[Archived] Barack Obama

[philipl]

Would be interested in getting American reaction to this London Times story:

McCain losing control of his campaign to Palin?

RVR, I think there is a chance that Obama is going to be a great President.

[Rovermatt]

He'll have to be. He or McCain will be inheriting some mess. McCain will be in bigger diffs since his deputy is an airhead.

[philipl]

Sounds like First Dude called the shots in the Alaska Governor's office.

Sarah Palin puck drop at Philadephia didn't go to plan

[Rovermatt]

What was her campaign thinking? This was bound to happen. Philadelphia is one of the biggest Democratic strongholds in the US and they were playing the Rangers who come from a town hardly saturated with GOP sympathisers. Bad, bad idea.

At 0.33, look at the person in the background unveiling the Obama-Biden sign.

[philipl]

A local poll in Nevada has Obama 2 points ahead in that State whilst a local poll in Georgia has Obama and McCain tied.

The only bright spot for McCain is that he has edged back ahead in Indiana. However, the tracking polls now have Obamas 7 points ahead with spot polls showing an 11 point lead. Tracking polls show Obama more than 10 points ahead in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, New Hampshire and Iowa, a 6 point lead in Virginia and a small but persistent lead in Ohio, Florida and North Carolina.

Tuesday's Presidential debate which I believe is around a table with a moderator could get really interesting if McCain decides to throw caution to the wind.

[Billy Castell]

Would be interested in getting American reaction to this London Times story:

McCain losing control of his campaign to Palin?

RVR, I think there is a chance that Obama is going to be a great President.

It certainly seems that way. The GOP is getting very negative and aggressive with its hyping up of tenous links to 'terrorists', who may have been radical nutters during the crazy days of the Vietnam War. McCain has links to this Ayers too, and white supremisist groups, people who want to bomb abortion clinics and so on. Palin will be damaging in the long run, as she sharply polarisies people. She'll inspire the kind of tub-thumping, redneck, bible bashing racist scum who think Mr. Obama is an Arab Muslim seeking to destroy America, but anyone who doesn't have to concentrate to breathe will see her as a less intelligent and more devisive version of Geroge Bush. If McCain got in, she could be a very powerful VP, as McCain needs to keep hold of the redneck vote.

And if she did stand in 2012..............that would be funny. I get the feeling that Obama is an intelligent man, and if he was President, he could probably take her to pieces in any direct debate. She'll be name calling and making up accusations, whilst he will be polite, aloof and steer towards some legal, economic and constitutional issues to make her look like a dimwit. No doubt there will be howls that Obama was being an 'elitist', but that will be from the kind of cretins who find swingball an intricate sport.

[Rovermatt]

Yes, because being elite and the President is really bad.

[American]

It is going to be a rout at this point for Obama.

[blue phil]

She was found guilty of abuse of power. No doubt it will get washed away with bickering.

Pretty small beer when compared to Bill Clinton who had a brain damaged man executed whilst Governor in order to boost his campaign in the primaries .

But he was a nice Democrat so it was "washed over" ......

Obama would have done the same . So would McCain . There's nothing between them .

[philipl]

Moose burger for supper tonight, blue phil?

Seriously I agree with you concerning the absolute cynicism of Clinton with regards to that execution.

Obama was in fact anti-capital punishment at one stage but has regressed. However, I suspect he will take big steps towards removing it in the USA when he is elected.

[Billy Castell]

Yes, because being elite and the President is really bad.

Please elaborate on this. Are you being sacrastic, or do you believe this?

From what I have seen of US politics being 'elitist' is a dorogative term that those from rural areas of Kansas or wherever towards those who live in the big cities such as New York. It seems to mean they are too intellectual, too sophisticated, and not a 'true' American because they have money and live in fancy apartments. For those who use this term, the real America is devoutly Christian, socially conservative and do hands-on work in small towns. That is what I think the whole elitist thing in the USA is all about.

Anyway, there is nothing wrong in being able to speak French, show a level of werstehn towards other views, and liking opera. Palin has set out to attack these voters in order stir up hatred and derision amongst the redneck groups who see NASCAR as the pinnacle of motor sport, the French as duplicious, suspect liars (and not crucial to the creation of their nation) and Obama as an Arab Muslim from that place in Africa. I bet Palin was pouring French wine down the drain when they were hesitant and not sure about the headlong rush into a war with Iraq.

