Leading Republicans believe they can trounce Barack Obama in the presidential
election by tarring him as a shady Chicago socialist. They are increasingly
confident that his campaign could collapse by the time their attack machine
has finished with him.
Grover Norquist, an influential conservative tax reform lobbyist, said:
“Barack Obama has been able to create his own image and introduce himself to
voters, but the swing voters in a general election are not paying attention
yet. He is open to being defined as a leftwing, corrupt Chicago politician.”
Norquist’s comments will be music to the ears of Hillary Clinton, Obama’s
Democratic rival, who believes Obama has not been sufficiently “vetted” for
the White House. She has been unable to attack him too vociferously without
risking a backlash from Democratic primary voters, but Republicans may
salvage her campaign by doing the job for her.
Obama has the voting record of a “hard-left” socialist, according to Norquist,
from his time in the Illinois state legislature to the US Senate. He was
recently judged by the nonpartisan National Journal to have the most liberal
voting record in 2007 of any senator.
“It will be easy to portray him as even harder-left than Hillary,” said
Norquist. “Hillary could lose the election, but Obama could collapse. People
already know Hillary and she is not popular, but the disadvantage for Obama
is that Republicans can teach people who don’t know him who he is.”
Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House and Republican guru, recently
described Obama as the “most leftwing candidate to run since George
McGovern” – a reference to the anti-Vietnam-war Democrat who lost 49 states
out of 50 to Richard Nixon in the 1972 election. Norquist believes Obama’s
questionable Chicago connections will stir things further.
The city has a reputation for corruption from the days when Al Capone and his
mob ran the town in the 1920s. Obama is tainted by his long association with
Antoin “Tony” Rezko, a Chicago property developer who is scheduled to go on
trial for extorting kickbacks in return for political favours on March 3,
the day before the Ohio and Texas primaries.
Obama bought his family home in Chicago for $1.65m, $300,000 less than the
asking price, on the day that Rezko’s wife Rita bought an adjoining lot at
the full price of $650,000. Obama later paid her $105,000 for a sixth of her
yard in order to expand his garden.
The seller insisted on both plots being sold together, which suggests that
Rezko did Obama an enormous favour even if the deal was not illegal. The
seller has so far evaded press inquiries, but he is regarded as a potential
“ticking timebomb” should he decide to go public.
Clinton briefly raised the question of Rezko, whom she described as a “slum
landlord”, in a televised debate with Obama in California, but was silenced
when a 1990s picture emerged of her with Rezko and President Bill Clinton.
Obama has returned around $85,000 in campaign contributions from Rezko.
“Hillary put the issue into the bloodstream, but it didn’t get focused on,”
said Norquist. He believes that well financed “527” attack groups – named
after their tax-exempt status – will mercilessly pursue Obama over his ties
to Rezko. It was a conservative “527” group, the Swift Boat Veterans for
Truth, who did grave damage to John Kerry’s reputation as a war hero in the
2004 White House race.
Mark McKinnon, a top adviser to John McCain, the presumptive Republican
presidential nominee, said last week he would resign in the event of a
contest against Obama as he did not want to participate in tearing him down.
But other members of McCain’s team have already gone for the jugular. A testy
exchange last year between the two senators over the Iraq troop surge led a
senior aide to take aim at Obama’s former drug use by claiming he “wouldn’t
know the difference between an RPG [rock-et-propelled grenade] and a bong
[smoking pipe]”.
Obama could run into further difficulties over his relationship with William
Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois and former
member of the Weather Underground, a leftwing terrorist group that planted
bombs in the Capitol and the Pentagon in the 1970s.
Ayers told The New York Times on the day of the September 11 attacks: “I don’t
regret setting bombs. I feel we didn’t do enough.” It emerged last week that
Ayers served with Obama on the board of the Woods Fund, an antipoverty
group, from 1999 to 2002, and donated $200 towards his Illinois state Senate
campaign in 2001.
