Known By the Company You Keep
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:16pm Matt DiBari
Barack Obama’s total lack of experience or legislative accomplishment has forced him to run a very different kind of Presidential campaign, mainly using abstract concepts like hope and change. When he was finally pressed to campaign on something concrete, Senator Obama decided to campaign on his “judgment” which seems to begin and end with a speech he gave in 2002. But that’s not the point. Senator Obama has the Judgment to Lead! He even puts it on spiffy banners!
Now, you would think that if a candidate wants to run on his judgment, the thinks he says, does, lies about and the company he keeps would all be valid topics of discussion.
You’d be wrong, of course.
According to Team Hope, anything pertaining to Obama’s friends, pastor, lifestyle, wife, or even his own actions and comments have nothing to do with Barack Obama’s judgment. No, they are manufactured distractions, that distract from the real issues, which is apparently Barack Obama’s judgment that one time and not all the other times.
It makes no sense to me, and Theo Caldwell agrees.
The bumper-sticker slogan “dissent is patriotic” has for decades been employed to legitimize any insult to America, no matter how hateful or moronic. But Americans understand that their president’s instinct ought to be to defend the nation against unfair invective, not embrace those who purvey it — or, in the case of Ayers, seek to blow it up altogether.
With his demonstrable view of America, and considering his cohorts, Obama would be wise to make himself very comfortable in the Senate.
Barack Obama can continue to dismiss any criticism as a distraction. I certainly hope he does. When January comes around, he can stew over all these distractions with Michelle, Bill and Jeremiah while John McCain takes the Oath of Office.
Entry Filed under: Barack Obama, Campaign Issues, John McCain, Uncategorized
6 Comments
1. Diana Powe | April 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Would that be Senator John “Flip-Flop” McCain who does favors to enhance the business interests of multimillionaire landowners?
2. KMorrison | April 22nd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
There is so much that he says that doesn’t add up. Ayers hosted an event for him, but he says he barely knows him. He talks about the importance of his faith, but apparently attends church so infrequently that he is unaware of his pastor’s numerous controversial sermons. He talks of a new type of politics, while his campaign and supporters aggressively attack and make misleading statements about other candidates in a classic ‘old style’ political manner.
He apparently is running solely on his speech making skills, as judgement and experience are not holding water.
3. Matt DiBari | April 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Much like everything the New York Times has tried on McCain in the last two months, there’s nothing to it.
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/04/22/new-york-times-goes-after-mccain-again-with-similar-results/
4. Geoff | April 23rd, 2008 at 1:59 am
The New York Times: Refuge for liberals looking for something they’d like to hear.
5. Ed Miller | May 10th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I like one part of the quote: “But Americans understand that their president’s instinct ought to be to defend the nation against unfair invective, not embrace those who purvey it.”
Although it was used against Obama, I think it condemns the blog write, too. The blog is full of the unfair exaggerations, and snide terminology, the kind that helps keep our political processes so polarized.
I have taken the liberty of rewriting the post to lessen those polarizing elements. Parts I would remove are marked [….] and those I would add or substitute are indicated by . I think the point is the same, probably less vociferous, but certainly less divisive. (A clean version of the rewrite is below)
**************
Barack Obama’s [total] lack of experience [or] legislative accomplishment has forced him to run a very different kind of Presidential campaign, mainly using abstract concepts like hope and change. When he was [finally] pressed to campaign on something concrete, Senator Obama decided to campaign on his [“]judgment[”] which seems to [begin and end with] a speech he gave in 2002. But that’s not the point . Senator Obama has the Judgment to Lead! He even puts it on [spiffy] banners!
Now, you would think that if a candidate wants to run on his judgment, the thin[k]s he says, does, [lies about] and the company he keeps would all be valid topics of discussion.
You’d be wrong, of course.
According to [Team Hope] , anything pertaining to Obama’s friends, pastor, lifestyle, wife, or even his own actions and comments [have nothing to do with] Barack Obama’s judgment . No, they are {manufactured] distractions[, that distract] from the real issue[s, which is
apparently] Barack Obama’s judgment that one [time] and [not] all the other times.
It makes no sense to me, and Theo Caldwell agrees. (quote not repeated)
Barack Obama can continue to dismiss [any] criticism as a distraction. I certainly hope he does. When January comes around, [he can stew over all these distractions with Michelle, Bill and Jeremiah] while John McCain takes the Oath of Office
*************
Now rewritten without the distracting brackets:
Barack Obama’s relative lack of experience and minimal legislative accomplishment has forced him to run a very different kind of Presidential campaign, mainly using abstract concepts like hope and change. When he was pressed to campaign on something concrete, Senator Obama decided to campaign on his judgment, which seems to be mostly based on a speech he gave in 2002. But that’s not the point according to his supporters. Senator Obama has the Judgment to Lead! He even puts it on his campaign banners!
Now, you would think that if a candidate wants to run on his judgment, the things he says and does, the truth of his statements, and the company he keeps would all be valid topics of discussion.
You’d be wrong, of course.
According to Obama’s staff, anything pertaining to Obama’s friends, pastor, lifestyle, wife, or even his own actions and comments are irrelevant to Barack Obama’s judgment with respect to the larger issues. No, they are distractions from the real issue, how Barack Obama’s judgment will be applied to the big important challenges.. From my perspective, it was just that one instance and he doesn’t want us to look at all the other times.
It makes no sense to me, and Theo Caldwell agrees. (quote not repeated)
Barack Obama can continue to dismiss criticism of his associations and comments as a distraction. I certainly hope he does. The electorate may not agree. When January comes around, he can consider their importance again while John McCain takes the Oath of Office
*************
Let’s all talk about our opponents with respect and avoid exaggerations and snide terminology. Let’s make this a different kind of election season!
talknice08 at yahoo dot com
6. Matt DiBari | May 24th, 2008 at 10:37 am
I’m more than comfortable in saying that I have shown the Obama Campaign as much respect as they show anyone else, whether it be the senile old man losing his bearings, the claw bearing, china throwing monster, or the guntoting, church going morons.