's smart alongside of you.

[bboop]

Oh, bring it on. Let’s DO kiss the Democratic Party goodbye. They are so irrelevant.

[silent_jonny]

He's smart. And he does represent what the country needs most now, which is change."

Wow ... Deep thoughts from Brad Pitt's mentor :)

It's funny (and scary) how easily they all conform to that message.

[depressed in 06]

06 should have seen the destruction of the Bolshecrat party. I am depressed at what the American people could have been thinking when they gave these dimwits a chance.

[Entrepreneur]

Why does anyone care what an entertainer says or thinks about politics? Redford is better educated than many entertainers - he has a high school diploma. Oh, and honorary college degrees.

So how is Redford qualified to earn mic time to opine about politics? His HS degree? The fact that he’s good at pretending to be someone he’s not? That he can memorize lines?

Come to think of it, Redford’s qualified to be a Democrat presidential nominee.

[Miss Didi]

In fact, if there ever were a nuclear holocaust, the world would only have left cock roaches and Democrat party leaders.

You called?

[JimRed]

From your mouth to God’s ears, Robert!

[Maumee]

Redford’s only seventy one? Time certainly has not been gentle to Shorty.