Christopher Ruddy, chief executive of the conservative journal NewsMax and an
arch tormentor of the Clintons over the Whitewater property scandal in the
1990s, believes Obama is “an old-style Chicago politician” who will
nonetheless be difficult for Republicans to undermine.
“People are already gearing up to take on Obama, but there is a lot of apathy
among the Republican ideological base. You don’t see a level of energy
there,” Ruddy said. “If they go too far in their attacks, it will backfire.”
Portrayals of Obama as an irresponsible tax-and-spend liberal are already
under way. Lawrence Kudlow, a former adviser to Ron-ald Reagan, put Obama’s
“spend-ometer” at $800 billion by costing his proposals for extending health
insurance, implementing green energy plans, setting up an infrastructure
investment bank and other initiatives.
Obama has also said he may tax people earning more than $97,000, a potentially
unpopular move that Clinton is now seeking to make a campaign issue.
However, Obama’s chief economics adviser, Austan Gools-bee, a professor at the
University of Chicago, is a supporter of the free market. Obama has also
been endorsed by Paul Volcker, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Robert Wolf, the chief executive of UBS Americas, the financial group, is a
big donor. “When I sat down with him, I found him to be unbelievably
refreshing and smart and thoughtful,” he said.
Obama was introduced to Wolf by George Soros, the bil-lionaire financier and
philanthropist who is a favourite target of the right for his sponsorship of
leftwing groups and antiIraq war stance.
Obama’s pledge to withdraw troops from Iraq is a key point of difference with
McCain, who believes a hasty withdrawal could provoke genocide and let
Al-Qaeda regain its footing.
Patrick Murphy, a Democratic congressman and Iraq war veteran, said: “I’m
proud to be a fiscal conservative and, in my opinion, Obama is a moderate.
He wants to partner with businesses and corporations.”
He also believes Obama will withdraw responsibly from Iraq. “He has laid out a
timetable fora ‘pull out and strike strategy’ – pull the troops to the
border and strike against Al-Qaeda.”
Obama has managed to draw support from the most leftwing elements of the
Democratic party, such as MoveOn.org, while winning over independents and
disillusioned Republicans. Jim Kessler of Third Way, a centre-left
Washington think tank, said: “He has managed to make an argument for
postpartisanship in a way that appeals to very liberal Democrats because he
is such a gifted orator.”
Just as Republicans will seek to tarnish Obama as a leftwinger, so Democrats
will make sure pictures of McCain with George W Bush are everywhere.
Only now are Republicans beginning to ponder seriously which Democrat will be
McCain’s strongest election opponent, after assuming for a long time that
Clinton would be the easier target.
Ruddy thinks Democrats might be preparing to ditch the “dreaded Hillary” only
to replace her by the “most leftwing nominee in memory”. Even so, he
believes President Obama isa distinct possibility.
Your article leaves out the fact that Obama's bid on his home was the highest one submitted. He has donated any campaign contributions Rezko made to charity. There's not much here, as much as the Republicans and Hillary Clinton's operatives would like us to believe.
More importantly, people in glass houses should not throw stones. MCCain and Clinton have also done plenty of "boneheaded" things as well., lest you forget a number of scandals invoving the two, most notably McCain's cesnsure for being a member of the "Keating Five" and his recent flights around the U.S. on lobbyists' planes.
Martin , Chicago, illinois, USA
Lots of laughter.
As a person from a country where the Social Democrats (but never communists) has ruled for almost a century, I find it really amusing to see the use of the labels "Socialist" and "Communist" for Clinton and Obama in the forum. The most left winged politician in the US hasn´t began to touch the soil of the left winged partys in Europe - where you indeed find socialists. People in the US don´t have any practical knowledge of Socialism, it is only a scary bedtime story they were told by people like McCarthy, Reagan or Bush. I understand that the word "Liberal" has become a pejorative as well among certain groups in the US. It is really a historical irony since the founding fathers of the nation they hold so high are amongst the most important liberal politicians in last 300 years.
