Yes We Can? (Humorous political comment on Obama from London Times)

The London Times ^ | 08/22/2008 | Gerard Baker

[wildbill]

There's trouble in paradise. Cancel the coronation. Send back the commemorative medals. Put those “Yes We Can” T-shirts up on eBay. Keep the Change.

Barack Obama's historic procession to the American presidency has been rudely interrupted. The global healing he promised is in jeopardy. If you're prone to emotional breakdown, you might want to take a seat before I say this. He might not win.

How can it be, you ask? Didn't we see him just last month speaking to 200,000 adoring Germans in Berlin? Didn't he get the red carpet treatment in France - France of all places? Doesn't every British politician want to be seen clutching the hem of his garment?

All true. But as cruel geography and the selfish designs of the American Founding Fathers would have it, Europeans don't get to choose the US president. Somewhere along the way to the Obama presidency, somebody forgot to ask the American people.

[wildbill]

Even some Euros are beginning to have doubts about the empty suit.

Especially Now that the bear is back in the woods.

[impeachedrapist]

...[t]he fact is that the 47-year-old Democrat, less than four years in the Senate, is still largely a blank page for American voters: a great orator and an attractive figure, but unknown and untested.

Errr, uh, I might, mmm, not completely, uh, agree with, umm, what this, uh, author is... uh... saying.

[wideawake]

But the uncomfortable truth for the many devoted fans of Senator Obama is that the more the race is about him, the less likely he is to win it.

Bam.

[MrB]

You unenlightened fool!

Don’t you know that those verbal tendencies of Obama show his thoughtfulness and intellectualism?

[hoe_cake]

Entertaining read...Thanks for posting.

On the subject of nasty campaigning, American politics has always been fraught with mudslinging.

Thomas Jefferson hired writers to editorialize lies about John Adams. And John Adams returned the favor.

It actually might be that we’ve become more civilized in our nasty campaigning tactics.

[impeachedrapist]

Sorry, I’m still trying to figure out what nuanced means!

[Ozone34]

This election cycle reminds me a lot of Superbowl XXII. Back in 1988, the conventional wisdom was that John Elway and the Denver Broncos would roll over the Redskins, much like the elites have already given the election to Obama. I still remember Elway throughing that touchdown bomb on the first play of the game...

[DogBarkTree]

Great article. You gotta love the Brit’s take on things. I wish our media had half as much of a clue.

[SueRae]

Excellent summary of the campaign and the chosen one’s limitations.

Reading the comments section within the article, I loved this line by an Indiana farmer when asked if he was going to vote for Obama:

“I already have a saviour, I’m going to vote for a PResident”

[huldah1776]

Great Post! I am going to forward a copy to everyone I know who needs a few points lowered on their blood pressure gauge, but not enough to keep them from voting conservative.

[Weya]

I love it. How many francophiles and anglophiles are now rending their garments, knowing that their savioUr isn’t loved by every Brit on the planet?

BTW, just for the record, Barry Hussein Obama’s book is entitled, “the Audacity of Hope”

Roughly parsed, it means the “recklessness of hope”. If I were to be a betting man, and I am, I would think that by entitling his campaign as “hope” that he wants to proceed, full speed ahead, with no regard for anything.

Well, duh.

[NavyCanDo]

But, But He Ventured Forth To Bring Light To The World. How could he not win?

If tiy think the above story is funny, you gotta see this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThFvlybQYso

[wildbill]

de l'audace, encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace Webster's Dictionary" Main Entry: de l'au·dace, en·core de l'au·dace, et tou·jours de l'au·dace Pronunciation: \də-lō-ˈdäs äⁿ-ˈkȯr-də-lō-däs ā-tü-ˈzhür-də-lō-däs\ Function: foreign term Etymology: French : audacity, more audacity, and ever more audacity Original from Georges Danton, one of the radicals of the French Revolution--and we know how well that turned out.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Finally, someone in Britain who understands American politics:"For many of these working-class types, he's just a bit too cerebral, a little vague. His campaign lacks both substance and passion. While unemployment is rising, incomes are slipping farther behind rising inflation and house prices are falling, Senator Obama keeps talking about hope and change, keeps promising a new type of politics. These benighted Democratic voters don't really want a new type of politics. They want to know what exactly he's going to do to raise their living standards.

The irony for Senator Obama is that he has built a campaign on a pledge to put an end to cynicism in the political system, but the more he offers only vague promises of hope, the greater the danger that he increases voter cynicism about politicians in general and him in particular.

...The more the campaign is about the concerns of the American voter, especially the state of the economy but also the general anxiety about the direction of the country, the more likely they are to throw the Republicans out. But the uncomfortable truth for the many devoted fans of Senator Obama is that the more the race is about him, the less likely he is to win it. "

[Oldpuppymax]

This was written in the Times?? The Times of London?? Since when did that outfit begin hiring people with 1) a sense of humor and 2) a concern for honesty?? Will wonders never cease?

[newzjunkey]

And McCain *knows* it. So far, I generally like his campaign.

[BunnySlippers]

[BunnySlippers]

[wideawake]

I do too.

They should keep the focus on Obama and keep the tone humorous - it just enrages him and makes him look silly.

And they should continue to insist on as many unscripted debates as possible.

McCain is far more comfortable as a public speaker than W ever was, but the press has cast Obama all along as the master orator.

As we both know, Obama is useless without a script - so when more and more voters see him without one they will say to themselves: "What a load of hype. I thought this guy was supposed to be the greatest public speaker ever. He's stammering and stuttering. What else about this guy is all hype?"

[EdnaMode]

That was a GREAT Super Bowl. Go Redskins!