So, OK, he's for change, he gives Chris Mathews a feeling "up his leg," and...

wrote:



...youth, intelligence, tolerance, gifted, persuasive, redemptive,
inspiring, unifying, empowering, thoughtful/insightful, problem-solving
skills, hope, hope, hope, symbolic power, listens, collaborative,
notbush, nothillaryclinton, notmccain, respect for balance of powers in
federal system, adapts and adjusts effectively, small government/big
government experience in elected office, understands/recognizes racial
and socioeconomic problems from a unique perspective, not a washington
dc insider...there's more, but i suspect these will be sufficient for
your critique and counterpoints.

jeff

....and oh, BTW, did you simply
forget to add "objective" to your list, or did you not think him such?


see above "there's more". it was a hurried response to provide fodder...
he certainly seems to be rationally objective based on his writings
(audacity...). ****, I even heard Jimmy Breslin say good things about
him today on Public Radio.



Folks who call others "inspiring" or "persuasive" have always both
saddened and amused me when they do so.

so what do you call someone you believe to be inspirational or persuasive?

who is a public figure you thought inspirational; ...persuasive? not on
an isolated basis, but overall. (i mean, nobody is suggesting elysian
fields or perfection here)

I can fully appreciate the
_specifically_ _inspired_ or _persuaded_, such as a young black man
saying that Obama's life thus far inspired him to run for Congress, etc.
or someone saying that Obama's argument in favor of premise "x"
persuaded them that he was right on that issue, but to call someone
generally "inspiring" and/or "persuasive" is the first step in, to touch
upon your words, the formation of a cult of personality...at least...

i think those would be charles krauthammer's words...but i understand
the motivation behind them. Did you happen to see the N. Kristof piece
about the poor guy at GITMO? I am inspired and persuaded to believe
Obama will not allow such things to continue. i'm definitely a member
of that cult.


Um, well, as to "true colors," I'd offer that there have been little
more than hints, even assuming they are not red herrings, in "revealing"
Obama, but those few hints indicate that he ain't exactly married to
this color or that (and while a pun isn't exactly _intended_, it ain't
not intended, either...). And if Obama is "the real deal," and
literally means what he says, I'd offer that he doesn't want your
support, at least until you can get past being so rabidly anti-GOP...
after all, they were, IIRC, the party of ideas not so long ago...


not in my lifetime IIRC, but they have generally been the better party
for soundbites and political propaganda... hell, it was a bunch of NC
republicans (carter wrenn, jesse helms, etc) that near-bout perfected
the fine art of negative, smear campaigns.

though i know he was attempting to make a point about them being the
party of wrong ideas, i've never said Obama was perfect. however, he's
the best of what we have and what we need at this time, imo.

i lost all respect for mccain when he did his waterboarding whirl and
started the loud slurping and suckling at the teat of the fundamental
religious and conservative right. i only hope he will remain consistent
in his dogmatic iraq plan...

i am not rabidly anti-GOP - just the particular brand we have endured
the last 7+ years... i know Obama is more moderate than me - look again
at the characteristics i listed.

TC,
R


will do...

jeff (pass the kool-aid g)