Steve, calm down. His speech and appearance did not mention voters, any choice people had between two candidates nor did he talk about his policy positions in comparison with McCain's. This was a values speech. He spoke about the things he believes in and the principles that would guide his foreign policy. You can get your panties in a complete wad over your over sensitive interpretation of this one phrase. Or you can actually recognize the speech for what it was, a values address.

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Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he’s president he’ll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys’ network in Washington.' I’m not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he’s the one who’s gonna take on the old boys' network,” he said. “In the McCain campaign that’s called a staff meeting!- Obama, 9/17/2008

And our focus it to note that so long as the BHO Camp relies on terms such as hope, change, imagine to try and sell this pig in a poke then there is some much more serious investigation they need to do.

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Hope is the opposite of audacity. It's passive, an excuse for inaction.

Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

“What's the difference between Sarah Palin and Barack Obama?”

“One is a well turned-out, good-looking, and let's be honest, pretty sexy piece of eye-candy.

“The other kills her own food.”

Obama isn't vague about his policies. Yes he talks about hope and change alot, but that speech also had some pretty clear and specific issues, as all his speeches do. The problem with the "it's only hope and change" argument is that a: it didn't work for Hillary Clinton b: most Americans WANT a change from the Republicans to Democrats c: the statis quo isn't working.

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Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he’s president he’ll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys’ network in Washington.' I’m not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he’s the one who’s gonna take on the old boys' network,” he said. “In the McCain campaign that’s called a staff meeting!- Obama, 9/17/2008

I'd like to equaate being a senator forr three years and playing guitar for three years..........even if you're gifted, you can't hang with the pros yet.

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Sorry, but it's disingenuous for him to say "I'm not here as a Presidential candidate" when the very reason he's there at all is because he's a Presidential candidate.

Values, policies; whatever. Be a man, grow some balls, and be truthful. His saying he wasn't there as a candidate was not truthful...

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Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

He is becomming somewhat less vague which is making him less attractive as seen in the polling. Americans want the same thing they always have and they're never going to get it as its completely opposite what government will do.

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Hope is the opposite of audacity. It's passive, an excuse for inaction.

Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

“What's the difference between Sarah Palin and Barack Obama?”

“One is a well turned-out, good-looking, and let's be honest, pretty sexy piece of eye-candy.

“The other kills her own food.”

excellent analagy.

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Hope is the opposite of audacity. It's passive, an excuse for inaction.

Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

“What's the difference between Sarah Palin and Barack Obama?”

“One is a well turned-out, good-looking, and let's be honest, pretty sexy piece of eye-candy.

“The other kills her own food.”

It was lacking in policy details. It was not lacking in substance. The thing I really like about Obama is that he seems to have an understanding of the problems we face today that require unprecedented solutions. And I submit, ThorHammer, that the reason he has you worried is not that he lacks substance but rather that he does not, and that you have a problem with the nature of that substance, in this case consisting of internationalism and a global perspective, rather than a narrow focus on this nation which, while it served in the past, is unworkable now.

Again: short on specific policy proposals (which were not to be looked for in this speech), but definitely not short on substance. This is a call for a global, international approach, and a denial of nationalism. It is an implicit rejection of the Bush go-it-alone attitude. It is a recognition that international cooperation is necessary to solve the problems we face, which are beyond the power of any single nation -- including the United States -- to solve. One cannot imagine George W. Bush delivering a speech anything like this, even if we allow for stylistic differences. The substance, the ideas here, would be and have been rejected by Bush.

But it's something I've perceived for quite a while, which is one reason I find the Bush administration so inadequate. The imbalances in the global economy, global environmental and resource problems, and global terrorism and its causes, are not national issues -- they are world issues, and America alone cannot solve them.

Whether Obama will be able to provide the world the kind of leadership necessary to solve them remains to be seen. But the first step in doing so is to recognize the nature of the situation we face. He is the only candidate in either party that clearly seems to do that.

Daddio: Obama writes his own speeches. He's better with prepared material than he is off the cuff, but he isn't saying what others write for him.

couldn't resist getting in a partisan swipe, could you? Class.

I agree that multilateralism is a good thing. However, America shouldn't feel bound by world opinion nor should we bow to globalization if is costs us our freedom to maneuver or our sovereignty.

