Impending Obama Backlash?

There will be a press backlash against media darling Barack Obama eventually, although it may not occur until six months after his inauguration.  But here is a straw in the wind from Jake Tapper of ABC:

And Obama Wept

February 07, 2008  9:43 AM

Inspiration is nice. But some folks seem to be getting out of hand.

It's as if Tom Daschle descended from on high saying, "Be not afraid; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of Chicago a Savior, who is Barack the Democrat."

Obama supporter Kathleen Geier writes that she's "getting increasingly weirded out by some of Obama's supporters. On listservs I'm on, some people who should know better – hard-bitten, not-so-young cynics, even – are gushing about Barack…

Describing various encounters with Obama supporters, she writes, "Excuse me, but this sounds more like a cult than a political campaign. The language used here is the language of evangelical Christianity – the Obama volunteers speak of 'coming to Obama' in the same way born-again Christians talk about 'coming to Jesus.'...So I say, we should all get a grip, stop all this unseemly mooning over Barack, see him and the political landscape he is a part of in a cooler, clearer, and more realistic light, and get to work."

Joe Klein, writing at Time, notes "something just a wee bit creepy about the mass messianism" he sees in Obama's Super Tuesday speech.

"We are the ones we've been waiting for," Obama said. "This time can be different because this campaign for the presidency of the United States of America is different. It's different not because of me. It's different because of you."

Says Klein: "That is not just maddeningly vague but also disingenuous: the campaign is entirely about Obama and his ability to inspire. Rather than focusing on any specific issue or cause — other than an amorphous desire for change — the message is becoming dangerously self-referential. The Obama campaign all too often is about how wonderful the Obama campaign is. “

A cult - oooh, scary!  And we have seen a couple of stories flit by recently griping that Obama won't talk to the press.  Therein lies Hillary's path to redemption, by the way - make herself accessible so the press can get busy with their stories of a reinvented Hillary as the Comeback Queen (I will be ready with a post titled "What Fresh Hill Is This?").

If the press pauses now to contemplate their Golden Child, Obama may be in for a bumpy month.  He ought to head for the back of the press plane and schmooze, too.  But how often do winners make mid-course adjustments?

Comments

[PeterUK]

Romney to quit?

[kim]

Who lives by the sword dies by the sword.
=========================

[Brainster]

My sister told me that her kindergarten-age son came home from school the other day and told her all the kids were chanting "Obama! Obama!" on the bus. Kindergarten!

But Obama'd better be ready for a battle at the convention, because right now it does not look as if he'll have it sewn up before then.

[clarice]

Just read the Brits have agreed to extradite Abu Hamza to the US. Do you know they hired some guy whose sole job is to feed him and wipe his butt (he blew off his hands in a premature work accident)?
I hope we have different plans for him.

[Red white 'n blue1]

Has anyone looked to see where all the Obama campaign money is coming from?

[anduril]

Check out Best of the Web (which also cites Tapper):

Obama, a Love Story

Sample:

Mitt Romney's greatest shortcoming as a presidential candidate was his lack of passion. "I love data," he told The Wall Street Journal in November. "You may ask me questions about topics that I haven't studied in depth. I'll be happy to give you my assessment of what I think at this point. But before I would actually make a decision on a very important topic, I would really study it in depth."

Romney has been faulted for lacking "authenticity," but this is probably unfair. He is--authentically--a cool technocrat, a management consultant at heart. But a leader, as opposed to a manager, needs not just analytical skills but also intuition and emotion, not just information but also conviction. He needs to be able to consult his gut as well as the data when deciding how to proceed.

Romney, in the end, failed to inspire. By contrast, Barack Obama is nothing but inspiring--so inspiring that it is becoming deeply creepy. The Boston Globe reports on a new music video touting Obama:

Inspired by the speech Barack Obama delivered in Nashua the night of the state primary, will.i.am [of the Black Eyed Peas] set Obama's text to simple guitar and a soulful melody, recruited 36 artists to appear in a music video that was conceived, shot, and edited over three days last week, and posted "Yes We Can" online over the weekend. . . .

The split-screen video features clips of the candidate speaking alongside shots of R&B singer John Legend, actress Scarlett Johansson, rapper Common, jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, actor-singer Nick Cannon, rocker Ed Kowalczyk, and others echoing Obama's spoken words in song. Will.i.am set the song's tempo to synch up with the New Hampshire audience, which supplies the song's rhythm with chants of "We want change, we want change!" . . .

