Obama tells 7-year-old America not so great

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

All Limbaugh laughs aside (the guy's a walking hypocrite joke.. would make a good pastor), Obama's clearly a politician, so making political points out of his ### is his MO.

However, what he said was:

"America is no longer what it could be.. what it once was".

And he's right. This country has sunk and isn't what it could be. The U.S. has been in dire straits economically, losing ground to other countries, and the shitty foreign policy the Bush Administration employed is a failure, making the country no more "safe" than it was pre-9/11.

A President doesn't need a flag jammed up his ### every time he/she speaks.

huh? We haven't had another 9/11 type attack since 9/11. I guess the KKK or the IRA are afraid of us.

Hmmm... we didn't have one before either - so that doesn't really mean a hill of beans.

The first attack on the World Trade Center, which was intended to be as devastating as 9/11, was in 1993...

Sure. But these incidents separate enough in years to not really say anything conclusive about our current state of national security or the performance of the administration in improving things.

As SRVT noted earlier about the debacle over port security - and indeed anyone who commutes via mass transit (i.e. Port Authority Bus Terminal, Penn Station etc) can see first hand that its next to impossible to stop someone doing something if they were so inclined. Again it says next to nothing about our allegedly improved standards safety or security.

Can the administration honestly claim that the country is "safer". I rather doubt it.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

He could have said, "I'm running for President because I want to help improve (change) America." That way it's a positive "I" statement instead of a negative statement and the opposing sides media wouldn't jump all over it.

From what I've seen the whole campaign is one to two words, "change" and "hope". I don't think that people are really taking the time to think about all the things, positive and negative, that those two words mean.

QFT. Anyone know what Obama would change? I sure as hell don't.

In fact, the "change" mantra was done in 2004 and 2006. Democrats were given the chance to "change" things in 2007-2009 and thusfar they've changed #######. So they need to come up with things a bit more constructive. The only thing they have going for them is the fact that the Republican ideas suck badly.

It's a bloody campaign slogan...Obama didn't invent slogans nor did he invent the theme of change (see Clinton '92). As for what that change could mean - for one you could start with a change from the current administration's policies. That'd be a pretty dramatic change alone.

The problem with Slogans can be seen quite clearly in the whole "flip-flop" fiasco in '04, with all those people clapping plastic flip-flops together - surely the height of infantilism.

Generally speaking there isn't anything wrong with slogans as general mission statements, but I do think in this case that there's a real danger of them obscuring Obama's policy ideas. To some extent this does seem to have been borne out in recent poll data - and Obama doesn't seem to be doing as well among independents as perhaps he should be - given how much damage the current lot has done to the prestige of the Republican party.

Indeed some of this seems to be have been borne out in recent poll data.

If Obama were merely going around and making his slogan into a speech then I would agree, but he's not doing that. GW Bush would often repeat his slogan of being a compassionate conservative throughout his town hall style talks and I don't remember him getting the kind of flak that Obama has received for his slogan. Take any one of his speeches and he defines what he aspires to change should he be elected...and it's worth pointing out that every candidate advocates their own political agenda which is a change so, yes, the slogan is a bit redundant but nevertheless the most appropriate theme under our current situation when over 75 percent of the population thinks this country is going in the wrong direction.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Jabberwocky

[Peikko 1,575]

QFT. Anyone know what Obama would change? I sure as hell don't.

i'm afraid to find out. i'm in fear for my wallet.

Of all the things you could fear from a Democrat in general and a Barack Obama in particular, how wallets of people of your income bracket will fair under such a scenario is the least plausible. There is a good to excellent chance that you would be better off, not only in terms of being taxed less but also in terms of having a cheaper more workable health care system.

When you become a company owner or have an income in the 1 million plus bracket, then you might be in fear of Dems tax plans.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Purple_Hibiscus

[HAL 9000 96]

QFT. Anyone know what Obama would change? I sure as hell don't.

i'm afraid to find out. i'm in fear for my wallet.

Of all the things you could fear from a Democrat in general and a Barack Obama in particular, how people in your income bracket will fair under such a scenario is the least plausible. There is a good to excellent chance that you would be better off, not only in terms of being taxed less but also in terms of having a cheaper more workable health care system.

When you become a company owner or have an income in the 1 million plus bracket, then you might be in fear of Dems tax plans.

The whole fear business... is what unfortunately Republicans are pretty good at.

I equate it with a little more financial reality: the rich get taxed at most an extra dollar per $100 they hoard. The poor get taxed pennies less per $1 they earn. The rich stay rich and the poor not so poor.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

He could have said, "I'm running for President because I want to help improve (change) America." That way it's a positive "I" statement instead of a negative statement and the opposing sides media wouldn't jump all over it.

From what I've seen the whole campaign is one to two words, "change" and "hope". I don't think that people are really taking the time to think about all the things, positive and negative, that those two words mean.

QFT. Anyone know what Obama would change? I sure as hell don't.

In fact, the "change" mantra was done in 2004 and 2006. Democrats were given the chance to "change" things in 2007-2009 and thusfar they've changed #######. So they need to come up with things a bit more constructive. The only thing they have going for them is the fact that the Republican ideas suck badly.

