Obama reminds me of Kerry, but only

[ProSense]

because they were elected to the Senate in their early 40s and were, at the time, known for being good speakers. (Biden became the fifth-youngest U.S. Senator in United States history at the age of 30)

Obama, at age 43 (Jan. 2005), sworn in as a U.S. Senator.
Excellent speaking skills, Kerry selected Obama to speak at the 2004 Democratic convention.

Kerry at age 42 (1985), sworn in as a U.S. Senator.
Excellent orator.

That's pretty much where the similarities end, and where I think experience counts. By the standards being applied to Obama today, Kerry would have been a first-rate presidential candidate after his first term in the Senate.

Obama prior to Senate:

Obama, age 35, is elected to to the Illinois State Senate in 1996.

In January 2003, named chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

Helped to author an Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit that provided benefits to lower-income families, worked for legislation that would support residents who could not afford health insurance, and helped pass bills to increase funding for AIDS prevention and care programs.

Obama first year in Senate:

On December 22, 2006, President Bush signed into law the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor. First-year record.


Kerry prior to Senate:

Kerry age 34 served as First Assistant DA, Mass, in 1977
Tried cases, winning convictions in a high-profile rape case and a murder. Played a role in administering the office of the district attorney by initiating the creation of special white-collar and organized crime units, creating programs to address the problems of rape and other crime victims and of witnesses, and managing trial calendars to reflect case priorities

At age 36 (1979), sets up a 90-person private law firm.
Becomes Lt. Governor of Mass at age 39. Kerry's interest in environmental protection led him to become heavily involved in the issue of acid rain. His work contributed to a National Governors Association resolution in 1984 that was a precursor to the 1990 amendments to the federal Clean Air Act.

Kerry first year in Senate:

In April 1985, Kerry and Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa traveled to Nicaragua and met the country's president, Daniel Ortega. Kerry launches investigations into BCCI under a Republican Administration in a Republican Congress in October 1985. The Kerry Committee BCCI report was a precursor to the Iran-Contra affair.

Info comes from Wikipedia and Senate sites.

[incapsulated]

1. hrm....

What is your point?

[Superman Returns]

2. I think you made a mistake w/Biden

you said he was elected to the Senate at 30 but the minimum age is 35.

[ProSense]

4. No he was 29, when he took office

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was first elected to the United States Senate in 1972 at the age of twenty-nine and is recognized as one of the nation’s most powerful and influential voices on foreign relations, terrorism, drug policy, and crime prevention.

link

[3waygeek]

7. Actually the minimum age for Senators

is 30. Biden's 30th birthday was 20 Nov 1972, between the election & his swearing-in. So he was of legal age when he became a Senator.

[Superman Returns]

8. ahhh yes, woops

President is 35, Senate is 30.

[Ninja Jordan]

3. Kerry is technically a good orator, but Obama is captivating.

Their oratory styles aren't very similar.

[karynnj]

6. Kerry is captivating and inspiring as well

for people who actually saw him.

[mtnsnake]

9. When Kerry speaks you're left scratching your head, saying "WTF?!?"

When Obama speaks, you just wanna say, "Wow".

[Colobo]

12. Absolutely

Obama has inspired me personally in a way a politician has never done it.

[Bucky]

13. Oh big deal. Kerry actually cured my insomnia!

:P

[karynnj]

15. To each his own,

Kerry inspired me - both when I was a young college student in 1971 and in 2004. More than any politician ever.

[blm]

34. Oratory can be inspiring, ACTIONS can be inspiring for others. I'm inspired by action, myself.

In my worldview, I find the courage and determination to undertake the dangerous investigating and exposing of serious government corruption inspiring to me.

[ray of light]

40. actions speak louder than words! And Kerry has def. tackled corruption!!!

That's half the 'problem'. It's not 'sexy' to talk about BCCI and the people in our government who undercut the investigation. It's actually quite difficult to understand the connections that Kerry was digging up and how they all interconnect.

It's similar to he people I've met who work in computer security. To me, it seems incredibly boring, but to them, the fascination is in putting on different mindsets, 'trying on the criminal mindset' and trying to attack things from that angle, etc... Boring to me. Exciting to them.

