Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Christopher Hitchens on the rise of Obamania
mirror.co.uk ^ | July 26, 2008 | Christopher Hitchens

Posted on 07/27/2008 9:26:01 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY

Napoleon Bonaparte’s test for generalship was a very simple one. Of a man recommended by others for gallantry or fortitude or strategic genius he would inquire only: “But is he lucky?” By this standard, Senator Barack Obama is already the greatest political leader of his generation. From a starting-point in the state Senate in Illinois only a few years ago, he now bestrides the narrow world like a colossus and is already beginning to exhaust the superlatives of the political commentary class.

He has a few charismatic tactics that I suppose will soon begin to wear thin. When greeted by hosts who are heads of state, he places his hand firmly on their backs or their arms, as if to propel them forward, and this means that the resulting photograph makes him look more like the host (and the senior) than the guest (and the junior). That’s clever, and also shrewd in body-language terms. But it’s the luck that makes one whistle. Who would have thought that the dour Shi’ite machine politician, Nuri al-Maliki of Iraq, would time his own proposals on American troop withdrawal as if specifically to undermine his old defender John McCain, and simultaneously to elevate the anti-war candidate?

After that, Obama was able to arrive on European soil with a fair wind of statesmanship behind him, and to act as if the “surge” (which has made talk of withdrawal politically possible) was as much his idea as anyone else’s. The great Aneurin Bevan had an expression for this kind of political agility: he called it “wearing the medals of your defeats”. Obama wears them well, and with style.

(Excerpt) Read more at mirror.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: balackosama; hitchens; obama; obamasbigadventure
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-68 next last

1 posted on 07/27/2008 9:26:01 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

The media being in the tank for Obama isn’t luck.


2 posted on 07/27/2008 9:29:44 AM PDT by Mojave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
Luck? You have to be kidding me. The man is so full of Bravo Sierra, smoke and mirrors, lies, and fabrications that it is not funny.

He is not lucky, he is a liar and has the support of very wealthy and powerful people who are determined,d espite his absolute shrotcmings and anti_American ideology (or because of them) to put him in as President.

But we the people, shall have our say...both leading up to the election and at the voting booths and luck, and what Germans or French think will have nothing to do with that equation.

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA - CHANGE YOU CAN COUNT ON, BUT DON'T WANT

CHOOSING THE NEXT PRESIDENT

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

3 posted on 07/27/2008 9:30:40 AM PDT by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
Hitchens sees Obama beign manipulative and calls it "luck".
Hitchens sees McCain beign ignored by the media and says that Obama is, again, "lucky".

I think luck has nothing to do with any of this.

4 posted on 07/27/2008 9:37:04 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Et si omnes ego non)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Head
and what Germans or French think will have nothing to do with that equation.

I hope what the Germans or French think will have a great deal to do with it. I hope it will cause American voters to vote against Obama by an overwhelming percentage in all 57 States.

5 posted on 07/27/2008 9:39:24 AM PDT by savedbygrace (SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST (I'M YELLING ON PURPOSE))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

Screw Napoleon. What would Patton say? (WWPS?)


6 posted on 07/27/2008 9:39:55 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (I am voting for McCain because he is white.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: savedbygrace

Good point. To the extent that Americans will be PO’d about Obama’s attempt to reach out and influence the election in that manner, I hope with you that it does backfire on him.


7 posted on 07/27/2008 9:42:28 AM PDT by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

We’ve heard this kind of adulation for a scoundrel before when the msm thought Clinton was great because he had the audacity to lie every time his lips moved. That’s the standard for Democrat leadership.


8 posted on 07/27/2008 9:42:43 AM PDT by kittymyrib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

hussain is an empty suit
Can’t wait till the dirt comes out


9 posted on 07/27/2008 9:43:36 AM PDT by spanalot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

UK publications, ironically, have a much more realistic view of BHO than the US press.