"I do think it allows people an accessible way into politics," Jesse Dylan said. "Rallies can be dry, but Will has taken the words and dramatized them with these wonderful artists and it gives people an easy way to become passionate."

The video, which you can watch here, depicts people who appear to be in some sort of trance as they mouth along with Obama's various rhetorical flourishes from his speeches, then repeat the mantra "Yes, we can." The whole thing has the feel of a cult of personality.

[MayBee]

TM! You know what MSNBC just played? Tape of Obama chatting up the press in the back of the plane a few minutes ago.

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
I think they took his metal claws off him in prison,they gave him too much of an advantage in the showers.

[GMax]

then repeat the mantra "Yes, we can."

Did the lips match? Maybe it was just a rerun of a old Ceasar cahvez vid with an english dub over for the "SI se puede."

[Jane]

I saw that video the day before the primary - with others, some of whom were brought to tears. It was great marketing. But I think TM is onto something. This Messianic thing may backfire.

[kim]

I love it; who's crazier, Obama or McCain?
========================

[anduril]

Interesting question.

[clarice]

PUK--COme here, honey.....
THWACK!!!!!!!!!!

[PeterUK]

OOoohh! Dat was Goood!

[JEC]

Is Obama the new Ron Paul?

And why is there no mention in the Main Stream Media regarding members of the Nation of Islam holdng prominent positions on Obama's staff?

[kim]

The nation wants deliverance from Bush Derangement Syndrome. Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
=============================

[Seafarious]

I found myself humming "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" at the end of O's oratory on Tuesday.

Glory glory Hallelujah!

[dick]

Watching the Obama supporters reminds me of that old movie from the 1950's with Andy Griffith as Lonesome Rhodes in "A Face in the Crowd." And the content of Obama's speeches is on about the same level - a lot of platitudes and no content. I just hope we luck out and he doesn't get elected.

[Anthony]

GMax -- "Yes We Can!" -- it is not from Caesar Chavez but Bob the Builder!

As for the rest, frankly, I am weirded out by the messianic overtones of the Obama campaign. Then again, I was not planning on voting for him anyway. I want a president who is a nice, dull, Cincinatus. Even Reagan fit that bill I think. He was persuasive, but no one was acting as though he could cure disease by just one touch.

[Barrie in Australia]

Does it take an African village and a frenetic tribal band of tomtoms to make a US president these days?
The lack of cool analysis of this poseur and empty suit is breathtaking and scary even half a world away.
Will the US electorate wake up in time? Reassure me someone. Is America rushing lemming-like to Obama just because it is even more scared of a Billary Revivival. Is this the revenge you richly deserve for not successfully indicting Bubba Bill in 1999?

[BlogDog]

Ommmm
Ommmm
Ommmmbama

[miss kelly]

Definite similarity to the Deval Patrick campaign for governor in MA. The campaign was mostly about what a wonderful man Deval was, and that you could be wonderful too by voting for him! No getting bogged down in details, budgets, plans, just happy talk about "Yes We Can!"

Sort of a Chauncey Gardener thing, Patrick could be whoever you wanted him to be, he didn't really have to stand for much of anything. The Obama craze looks the same to me.

[Rick Ballard]

"Is this the revenge you richly deserve for not successfully indicting Bubba Bill in 1999?"

Bubba was successfully indicted (impeached), he just wasn't convicted. Five Republican Senators voted Not Guilty - Chafee, Collins, Jeffords, Snowe and Specter. Chaffee and Jeffords have reaped their reward. The others are still waiting.

McCain voted guilty.

[Jane]

I can always tell when Glenn has linked JOM.

[Bill]

The general election is nine months from this past Monday. Obama probably won't make it past the convention. If he does McCain will simply eviscerate him on the stump. I can't wait to see the cheap suit unravel.

Remember how the press fawned over Clinton? He still only managed 40% of the popular vote going up against a clueless incumbent in the wake of a recession.

Speaking of the video a friend who is an Ivy League grad and whom one would think would know better sent me the link on Tuesday accompanying her weepy accolades. Not only did I find it creepy; I found it utterly vacuous.

[Cris]

Hope
Audacity
Change
Obaloney

[b]

miss kelly, you are spot on with the comparison to Deval Patrick, who used the exact same campaign theme (Change--of some sort!) and could be heard leading chants of "Yes We Can" among enthralled crowds of oh-so-earnest supporters throughout the campaign. Since he's been in office, he has proven himself to be--what do you know--just another (somewhat inept) politician, and our problems have not been miraculously solved.

