The Best Candidate In My Lifetime

This is why I just don;t get all the hatred towards him–He has run a respectful campaign on the issues. I never had this stance on Bush 41 or even 43 for most of the 2000 campaign – until they stole it.It’s so odd, what do they hate so much? From what I see, Obama will govern much the same way Clinton did during the horrible boom of peace and economic prosperity.These people become addicted to Bush’s Burka of fear and distraction–and it seems they are reacting to the inevitability of turning the page. this admin has been a disaster–what are they fighting for, and why such hatred towards Obama?I never really understood the Clinton hatred either–he was a centrist–he did end up giving them excuses to hate him–but the Obama hatred is so odd–and it’s not about race–it’s seems more about this blind Faux news propaganda.

Obama will govern much the same way Clinton did during the horrible boom of peace and economic prosperity.

you just answered your own question. You know the whole “Bush/Palin derangement syndrome” meme going around? They actually DO have CDS, Clinton Derangement Syndrome, and it was pushed hard and fast by right-wing media outlets.

what are they fighting for, and why such hatred towards Obama?

it’s seems more about this blind Faux news propaganda.

Again, you’re pretty good at answering your own questions. It’s a cult…push a theme of hatred for the “other,” and in this case, Democrats and the media, and eventually you get an entire subset of people who trust you completely and can’t believe a word coming from any type of unbiased, or lean-left news source.

I agree with you 100% JG. I cannot fathom why the right hates Obama so much. He has taken the high road for his entire campaign. He has never sunk to the kitchen strategies employed by both the Clintons and now McCain’s campaign. He is educated, wise, poised, calm, open to new ideas and oh yeah…black. Wonder which of the above the right might object to?

The first election I could vote in was 1992, and for as much excitement as I remember from that time, I have never been more enthused about a candidate as I am now. Obama is the candidate I have been waiting for my entire adult life.I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to have a candidate that actually speaks to the public as though they were adults. That’s an area where I would put him a notch above Clinton, though Bill probably came across a little better in the “I feel your pain” department.

I was in grade school during the Kennedy-Nixon race, and I thought that in JFK I had probably seen the best candidate in my lifetime. I was wrong.

totally agree – Obama is a once-in-a-generation politician. I thought that Bill Clinton was being rather disingenuous (imagine that!) some months back when he said that Obama was, like him, “on the right side of history”. to make a subtle, but important distinction: Obama is the right man at the right time.and yes, JG, I too sit here with a puzzled look on my face when I read or see all the anger and rage directed towards Obama by the McCain camp. Obama is clearly *a good man*. who has done good work. he’s gone to church. he has a loving, happy and stable family. he’s devoted his life to helping the disadvantaged and the less fortunate. like Joe Biden (so there’s a double whammy for ‘em), he seems to be one of those rare creatures, a person who entered politics because they truly wanted to do good and help people.but maybe that’s the cause of all the rage: the Right actually have nothing to get him on. they’re angered by his mere existence; angry because they know he is brilliant, intelligent and talented (and jealous of that brilliance, intelligence and talent) – and because they know that he’s about to take the power from them as a result.and while the Right will be ever thus, I think we should all take huge heart from the response of the general electorate. Obama is winning this battle of hearts and minds: time after time, people have been turned off by the anger and negativity of McCain and Palin (look at how the undecideds – and others – have turned their little responsometer-dially-things during the debates!). Goodness and intelligence is being rewarded – and after eight years of the opposite being the case, I can’t imagine how amazing it’s going to feel in America when you wake up on November 5th. probably not unlike how it felt waking up here in the UK on May 2, 1997, to a Labour government, after over a decade of mean-spirited, divisive, self-serving Thatcherism. I’m excited for you. It will be amazing.

He is educated, wise, poised, calm, open to new ideas and oh yeah…black. Wonder which of the above the right might object to?

All of ‘em, CM. the right has become a cult of ideology, rigid in its thinking and unwavering in its core beliefs, following a pack mentality in which any justification of the actions of their side are warranted. A few have cut through the BS to realize what their party has become, most namely John Cole, Andrew Sullivan, and just recently Kathleen Parker, but most of them are more than willing to go down with the flaming ship of suck.@JumpyPantsThat’s getting a little too existential for me, TTYTT. I think the average right-winger, not the ones in the media, actually agree more with Democratic positions than they realize, they’ve just been sucked down the glory hole of neo-conservatism because they just don’t know any better.

I think it’s really because Obama scares their white women.”The day that Sen. Obama cast a vote to not to fund my son when he was serving sent a cold chill through my body let me tell you,” Cindy McCain said in introducing the GOP ticket.She then said, “The day my husband voted against funding my son because the bill gave a date when he might actually come home… that was awesome?”@ConstanceRifle…sucked down the glory hole? I uh… wait, no… no comment.PS… Dear spellcheck people, please add the word Obama to your dictionary. I think this guy’s sticking around.

