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How To Solve The Problem | 262 comments (262 topical)
Unsolvable problem? (5.00 / 5) (#1)
by kmblue on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:33:27 PM EST
When Obama spoke at the SF meeting, and was trying to justify his lack of appeal to working class folk, I had the impression he was looking at those folk through a high-powered microscope.
This is his biggest problem.

Bill Clinton has always been the best at making voters feel that he understood them and their problems.

Hillary, not so much, but she has learned how through disciplined effort.
Obama can wow a crowd, but he can't touch their hearts.
McCain has that war hero, "I'll keep you safe" thing going for him.

I'm sorry to say I think Obama will lose the GE because many voters believe he doesn't care about them.

You Are Correct. I Have Never Seen One (5.00 / 3) (#63)
by PssttCmere08 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:56:14 PM EST
ounce of compassion ooze from obama.  And for those who think he should pick some issues and spout them, forget it.  He is not about working hard and really doesn't care about the issues, as far as I can see.  He has one goal...to sit his arrogant a$$ in the WH and pander to those special interest friends of his and DNC lackeys who helped get him there.  Hopefully, it will not happen.

[ Parent ]
That's not true... (5.00 / 3) (#69)
by OrangeFur on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:59:21 PM EST
Who hasn't bemoaned the price of argula?

[ Parent ]
The problem with lack of compassion is (5.00 / 1) (#225)
by BarnBabe on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:43:22 PM EST
We know if he suddenly started with that, we would be suspicious. I think the SF told us all about him and it was not a complement. And it will be there for the Republicans to exploit also.  Now we know he would be faking it. So I am thinking BTD might be right on focusing on a issue. The ones he suggested are not on my target list. But Iraq and health insurance are. I hate his plan. When he comes around on that, we might talk.

[ Parent ]
Isn't That What (1.00 / 0) (#70)
by squeaky on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:59:39 PM EST
Hillary's detractors say about her?

Guess it is the lowest common denominator line of attack.

[ Parent ]

I stopped seeing her like that (5.00 / 5) (#85)
by Salo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:02:52 PM EST
after Bill was called racist.

I was like wtf? Bill is teh salt of the earth.

Hillary Clinton dare I say it, probably had a mad crush on MLK. Her heart and head as illustrated by that LBJ MLK comment suggest MLK had her heart and LBJ had her intellect.  Racist?  Unlikely.

[ Parent ]

I like that (5.00 / 1) (#89)
by bjorn on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:04:24 PM EST
it seems to fit...I wish someone had made that point when she first said it!

[ Parent ]
Definitely Not Racists (1.00 / 0) (#126)
by squeaky on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:13:48 PM EST
Although Bill should have not taken the bait and slammed back with the JJ remark. That revealed his weakness under attack, in that he needed to have the ultimate crushing comeback. Not racism, but a really stupid thing to say. He should have kept his trap shut.

[ Parent ]
nonsense (5.00 / 2) (#193)
by Salo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:31:09 PM EST
His comments were nothing.

Same crap as they pulled on Ferraro.

[ Parent ]

Disagree (none / 0) (#205)
by squeaky on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:34:25 PM EST
Ferraro's comment seemed racist to me. Unfortunate, not that I ever thought much of her.

Also Hillary's LBJ comment was accurate and it never seemed remotely a put down to MLK to me.

[ Parent ]

Of course you say that. Please explain why Obama. (none / 0) (#224)
by alexei on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:42:41 PM EST
agreed with her saying "he would not be here in the Senate if he wasn't black"?  A paraphrase, so please  but essentially what he said.

[ Parent ]
yeah btd give bad advice (5.00 / 5) (#71)
by Salo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:59:48 PM EST
Obama comes off phoney as hell when he starts on any populist stuff.  he's a pampered Princeling and it shows.

I suggest he go back the the arc of history concept.  Something transcendent.  He does that better.

He should be David Slaying Goliath or Orpheus playing his lyre or Perseus on Bellepheron.

The nuts and bolts stuff does not suit him.  

[ Parent ]

Uprated (none / 0) (#92)
by madamab on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:05:01 PM EST
for the Greek mythological references.

You slay me, Salo. :-)

[ Parent ]

Obama only wins if he embodies (4.50 / 2) (#116)
by Salo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:10:26 PM EST
an Homeric epic.

He can't win by reading laundry lists and making it sound like Shakespeare.  Only Bill got to do that magical trick.

[ Parent ]

I am reminded, with all talk of California, (5.00 / 1) (#136)
by Capt Howdy on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:16:40 PM EST
of something someone said about Grey Davis.
they said the only way he could win was to fall down a well.

[ Parent ]
The working class (5.00 / 1) (#142)
by madamab on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:19:46 PM EST
doesn't read Homer.

They read Louis L'Amour.

That's why Bush beat Gore.

