 | Patrick Ruffini posted this image of a German language poster for 0bama's upcoming speech in Berlin, prompting Glenn Reynolds to quip "He's running for President of Earth"
Don't laugh. Be sure to read the current New Yorker article by Ryan Lizza about 0bama's rise through Chicago politics (I mentioned it earlier, here). It's also worth listening to Terry Gross' recent interview of Lizza about the article. Lizza paints a clear picture of 0bama as a serial rung-climber, almost exclusively focused on running for the next higher office, never staying in any office long enough to actually accomplish much or to see through anything that he starts. If he were to become President of the United States, surely his ambitions would be fixed on something even greater. |
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 23, 2008 09:40 AM | Email This
Just sayin`. Posted by: nick on July 23, 2008 09:33 AM
Oh, and when Bush said that the oil prices were about "Wall Street getting greedy", they said he was being too simplistic. But then, Hollywood (aka, Libville) is always making movies (George, Swing Vote, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) about some simplistic, plain talking guy who takes over the government. But when someone does talk plainly, they start saying he's stupid!?!
Yes, He Can!
(Oh, wait. B.O., who implored us to learn languages so we can communicate with our illegal gardeners, houseboys, and Salvadoran serial killers, knows no language other than Rezko English. Merci beaucoup.)
It's embarrassing. So you're all smitten with him too, 'eh?
(Hey---HE said it, I didn't). Posted by: Michele on July 23, 2008 09:51 AM
Posted by: gary on July 23, 2008 09:57 AM
Just his comment about the $10B being spend on the the war could be spent to prop up the economy. That is laughable. When we win the war and reduce our spending on it, we shouldn't just spend that elsehwere. After.....by not spending on it will help our country, but not turning around and spending it on socialist programs.
Posted by: Dengle on July 23, 2008 10:57 AMHe doesn't know his own job. Posted by: Gary on July 23, 2008 11:14 AM
And you all need to wake up and help us get these worthless candidates and congress out of office! VOTE AGAINST both MCCain and OBama and send a REAL MESSAGE to them!
OR write your congress person and OBama and tell them we DON"T want him spending 845 BILLION on poverty overseas!! We NEED that money here!!
Posted by: helen sabin on July 23, 2008 12:12 PM"To Serve Man"
It's a cookbook! Run for your lives!
Posted by: Smoley on July 23, 2008 02:13 PMBut then again it will be full of our Socialist press also.
Posted by: GS on July 23, 2008 03:19 PMPosted by: Obi-Wan on July 23, 2008 05:03 PM
Perhaps "Ich bin ein Beginner" would be fitting.
(caller used the line on Michael Medved's show)
Posted by: Rick D. on July 23, 2008 05:25 PMNobama is the gaffemeister. For every gaffe that the media reports that McCain makes, there are 3 Obama gaffes that go virtually unreported.
In a sick way, the title of this post reminds me of the movie "Mars Attacks", except I would feel way more comfortable with Jack Nicholsen as President (as he was in the movie), when encountered by the invading Martians with their deadly ray-guns.
Posted by: KS on July 23, 2008 07:10 PMHitler actually served in his country's military service. He was a corporal in WW I. Posted by: Joseph on July 23, 2008 07:50 PM
And Obama's stance, or should I say stances, on what he would have done in Iraq is outright unintelligible. I don't have the slightest idea what he is trying to say, and the scary part is...HE DOESN'T EITHER. Everyone should watch or read the transcript of his interview with Katie Couric of all people. She did a good job trying to coax any sort of coherent sentence out of the guy regarding the his Iraq position(s).
What I came away with was he had to come up with a different policy than Bush had, no matter how nonsensical it may be. Like; "Even after knowing the Surge was successful, I still would not have ordered it". Hmmmm. That pretty much says he prefers a loss in a major war to victory. It also says he has no problem with the destablizing effect a loss in that region will cause and the future problems that will cause the US and it's allies. But that's ok, because Barak Obama will "talk" to them and everything will be Ok. They keep comparing him to a rock star. For all his ramblings, the Democrats may as well have put Bruce Springsteen up there. He's just as ignorant and probably a little more experienced. Posted by: Scott on July 23, 2008 10:29 PM
So, it's like he co-authored one budget five years ago, quit before he could see it implemented, and spent the entire time since then running for an executive office? Yeah, I can see why you guys all despise him.
Please, OMG puh-leeze, tell me the WA Democrats pay you serious money to pose as right-wing Republicans. PLEASE!!
Posted by: tensor on July 23, 2008 11:10 PMWhat is Barack's experience that would qualify him to be president?