I think in Obama, the Democrats have someone who can ride out the mud slinging, unlike John Kerry, whose 'flip flop' attacks had been so damaging. Palin is stealing McCain's headlines, but not always to the betterment of the GOP. She is buggering up any hope for McCain being seen as a moderate candidate.

[blue phil]

Obama was in fact anti-capital punishment at one stage but has regressed. However, I suspect he will take big steps towards removing it in the USA when he is elected.

Not if he fancies a second term he won't .....

[Rovermatt]

Please elaborate on this. Are you being sacrastic, or do you believe this?

I don't believe it funnily enough. The attitude amongst some Americans seems to be that it is somehow a flaw if their President is intellectually outstanding.

Pretty small beer when compared to Bill Clinton who had a brain damaged man executed whilst Governor in order to boost his campaign in the primaries .

But he was a nice Democrat so it was "washed over" ......

Yes indeed, conservatives were too busy pursuing Clinton over fellation to notice.

[Billy Castell]

As proven by a two term President who needs adult supervision when he brushes his teeth. Come on septics, stop being inverted snobs.

[philipl]

This report if true is wonderful news affirming the essential decency of the American people and of John McCain

The recent wave of attack adverts against Obama have accelerated and intensified the slump in McCain's opinion poll rating so he is going to change his line of campaigning again.

Quite astonishingly but Obama is getting 19% of conservative voters and 35% of evangelicals and that in a poll which only shows him 6% ahead compared with the 8% the tracker polls have moved to and 11% lead on Gallup.

[philipl]

This seems to be a good description of the US Election.

[dave birch]

Bloody Hell philip, stop posting opinions.

I too want Obama to win the election, but all you post is other peoples (usually journalists) opinions.

Please, we can form our own objective opinions, based on our own investigations.

How about making an informed statement of your own, without quotes, and your own reasons on why Obama should win!

[philipl]

Obama up 53%-39% in the latest opinion polls.

[jim mk2]

This seems to be a good description of the US Election.

Andrew Johnson's one of the best political commentators in the national press. Keep the links coming Philip, always good to read well written articles.

By the way, it ain't the "London Times", just the Times ; and don't get me started on the imbeciles who refer to golf's "British Open".

The comments at the end of Johnson's article are correct : Obama's resurgence in the polls is partly owing to the hatred across the US towards Wall St and effects of the sinking economy. The election is perfectly timed from his point of view.

To judge from the comments and catcalls at the most recent McCain rallies, Republican supporters are showing themselves in their true racist light as impending defeat looms: the world will undoubtedly be a better (and much safer) place after November 4.

[Flopsy]

dave, surely getting links to people who are in the states is better than the bbc filter we get. I can read them and make a better informed decision.

[dave birch]

Flops, you might be right, but, if you're that interested, you'd be inclined to get more than one opinion. All you're getting with philipl is his version of it, and that is why I said what I said.

Not that what philipl posted is wrong, but it's hardly an unbaised view of what is happening in the States, is it?

[philipl]

A strong conservative view on the US elections.

This chap is not going to vote for McCain apparently because he objects to McCain calling Obama "decent". At least he can vent his spleen by means of articulate argument- all the right wing angries who are just getting angrier are beginning to be a scary spectacle.

[dave birch]

as they would say in the States, OOOOHHHWEEEE.

I particularly liked this bit:

"they will have ushered in European style socialism and become accomplices in the death of representative democracy and capitalism in America."

So how do the Europeans feel about J.D's interpretation.

I saw that "confrontation" with McCain on tv, he was not very comfortable in saying what he said, but it needed to be said.

[philipl]

I'll leave others to give their European perspective.

But you can see the right wing narrative emerging in the USA- McCain lost because he alienated his conservative constituency. That of course will exhonerate them from their role in the current financial mess and seeming impending defeat (maybe humiliatingly) for McCain.

And unless the Republicans can find their own Obama, none of their mainstream senior people look to be convincing candidates for 2012 which could well mean the GOP have the same aberration as the British Labour Party had in 1980- and elect an ideologue from their extreme edge to be their candidate.

The differences between Michael Foot and Sarah Palin is of course is that Foot is overly intellectual and Palin is rabidly anti-intellectual, Foot was a true orator and Palin is just a soundbite rabble-rouser.

[dave birch]

on the other hand, what do our American friends feel about JD's interpretation?

ps philip, thanks for the "balance"