Erik, Gothenburg,
As usual you Dems are beholding to your sign 'The Donkey'. You are really going to nominate a far Leftist Socialist that will be a left wing version of what the right wing George Bush was in 2000. He can no more unite the country than Bush did with his right views.
Get a grip. 'Change we can believe' is for the mass college students that love liberal rallies and are anti establishment and anti everything. Most of us are in the middle. Obama is tied to anti war rebels and terrorists like William Ayers - See article above.
For all the bashing you guys have done to the Republicans and all the euphoria about a Democrat wining the white house this november, McCain is just a few points behind Obama? Thats quite good, considering Republicans have not even started working on Obma yet and the media is still drunk with the Obama Kool-aid. Looks like a Republican will win the white house again, while the lame 'Donkey' Dems will be whining as usual.
Bruno, Dallas, TX
A nasty article about the nasty thoughts of nasty people. Still, its' s good to get it all out in the open so that, come the debate, Obama will be as well-prepared as a chess grandmaster. I think he just needs the endorsement of one or two respected military and economy figures and then he'll have the certain beating of McCain.
Dan Alderson, London, UK
If Obama has been painted as a liberal,as you say,it is a self portrait.You cannot redo history,or change it.He is what he is,whatever that is.Both the Democratic candidates are SUPER LIBERAL,bordering on Socialistic or Communistic.ie."what's yours is mine.etc." Take from the haves and give to the have-nots,no matter why they "have not".Get ready to be taxed to the nth degree.They would do well to try to stop so many illegitimate births to young girls with no means of support.Government is their "husband" as well as "the baby's daddy".When the children are of age,they fill up the jails because of no decent upbringing and discipline.They overburden our schools and have no discipline or respect for authority.But guess what?If they don't go to jail,it's "I vote Democrat"
Saralyn Rowland, Hephzibah, Ga
Bloomberg reported today on the seller of the Obama family home, who said there was no 'deal' with Rezko to reduce the price Obama paid. (sound of rapidly-deflating balloon)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aR8NLIoQEDc4
Tom J, Chicago, IL
Obama is in a unique position in that any attack, no matter how minor, could be misconstrued as racism and hence backfire.
Howard, Manchester,
The GOP will find something about whomever the Democrats nominate, then condense it into a quick catchphrase that even the dumbest person can remember and repeat, like the "flip-flop" example for Kerry. I don't like their policy and their motives but I do give them credit for being effective at political techniques and at winning elections.
With that said, Obama gets slammed for not being specific enough, but I would prefer someone who is flexible to adjust to changing situations, who is willing to compromise with those who have opposing views to achieve the maximum benefit for all involved, and who is intelligent enough to understand complex, changing situations. The Bush policy of inflexibility, stubborness, and partisanship certainly has not worked, so let's try something new.
Greg, Chicago,
With the US economy heading downhill faster than Moody’s credit rating; it might be time for the average US elector to consider the economic benefits of electing a left-wing socialist president. Or maybe consider the risks in electing yet another economically illiterate right-wing president.
Consider the IMF’s country comparisons of things like: unemployment, GDP, national savings, spending power, inflation and current account balances to see that under a series of “small government, pro-business, low taxation, god-fearing†Republican Presidents like George W; the US has been steadily losing it’s economic lead compared to a whole slew of countries run, at one time or other, by “big government, pro-labour, high taxation, atheistic†socialists like Norway, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, UK, Australia, New Zealand …(Remember that these figure were collected well before the US$ began its latest plunge and the US went in to its latest recession.)
dhome, sydney , australia
It might also be useful to ask the representatives of the “small government, pro-business, low taxation, god-fearing†Republican Party where your health fund, your children’s education, your country’s infrastructure (bridges, road, airports, ports etc) and maybe, your job went – at the same time as corporate profits and CEO pay packets were going through the roof. Do realise that these things are increasingly reliant on foreigners, maybe even socialist ones like the RED Chinese Investment Corporation, lending your country $80bn/year (in today’s dollars). If they stop, because your country can not pay them back, well, I leave that to your imagination.
