REDEFINING Obama

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2004
REDEFINING Obama
5
Fri, 09-12-2008 - 10:00am

Senator Obama has a serious problem:  Who is he?


Having written two autobiographies about himself, this problem must come as a bit of surprise to him and his campaign.  However, the problem with autobiographies that are "loosely based on the facts" is that - eventually - in a political campaign, questions get asked and vetting is done, whether the mainstream media likes it or not.


"Community Organizer" - was an attractive identity for awhile BUT most mothers fulfill all the criteria of being a community organizer AND Obama could point to no significant accomplishments in that area.  Check.


"Harvard Lawyer" - was an attractive identity for awhile BUT then we learn that one of Obama's largest clients was Bill Ayers - bombing terrorist extraordinaire - who hired him to head the Anneneberg project AND Obama would rather not draw attention to that.  Check.


"Change" - sounds good BUT what has Obama ever changed?  Check.


"Reformer - hard to pull off when you have been a loyal foot soldier in the Daley machine and actively accepted the benefits of associating with the corrupt (see Rezco).  Check.


"Uniter" - well, that's pretty difficult on racial issues when your self-proclaimed spiritual mentor of twenty years is a racist/even more difficult on gender issues when you have a history of repeatedly betraying women politicians (Alice Palmer & Hillary) for starts/similarly difficult on generational issues when you have repeatedly attacked McCain re age.  Check


What does that leave?  What can he be?   He needs a good Hollywood script writer (the stage designer for his acceptance speech didn't turn out too well) BUT he has lots of Hollywood friends.   We'll see!


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2001
In reply to: galanie
Fri, 09-12-2008 - 11:17am
Well, one can only "redefine" onself so often before none of the "redefinitions" seem genuine!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
In reply to: galanie
Fri, 09-12-2008 - 11:41am
You mean like when a five-term senator and noted Bush-hugger with a lobbyist-laden staff tries to redefine himself as an agent of change for whom a maverick spirit is suddenly more important than experience as a qualification for being an aged heartbeat away from the
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2001
In reply to: galanie
Fri, 09-12-2008 - 1:30pm

No, I meant like a "community organizer" who left the community he organized with condemned housing while Obama's developer friend/campaign contributor lined his pockets with federal funds intended "for the poor".


I also meant like the "reformer" who worked within the Chicago Democratic machine for years and NEVER initiated a single reform - he did, however, get political plum jobs for his wife, help from a convicted racketeer in buying his million dollar home, etc.


I also meant like the "new kind of politician" who chose as his "spiritual mentor" a racist and anti-Semite, went to a church that supported Farrakhan and never spoke out until political expediency forced him to.


I also meant like the politician who speaks about "peace" but aligns himself with a terrorist bomber.


I also meant like the world rock star traveler who had time to meet with everyone but wounded troops (no photo op available = no meeting).


Oh, also, like the candidate who is now soliciting the female vote but had no use for any woman who stood in the way of his political ambition:

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2008
In reply to: galanie
Fri, 09-12-2008 - 1:34pm

HA! Love it! Way to shoot straight, girl!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
In reply to: galanie
Sat, 09-13-2008 - 3:25pm

Huh . . . I didn't know you guys were allowed to ad lib.