This thread is about Barack, not Rossi...
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 24, 2008 06:58 AMYou're of course 100% correct. I've done this in 5 threads so far, just ask for the experience or qualifications of Barack. And in each case the thread just ends. The leftists have ZERO answer.
Tensor, Demo Kid, "Facts", Unkl, all are frauds, phonies and lightweights. They have zero foundation in their philosophy - bankrupt as it is - and their chosen one is truly an empty suit. Ephemeral and without substance.
At least Duffman was supporting a credentialed and driven (but misguided :) candidate in Hillary.
Who knew that Jerzy Kosinski was so prescient in his creation of Chauncey Gardener, now embodied in real life by Barack Obama.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 24, 2008 12:52 PMSpeak or face the reality...nada
Posted by: KS on July 24, 2008 09:48 PMI'll turn that around... what EXECUTIVE experience does McCain have? Presidents don't chair committees... they make decisions. Being a vice-president for a beer company twenty years ago just doesn't count.
Looking at Obama's resume, I can say that I like that I'm supporting a civil rights attorney with a record of service with community organizations as a candidate. At least he has a track record of being involved with groups that try to effect change at a local level, which is where a lion's share of the work on social problems is being done. Someone extensively trained in constitutional law is not a bad thing either.
Do you think that McCain has ANY chance of motivating the country or Congress to do anything? He has the charisma of a rock... and most likely, he'll sleep through his term! Similarly, a guy that's been in Washington for two decades is NOT going to be a paragon for making needed changes, no matter how much of a maverick he might claim to be.
Posted by: demo kid on July 24, 2008 10:21 PMAnd a constitutional lawyer? Really? You know he lied through his voluminous teeth on his bar application. How do you square perjury to become a lawyer with being a constitutional lawyer?
And as a constitutional lawyer, you would think he would understand the role of the executive in foreign relations, and the restrictions placed on Senators. But apparently that doesn't cut it.
Not to mention his ignorance of the constitutional restrictions on Government, the equal protection clause, even the right to the pursuit of happiness.
So other than having illegally passed the bar and being a community activist, the Obamassiah has zero qualifications. Thanks for the confirmation!
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 24, 2008 10:48 PMHmmm... as I recall, that didn't stop Bush from ascending to power! Nor did it seem to deter Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, or Mike Huckabee from running or getting votes from loyal Republicans.
How do you square perjury to become a lawyer with being a constitutional lawyer?
This is BRILLIANT. Trying to get a toehold against Obama because he made a passing reference to drug use in his book (for which he was never convicted!), and had parking violations is truly pathetic, and without merit to any rational person. When Cindy McCain never spent a day in jail for her drug abuse because of her husband's influence, and when our current president was actually arrested (and pled guilty!) for drunk driving, that smacks of rank hypocrisy.
Of course, thinking that McCain is well-suited to be commander-in-chief because he graduated at the bottom of his class and spent years festering in a cage in Vietnam doesn't sound that smart either, but conservatives keep repeating that mantra over and over again.
And funny that you haven't answered MY question about experience...
Not to mention his ignorance of the constitutional restrictions on Government, the equal protection clause, even the right to the pursuit of happiness.
Please. Your personal opinion is not the rule of law, no matter how much you wish it was. There can be debate about such things, but blowing Obama off because he doesn't share your viewpoint is idiotic. I can appreciate the fact that Scalia, Alito and Roberts, for example, are accomplished jurists and know a heck of a lot about law, even if I don't agree with their personal beliefs.
Posted by: demo kid on July 25, 2008 01:52 AMa unified voice will not encourage our enemies; besides, we've done more than enough good for the world in our history already--time for them to all stand on their own & take care of their own; cut all US foreign aid NOW; can't buy respect or friends; catastrophic/humanitarian aid excepted and then only on specific events--no dependence and welfare-inducing chronic payments for nothing in return;
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on July 25, 2008 06:07 AMYou do realize that the two most popular bands in Germany were playing a concert and Obama showed up, don't you? You think they showed for Obama?
Kind of like what happened with Obama in Portland. Guess what: you want a lot of young folks at your rally? Give a free concert...
And last I read the Constitution, German citizens really don't get to vote, so I think the "Chosen One" is showing a bit of ignorance when he's campaigning with those who cannot vote for him.
Demo Kid,
Spin as you want. The sad fact is that the best you can come up with is that Barack is a community activist and a constitutional lawyer.
And Demo Kid, it's its not just my opinion that Obama is ignorant of the Constitution, it's his words that he is ignorant. He doesn't understand the Constitution, and his own words confirm this. As well as show he doesn't come close to the level of the Supreme Court justices you list.
