Smoke and Mirrors: The 'Magic' of Barack Obama

The American Thinker ^ | March 05, 2009 | Monte Kuligowski

[Scanian]

Every good magician can alter one's perception of reality by use of deception. In context of a magic show, trickery is a good thing; when it comes to a political show, it's not so good. President Obama has come to be known as one of the most eloquent politicians in American history. But it was not eloquence alone that got him into the White House; it was eloquence coupled with pretense. And with those twin characteristics Obama is almost effortlessly imposing his extreme-left agenda on the country.

From the womb of the Democrat National Convention in 2004 a star was born. And not just any star but, The Star, the savior of all things liberal arose from obscurity to instant national media fame. Yet, interestingly, the famous speech delivered by the future president contained no overtures of liberal policy. While delivering the convention's Keynote Address, Obama spoke of America "as a beacon of freedom and opportunity." He spoke of his father who herded goats in Kenya and his maternal grandfather who "signed up for duty" after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He even mentioned the "Creator" and "inalienable rights."

The unknown state senator from Illinois also informed the convention crowd that he understood that people "don't expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead, and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted . . . ."

[Scanian]

Bam Bam the Flim-flam: radical socialist gets ahead by frequently talking like a conservative.

[Venturer]

When you compare Obama’s eloquence with most American blacks, he rates a good, when you compare it with really eloquent speakers he comes out a poor.

As Joe Biden once said “”I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,”

[Scanian]

Actually, when compared to a first-rate black Baptist preacher, Barry is nothing special as a speaker.

[Malsua]

As Joe Biden once said “”I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,”/i>

Someone should have said to Biden at that point "And he's not uppity either is he?"

Biden would have responded "No, no, he's not."

[Venturer]

When I listen to him I just dont see where anyone could mistake this guy for a eloquent speaker.

With the first class education he received (God only knows how) he should be able to communicate without the UHs.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

The magic of Obama is to say one thing while simultaneously believing and doing the opposite.

How true. Both in his campaign and now in his administration, he and his spin doctors have mastered the art of leaving the impression they are doing something merely by saying it.

While he was campaigning, he promised that "no lobbyists would serve in [his] administration." And yet we've lost count of how many exceptions he's made so far. But all the public remembers is that he promised no lobbyists, and so he's a reformer.

Same thing with "transparency". Has he delivered on that promise yet? Nada. Quite the opposite. And yet the impression remains that his is the "most transparent, open administration in history."

He realizes that for the image-obsessed American public of today, perception is far more powerful than reality.

[bgill]

But it was not eloquence alone that got him into the White House; it was eloquence coupled with pretense.

And several hundred million in foreign dollars.