Well, isn't that interesting? I had no idea.
Even more 'interesting', is that the mainstream media failed to make the connection between that quote from Alinsky, and Obama's campaign theme.
Had a Republican used an oft-repeated phrase from some conservative writer as a campaign slogan, you can bet the media would have pointed it out right away. They would have then done night after night of egg-headed analysis on what it all meant.
I don’t think Obama mastered BS or conned half the country. I think that was entirely the MSM’s doing. They shielded him from even a cursory vetting, and they never once asked him a difficult question.
You're correct about that. Obama flubs on any sort of straight pitch. Give him an honest fastball, and he'll choke. He'd fall flat on his face, just like he did at Saddleback. I know of one incident after he was president, where he actually laughed out loud when an interviewer asked him a straight question about a very serious matter (forgive me, but I don't recall the details).
In friendly, relaxed settings, where he's allowed to go on at length, he can sound quite the intelligent scholar. It's these moments I was referring to in my earlier post, and it's those types of performances that sold much of the public on him, in my view.
Again - after listening to one these rambling soliloquies, it's hard to put together exactly what he was trying to communicate, but it sure sounds good going by. It's the style masquerading as substance that I think sold his voter base.
Your point about Obama laughing at an inopportune moment was a really excellent one. He was on 60 minutes getting interviewed by Steve Kroft about how bad the economy was. Obama cracks himself up with a ‘joke’ about the only thing more unpopular than bailing out the banks is bailing out the auto industry. If you watch it on Youtube, you think, ‘This guy is mentally or emotionally Just Not Right’.
Not even Kroft could let it go completely; he pointed out the gravity of the subject matter and asked Obama if he was punch drunk.
Now just ask yourself what would have happened if this was a Republican. There he is, laughing his butt off about using billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out banks and labor unions, etc., meanwhile unemployment and debt are through the roof. There would have been ‘egghead analysis’ (your phrase but I loved it ;) night after night, debating whether the man’s mental and emotional health. ‘Is he really up to the job of POTUS?’
With Obama, nothing. All his gaffes and weirdisms are swept under the rug, and we get pure propaganda in place of news and analysis (at least from the MSM). These chickens will eventually come home to roost. Can’t happen soon enough, imho.