2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumCome on, be honest, how many laughed out loud as I did when they heard a Black man named
Barack Hussein Obama was running for president?
How many of us laughed at the thought that this rabidly racist society could elect such a man?
They are now saying the same about an old Jewish fella with goofy hair and worse yet, calls himself a Socialist.
No way, right?
NEVER say never!
monmouth4
(9,663 posts)immediately how very special he was. I knew he would go very far, just had no idea how far that would be. I hope Elizabeth speaks at our next one..
randys1
(16,286 posts)rabidly, viciously racist society having any shot at electing him.
I was wrong.
gordyfl
(598 posts)I remember first hearing about Barack Obama just days before he spoke at the Democratic Convention. He was still a Senator, but only a State Senator. I had recorded that speech on my old VHS. That's when I first actually saw him. I had saved that tape for a number of years. Then one day I couldn't find it.
What I do remember about that speech? They had a "sound applause meter". Barack Obama scored the highest - even higher than Bill Clinton when he spoke.
When he ran in 2008 Primary, in the beginning I didn't think he had a chance at winning.
He and Hillary had so many debates. Twenty-four I think it was. Hillary was a pro. He was new to national politics, yet he held his own in the debates, no matter what Hillary threw at him. He took the election very seriously. He was well prepared at each event. Each interview. I was impressed. Still, I was a bit surprised that he beat Hillary. After watching the Democratic Primary, I was not surprised he went on to win the general election.
MadDAsHell
(2,067 posts)You call this a rabidly, viciously racist society, and yet President Obama didn't just get elected, he won by nearly 15 million votes in his 2 elections. It ain't like he barely squeaked by.
And this isn't even counting his previous electoral history; he and his African-American opponent Alan Keyes gathered a combined 97% of the vote in the 2004 Senate election, from a state that is less than 15% African-American.
What exactly are you saying?
Hiraeth
(4,805 posts)roguevalley
(40,656 posts)the first person to do something always gets slammed.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)because I went to a watch party and wanted to really listen to the speeches.
I was blown away by Obama. I passed the tape around to some friends and told them he would be president someday.
I was stunned by how soon he ran. I can remember talking with friends about how cool it would be to elect someone named Barack Hussein Obama.
randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]Aspire to inspire.[/center][/font][hr]
MeNMyVolt
(1,095 posts)I was good friends with the cousin of his competitor in the '04 Senate race, and I said "there is no way this state elects a Barack Hussein-whatever".
Actually, his Senatorial election ended my friendship with that person. They took it that hard.
Nice post Randy.
RandySF
(57,606 posts)MeNMyVolt
(1,095 posts)Lot of inter-party fighting going on. The Dan Hines people, my friend being one, took it very badly.
randys1
(16,286 posts)than Barack later
And like I have said over and over, you show me, or fivethirtyeight shows me next spring which of our two main candidates has the best chance of winning, and whether that is Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley or Donald god damn Duck, and that is who I am voting for in the primary.
MeNMyVolt
(1,095 posts)You really make me smile sometimes. Right there with ya.
RandySF
(57,606 posts)He was already nationally well-regarded after speaking at the 2004 DEMOCRATIC National Convention and campaigning for Democrats across the country in 2006. I signed up and contributed as soon as he announced for POTUS in 2007. All this while someone called it hypocritical to join the party after decades as an independent.
randys1
(16,286 posts)we knew this country was all about, and how racist it was.
7962
(11,841 posts)Apparently you were wrong. And it wasnt even close. Sure, they're out there, but not nearly in the number you think.
And if he could run a 3rd time, he'd win AGAIN!! (Boy, would Hillary be pissed.......)
Enrique
(27,461 posts)CTyankee
(63,768 posts)I was fine and I was proud.
unblock
(51,974 posts)shrub was such a disaster that many know that another republican was simply *not* going to win in 2008.
this influence a lot of things, such as the massive money that poured into the democratic primary, because that was the only race that mattered. it effectively became *that* presidential election; the general became little more than a formality. it also helped determine how mclame became the republican nominee, and uninspiring figure who won largely on the "it's my turn" train and because other, perhaps more serious candidates, sat it out, having no great desire to win the nomination only to lose the general.
such situations come around very, rarely, and 2016 is not remotely one of those situations. the general this time is very much in play.
that's not to say sanders can't win, but it is saying that 2008 is not at all a useful comparison.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)the crap about his entire family, education, and ... yes ... going to make us all worship at mosques. And he handled it all with the grace and personal presence beyond my imagination...even when they attacked his wife and daughters.
And yes, Bernie's time will come. Different issues, different styles. We'll also get rehashes of HRC, too. I've already seen some of it, but PBO is a case in point that not being well known does not preclude a successful campaign and residing in the White House.
brooklynite
(93,842 posts)As for the comparison to Bernie Sanders:
Obama didn't claim to be anything other than a mainstream Democrat.