@ ConstanceRifle – you’re right when you say that “the average right-winger… actually agrees more with Democratci positions than they realize”George Lackoff said that right-wingers “are folks who often vote against their economic self-interest and instead vote on their identity as conservatives” in this very interesting article:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/dont-think-of-a-maverick_b_125850.html

but maybe that’s the cause of all the rage: the Right actually have nothing to get him on. they’re angered by his mere existence;

I don’t know about that…I think they truly see him as revolutionary, because they have been conditioned to see him as revolutionary. Also, your point about Obama and Biden actually wanting to help people, through government, an important emphasis, really sets them off too. I’m reminded of Christiane Amanpour’s quip on Bill Maher last Friday, in which she said something like “I can’t really understand how so many Americans are completely anti-government.” She said it much better than I could, of course, but you get the idea.

and what’s up with the small type following blockquotes? I don’t get it, but as long as ya’ll can read it, no biggie.

@El MysticoA little hyperbole never hurt anybody

@ConstanceRifle – yesss! (re. helping people through government). when McCain and Palin are banging on about less government and how bad the government is for getting involved in people’s lives, I want to shout at the screen: “IF YOU HATE GOVERNMENT SO MUCH, WHAT ARE YOU DOING RUNNING FOR IT?!!?”Ahem.when I talk of the Right being angered by Obama’s “mere existence”, I mean, his existence, the type of person he is, is a threat to them. I guess because, as you say, he is indeed a revolutionary to them. I must say that, as a Brit, it’s fascinating to get an insight into the minds of conservative America. it really is quite alien to 99.9% of the British population.I’ve long thought that the world is simply becoming a more liberal place; and the Right will just have to get over themselves as a result. do you guys think that the Republicans will become more centrist as a result of losing this forthcoming election (as the Tories did over here) – or will evangelical, far right views continue to dominate the party and shape their policies and electoral tactics for ever? or at least for many, many years?

do you guys think that the Republicans will become more centrist as a result of losing this forthcoming election (as the Tories did over here) – or will evangelical, far right views continue to dominate the party and shape their policies and electoral tactics for ever? or at least for many, many years?

Depends. I personally believe that unless Obama can right our ship in the next 4 years, They will come out in the next Presidential election claiming his policies have failed and push for a hard right pol who will probably run on a campaign of complete deregulation, conveniently ignoring the past eight years as they routinely ignore even the most elementary aspects of U.S. and World history. These people don’t change their attitudes, and I know first hand. Born and raised in North Carolina, I have family who are still this way, and many friends who decry government intervention in any respect. It’s really hard to wrap your head around, and I sitll have trouble seeing it from their point of view sometimes, but it really started with the right’s assault on education and reason.

I live in Arizona, so I know a little something about the right-wingers around here and what they think of the two candidates. Come election day, they’ll either be holding their noses and voting for McCain, who they secretly loathe, or covering their eyes and voting for Barack Obama, who they secretly admire.

hmm… yes, Obama has a hell of a job on his hands. I guess it will partly be a matter of gaining trust – as Tony Blair did – as well as actually improving the economic situation and getting America out of Iraq. if Obama can prove that he can be trusted with the economy and foreign affairs – a steady hand on the tiller, to use McCain’s phrase – then he would presumably be likely to win a second term.what do you mean by “the right’s assault on education and reason”? (sorry, newbie Brit readers start here ).

@chantoozleA good way to wrap your head around it would be to read up on Karl Rove and Lee Atwater, and how they view the American public, the MSM, and their philosophies for manipulating both. It’s truly vile stuff, but if you can stomach it, you might be able to understand the modern neo-con American.

what do you mean by “the right’s assault on education and reason”? (sorry, newbie Brit readers start here ).

For as long as I can remember, conservatives have decried how our higher educational institutions are brainwashing our youth by infusing them with an alien sense of liberalism that ultimately will turn them against the U.S. It’s really hard to explain, but our conservative backlash started in the ’60s when university students led the anti-war movement. That, and the burgeoning middle-class defined the sexual revolution that the conservatives ultimately despise, and their wrath was born out with Reagan’s election in the ’80s.They see universities as bastions of liberalism, and thus not to be trusted. In truth, I firmly believe it has been their intention for years to instill this distrust in the American people to dumb down the population so we’ll all be willing consumers and rabble-rousers in their “permanent Republican majority,” a truly neo-fascist movement that sought one party rule and, ultimately, total control.In fact, there was a study that just came out saying that our brains are hardwired to lean more conservative or more liberal. They showed two groups disgusting pictures and evil things and gauged their reactions. Conservatives had a more noticeable reaction of nervousness and revulsion. Though it’s not in the study, I believe that many of them had never been exposed, or had limited exposure, to the true evils of the world, and thus the shocking images were new and unfamiliar, causing a greater reaction. Just my theory, though.Hope I helped.

blimey. yes, that helps – and is very, very interesting. albeit very worrying and disturbing, too . thank you!

@jumpy-that was inspiring!Got me all misty!!!NICELY DONE!!

@chantoozlehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wroj0FLvzsBob may have posted this already. Anyway, I saw it somewhere, but this video kinda sums up the base of the Republican party, despite the crazy lady’s claim she voted for Hillary.

BTW – when did “Liberal” become a dirty word in this country??

The right wing does the “hate” thing because that’s how they manipulate people.