If people nationwide saw some clips from the Patrick campaign, they would realize how stale and unoriginal (dare I say plagarized?) Obama's campaign is.

[David]

Obama has become the "Bob Roberts" of the left. Remember the blank eyed follower played by Jack Black? Remember the tag line for the movie - Vote Now; Ask Questions Later. I wonder if Tim Robbins is an Obama supporter.

[Steve-o]

I'll tell you this, if he breaks out the purple kool-aid, I'm running the other way.

[Porchlight]

The coveted Tim Robbins endorsement was going to Edwards at one point; I suppose he might swing over to Obama now.

[capitano]

Chris Matthews opined that McCain's turnout would be enhanced with Hillary as the opponent.

So Matthews asked his on-air shills how McCain ensures she is the Dem candidate? Well obviously by releasing opposition research on Obama, ('cause we all know Hillary wouldn't stoop that low.)

[Horst Graben]

Obama seems like a fairly normal and very bright guy who is comfortable in his skin and not an overtly a power-mad huckster.

Because politics is the definition of cynicism, he is attracting a core group of folks (mostly dems, with significant cross-over appeal) who want to believe in the tooth fairy. If he wins, there will be a demographic called Obama democrats.

His tip of the cap to Nixon and Reagan shows he is seriously after the job.

It will be interesting how he reacts once the press turns up the heat.

Most of the comments from posters with male names sound like females. Lay off the soy boys!

[David Ross]

capitano, neither McCain nor Hillary want to be the one to bell this cat. If Hillary makes public various quotes from his autobiography, his membership in Jeremiah Wright's hate-filled "church", and so forth then she'll get called a racist.

(Disclosure: with McCain the nominee for the Republicans, I am now a Hillary supporter; and I have cousins in Israel, and support its right to exist and to ensure its own safety.)

JEC, Obama's staff was indeed infested wih NOIers, although Obama seems to have purged the worst of them. More worrisome is Obama's ties to Edward Said. Said stood alongside Sontag, Fisk, and Chomsky in the aftermath of 9/11. Said did incalculable damage to Middle Eastern studies in this nation, basically making it impossible for patriotic Americans to get anywhere in that field. And, of course, Said hated Jews.

Hillary has had problems with individual Jews herself, and she should have stayed far away from the Arafats. But at least she didn't say "f*** 'em [all Jews], they didn't vote for us" as did Baker and Bush Sr. Also in the last 7 years she's done Israel okay, particularly compared to certain scum in the House (Moran, McKinney, Hillard, etc).

If Obama wins, we'd better ship a lot of oars to Israel because he's going to sell the whole place down the river.

[MarkJ]

I'm not yet a big fan of McCain. However, I must say, even though he's shorter than Obama, he'd make Prince Charming look about three feet tall on any debate stage.

Indeed, as a lead-off, all McCain would have to do is tick off a list of his House and Senate accomplishments (for better or worse), then turn to Obama and ask, "Soooo....I've shown you mine: now show me YOURS." Obama is counting on getting kid-gloves treatment due to his race: I think he'll be sorely disappointed if he faces McCain, who could crush him on the issues alone.

I know McCain won't do it, but he could also start his responses with such comments as, "Y'know I first began to think about this issue during my extended vacation in Hanoi some years ago."

(Note: Barack Obama was only 12 years old when McCain was released from his 5 1/2 year captivity.)

One final point: Obamamania is runnin' wild, but, if the Barackster does manage to ooze into the White House I, for one, have every reason to believe that mania would rapidly evaporate the moment...

a) Prince Precious actually had to deliver tangible proposals to Congress that could reviewed...and picked apart.

and

b) the moment Barack Fitzgerald Obamedy suffered any major legislative defeat. If the Obamanauts think that tough old pols like Steny Hoyer and John Murtha are going roll their eyes and swoon as Obama whispers sweet nothings into their ears, they're setting themselves up for a very rude awakening.

[r m flanagan]

alongside Sontag, Fisk, and Chomsky

David Ross

Hey David, I don't know about those others but don't try knocking that home run in 75.