It might also be useful to think about these things before the US GDP/capitia falls to the point where the average US citizen’s (your) wealth lies slightly below that of a New Zealander’s (population 4 million) or in other words, at number 24 in the developed world. Such progress! In 1972 it was number 1.
dhome, sydney, australia
Some conservatives may not vote, but not one will proactively vote for Obama. I agree with the premise that visceral contempt for Hillary can be the great unifier for Republicans.
Some of us would love to see McCain go down in a flaming train wreck. If he wins in 2008, there is no 2012 primary and we can get a great President (Mitt Romney is my first choice, but Allen, Santorum, DeMint would be excellent choices).
A McCain loss is best for my Party. However, I am more loyal to my country than my Party. Yes, there is a temptation to note vote, but no conservative will proactively vote for Obama. I will have to hold my nose and vote for McCain. I simply love my country too much to in any assist a President Obama.
If Obama is President, 9/11 willl seem like a tea party. The terrorists will sense weakness and attack.
James, southington, CT
Having grown up in Chicago I'd agree that Obama is well connected to Chicago machine politics. God help us all if Chicago politics transplants and establishes itself in Washington D.C.
Cynthia, Palatine, Illinois, USA
Shady?Ha! Ha! They are all bloody shady! White water, Lewinsky etc.. After all, these are politicians people!! They are equal to salesmen and used car dealers. Vote for me and I'll set you free. Once in office ,all bets are off.
Politicians are like diapers and need to be changed often and for the same reasons. Anything would be an inprovement to Bush.
Mario, Montreal,
Republicans will inevitably use dirty tricks to attack Obama, or to attack Clinton. The question is, will these tricks work? Let's take Obama: many conservative Republicans feel McCain's moderate views on global warming and campaign finance reform are so disastrous to the Republican Party they will switch parties and vote for Obama. This is a fact. Hillary, on the other hand, is so hated by conservatives that they will feel forced to vote the party line. The Republican Party, in an attempt to scare conservative Republicans into voting for a Republican candidate, will pull out every nasty trick to paint Obama as a "dirty liberal." They will also paint Clinton the same way, though they will have more fuel for the fire considering how hated Bill Clinton is by the Republican base. Against McCain, Obama will win a) democrats who usually never vote in elections b) conservative republicans c) independent. Hillary Clinton will lose against McCain.
Melissa, Harrisburg, PA
All Senator Obama has to ask the GOP candidate is, how do your policies differ from those of the last 8 years?
Don, toledo, USA
If you're not a Democrat before age 40, you have no heart. If you're still a Democrat after age 40, you have no brain. I am voting for McCain this year.
Wallace Edward Brand
Wallace Edward Brand, A, VA, US
Many years ago I reached the conclusion that the politicians were not capable of fixing all of my problems, no matter how convincing they sounded during their campaign. Even if they actually tried, the opposition that they encountered from special interest lobbyist when they got to Washington was too powerful for them to overcome.
Senator Obama,s motivational speeches give me the hope that masses of united-enlightened citizens can give their elected officials the power that they need to overcome these special interests and represent the will of their constituents
I vote for four years of hope mongering speeches (yes "we" can) over fear mongering.(,your neighbour may be a terrorist but don't worry we will get him before he get you.)
If only Obama could convince the minorities(the super rich) that their survivor is not directly tied to their ability to exploit the survival efforts of the masses..SIGHhhhhh
dentis Miller, Oakland, CA
Obama is only half Black so that, by definition, makes him also half White, and anyway, what the devil has his colour got to do with anything
margaret, Cairndow, Scotland
More delegates have suppoorted Hillary, if you count every state.
Although Obama is light on specific plans, so far we know that he wants to invade Pakistan, end free trade, leave 15 million Americans out of medicare, ignore environmental issues until 3rd-world India and China step up, and is light on policy. By any standard, how can that be adviseable.