Obama raised huge anounts of money to compete with the Republicans and wasn't opposed to reaching out to derp-pockets supports (like me)
Obama had (understandably) huge suport from Black Democrats
Obama had a fair amount of establishment politicsl support
840high
(17,196 posts)JunkyardAngel83
(72 posts)Downwinder
(12,869 posts)that is not a laughing matter.
R B Garr
(16,919 posts)convention, it was obvious he was a young serious-minded rising STAR. Seriously, you need to go back and listen to that speech. It's on YouTube.
Sanders just looks like an opportunist. He's had a lifetime in politics but never made the efforts to be a leader. He just takes what comes his way and complains. He never blazed his own path like Bill Clinton or Obama have done. Now he even wants Trump's tea baggers. He's an opportunist.
reACTIONary
(5,749 posts)... they would vote for an African American....
In June of this year, only 47% said the would vote for a socialist. Even an Athiest does better at 58%!
AZ Progressive
(3,411 posts)Sanders is not someone that wants to change America's economy from capitalism to socialism, rather he is much more of a social democrat.
#2: Many of those that won't vote are Republicans and right leaning independents
#3: Many of those are older voters
#4: That assumes that a good candidate that is a socialist cannot persuade people to change their mind, which is totally ignorant of the real world.
reACTIONary
(5,749 posts)....losing. and bernie will be forced to explain the various socialist sects over and over and where and why he fits in. And all the voters will hear over and over is socialism , socilism , socialism.
If bernie isn't a real socialist he should never have called himself one. Too late now.
7962
(11,841 posts)I get so tired of hearing about how half the country is a damn racist. Hell, in the runup to '96, Colin Powell was one of the favorites for the GOP nomination!! Had he run, I think he would have taken it too. Maybe even in 2000.
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)I wanted him to be president ever since I first met him in 2003, and I told him so in 2004.
MeNMyVolt
(1,095 posts)randys1
(16,286 posts)that the USA has TENS of MILLIONS of RABIDLY racist vicious motherfuckers
TENS of MILLIONS
did I say Tens of Millions?
Every time I say this it pisses off those viciously racist motherfuckers
one_voice
(20,043 posts)k&r.
Uncle Joe
(58,107 posts)Thanks for the thread, randys.
WillyT
(72,631 posts)redstateblues
(10,565 posts)I heard his vision for America. Bernie does not move me at all. Just doesn't. I'd love to feel that way again. Maybe someday. Til then I think Hillary will be a good President
reACTIONary
(5,749 posts).... my bro sent me a u tube outtake man in the street interview conducted at an Obama rally. But it was with a teenager, an young African American about 16 or so. Like any kid, he wasn't dressed to be presentable and you could tell from the way he was approached that the interviewer was just looking for an easy target, hoping to get some pablam about hope and change when he asked why he supported Obama.
The kid came back with a straight up policy answer concerning Obama's heath care position. The news guy seemed a bit suprised but played it straight and followed up with the observation that Obama wasn't being very specific about what he would propose. The kid pointed out that this was a strength because whatever was voted on had to have strong legislative support and it was best to set goals and standards and then work with the legislature to craft the details. The news guy gave up at that point, since he wasn't going to get the goofy hope and dream response he was looking for.
I was impessed and started following Obama more closely .
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)I was surprised anyone else thought it was weird.
randys1
(16,286 posts)Given there are tens of millions of rabidly vicious racist motherfucker assholes here
etc
It REALLY pisses of CERTAIN people when I state the FACT that there are TENS of MILLIONS of rabidly racist vicious motherfuckers in this country...so I like to say it over and over and over
BeyondGeography
(39,278 posts)So were a lot of people.
We were right.
BlueCheese
(2,522 posts)And I don't laugh at Sanders, either. Or Clinton, for that matter.
redstateblues
(10,565 posts)randys1
(16,286 posts)The point of my post, which seemed to be missed by many, is that ANYTHING is possible as to even Bernie can be elected.
There are many saying he cant win, I disagree.
BlueCheese
(2,522 posts)Why would anyone have?
randys1
(16,286 posts)dislike or even hate anyone with a different sounding name and of course if they are not white and male.
Add to that the fact that the GOP steals 5% of the vote before the election is held.
BlueCheese
(2,522 posts)But they already mostly vote Republican, so it's not like Obama would have done worse than any other Democrat against them.
Also, Colin Powell had been talked up quite a bit in earlier years.
It's actually pretty amazing the number of demographic breakthroughs that have been occurring of late. It almost went unnoticed that Mitt Romney was the first non-mainstream Christian on a major party ticket.
Chitown Kev
(2,197 posts)whispers about the possibility of Obama become POTUS at some point came as early as the late 1990's from my POV.
Totally an unsurprising thing to me.
randys1
(16,286 posts)about 52% of us are not so racist that we will elect him, with the other 48% dead set against him solely due to skin color.
I am getting a kick out of certain folks around here with their hurt feelings that I keep calling America racist.
cali
(114,904 posts)made it clear he was a huge force and a rare political superstar