Obama's Dour Vision

Wall Street Journal Opinion ^ | 11/6/08 | DANIEL HENNINGER

[KosmicKitty]

Barack Obama's victory speech Tuesday night had grace notes. He wants to pull away from the "partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long." Well past due on that one.

[snip]

That said, it might be useful to ask at this early stage what, precisely, is President-elect Obama's understanding of the American idea? What I take away from the victory speech is that his vision of America is fairly depressing, a lot more dour than my sense of America in 2008.

Throughout the campaign, Barack Obama ran against the "failed" presidency of George Bush -- his "failed" economic policies, his "failed" war in Iraq and so on. In his victory speech, though, Mr. Obama appears to be describing a generalized failure of America itself.

[snip]

Mr. Obama's messianism may be setting him up for a fall. It might make sense between now and his Inaugural Address for the president-elect to lower his flight path. Among the images evoked by Greek columns is the myth of Icarus. The Founding Fathers' idea of "change" was in fact more modest than Mr. Obama's, a reality worth pondering lest he take his followers on a ride toward the sun.

[KosmicKitty]

Michelle Obama = Hillary II

[KosmicKitty]

It will be interesting keeping up with BO's staff changes.

I can imagine that bubbly Michelle could also be a "joy" to be around =8-p

[delphirogatio]

” How many people have you known in your life who are as serious as a heart attack, and think they are the smartest person in the room? They probably weren’t fun to work for or with, nor hang around at a party.”

Rex, you’re dead-bang-on with that statement! I worked for one. I’ll tell you something else about them: It doesn’t take them long at all to run off anyone who is actually more talented and capable, leaving only bots & kool-aid drinkers. They are anathma to effective operations.

[Eye of Unk]

Its no wonder the automakers want $50 billion in bailout monies.

[KosmicKitty]

LOL - I think there are a lot of us in mourning, anyway.

I bet Barry was a real live wire at those parties in college. Like the kids who thought they were too cool to come down to your level & have fun.

Snooty, that what I’d call him

[central_va]

Snooty, that what I’d call him

Where is the Luv?

[NCjim]

For example:

Democrats scale back expectations

[surrey]

Sounds like Clinton II. He surrounded himself with idiots, eg. Maddie Albright and Reno.

[Trailerpark Badass]

And the media(his own defenders), will hang him up to dry in a cold wind.

No. Way.

The media has so much invested in the success of the first black president that they will do backflips to insulate him from any hint of failure. They basically mortgaged their credibility to get him elected; they have nothing else worth saving.

[RipSawyer]

Don’t know about the rest of my fellow Freepers, but I want to see some serious partisanship coming from the Republicans in Congress
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Amen, I can’t think of a single disagreement I have had with the Republicans, including president Bush, that could not be lumped under the heading,”Acting Like Democrats”!

[RexBeach]

You don’t know the media. I used to be one of THEM. In Washington, D.C. Spent a lot of time at The White House.

It won’t take long for them to turn on him.

Always remember this about the media, especially the print media and the wire services: They really do hate their jobs; they hate each other; they hate their bosses; they hate anyone with money; they hate anyone who wants to make a lot of money; they hate Republicans of any stripe; and they dress very poorly.

They are, in short, snakes. And snakes are not reliable.

[RipSawyer]

I feel that many people who supported him will be disappointed in the next six to eight months.
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You take a long range view! I think it will start before Christmas!

[exit82]

Actually, your post gave me some comfort.

Helps to put things in perspective.

A brood of vipers they are, for sure.

[RipSawyer]

Think about that, now. How many people have you known in your life who are as serious as a heart attack, and think they are the smartest person in the room? They probably weren’t fun to work for or with, nor hang around at a party.
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And they generally are about as smart as concrete! Those who have no sense of limitation never seem to be aware that what they are spouting in their imagined infinite wisdom is often total absurdity.

[RipSawyer]

The story will be that they can’t keep their promises due to a lack of revenue resulting from...TaDa, “The failed policies of the last eight years of the Bush administration”.

[happygrl]

Any nation is a work in progress, with problems worthy of public attention. None in the U.S. -- none -- tops the collapse of the urban public-school system. It is a little insulting, though, to imply that the America of people and institutions -- private enterprise and public officials -- who've worked the past 40 years to move the nation's living standards forward somehow don't measure up to "the founders' dream."

Barack and Michelle send their girls to a private school in Chicago.

Why isn't the public school system good enough for them?

And if not, why should it be good enough for other Chicago parents and their children ?

Here is a place where government money could do some good, if the amount alloted for each child in the school system went with the child to the school OF CHOICE, public or private.

How about it 0bama?

[happygrl]

He has, apparently, no sense of humor(unless he’s making fun of someone); and he has an exceedingly high opinion of himself.

Good observation.

Thin skinned and prickly.

Dangerous for those who challenge him.

[KosmicKitty]

Sir, I thank you for your service.

I pray that they will turn on him. I have read elsewhere that the dummyrats in Congress won't be kind either. A fitting end to Icarus.

It couldn't happen to a more deserving fellow.

(I can forgive a person some of what you say, but there is NO excuse for dressing poorly!!)