It's a bloody campaign slogan...Obama didn't invent slogans nor did he invent the theme of change (see Clinton '92). As for what that change could mean - for one you could start with a change from the current administration's policies. That'd be a pretty dramatic change alone.

The problem with Slogans can be seen quite clearly in the whole "flip-flop" fiasco in '04, with all those people clapping plastic flip-flops together - surely the height of infantilism.

Generally speaking there isn't anything wrong with slogans as general mission statements, but I do think in this case that there's a real danger of them obscuring Obama's policy ideas. To some extent this does seem to have been borne out in recent poll data - and Obama doesn't seem to be doing as well among independents as perhaps he should be - given how much damage the current lot has done to the prestige of the Republican party.

Indeed some of this seems to be have been borne out in recent poll data.

If Obama were merely going around and making his slogan into a speech then I would agree, but he's not doing that. GW Bush would often repeat his slogan of being a compassionate conservative throughout his town hall style talks and I don't remember him getting the kind of flak that Obama has received for his slogan. Take any one of his speeches and he defines what he aspires to change should he be elected...and it's worth pointing out that every candidate advocates their own political agenda which is a change so, yes, the slogan is a bit redundant but nevertheless the most appropriate theme under our current situation when over 75 percent of the population thinks this country is going in the wrong direction.

I dunno - I can't claim to have heard all of his speeches, but the ones I have heard that does seem to be what he's done. Granted he's (a lot) more articulate than Dubya - its still more or less the same thing.

I don't disagree with your assertion about the country going in the wrong direction - but again, this being the case it seems to me that Obama should be doing much better than he currently is. Smear tactics aside I think it is a problem and I'm afraid I do have a sneaking suspicion that we'll be seeing another marginal Republican victory.

[Ban Hammer 13,340]

QFT. Anyone know what Obama would change? I sure as hell don't.

i'm afraid to find out. i'm in fear for my wallet.

Of all the things you could fear from a Democrat in general and a Barack Obama in particular, how wallets of people of your income bracket will fair under such a scenario is the least plausible. There is a good to excellent chance that you would be better off, not only in terms of being taxed less but also in terms of having a cheaper more workable health care system.

When you become a company owner or have an income in the 1 million plus bracket, then you might be in fear of Dems tax plans.

so you say. amt is still on the books.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

All Limbaugh laughs aside (the guy's a walking hypocrite joke.. would make a good pastor), Obama's clearly a politician, so making political points out of his ### is his MO.

However, what he said was:

"America is no longer what it could be.. what it once was".

And he's right. This country has sunk and isn't what it could be. The U.S. has been in dire straits economically, losing ground to other countries, and the shitty foreign policy the Bush Administration employed is a failure, making the country no more "safe" than it was pre-9/11.

A President doesn't need a flag jammed up his ### every time he/she speaks.

huh? We haven't had another 9/11 type attack since 9/11. I guess the KKK or the IRA are afraid of us.

Hmmm... we didn't have one before either - so that doesn't really mean a hill of beans.

WTC 1993...... failed attempt. But they sure did try. Learn your history.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

All Limbaugh laughs aside (the guy's a walking hypocrite joke.. would make a good pastor), Obama's clearly a politician, so making political points out of his ### is his MO.

However, what he said was:

"America is no longer what it could be.. what it once was".

And he's right. This country has sunk and isn't what it could be. The U.S. has been in dire straits economically, losing ground to other countries, and the shitty foreign policy the Bush Administration employed is a failure, making the country no more "safe" than it was pre-9/11.

A President doesn't need a flag jammed up his ### every time he/she speaks.

huh? We haven't had another 9/11 type attack since 9/11. I guess the KKK or the IRA are afraid of us.

Hmmm... we didn't have one before either - so that doesn't really mean a hill of beans.

WTC 1993...... failed attempt. But they sure did try. Learn your history.

Yes I know. And I already covered that above.

Simply repeating it doesn't make your previous statement any less meaningless.

[rclouse 0]

huh? We haven't had another 9/11 type attack since 9/11. I guess the KKK or the IRA are afraid of us.

I have a rock that keeps tigers away.

Have you seen any tigers recently?

My rock must be working.

[Jenn! 918]

huh? We haven't had another 9/11 type attack since 9/11. I guess the KKK or the IRA are afraid of us.

I have a rock that keeps tigers away.

Have you seen any tigers recently?

My rock must be working.

I think we need a Venn Diagram.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

No one dare question the Messiah!!! (PBUH)

[HAL 9000 96]

Blind allegiance is a problem.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

huh? We haven't had another 9/11 type attack since 9/11. I guess the KKK or the IRA are afraid of us.

I have a rock that keeps tigers away.

Have you seen any tigers recently?

My rock must be working.

[Ggreen 12]

Obama said the truth, the truth hurts..common sense.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

huh? We haven't had another 9/11 type attack since 9/11. I guess the KKK or the IRA are afraid of us.

I have a rock that keeps tigers away.

Have you seen any tigers recently?

My rock must be working.

I think we need a Venn Diagram.

Undoubtedly.