Clinton, on the other hand, has developed solid policy, has a 35-year track record, has been on the front lines in the white house for eight years, been in the senate two or three times longer than Obama, will provide universal medical coverage,
access to education, smart foreign policy, and compassionate leadership to all Americans. With Hillary they can likely even have Obama as VP if that's what they want.
It is Hillary who will bring change to the face of America and take the country in a productive new direction..
Emma H., Ottawa,
The first lesson the American puplic have to learn is to beware of politicians promising to change the system. Obana is not going to change the Washington establisment he's too inexperienced. If he became President the estabishment will simple close ranks and make his life hell until he joins them.
Look at the UK we got rid of the Tories because they came to be seen as sleeze bags and changed to Labour who promised to be whiter than white but who have turned out to be evan bigger sleeze bags than the Tories.
The moral of this is that he who tells you he will change everything is playing on your desire for change but is using that desire for his own advancment to power which is his/her ultimate objective and once this has been achieved nothing will change.
Dave, Mold, Flintshire
I have asked it before, and I will ask it again. Who "made" Obama into a national figure? He was just one of thousands of local elected officials in America and had only seven years experience in office when he was tapped to give the prestigious keynote address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Even before his speech, he was being heralded as a potential presidential candidate in 2008...................................
Bob Evans, Anaheim, California
According to a NY Times article, George Soros.
Donna, Philly, USA
D. Allan, Philadelphia, PA, USA
I for one think that Obama IS a Socialist, and he scares me.
Rita, Columbia, South Carolina
I am a conservative. I will not be voting for McCain. I plan to stay home. Good luck, Obama. Better you than the current bunch of old coots who've proven that they are not worthy of my vote.
A Thomas, Smallville, USA
Matthew from Salt Lake City: I agree with you completely. Obama is exactly what this country needs. I'm amazed that the Republicans can even pass judgment after the walking disaster of the Bush presidency. I, too, will vote for him as I'm sure will millions of other Americans who care about our country. I believe we can rise up, take our country back and reclaim the America that was once respected and liked around the world.
Wil327, NYC, NY
the zionist machine has started to disgrace this strong man out of fair of his future policy in the ME
so what is new?
he will win this time becuase things are really differnet
saud, riyadh,
How can the American people accept a Marxist as a President.
Isn't that what modern socialism is........it's cultural marxism.
louis blanc, Liverpool, Merseyside
lol the republicans are clearly worried obama will win arnt they.
the fact they feel the need to build a campaign up already to tarnish his name says a lot about about who they think will win the democrats nomination race doesnt it. mind you i suppose hilary is an easy target and they probably feel they could ruin her in 5 minutes. pity they dont put this sort of in depth planning into there plans for the countries they invade.
i dont know much about obama but please god anyone would be a better president than hilary even i would prefer bush to stay. shes as full of her self as tony blair was. even tony should run for president, god knows how but bush could probably find a way to make it happen.
this whole thing shows what a joke america is at times, putting it self up as the bastion of all things good and democratic and before the results are in people are already talking of smear campaigns.
iain nicolson, northumberland, uk
“If they go too far in their attacks, it will backfire.â€
Given how the conservative base is demoralized with a Republican candidate who doesn't really believe in burning crosses and lynching gays, the conservative smear machine will have to go the extra mile. To fire up their base, they've already started by accusing Obama of being a closet Muslim. The Israeli press reports that The Israel Lobby plans an all-out assault on Obama by accusing him of supporting terrorism by placing the interests of America over the interests of Israel.
In their desperation, they will have to use the most extreme attacks. And this will play right into Obama's hands. Obama has learned from Kerry's mistakes.