A Fan

[MarkJ]

Official Theme Song of the Obamaniacs:

You Made Me Love You

(Apologies to Al Jolson)

You made me love you
I didn't wanna do it
I didn't wanna do it
You made me want you
And all the time you knew it
I guess you always knew it

You made me happy sometimes
You made me glad
But there were times
You made me feel so bad

You made me cry for
I didn't wanna tell you
I didn't wanna tell you
I want some love that's true
Yes, I do, 'deed I do
You know I do

Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie, gimmie what I cry for
You know you've got the brand of kisses
That I'd die for
You know you made me love you

{Instrumental Interlude}

You made me cry for
I didn't wanna tell you
I didn't wanna tell you
I want some love that's true
Yes, I do, 'deed I do
You know I do

Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie, gimmie what I cry for
You know you've got the brand of kisses
That I'd die for
You know you made me love you

In this clip, change the dialog for "Clark Gable" to "Barack Obama," if it ain't creepy I don't know what is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FloYqohi6Xk

[Pofarmer]

Has anyone looked to see where all the Obama campaign money is coming from?

I'd like the answer to that, too.

[Pofarmer]

I saw that video the day before the primary - with others, some of whom were brought to tears.

Holy crap Jane. What kind of weak minded idiots are you hanging around with?

[Pofarmer]

Will the US electorate wake up in time? Reassure me someone.

Well, this American would like to be assured as well.

[Sue]

"Y'know I first began to think about this issue during my extended vacation in Hanoi some years ago."

That is the last thing I want him to do. Another campaign about Vietnam is not where we need to go. Everyone knows John McCain was a war hero. He doesn't need to remind us.

[Brainster]

If you folks want to read opposition research from Hillary on Obama, just check out Taylor Marsh's blog. She doesn't even retype it, just copies and pastes.

[Topsecretk9]

Retard post of the day.

Any "Project Runway" fans out there?

Embarrassingly, I've been hooked on Bravo's "Make me a Supermodel" where america votes ... well this one sweet, NORMAL girl has been up for being voted off 3 times and now again she's up for the vote again....Katy - #3.

The thing is, this episode they focused on how FAT at 125 pounds Katy is and how she's not quite making the insane people in Fashion, that think a 5 9" and 100 pounds is healthy, think she's working hard enough.

Can real people go vote and spit in NY fashion's insane, insulting beliefs on what people want to look at and vote for Katy and protest stick figure as what we WANT to look at?

The Judges really, really, really want her gone and I think it would be a spit in their face if a regular gal won.

I feel like the judges are snotty NYT's out of touch with fly over country - AKA the NYT's

Let's stick it to NYT's snobs. VOTE FOR KATY!

[Topsecretk9]

Again, I know that my last post was lame, but I just think it's lame fashionistas get away with calling 125 pounds FAT!

GMAX called for a vote.

Now, I am.

Vote for normal people to be in fashion - spit in their NYT's snotty face - we want to see normal people, not 96 pound stick figures

Vote for Katy

[MayBee]

Tops- I love the bravo shows. I saw that tonight. Poor Katy.

[Topsecretk9]

Maybee

It made sick to my stomach that they shaped the show around her eating and not being skinny enough, If anyone wanted to vilify the modeling industry? Watch that episode, They did no favors - STARVE yourself into dying mode if you want to be a model!

-----

Top lawyer faces money-laundering charges

Ben Kuehne, a widely respected Miami lawyer whose clients have included former Vice President Al Gore and other major politicians, surrendered Thursday on federal criminal charges for his behind-the-scenes role in a complex international drug-trafficking case.

Big time more to this BIG time more

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/409964.html

[Topsecretk9]

Six degrees right?

People For the American Way - Events
Valerie Plame Wilson & Joe Wilson, Jodi Evans & Arianna Huffington ... The receiver of the Defender of Democracy award, Ben Kuehne, has been recognized ...
www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default. aspx?oid=12369&print=yes&units=all - 245k - Cached - Similar pages

[Ralph L]

My mother was 5'9" and 105 lbs when she married at 28. She had to take up her s-i-l's wedding dress 6 inches in the waist (my parents had a 3 week engagement and a 29 year marriage). She'd been working for the CIA in Austria in 54-55 and gotten ill, so she was a little thinner than usual, but she didn't look like the bags of bones on the runways.

[Topsecretk9]

but she didn't look like the bags of bones on the runways.

Thank you...vote for Katy. The judges don't want you to vote for Katy - screw them. I am sick of their beliefs.

[MayBee]

Ralph L- your comment reads like the opening of a clever little book. You should write it.