10 posted on 07/27/2008 9:45:05 AM PDT by Wiseghy ("You want to break this army? Then break your word to it.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

It’s so true that the body language of an almost congratulatory air of Barack’s is too obvious to astute observers, and if not as irritating to most as it appears to have been to Hitchens, then the clips should be played over and over until it is. Ah, the audacity of arrogance.


11 posted on 07/27/2008 9:51:55 AM PDT by Melinda
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
Christopher Hitchens describes the situation perfectly. This unrelenting satire can only serve as a warning of what is to come.
12 posted on 07/27/2008 9:53:54 AM PDT by Earthdweller
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Head
“Luck? You have to be kidding me. The man is so full of Bravo Sierra, smoke and mirrors, lies, and fabrications that it is not funny. “

Completely true....to people with their eyes open. But, we need to accept the simple fact that his act is working extremely well! McCain must expose Obama for the hopelessly naive, empty suit that he is and do so in a way that his adoring, koolAid drunk faithful can not dispute. Keep in mind this has to happen in such a way that the leading disciples (aka: the Main Stream Media) are forced to report it.

Perhaps a live, unscripted debate is in order? I'm sure you've seen what Obama looks and sounds like unscripted.

13 posted on 07/27/2008 9:56:33 AM PDT by mad puppy (Never have I felt so politically radical and I swear I didn't move an inch.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
When greeted by hosts who are heads of state, he places his hand firmly on their backs or their arms, as if to propel them forward, and this means that the resulting photograph makes him look more like the host (and the senior) than the guest (and the junior).

I noticed this also and thought it was one more clever play by team Obama.

14 posted on 07/27/2008 10:00:47 AM PDT by Zevonismymuse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
When greeted by hosts who are heads of state, he places his hand firmly on their backs or their arms, as if to propel them forward, and this means that the resulting photograph makes him look more like the host (and the senior) than the guest (and the junior).

What about his gravitas?...anybody remember that term from 2000?

15 posted on 07/27/2008 10:01:01 AM PDT by wardaddy (Myself and my ancestors take full responsibility for all racial discrimination here since 1607)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
There would be no "Obamamania" if it wasn't for media's 24/7 Obama glorification and ignoring of who and what Obama really is, what he's really done, and the people in his inner circle who share Obama's real world views and goals.

This person is against everything this nation is, against all what our ancestors fought and died for as this country was born; our freedom, independence and sovereignty.

16 posted on 07/27/2008 10:03:06 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
["The speeches are as always well done –– but I continue to take money off people by asking them to quote an Obama sentence after a week or so."]

Cotton candy.

17 posted on 07/27/2008 10:03:56 AM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham ("The land of the Free...Because of the Brave")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mad puppy
Th problem is John S. McCain also is an empty suit whose main legislation has been leftwing. Think McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy. He is a Democrat and he talks and acts like somebody who has no enthusiasm for winning the race. He is totally weird.
18 posted on 07/27/2008 10:04:07 AM PDT by apocalypto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: wardaddy

“Gravitas” was only important in 2000. Just like “Character” was unimportant in 1992.


19 posted on 07/27/2008 10:08:48 AM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham ("The land of the Free...Because of the Brave")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
The media has taken an intelligent, well spoken, bleeding heart liberal, social organizer and egalitarian, from south-side Chicago and promoted him into what might be called, the second coming of --- whatever suits your fancy.

For the liberal media itself, Obama is the second coming of JFK. For many prominent white liberals of recent vintage, he's the second coming of Bill Clinton, America's first black POTUS. For many old fashioned white Democrats, he's the second coming of FDR.

For black Americans, Obama is the second coming of Martin Luther King Jr. The savior of African-Americans. Obama will right all the wrongs that have been heaped on blacks throughout recorded history.

For Europeans, Obama is seen as a composite of many leftwing idols. A little bit of JFK, Clinton, FDR and Martin Luther King, all rolled into one superman.

If you ask me, sounds kind of sad and pathetic. No attributes of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln or Reagan in the mix.

20 posted on 07/27/2008 10:10:19 AM PDT by Reagan Man ( McCain Wants My Conservative Vote in November --- EARN IT or NO DEAL !!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-68 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson