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By Robert Samuelson

WASHINGTON -- It's hard not to be dazzled by Barack Obama. At the 2004 Democratic convention, he visited with Newsweek reporters and editors, including me. I came away deeply impressed by his intelligence, his forceful language and his apparent willingness to take positions that seemed to rise above narrow partisanship. Obama has become the Democratic presidential front-runner, precisely because countless millions have formed a similar opinion. It is, I now think, mistaken.

As a journalist, I harbor serious doubt about each of the likely nominees. But with Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain, I feel that I'm dealing with known quantities. They've been in the public arena for years; their views, values and temperaments have received enormous scrutiny. By contrast, newcomer Obama is largely a stage presence defined mostly by his powerful rhetoric. The trouble, at least for me, is the huge and deceptive gap between his captivating oratory and his actual views.

The subtext of Obama's campaign is that his own life narrative -- to become the first African-American president, a huge milestone in the nation's journey from slavery -- can serve as a metaphor for other political stalemates. Great impasses can be broken with sufficient good will, intelligence and energy. "It's not about rich versus poor; young versus old; and it is not about black versus white," he says. Along with millions of others, I find this a powerful appeal.
Read the rest here:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/02/the_obama_delusion.html

at least an interesting thought. Not a rubber stamp approval of O'Bama

I watched the debate ..he won almost hands down..

Unfortunately, great debating skills do not guarantee great leadership skills.

(J.M.O.)

I must say as an outsider to all this I think the us needs just that a man wich is his own but not owned by lobbyist´s who have clinton in theyr pocket and mcCain to he has no special interest groops lining up to take adavanage af promisses he has made like the NRA and oil companies so he is free to get things done like gun bans and restrictiones wich I think is a must!!!

Yes, and the fact that, in a sense, he will bridge the islamic/christian world. I am 4 Obama!!!

What we need are not gun bans and restrictions. What we need are parents who teach their children right from wrong and gun safety education.

What I would love to see is a president who would work to preserve the individual rights guaranteed by our constitution, instead of trying to take them away!

he will bridge nothing....he is the great devider. Instead of using his unique qualifications to solidify a country...he is using it to further alienate it's people

Senator Obama has some of the same connection that Hillary Clinton has. Including a past connection with Chicago RE investor that is now
under Federal Indictment under our RICO acts.

He has used the internet to fund his campaign differently than most canidatates, that is true. And surely Sen. Clinton and McCain because thier length in offices have more connections into PAC, lobbyists, and
other interest groups. But this is not to say that Senator Obama does not have some as well.

So what I hear you saying.....is that because he does not have special interest ties....his Presidency would be effective in getting guns out of
American society. He would need to change our constitution for a major gun ban in the country. A long and difficult fight with many ways for those special interest groups to keep it from passing in Congress.

I totally agree! However, being a good debater is not the same as being a good president. We've elected presidents based on charisma too many times to the detriment of the country and the world. JFK was elected largely on the charisma he showed in the TV debate with Nixon. He invaded Cuba with a rag tag army which was slaughtered on the beaches (google "Bay of Pigs") he ignored what was going on in Cuba way too long while the USSR was installing ballistic missles on the island and finally almost started WW3 (google "Cuban Missle Crisis") Other presidents that were elected on their charisma were the darling of the Republican party Ronald Reagan, glib one liners (probably not written by him) who should have been impeached for the traitorous act of selling arms to Iran in secret against the orders of the congress. Jimmy Carter was elected on charisma by young people who looked up to him like he was their college proffessor and all around nice guy while Gerald Ford was pilloried in the press for being clumsey and bumping his head. You can thank the media for Carters victory, 4 years down the drain while the USA was made to look like fools by Iran. Even GWB was elected by his charisma which Al Gore lacked and John Kerry, a brilliant debater who came off like a walking cadaver couldn't compete with. No thanks, I'll take ability over charisma any day of the week.

I watched the 2004 democratic national convention when he spoke and I was beside myself with joy that we had such a powerful speaker in our party, however, at no time did I even consider him qualified to lead the most powerful country on the planet.
My biggest fear is that president Obama will damage the democratic party just like GWB has damaged the GOP.
My biggest hope is that we democrats wont follow him like some freakin massiah the way republicans have followed Bush. If Obama screws up we will take him to the woodshed and whoop his ass!

Clinton and Obama wont change anything, ok they cannot be worse than Bush lol. In the United States and also now in the European Union the lobby is reigning and not the politicians!

You say teach children right from wrong!!!! but most murders and shooting´s are done by adults so teaching children is not what is needed it is the mentality of majoraty of americans who think owning a gun makes life safer!!! here in iceland handguns are only owned by folk who are members of a shooting club rifles and shotguns can only be bought after you do a firearms course to see if you can handle a firearm we have had 3 murders with firearms here since 1964.... What the us need is laws like that!!!! that does not infringe on the constitute!!! and so what you have to change it it is for the better isnt it?? less killing´s by dumb asses who should not be with in 100 yards of a weapon and it will surly be a setback for criminals to get thier hand´s on them!!!

I've been following some states that are considering seceding form the union based on the governments repeated misinterpretation of the constitution (mainly the 2nd ammendment) TTOM, check it out. I'd like input.

The U.S. has laws like tha in place. Staistically, the Gun related murders are committed with guns purchased illegally. Not buy law abiding gun purchasers. And I have to disagree with you on your opnion of guns not making things safer.


If someone threatens me with a gun, and I show them MY piece, they'd surely think twice.

I have similar thoughts on public executions. If you were thinking about killing someone, and you turn on the news ans see someone being hanged for the same crime you're contemplating, I ASSURE you you'd think twice on that too.


Your statistic on 3 gun related murders may or may not be accurate, but it doesn't mean that much. Look at it per capita. I bet the percentage would be closer to the US than you realize.

Good thing,that killing can only be done with Firearms.

I looked at stats and it is 0,004 percent per capita and murders with handguns are 0 so as you can see restrictin access to handguns has it´s benefits!!!! A sociaty that thinks oh hes got a gun then I must get a bigger one has never been a good thing you in the us have more murders and shootings than any other country an why is that??? Easy access to handguns and semi auto matic guns that can be altered to automatic with a kit bought from a manufacturer who has no responcability he sais I sell it and what folk do with it is not my concerne!!!!! The law should prevent that from hapening!! But those companies are so big and have so deep pockets that senatores and such dont have the guts to go against them!!!!

Just my two cents

No killing can be done with a grain af sand or a airbubble but legislaiting the use of sand and air is hard isnt it?? But guns a totally different thing not true????

The problem is no such man will ever sniff the oval office. That is the way our system has become. Money elects presidents, and the special interest have the money. It's those people with the money that run this country, not the elected government. They just follow the orders of those who got them elected, and promise to get them reelected. No regular man has a chance.

You said what I was thinking.