Obama and the bigger picture.

[Whisp]

I just 'stumbled' into supporting him, after my guy was taken out early in the game (Kooch, I love you still). My initial impressions of Obama were not good - I didn't think he had a message - he was a talented speaker, but left out too much meat for my taste. As for Hillary, I knew her message and I didn't like it then when she sided with bushthings more than demthings and don't like it now.

But now I'm thinking that was a very smart strategy of his.

Fly under the radar, look unthreatening, (maybe he was even faking his not so good 'debating' skills at the start) and meanwhile have a coup de gras Plan. Creep up slowly and when his popularity peaked enough to take some earnest coin in the primaries, it was too late for Hillary. He snuck up on her in cover of her false and large inevitable shadow. by the time she noticed, it was too late.

Man, that's textbook study worthy, how he has worked his campaign. Brilliant.

But what i admire about him most is his ability to gather people and work from the ground. Not only for volunteering for his run, but in making people feel involved, making them take notice and part of lower tier politics and jump in the political game. that will be his greatest gift to us all.

Along this sleeper line, I like to believe that his policies may turn out to be more progressive than he lets on. As is said, there is not all that much difference, on paper, between him and Hillary. Maybe that's another under the radar strategy - once he gets in, he may just be more progressive than he lets on.

If this was a horserace Hillary is the sprinter, giving all she has unpaced for a short track to Super Tuesday, and he is the seasoned long distance runner.

[Whisp]

1. kick

[Whisp]

2. kickers.

maybe I should edit the title to something inflammatory. :D

[JimGinPA]

3. Thoughtful Threads Do Seem To Sink Quickly...

It's more fun for a lot of people here to trash their opponents candidate than to actually think.


K&R

[Whisp]

8. thanks. nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Agree all the way.

I was undecided before the primaries except I knew I didn't like Clinton. Obama won Iowa, figured I'd support him as the best alternative to Clinton. The more I see of him the more I like him. I use to want Gore to enter the race, now I'm thinking Obama is just as liberal as Gore, and has more charisma.

[Whisp]

5. maybe Hillary's frantic flailing...

is not only for her own personal ambitions, but the powers that be that have invested heavily in the 1 party system are putting big pressure on her to Stop This Awakening Rabble at All Costs!

[butterfly77]

6. I think both of their policies will be the same...

with little differences hear and there..

[Whisp]

7. you may be right as there are no guarantees

but what I find different and refreshing is that people are getting involved and recognizing the power that is within them.
Even if Obama dropped out today, many will not be giving up what he has shown them that they own.

[yellerpup]

9. He is impressive.

Campaign, speeches, ideas, and all. Can't look at him without hoping.

[Colobo]

10. What a great post!

[democrattotheend]

11. Great points

To me, one of the biggest differences between Clinton and Obama is the way they have run their campaigns. Obama has built from the bottom up and built a movement, in many ways picking up where Dean's "people-powered" campaign left off.

Last night he did a good job of articulating what he means when he talks about inspiring people. He isn't just talking about getting big crowds to come cheer at rallies. I think one of the main reasons he is running for president is that he believes that his skills as an organizer, as well as his oratorical ability, can get people to pay more attention to politics and counterbalance the special interests by holding their government accountable. That was what he did as an organizer in Chicago, working to empower citizens to effectively advocate for themselves.

Is this idea idealistic? Sure. Unrealistic? Too soon to tell. The amount of interest in this election at this early stage is definitely encouraging. Having worked in Washington for a couple years now, I have often wondered if the lobbyists would be able to be so influential if people were paying attention.

I don't know if he will succeed at keeping people engaged or curtailing the influence of corporate lobbyists as president, but I'd rather have a president who is willing to try than a president who simply accepts the status quo and says we have to work within it.

[LWolf]

12. "More progressive than he lets on."

Aren't the primaries supposed to be when he would show us how progressive he can be? Isn't the run to the middle supposed to happen in the GE?

He's already running to the right of center, from my perspective.

I frankly don't think having faith that a candidate will govern differently than they present themselves in a good way to choose who to vote for. First of all, I want elected politicians to walk their talk, not say one thing and do another. Secondly, that requires a leap of faith with no guarantees, and no recourse when it turns out to be wrong.

"Liking to believe" something doesn't make it so.