Barack has zero experience that qualifies him to be president. And it's painfully obvious to those who have not drunk the Obama Kool-Aid...
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 25, 2008 07:47 AMDid you listen to the speech? I wasn't really hearing any airing of dirty laundry.
@45: Spin as you want. The sad fact is that the best you can come up with is that Barack is a community activist and a constitutional lawyer.
"Best"? That's not half bad, actually. And spin is what Republicans do all the time! Heck, you're the one that can't answer a simple question about McCain.
Posted by: demo kid on July 25, 2008 08:14 AMFolks like Stefan may call him "0bama", but this "0bama" is the one who can draw a crowd of 2OO,OOO people. How many times has McCain even drawn a thousand?
Posted by: Richard Pope on July 25, 2008 09:33 AMIf Jesus Christ himself showed up for a 10-minute speech nowadays, he would not get a very good crowd. So you think "bribery", I think "opening act".
Posted by: demo kid on July 25, 2008 10:11 AMThis thread is about the Obamassiah, is it not? Try to change the subject, but apparently for the lemmings on the Left being a community organizer is enough to qualify for any role. Of course, we have Darcy Burner also as proof of that...
Richard,
Please see post 48 - even Demo admits the people were there for the rock bands. The Obamassiah would pull a few thousand if it were just him.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 25, 2008 11:58 AMBy his own admission, the guys first day in Washington D.C. at his new apartment, senator Fauxbama failed to buy a shower curtain and ended up scrunched up against the shower wall the next morning in order to take a shower before showing up to his Senatorial debut...does this sound like a guy that is ready to take on the duties as Chief executive officer of these United States (according to some, all "57" of them) and all the duties that come along with that service? Hell no!
The Democrats traditionally pick style over substance and this year is no exception. He's the most unqualified candidate to have run for the POTUS position in over 100 years with "community Organizer" being somehow elevated to a lofty status unheard of in the real world most of us live in. Let's hope the American people wake up from this cerebral slumber and ask themselves this question before November 5th: "What has this guy done to warrant this positiion?"
The answer is obvious...Nothing!
Ahhh... way of cowardly twisting my words, pal. Just like a Republican. The bands were the opening act, but I'd be interested in your proof that massive numbers of people left when Obama came to speak, or that they really didn't care to see Obama in the slightest. Heck, in Seattle, people were turned away at the door when he was all by himself...
Of course, McCain's just been whining these past few days about the lack of attention! Poor little crybaby. The guy's going to get hammered by the coverage of the Olympics next, and Obama has the momentum right now. Honestly, if I were him, I'd fire my campaign chair right away.
@50: Wow... not only was that comment remarkably free of any relevant or intelligent content whatsoever, I'm not really seeing how your making the case that McCain is qualified either. Heck, you get the sense that the RNC let McCain win the nomination as a consolation prize before retirement! I guess since they knew they were going to lose anyway, why wouldn't they let the old horse out on the track one last time, just like they did with Bob Dole?
Posted by: demo kid on July 25, 2008 01:04 PMI may not have liked Bush, and Clinton may be hated by the right, but the one undeniable thing they both have had on their resumes is executive experience. And that's something that McCain doesn't have!
So I'm incredibly curious... what executive experience do you think he brings to the job?
Posted by: demo kid on July 25, 2008 03:58 PMFrom Wikipedia
In 1976 he became commanding officer of a training squadron stationed in Florida. He turned around an undistinguished unit and won the squadron its first Meritorious Unit Commendation.
Now your turn. Name a single executive spot Barack has occupied. Just one.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 25, 2008 04:04 PM...but "community organizer" or in other words, some mutt standing on the sidewalk of South Chicago pestering people walking by to sign a voting registration does. Wow!! The disconnect from reality is disturbing and amusing simultaneously.
You come up with anything yet, Demo Kid?
Oh, and we already know he was the Harvard law review editor (Laura Ingraham and Dinesh D'souza held the same position at Dartmouth).
Had to go to Wikipedia, and all the way back to the '70s for that, eh?
Now your turn. Name a single executive spot Barack has occupied. Just one.
Director, Developing Communities Project, 1985-1988. Illinois Project Vote, 1992. Public Allies Chicago, 1992-1993. More related to the job of President in my mind.
And of course, I'm not seeing a long track record of social activism in McCain's biography...
I guess when you're as delusional as some of the Jr. Senator from Illinois supporters are, A distinguished Military career with many medals of valor, 4 years as a congressman and 21 years as a Senator from Arizona (much of that as Sr. Senator) doesn't count as a leadership experience.