George, Tampa, FL USA
It's the wing ambition to see the Barak Obama is the Democrat
parties candidates, that will reassure Republican to win USA-
presidential election, i have no fear from republican's anymore
since George Bush Jr tuned out to be good guy, i.e.tackling the
terrorist in the world, but the poverty is thriving in American-
people( the older generation maily brown-skin) it's the good
community of america that counts, not just owners of the dollar
God bless us all:Cllr Ken Tiwari (Oxford UK)
Cllr Ken Tiwari (Independent), Oxford, United Kingdom
Obama makes a great difference to American politics. It is no surprise that the Establishment in the figure of the Right is getting nervous. That they are now calling him a "socialist" is indicative of their fear. Here in the US anything that sounds different becomes "socialist". Once that bloke O'Reilly from Fox 5 said that all Europeans are a bunch of socialists -- and this when Chirac was President of France, Berlusconi the Italian Prime Minister and Blair reigning supreme proudly wearing his centrist hat.
The truth of the matter is that an American President has responsibilities that go far beyond American shores and as a European living here I feel that we cannot afford, as the citizens of a more global world, to get this wrong. The Republicans had their good run with the Bushes. Now it is time for something radically different -- even from customary Democrat rule.
There is no guarantee that Obama's power won't be frustrated by the US Establishment. Only time will tell.
John, NYC, USA
Ah, yes, a 71 year old versus a 46 year old. A war hero from America's tainted past versus the new black guy. The old versus the new...who wins? I suspect power and influence will prevail and the aging empire, fueled by mythological musings about the past, lives to breathe another day. The death throes of empire ain't pretty to watch.
Peter Mayo, Peaks Island, USA/Maine
The 'Manchurian Candidate'?
prudence eely bond mcguire, LONDON, ENGLAND UK.
"I want someone young, intelligent, respectful, inspiring, and progressive in the White House. IF THAT MAKES ME A SOCIALIST TOO... THEN SO BE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Matthew, that's not what a socialist is. A socialist is juvenile, dull-witted, authoritarian and totally unsympathetic of the human spirit. God knows, we've got enough of them in Great Britain.
Steve, Birmingham,
Obama will have the last say and when he does the world will change forever. Thank goodness he is a Socialist - long overdue in the great US of A !!!!!
Ian Payne, Walsall,
It's not necessary to "tear Obama down", just reporting the truth and maybe a little investigative journalism (remember that ) would be useful.
The guy has had a remarkably easy entry into both state and national politics by any standard, it would be interesting to know who facilitated that. His policies, such as they are, are very liberal and unlikely to resonate with huge numbers of people. Simply banging on about "change" is meaningless.
It's not over yet !
Stan(expat), USA, USA
I don't agree with everything Obama advocates (particularly his criticism of free trade). However, I am very tired of the political divisiveness in this country. That is one reason why I am supporting Obama. This country's identity, with all it's different cultures (I trace my ancestry to 4 quite different European countries), is dependent on the shared political vision of the Declaration of Independence. Obama, unlike most other politicians, harkens us back to that vision.
Dennis Leyden, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
Harry Truman the best American President had unsavoury links with corrupt businessmen before reaching the White House. Corrupt Chicago politicians stole the 1960 election for Kennedy. And so it ooes.
paul wood, bucharest, romania
If the Right wants to wiliffy Obama unjustly, there would be a huge back lash and the the voters who are "sitting on the fence" would cast their votes for Obama. Just the other day at a conference most of the younger voters were tired of the 'old politicians' and their rhetoric over the years. If a crook such as Nixon could be elected. He was a two penny lawyer from way out place in California and very crooked, (everyone at the conference) said why not Obama who has no baggage & is not a crook. What America needs is young up and coming politicians not the same old hacks.
