Strongest case to date for Obama
From David Brooks December Column in NY Times:
The Clinton Obama Issue, Dec 18
If Clinton were running against Obama for Senate, it would be easy to choose between them. But they are running for president, and the presidency requires a different set of qualities. Presidents are buffeted by sycophancy, criticism and betrayal. They must improvise amid a thousand fluid crises. They’re isolated and also exposed, puffed up on the outside and hollowed out within. With the presidency, character and self-knowledge matter more than even experience. There are reasons to think that, among Democrats, Obama is better prepared for this madness.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/opinion/18brooks.html
The Clinton Obama Issue, Dec 18
If Clinton were running against Obama for Senate, it would be easy to choose between them. But they are running for president, and the presidency requires a different set of qualities. Presidents are buffeted by sycophancy, criticism and betrayal. They must improvise amid a thousand fluid crises. They’re isolated and also exposed, puffed up on the outside and hollowed out within. With the presidency, character and self-knowledge matter more than even experience. There are reasons to think that, among Democrats, Obama is better prepared for this madness.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/opinion/18brooks.html
posted by foxofbama | 3:11 PM
7 Comments:
Ok, we know what David Brooks thinks. Is this your stand as well? Seems to me that if anyone knows what the sturm and drang are in the White House it would be someone who had been there? What do you think?
"Hillary Clinton has been a much better senator than Barack Obama. She has been a serious, substantive lawmaker who has worked effectively across party lines. Obama has some accomplishments under his belt, but many of his colleagues believe that he has not bothered to master the intricacies of legislation or the maze of Senate rules. He talks about independence, but he has never quite bucked liberal orthodoxy or party discipline.
I read the entire link you provided in your original post-I found it both highly informative and interesting.You are talking about a subject that I myself have some reservations about-I included the above excerpt from your link so that I can get your opinion about it-Senator Obama may feel that he is qualified to be President of our illustrious country but,how can someone who hasn't served a full term in the senate feel that he is capable of being president-Please give me your thoughts on this topic-I am not as informed as some people are and I would greatly appreciate the opinion of someone who knows more than me-
Thank you!
Finally getting some legitimate comments on my blog and I am grateful.
Bill Moyers endorses OBama. Moyers was LBJ's speechwriter and certainly knows the worth of both MLKing and LBJ in effecting the Civil Rights Laws; a point that has gotten Hillary in a lot of hot water in South Carolina last few days if the chat at TNR.com today is of any value.
I have always had a lot of respect for Tom Daschle as well. He is on the OBama team.
I have reservations about ObAma and would feel much better if he could announce his Cabinet tomorrow, so we could see if his Judgment is as good as advertised.
But that has grave political landmines embedded in it.
Like the Great Chapter in the bio of LBJ, Master of the Senate; let Hillary make her Mark there. Let's hope she has the humility to Help OBama struggle through these perilous times and that could add to what I on the whole at this moment consider her and Bill's very positive Legacy.
As James Carville has said, what was so bad about the 90's?
"The Peace or The Prosperity?"
I'm not sure if the Country will rise to the Promise of either ObAma or Hillary. The electability thing had me leaning toward Biden.
But he is no longer with us.
Let us Hope the Country will be worthy of the Promise of an Obama Administration.
Looks like the 20 somethings are becoming believers in all the Best of the American Promise.
In itself that is quite inspiring about Obama
Time for some of us to Get Out of Their Way, Hold Our Breath, and Wish Them Well.
"Obama also has powers of observation that may mitigate his own inexperience and the isolating pressures of the White House. In his famous essay, “Political Judgment,” Isaiah Berlin writes that wise leaders don’t think abstractly. They use powers of close observation to integrate the vast shifting amalgam of data that constitute their own particular situation — their own and no other."
First off-let me thank you for replying to my post on your blog- I feel that your blog is one of the most politically informative ones that I've seen so far-Keep up the good work!
In the above excerpt from the Brooks editorial Mr.Brooks states that Obama has powers of observation that may mitigate his own inexperience-In your opinion what possible life experiences has Obama lived through that Mr.Brooks could be refering to?
Commenter 4:
Fair Question that is above my pay grade at the moment to do justice to in reply.
In meantime Bill Moyers Journal conversation with Shelby Steele last night on PBS is easily googled up and in 18 hours has 142 comments.
I haven't been able to bring up the comments yet but hope to explore them next week.
I have a lot of mockers and jesters who frequent my blog; but if you are indeed not one of them and sincere, thanks for the kind words.
Stephen Fox
"I went through a majority of the comments in this section. I am surprised at the sudden appearance of a large number of amateur psychoanalysts. Especially blacks that are criticizing Meyers and Mr. Steele need to wake up to the realities of this society. I am in my seventies and have been an ardent observer of the American political scene for the past 60+years. I agree with Mr. Steele in his analysis and I am a bit surprised at his intellectual honesty that is causing so many blacks to complain. Wake up you guys.
Steele happens to be honest and capable of expressing himself very well.
The Jim crows of this society are financially and politically successful and that does not change the deep and pervasive bigotry of this society.
Obama is a “bargainer” and wears his “mask” very well. If the blacks on this comment section think that the white trash of this society will ever vote for a fake black man in a secret ballot, they need to change their medication."
Thanks for the heads up notice of the Moyers interview with Shelby Steele-I got the above piece from Moyers web site(under the comments section).It will be well worth your time to scan through the comments that have been posted-most of what I read was quite interesting and informative-We as a society would do well to networks such as PBS instead CNN -we tend to get more unbiased reporting from them-
What do you think?
Again-thanks for your insights into the various political issues of the day-
Keep it coming!
Fox: I have to tell ya, I'm getting very, very cynical. Three years ago I still believed that we had some honest politicians who were really trying to do the right thing. After what has happened to me over the last three years, I no longer believe that. They are after power, money, glory & self-preservation. They will step on anyone; say anything; disregard fact; walk all over principles; & will even implement clearly anti-Constitutional legislation if it means staying in power a little bit longer. That is nation, state & local. I'm sick of the whole lot of 'em.
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