[JM Hanes]

Ralph L:

Your mother may not have looked like a bag of bones in a picture, but I can guarantee you that she felt like a bag of bones.

In explaining how to use a Body Mass Index number, you'll see that the CDC just happens to use 5'9" as an example (scroll about half way down the page). The minimum end of the healthy range at that height is 125 lbs. If you do the actual calculation and plug in 124 lbs., the CDC will tell you to go see your doctor. If you look at a site that uses tables, like the NHLBI, the healthy weight chart doesn't even start till 128 lbs.

When you fall 10% below normal weight, you are considered to be at risk. At 15% off, as your mother was, your body may have already begun to feed on its own bone and muscle tissue in order to sustain vital functions.

Looks can be deceiving. They can also be deadly.

[Elliott]

Great point, MayBee. It reminds me of Graham Greene.

I haven't seen the most recent episodes of Supermodel, but I agree with Tops that the editing on that show is disturbingly heavy-handed. However, I believe any editing that precipitates Frankie's departure is good editing.

Is the "Real Housewives of New York" going to be worth watching? It looks more entertaining than the OC version, but that judgment is derived solely from viewing previews.

[JM Hanes]

Ralph L:

I'm afraid I misread your last sentence slightly, so my reply may seem overly tart.....which is not to say tarted up.....which is.....why I should probably call it a night....

[Fen]

If Hillary makes public various quotes from his autobiography, his membership in Jeremiah Wright's hate-filled "church", and so forth then she'll get called a racist.

Begs the question: if Americans criticize a President Obama, will they be tagged as racists? We've seen the routine played out again and again, in every venue.

Should we elect someone who will hide behind his race everytime he's called out?

[Ralph L]

Those BMI things don't take frame size into account. In college, I was 6'2" and 130 lbs (125 on my first driver's license, but I lied, I was only 120). At 47, I'm finally up to 155, but that's only because I'm lifting weights, yet I'm not fat-free around the middle.

I wish we'd heard more stories of my mother's early life. She told us about sneaking into the Russian sector of Vienna, just because they weren't supposed to, and she did make or pick up some dead drops for her boss. Her family thought she worked for the Army. She and 4 women rented a diplomat's house in the old part of Georgetown in 52-3 when she met my dad at a dance. They took a trip to Newport and got caught in the crowds at JFK's wedding.

[Horton Flechner]

European men are going crazy over Obama. There is a strip tease with an Obama lookalike singing in French that is popular there. No accounting for taste.

[Mars vs Hollywood]

I wonder if guys like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are secretly praying Obama doesn't win the general. How ever would they cope with a president no one's allowed to make fun of?

[kim]

Comedians are coming up roses. McCain and Obama are eminently ridiculous. Clinton femme and Romney aren't. I mean really 'oily marmot'?
=============

[bio mom]

The "Obama girl" did not vote in the primary (via Brit Hume). That's one of his big problems. The youth swoon but don't show up. Happens election after election.

His snarky comment about Romney yesterday shows that his facade will slip soon. Don't know what that will do to the "dream".

[Garth]

McCain is going to get soundly whipped by either obama or hillary.

his support for the war is out of step with the electorate.

and have you seen him in front of the press.

he pales in comparison to hillary or obama.

certainly he will do nothing to counteract the public's preference for dems over repub on EVERY issue. check out greenwald's recent round up.

Every single issue.

bush has destroyed your party.

[clarice]

You know, Garth, it's a rare partisan who's willing to take time out of his busy schedule to give unvarnished, straight from the heart campaign tips to his opposition. Thanks.

[Clark Baker]

Democrats worried about cultish campaigns? Oh puleeeeeeeze! While struggling with the dilemma of whether black skin makes a better president than a vagina, Democrats are liable to say ANYTHING. Maybe one day they'll focus on issues, world history, and facts. Until then, vague notions of change and values will be as meaningless as Obamaphobia.

[Cecil Turner]

he pales in comparison to hillary or obama.

Well, he certainly is pale compared to Obama (not sure about Hillary). Kinda jowly, too. But it's hard to imagine we're touting the qualifications of the junior senator from _____.

[Melissa Murray]

I made the mistake of bashing Obama to a couple of relitives who live in Chicago and OH MY GOD you would of thought said there was no Jesus. They were so offended and then kept trying to make a Obama believer out of me that it was scary and creepy. Just the fact that he has this power over people reminds me of Hitler or Manson.

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