There's a difference between being part of the Washington political machine as a legislator for 25 years, and being an effective president. McCain has been around for a while, yes, but that doesn't mean that he'd be any better at the job.
And frankly, someone stuck in a Cold War mentality is not the kind of president we need now. The only way to succeed in Iraq and, yes, Afghanistan, is to get other allies on board, or else we're going to grind our military down further than its ever gone before. McCain or Obama will have their work cut out for them, but Obama's going to be a hell of a lot of an easier sell both here and abroad. McCain will not resuscitate America's image anywhere... and that's a very dangerous thing right now.
I guess when you're as delusional as some of the Jr. Senator from Illinois supporters are, A distinguished Military career with many medals of valor, 4 years as a congressman and 21 years as a Senator from Arizona (much of that as Sr. Senator) doesn't count as a leadership experience.
EXECUTIVE experience. I know more than a few military vets that are respectable people, but couldn't captain a bathtub. And getting medals for being shot down doesn't make you eligible for the presidency, nor does having a military career propped up in part by the reputation of your father and grandfather.
...but "community organizer" or in other words, some mutt standing on the sidewalk of South Chicago pestering people walking by to sign a voting registration does. Wow!! The disconnect from reality is disturbing and amusing simultaneously.
"Mutt"? Wow... easy on the racism, fella! I guess that once the chips are down, all this talk of values that conservatives regularly spew is really nonsense...
Posted by: demo kid on July 25, 2008 06:42 PMWhy, is Wikipedia suddenly a "right wing" source?
Director, Developing Communities Project, 1985-1988.
As empty a job as Obama is a suit. He was one of 27 directors on a small-time Christian organization on the South Side of Chicago. A budget smaller than what his wife Michelle earns, and up to 13 staff. Think about it - 27 directors for 13 people, that's over 2 "executives" per staff person!
Wow, that's some executive experience - Barack had "responsibility" for "managing" 18 man hours a week! I think being a manager at McDonald's is more challenging than that...
Never mind that directors do not cover the day-to-day operations, or even the executive roles.
Illinois Project Vote, 1992.
I assume you mean the SIX MONTHS he was one of four directors of a 10 person staff (which includes the four directors)? He actually had "executive" experience over one, maybe two people! And he managed to keep up that grueling schedule for a whole SIX MONTHS.
Again, sitting on a board of directors hardly qualifies as executive experience.
Public Allies Chicago, 1992-1993
Yes, his time at Public Allies, where they downplay his role; in actuality his wife had MUCH more to do with them per their own press release.
Can we use Cindy McCain's executive experience running a multi-million dollar distribution company as a proxy, just like you're trying to do with this role?
Face it - at best, Barack has a year sitting on a 27 person board, meeting a few times a year to discuss a budget smaller than what his wife earns, and a staff of 13.
Sitting on boards is NOT executive experience; in fact, it's about as far removed from what most people consider executive roles. A board member is there to serve as a sounding board for the real executive staff (CEO, CTO, CFO, etc) and to represent the owners of the company in terms of overall guidance. I know, I've sat on more than a few boards - it's really not all that much work, let alone executive.
So again, I ask you: what executive experience does Barack have? Like actually budgeting, planning, and coordinating more than half-a-man-week at a time. Being the "buck stops here" type guy where if you fail, your job is impacted.
McCain managed a naval air squadron, something you're obviously not familiar with. Here's an excerpt from the LA Times of all sources:
But there's no doubt it was a big job. Running the squadron, with its 1,000 personnel and fleet of 75 jets, was like managing a small corporation.
Got that? He was responsible for managing a thousand people, 75 jets (think about it - a billion dollars in assets), and the budget for the overall squadron. His responsibility.
Barack? Oh, he's got a year sitting on a board with 26 other people, managing a $350,000 annual budget and 13 staff. Oh, and 6 months as one of four directors on a community volunteer organization with 10 staff. And let's not forget his wife's role sitting as a board member on an equally small organization. Yeah, that's the same "experience"!
There's a difference between being part of the Washington political machine as a legislator for 25 years, and being an effective president
Sure. And having more than 140 days (less than 5 months) of experience as a legislator gives you an idea of how Washington works. Hey, Barack doesn't even know which committees he sits on, how can he figure out who to talk to about various and sundry issues?
Barack is as empty of a suit as you can find. No history of accomplishments, no managerial or executive experience, no legislative experience, no budgetary experience, nothing.
Barack Chauncey Obama - empty suit.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 25, 2008 07:19 PMFor one year... and according to that same article:
Reynolds, a captain who was the wing commander for 14 squadrons, describes McCain as "a very good" commander. But he doesn't recall McCain's management initiative and says the squadron was well-run both before and during McCain's command.