[ Parent ]

Homer Simpson (5.00 / 3) (#159)
by Capt Howdy on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:22:50 PM EST
maybe

[ Parent ]
Oh Captain (5.00 / 2) (#172)
by kmblue on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:26:02 PM EST
My Captain!
You made me laugh again!
Not easy these days.
Take a bow, you animal. ;)

[ Parent ]
that one was so obvious (none / 0) (#186)
by Capt Howdy on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:29:28 PM EST
I am suprised no one beat me to it.

[ Parent ]
I totally disagree. I know many working class... (5.00 / 1) (#219)
by alexei on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:40:33 PM EST
people who have read the "classics". For example, I worked in surveying and as a construction inspector and worked with many construction workers.  We had great discussions on classical literature, biographies, science, history, etc.  This is a "typical" put down of working class Americans and frankly, it is insinuating the terrible and hateful slur, "white trash".  I am sick and tired that it is ok to denigrate white people because of their economic and job situations.

BTW, the Homer Simpson comment is even worse.  I can tell you that I have spoken with many of post graduate degreed who love that show.

[ Parent ]

the illiad (5.00 / 2) (#234)
by Salo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:46:42 PM EST
is a thumping blood curdler.

I particularly liked the duel between Hector and Achilles-- where Achilles armour was bouncing off good killing spear throws. Hector starts getting horrified that his best ain't cutting it. Total abject horror that the better man in every sense was going to lose.

It must a have been a "penny dreadful" in it's own day.

A good song ruined by PhDs.

[ Parent ]

It's written by such folks, I believe (none / 0) (#237)
by Lysis on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:49:11 PM EST
The Simpsons is absolutely brilliant, or at least it was during its nineties peak.  I didn't get a good chunk of the jokes until I was in college.  I remember being in my Contemporary Philosophy class and going, "Oh.  That's who Wittgenstein is."

[ Parent ]
They liked Saving Private Ryan (none / 0) (#188)
by Salo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:29:30 PM EST
The Illiad is a battle on a beach too. Lots of skull crushing and snapped limbs.

Same narrative structure too.  Hanks and Hector die.

[ Parent ]

Nothing new (none / 0) (#196)
by kmblue on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:31:42 PM EST
under the sun!

[ Parent ]
I don't agree (none / 0) (#227)
by spit on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:43:49 PM EST
I think he's already got most of the folks he can get with that "trajectory of history" kind of thing.

Now, I don't want to see Obama out there duck hunting, either -- he's got to avoid looking too blatantly pandery. But he's got to show that he really sympathizes with the working class, particularly outside of urban areas (I think he's probably got the urban vote pretty well at this point). He can't do that with Odysseus, IMO, when most of the working class is doing a more Sisyphean gig. There's "Legendary and cool", and then there's its close friend "Out of touch" -- the problem being that "Out of touch" is a favorite, well worn narrative against us that has worked for quite a while with a chunk of the suburban & rural working class, so it's easy to set up again.

He's got a sense of humor, he should use it more. He needs to get more specific on economics, make himself look better than McCain early on that front. And he needs to move away from the gigantic university crowds, IMO. I want motivated youth voters, but he's got to show that he can relate well to more different kinds of folks well outside of that scene.

[ Parent ]

I didn't suggest the Odyssy (none / 0) (#236)
by Salo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:48:53 PM EST
I just want to caution against stuff that is clearly out of his character.

[ Parent ]
On that, we totally agree (5.00 / 1) (#244)
by spit on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:54:18 PM EST
The worst mistake Democrats usually make is trying to mold our candidates into personae that they simply cannot convincingly portray.

[ Parent ]
Obama has unsolvable problems which can cost (5.00 / 4) (#191)
by bridget on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:30:35 PM EST
him the GE but his nom is secured his supporters say?

What is wrong with that picture?

If you ask me, Obama should step down if he can't solve his own problems. Clearly He is the wrong candidate. He had all the opportunities in the world to win me over but it only took one debate to find out what he is made of.

Just from following the debates - and he lost every single one to Clinton IMO - there is no doubt in my mind that he is not up to the job as Bill was in 92 and Hillary is now in 2008. They both instilled confidence in their voters and there is a reason for it.

Obama doesn't know to solve his problems because he lacks the knowledge, discipline and ability to define, articulate AND solve policy issues. To witness him hemming and hawing and backtracking, to ask for more time for an answer he should have at the ready but couldn't finish anyway because he didn't know how (remember the driving licence question which he still couldn't answer after two more weeks?) ...

There is something wrong with this primary campaign and it's Obama.

But it's not over yet.

[ Parent ]

Yes (5.00 / 4) (#202)
by kmblue on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:33:08 PM EST
and when he had one tough debate,
he stopped debating.
Sorry Obama, but that alone
should disqualify you for the toughest
job in the world.

[ Parent ]

How To Solve The Problem | 262 comments (262 topical)

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