Faqi, London, UK
Barack Obama is the light of truth at the end of a long, dark tunnel, dug deep after 8 grueling years of the neocons in power. This man is probably our last hope as Americans to save our nation and restore any ounce of respectability that we might have left. What is the reason for his recent "surge" you wonder??? Well, it's INDIVIDUAL, CONCERNED CITIZENS like myself, who have donated to his campaign, and who have voted for him with pride! I don't give a damn what any of the nay-sayers, the media pundits and the clintonites say... As an American citizen I am sick and tired of these fakes and cowards with so-called "experience" in Washington D.C. I want someone young, intelligent, respectful, inspiring, and progressive in the White House. IF THAT MAKES ME A SOCIALIST TOO... THEN SO BE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matthew, Salt Lake City, UT
obviously the liberal media and the hiphop generation combined with deceptive reverse racists are striving to be kingmakers. whether he is elected or no his candidacy has the potential for further dividing the US citizenry into a dysfunctional populace.
bostwickhwy, atlanta, us/GA
Mr. Evans,
The kingmaker is the millions of Americans backing him, voting for him, and who are willing to work for change, just as Obama has been doing for the past 20 yrs. He has more legislative experience than Sen Clinton and he has plenty of good ideas (i.e. "Blueprint for Change") as does Sen. Clinton. The difference is he will actually be able to get a good number of his ideas implemented, since he doesn't uselessly demonize the other side. It is very refreshing to see someone like Obama on the national stage.
I am anxious for him to become president and see our country regain its moral integrity once again.
A Howell, OC, CA
I think the republicans are going to absolutely destroy Obama in the general election. I guarantee they won't be afraid to mention his drug problem or his shady business deals. They definitely won't forget to mention over and over again that he's "BLACK". Obama has been given a easy time thus far, but stay tuned; the republican are going to change all that. The democratic party will fold after Obama loses the election this November. Mark my words.
MarioLoc, Lake County, USA/FL
It really doesn't matter what dirt they try and dig up on Obama. America people are so sick and tired of the clintons, the right wing repubulicans and the BUSHES that they will elect him anyway. People don't care they just want anyone else besides any of them. And just remember attfacking obama is going to anger a lot of folks and it wind up backfiring..Just ask Bill Clinton.
Nonie, Boise, Idaho
If the Democrats are representative of the US voting electorate then they will choose Obama; just as the US chose Bush - TWICE!!!!!!!!!
IMJ, Abu Dhabi/UAE, UAE (EX-PAT)
I have asked it before, and I will ask it again. Who "made" Obama into a national figure? He was just one of thousands of local elected officials in America and had only seven years experience in office when he was tapped to give the prestigious keynote address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Even before his speech, he was being heralded as a potential presidential candidate in 2008.
Now, with less than four years of experience at the national level, he running for president, something totally unheard of in past presidential campaigns.
So far, Senator Obama has gone a long way without providing any policy, program or platform he would institute if elected. No other presidential candidate has ever gone this far on simple charisma.
So, who IS the kingmaker behind Obama?
Bob Evans, Anaheim, California
As Obama looks more and more like winning expect lots of dirty tricks.
Phil, Hong Kong,
A spellcheck before submitting the article for publication would be good!!!!
Krishan , Sydney, Australian
What he means, John of Ohio, is a change from the kind of cynicism that characterises our modern political world, and the kind of political posturing that only perpetuates enmity and division. That isn't the expression of some vague and pious hope but implies a fundamental change of attitude supported by appropriate political and legal measures.
Simon, London, UK
Bring the neocons on! We're ready!
joseph pierre, fort lauderdale, U.S.A.
If this is the quality of American electoral debate [i.e. smears, lies and innuendo], then please let's hear no more propaganda about how wonderful democracy is for the developing world. In fact, its aroma has the delicate perfume of a rotting corpse.
Martin Baldwin-Edwards, Athens, Greece
Obama is not merely "all hat and no cattle," he's "no hat and no cattle."
While the press and young people (ninety percent of whom forget to vote on election day) continue to swoon over Obama, most of us grownups are wondering just exactly what he means by vague promises of "change," "greatness" and "vision."
John, Cleveland, Ohio
By attacking Obama, they obviously see him as the real threat to their ambitions.
McCain is the real threat, he will drag out the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and drag the US and other countries into more of the same, with its cost in human lives and destruction of their countries.
As well, what is already happening, is bankrupting the US. Think of what that money could have done for the citizens at home.
margie, victoria, australia