But regardless, extremely important work! And that's what Kerry has done and still represents. The tenacity to cling to details and trails and make connections. It's totally 'brain work' so it doesn't translate to pop-culture very easily.

[karynnj]

16. I always was amazed and impressed

with how Kerry was able to make connections that I never saw before seem easy to understand.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. I saw Kerry in person and that wasn't my perception

He was quite impressive.

So I'd imagine that if I were to see Obama in person I probably wouldn't know what to do with myself.

[Blue_In_AK]

26. Sorry, Obama hasn't captivated me yet...

I keep trying to give him a chance, but so far ... nothing.

[Ninja Jordan]

30. uh, ok

[blm]

5. When BFEE feels threatened by Obama, they'll create an all new storyline against

him, too. They have a network of operatives in the press who have been accomodating their storylines against certain Democrats for at least two decades now.

Though I'm not comfortable with Obama's inexperience, I'd prefer him over Hillary, as he will be further away from the establishment coverup Democrats than Hillary is.

The last thing this country needs is another Democratic administration willing to cover up for Bush2's crimes of office.

[mtnsnake]

10. Once you get past the fact that they're both males, most other resemblances end

...at least personality wise they end.

[AtomicKitten]

11. I LUV that Michelle Obama wears the pants in the family.

That makes Barack spankable.

[LittleClarkie]

20. In your humble opinion of course.

You mileage may vary.

[NYCGirl]

22. I think they're both tall, too. NT

[mtnsnake]

35. 'I'm John Kerry, & I was short before I decided to be against it."

:evilgrin:

[karynnj]

36. Might be one of the few Kerry things you said that is true

John Kerry did indeed start out as short. He even released pictures showing himself as a cute young boy, who in some pictures is - short. God, however, did not make him to stay short though. John Kerry himself had little say on this.

Having seen him in Boston. He is very very tall. (Very likely much taller than a certain jealous snake.)

[mtnsnake]

37. "John Kerry did indeed start out as short."

Wow, what a revelation THAT is. lol

[PresidentObama]

14. Kerry and Obama are both great Senators.

John Kerry is the better of the two, despite what anyone here wants to say about the very nationally inexperienced Obama. I love Senator Obama, and if Gore or Clark don't run he'll get my support. And I really love his position on the war, his star appeal, and overall the tone he adds to this debate. John Kerry simply is the better of the two, not just in Presidential politics but in general.

Oh, and if Obama wins the Presidency him and Kerry will both have shared one thing--they won their individual elections ;)

God damn, I really wish we had President Gore or President Kerry right now :(

[ripple]

18. Kerry's an orator who speaks to political intellectuals

Obama is an orator who speaks to all walks of life, from intellectuals to simpletons. He humbles intellectuals and inspires people who are otherwise uninspired. Kerry pleases intellectuals, yet he bores many people to tears...and even worse, apathy.

Both are honorable men who have hopeful and inspired visions for this nation, but only one of the two has the ability to touch and inspire the overwhelming majority of the population.

[karynnj]

19. How many times in the last month have you heard someone

on one of the talk shows quote - perfectly - a line issued almost 36 years ago by Senator Kerry.

Think of how little you actually heard Kerry speak in 2004 - the media very rarely heard extended parts of his speeches. I heard his Dissent speech in April 2006 and the Real Security one in September 2006. I have never seen crowds react as they did for those speeches - ever.

I liked Obama's convention speech and his announcement speech. In the SFRC, just speaking off the cuff or asking questions, Kerry is miles better.

[Awsi Dooger]

27. Kerry still hasn't finished sentences he began in 2004

Obama is just the opposite, like a guy with a big serve, a quick memorable lance accomplished with few words.

[ginnyinWI]

39. that's the whole problem with politics today

You have to be able to fit your whole ideology into a sound bite for TV news consumption! Where would John F. Kennedy be today, or other intellectual presidents? Politics has been so dumbed down that we get the likes of * who speaks exclusively in short, easy to digest statements. That they are comprised of false, misleading statements doesn't seem to matter. My head hurts! :banghead:

[loyalsister]

23. I agree

Obama weaves narratives with universal everyday language.
When it comes to national candidacy, I find that style preferrable to academic orations which have a more limited reach.