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There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

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Well for one thing it's a silly analogy, playing a musical instrument is a profoundly physical act and requires hours of practice in order to get the music into your fingers, duh. But even within your parameters there is such a thing as natural talent when it comes to music. Violin prodigies at 5 play the instrument better than 99% of the population ever could. I think what we are seeing with Obama is a particular kind of political talent from an exceptional person. Like I know how the right likes to denigrate "nerds" and "eggheads" but being president of the Harvard Law Review and graduating at the top of your class at one of, if not the most, prestigious and demanding university actually does indicate you have intellectual skills above the average person. Secondly, I don't know how many presidential candidates have written two best sellers before they came to office but, in particularm the Audacity of Hope isn't empty rhetoric. It's a detailed progressive policy agenda that takes into account nearly all of the arguments of the opposition.

Also remember that while Obama is a relative neophyte to politics, his electoral team has been preparing and perfecting this strategy after watching Democrats tank in 2000 and 2004. While Gore and Kerry sat back and allowed Republicans to define them, the Obama camp is prepared for all the silly "he's a liberal" crap. In a way, the Republicans have only one argument at this point. He's inexperienced.

But what exactly, does that mean. No matter how much past governing history an individual has all first term presidents make mistakes and find themselves unprepared for the job. Bush II, Clinton, Nixon, Kennedy, FDR etc. All had weak and inconsequential presidencies their first year in office because no one is actually prepared or experienced enough to go into the job. Perhaps the only person in this election who had enough white hosue experience to truly be ready would be Hillary Clinton, ironically.

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Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he’s president he’ll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys’ network in Washington.' I’m not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he’s the one who’s gonna take on the old boys' network,” he said. “In the McCain campaign that’s called a staff meeting!- Obama, 9/17/2008

Example of how "world pressure" could cause us to lose our freedom. And could you please point to a way McCain would be able to avoid that world pressure? Just so we're clear your voting on "specifics" and not just because you just don't vote for Dems. Or some other nonsense.
re

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Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he’s president he’ll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys’ network in Washington.' I’m not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he’s the one who’s gonna take on the old boys' network,” he said. “In the McCain campaign that’s called a staff meeting!- Obama, 9/17/2008

A gift from heaven...........do you realize how weird that sounds? He promises the world and never delivers anything.

Consequentailly.......Obama doesn't offer any solutions, just uplifting rhetoric. He can't even bring this country together. How does he expect to bring the world together. Obama's popularity is hype......hype that will soon wear off once the reality of the policies of his administration sets in.

Just listen to him closely and try to figure out what he's saying, not how good the sound of it makes you feel. It's pure nonsense.

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"We can't screw it up any worse than they have." - Barack Obama

Wanna bet?



"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...." - Rahm Emmanuel

First, TSGracchus, I hope you will forgive me for not quoting your entire post.

Now, as I stated to CorpMedia, I do not have a problem with a international perspective or internationalism in general. However, Obama has simply said the same thing that others have been saying for years. Where is the substance in simply regurgitating that which has already been said? The world has walls that must be knocked down? No shit. We should cooperate with other nations to knock those walls down? No shit. Bridges must be built? Wow, how profound. Never heard that before. Talk is cheap. Time to start saying how you plan on knocking those walls down and building those bridges.

Bush (and I am no fan) has said the same shit throughout his presidency. He has offered options, and held out his hand for support. Other nations chose not to join hands and lend their support, and that is fine. It is certainly their call and their right as sovereign nations. Just don't get pissed if the game is still played without you after you refuse to play.

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There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

Catch 22. They are coming out to see him because he's a presidential candidate..not just because he's a world citizen. And of course he's not just there for fun... he's trying to bolster his foreign policy image and credentials.

But if Obama were to acknowledge that, he'd be seen as cocky, presumptuous, etc.... etc. Perhaps he is, but if you're smart and you're a politician, you don't show those kind of cards.

For people expecting substance in this trip, they're missing the point. This is a superficial meet and greet, a photo op... and an opportunity to show the American people that Obama doesn't come off as a jackass when he's speaking with world leaders.

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Congratulations President-Elect Obama

Like it or not, Obama's speech today will stand alongside JFK's and Reagan's over there, and he's not even the President yet.

I love the righties getting their panties in a twist; when bombs and protests and fires and burning flags follow their neo-con warmongers, they just tell everyone to go to hell, but when an American can actually go abroad and get that many people to come out because they believe in our goodness, they still tell everyone to go to hell.

So who's the enemy exactly?

I think the call is coming from inside the house.

Obama was saying what he was saying and it was like watching both history and the future all at once.

I don't care if you're a righty or a lefty, a centrist or a libertarian, this moment today was like an announcement that better days are ahead.

This guy is the biggest thing since JFK or Reagan. You can love it or hate it, but it is what it is.