...
If more planes were in the air under McCain's command, it didn't translate into a higher level of activity under McCain, according to records at the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C.
Seriously, you and I could argue about this forever.
Obama has the equivalent amount of time in public life that Lincoln, FDR and Teddy Roosevelt have. McCain's been in Washington for longer, for good or for bad. And I would argue that McCain's experience actually administering *something* is pretty scant. (If you're dredging up a year of work experience from 30 years ago, that's not quite relevant for today, is it?)
Of course... I'm guessing that even if Obama had all the experience in the world, you still wouldn't give a crap! Why pretend that this is an issue for you?
Posted by: demo kid on July 25, 2008 08:18 PMThat he is a "constitutional lawyer" who doesn't even know the Constitution; look at his defense of his qualification to be President - that his is qualified by the 14th Amendment. Except the 14th Amendment does NOT deal with the Presidential qualifications for President.
He has ideas and positions that are absolutely detrimental to the US. Like $900 BILLION in new spending, with no way to pay for it.
He wants to hike taxes, but that is proven to DECREASE total receipts - witness JFK, Reagan, and George W. Bush for proof that lower tax rates increase total receipts, and Carter and George HW Bush for proof that higher taxes lower total receipts.
He is an absolute marxist in that he wants to take from the "rich" - without defining who is rich - and give to the poor, regardless of need.
He puts politics above the duties of the Presidency, such as national defense.
Simply put, he's a serious threat. And many need to know that his "vast experience" is a few years as a state senator, a couple of years as one of two dozen directors of a tiny community organization, and 143 days as US Senator (before he announced).
He's the least experienced candidate ever to be the presumptive nominee. And he is a real threat to the US, not only because of his positions (which are completely misguided), but because of his absolute lack of experience.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 26, 2008 08:07 AM...please feel free to explain why calling someone a mutt is racism? When losing the argument, it's easy to pull the race card I guess. Actually, It's good to see the Obama defenders pull this stuff because it adds to the validity of the charge that any criticism of the Messiah will be chalked up to racism where none exists. Afterall, the Jr. Senator from Illinois has no record to run on so I guess identity politics is the next best thing, right?
Every Democrat I know concedes that Obama is not as qualified as McCain. It's like comparing a boy scout with a Marine. That's just reality speaking.
Posted by: Rick D. on July 26, 2008 09:18 AM"Director, Developing Communities Project, 1985-1988. Illinois Project Vote, 1992."
...or in other words, he went out on the streets of southside Chicago to pester people walking by to sign voter registration cards. Telemarketing experience with a personal touch so to speak.
...but that doesn't quite rise to the description of "executive experience" now does it? ....Next?
Posted by: Rick D. on July 26, 2008 09:37 AMObama has the equivalent amount of time in public life that Lincoln, FDR and Teddy Roosevelt have
However, Obama is no Lincoln, FDR, or Teddy Roosevelt. Those men put America first, the duties of their office second, and their personal fortunes third. Obama's got that order completely reversed.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on July 26, 2008 10:18 AMWhat? Seriously? The "race card"? An asinine comment makes fun of him because of his race, and that's acceptable in intellectual discourse?
Pathetic. Truly pathetic. Bring up the level of conversation. Maybe I should start ramping up the senior citizen jokes.
...but that doesn't quite rise to the description of "executive experience" now does it? ....Next?
You're certainly not making the case for McCain either! Spending less than a year in an unremarkable command thirty years ago is not "executive experience".
Those men put America first, the duties of their office second, and their personal fortunes third. Obama's got that order completely reversed.
So let's see... Obama had a choice between public service and a high-paying job as a lawyer, and he took the former. His wife was usually paid more than he was in any given year. Get past your partisan blinders and realize that regardless of his ideology, dedicating your life to public causes is not devotion to one's "personal fortune".
Posted by: demo kid on July 26, 2008 03:16 PM...so now the term 'mutt' is racist when used against Obama? Truly pathetic Demo Kid. I expected more from you but you've proven to be just another Obama sycophant that pulls the 'race card' in order to shield an unqualified candidate from any sort of criticism.
...of course, like I said earlier, he has no record to run on because he's done little or nothing on any level of government.....thus, the only thing left to fall back on is "identity politics". Only a simpleton would agree that Obama is more qualified than McCain for any executive level position.
See my article; Obama Proposes a Leftist Democrat Police State.
www.readwhatisee.com Posted by: P Alfonso on July 28, 2008 09:01 AM