[Apollo11]

28. GORE - OBAMA 2008

Then Obama can run for the Presidency in 2016.

Let's all find ways to show our support for Al Gore! :patriot:

Read Rolling Stone magazine: WHY GORE SHOULD RUN -- AND HOW HE CAN WIN
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13248532/why_gore_should_run__and_how_he_can_win

Get ready for Al Gore's next book - The Assault on Reason - out in May!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600877.html

Visit the following websites:
www.algore.com
www.algore.org
www.draftgore.com - Sign the petition! :)

:kick:

[TayTay]

31. Sen. Obama has some rhetorical gifts.

I saw him speak at the Take Back America conference last year in June. He is blessed with a great speaking voice and a natural gift for understanding emphasis and the cadences of speech. However, five minutes after that speech was over, I had a hard time remembering what it was about. The content of the actual speech was not memorable. (I think it had something to do with people getting along with each other. This is about as bland a topic as I can think of and really left no deep and lasting impression.)

Sen. Obama is still new on the national stage and still new to giving speeches to a national audience. He has tremendous potential and talent and I think he will grow into this role more as the marathon of the primaries continue. I think that he will get better as soon as he finds his stride on the issues. Right now, I would give him high marks on style, but a C on content.

[politicasista]

21. Interesting also...

From Rolling Stone Magazine:

And there is the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a sprawling, profane bear of a preacher, a kind of black ministerial institution, with his own radio shows and guest preaching gigs across the country. Wright takes the pulpit here one Sunday and solemnly, sonorously declares that he will recite ten essential facts about the United States. "Fact number one: We've got more black men in prison than there are in college," he intones. "Fact number two: Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run!" There is thumping applause; Wright has a cadence and power that make Obama sound like John Kerry.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13390609/campaign_08_the_radical_roots_of_barack_obama/print

[Adelante]

24. Oh, that is interesting

I haven't heard Obama speak. I did hear Kerry speak once in Brooklyn to a black audience and the audience loved him. It was a very large crowd, a long speech and he had them every minute of it. I think he's great as a speaker, but I didn't realize he was until I was hearing him in person.

[LittleClarkie]

25. That's probably what it takes

seeing him in person.

I also like it when he's angry. He's so pithy then.

[karynnj]

29. Years from now,

I suspect some scholar will compare the full CSPAN archieved Kerry speesches of Fall 2004 to the archieved "news" reports. The media filter had a huge impact. Throughout the fall, I would watch a CSPAN speech, full of energy, exuberance and hope - only to see lackluster coverage. ie Candy Crowley on CNN speaking of where Kerry was, then some comments on his topic and complaints that he criticized the Dear Leader. Then cut to Kerry for less than a minute. The camera shots were interesting and contrived to not show the huge crowds. But those people were there. Think what the impact would have been with decent coverage.

[Bullet1987]

32. You're right...

I think they're both tall, too.

You're right. I know for sure Michelle Obama is 5'10" and that's definently tall for a female!! And Obama is slightly taller than her, so he has to be at least 6'0.

[Mass]

33. To each his favorite speaker.

This part has to be the most stupid part of this thread. Some will prefer Obama, other Kerry, other will like both. Not sure there is a point.

I like both Obama and Kerry (in oratory skills and for other reasons). I think part of what attracts me in both men is that they both have a different vision of the future of the country and an understanding that it is deeply linked with the future of the rest of the the world. They both understand other cultures and have had a chance to have a direct knowledge of them, Kerry with his kind of European upbringing, with his time in Asia etc, Obama with his childhood in Indonesia, his father's family in Africa.

This is no surprise that the far right both bashed them on their "foreign" upbringing. They know that a president who understand that the rest of the world exist for something else than the enrichment of the USA is going to change America profoundly, just as FDR and Kennedy did.

[ProSense]

38. Yeah, to each his/her favorite speaker,

which is why the thread title is my opinion:

Obama reminds me of Kerry, but only because they were elected to the Senate in their early 40s and were, at the time, known for being good speakers.

Still, the emphasis in the OP is on experience, which no one has yet to mention in the comments.

[Unbowed]

41. If only I'd found this thread earlier.

I'd recommend. But as it is, all I can do is

:kick:

Very interesting post.