Barak Obama...could he be the next President of the US?

LionOfJudah · #1 10-24-2006, 09:44 AM

I have watched Barak Obama since he became president of the Harvard Law Review my uncle was in law school at the time and he spoke of him as if he were the second coming of the messiah. After reading some of his papers and finally getting my hands on his book I knew there was something different about him. I was also part of the viewing and listening audience when he gave the now "pivotal" speech at the Democratic Convention in 2004. Now with talks of him running for President what are your thoughts? Does he have what it takes? Is America ready? Are you ready?

I am reading "Dreams of my Father" again and also purchased "The Audacity of Hope" his new book. I have the new book set as the next read. For those who have read them what are your thoughts?

Last question, as college educated, members of BGLOs what is your part in support a campaign such as this?

LoJ

shinerbock · #2 10-24-2006, 10:20 AM

I'm really no fan of his policy opinions, but he may be the best Democratic shot at an inspirational president. Its amazing to me how political geniuses will ignore the lessons of Kennedy and Reagan...American people are simply looking to be inspired, to be led. Political commercials also baffle me, Kerry's best polling happened in the weeks leading up the elections, when he was just doing the patriotic ads with hazy shots of flag waving from the convention. I think Obama could be that kind of leader, but its up to him whether he gets pulled into the politics of it all. Its amazing what a message of hope and American pride will overcome, even in the absence of substantial policy. We'll see.

On a side note, if I were running an 08 campaign, I'd go to whatever ad agency Publix is using...and I'm not even kidding.

shinerbock · #3 10-24-2006, 10:22 AM

sorry, didn't mean to write in your thread, i thought this was the other barack obama one.

eyenomifate · #4 10-26-2006, 08:40 AM

No part whatsoever. You should vote for who YOU feel is the best candidate and not (as I assume) vote on race. This seems to be a terrible problem with African Americans today. The Democratic party merely pacifies poor people with social programs that have no chance of working, and the Republicans only care about big business. While it would be nice if Senator Obama would enter the race for President, two books do not make a man known.

Oh BTW.......Oprah for President? Stop it.

LionOfJudah · #5 10-27-2006, 05:29 PM

Well to assume that because the Democratic Party "pacifies" the AfAm vote doesn't make the other choice any better. The Republican Party ignores the AfAM vote......so the question then becomes "would you rather be pacified or ignored?" Hmmm interesting....I was raised by 2 Republican parents who were Republican when Republican wasn't cool in the AfAm community. I was also raised in a very political and highly educated household. So I understand the ideals of pacification and know it when I see it....(the Republican Party in the AfAm church, prime example of pacifying a race). They don't care about AfAms, they just have common enemies...those who are perceived as "immoral".

Now as for the 2 books I never said those books made him a candidate for President nor did I say that I felt like I knew him. I said it gave me the impression that he was "different".

On to your Oprah comment. I would also like to address the idea of Oprah being President. That idea is neither far fetched nor unprecedented. You have an actor turned President in Ronald Reagan, and actor/body builder born in another country as Governor of a State....so why not Oprah? Not saying I would vote for her but let's not pose the question as if it is impossible or unconscionable.

DSTCHAOS · #6 10-27-2006, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LionOfJudah

Well to assume that because the Democratic Party "pacifies" the AfAm vote doesn't make the other choice any better. The Republican Party ignores the AfAM vote......so the question then becomes "would you rather be pacified or ignored?" Hmmm interesting....I was raised by 2 Republican parents who were Republican when Republican wasn't cool in the AfAm community. I was also raised in a very political and highly educated household. So I understand the ideals of pacification and know it when I see it....(the Republican Party in the AfAm church, prime example of pacifying a race). They don't care about AfAms, they just have common enemies...those who are perceived as "immoral".

Now as for the 2 books I never said those books made him a candidate for President nor did I say that I felt like I knew him. I said it gave me the impression that he was "different".

On to your Oprah comment. I would also like to address the idea of Oprah being President. That idea is neither far fetched nor unprecedented. You have an actor turned President in Ronald Reagan, and actor/body builder born in another country as Governor of a State....so why not Oprah? Not saying I would vote for her but let's not pose the question as if it is impossible or unconscionable.

Option C: Neither.

Being pacified is being patronized. It's almost worse than being ignored.
When someone is patronizing you they are say "yeah...yeah...you aren't going away so we'll throw you a bone to shut you up." I'd rather someone be upfront and honest about not thinking certain concerns are important so I can know where they stand and vote accordingly.

Black people don't need to align to any political party. Democrat doesn't hold much more tradition or relevance to Blacks than Republican does. Vote based on platform. This way parties will have to work for votes without being able to count on getting a majority of Black voters.

ladygreek · #7 10-27-2006, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Option C: Neither.

Being pacified is being patronized. It's almost worse than being ignored.
When someone is patronizing you they are say "yeah...yeah...you aren't going away so we'll throw you a bone to shut you up." I'd rather someone be upfront and honest about not thinking certain concerns are important so I can know where they stand and vote accordingly.

Black people don't need to align to any political party. Democrat doesn't hold much more tradition or relevance to Blacks than Republican does. Vote based on platform. This way parties will have to work for votes without being able to count on getting a majority of Black voters.

Hear, hear. My grandparents were Dems, my parents were Eisenhower Repubs (the party of Lincoln.) Right now neither "party" is doing right by us. Vote the platform! I will definitely be split voting this election.

Oh and my advice to Barack..wait a while longer. Show what you can do and what influence you really have in your current position. Don't believe the hype--it's a set up!

eyenomifate · #8 10-28-2006, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Hear, hear. My grandparents were Dems, my parents were Eisenhower Repubs (the party of Lincoln.) Right now neither "party" is doing right by us. Vote the platform! I will definitely be split voting this election.

Oh and my advice to Barack..wait a while longer. Show what you can do and what influence you really have in your current position. Don't believe the hype--it's a set up!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DSTCHAOS · #9 10-28-2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Oh and my advice to Barack..wait a while longer. Show what you can do and what influence you really have in your current position. Don't believe the hype--it's a set up!

Regardless of who fights the good fight, the next President will be a Protestant, white man.

LionOfJudah · #10 12-12-2006, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Hear, hear. My grandparents were Dems, my parents were Eisenhower Repubs (the party of Lincoln.) Right now neither "party" is doing right by us. Vote the platform! I will definitely be split voting this election.

Oh and my advice to Barack..wait a while longer. Show what you can do and what influence you really have in your current position. Don't believe the hype--it's a set up!

History has shown that the longer a person waits in the Senate the less likely they are to become President. He should strike while the iron is hot. This climate and opportunity will not present itself again. For him or any other like him for quite a while.

I ask the question again....Barak Omaba....could he be the next President of the US?

He has closed a gap on Sen. Clinton in record time and shows no signs of slowing....

LoJ

DSTCHAOS · #11 10-27-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyenomifate

No part whatsoever. You should vote for who YOU feel is the best candidate and not (as I assume) vote on race. This seems to be a terrible problem with African Americans today. The Democratic party merely pacifies poor people with social programs that have no chance of working, and the Republicans only care about big business. While it would be nice if Senator Obama would enter the race for President, two books do not make a man known.

Oh BTW.......Oprah for President? Stop it.

I agree, although I completely understand why having a minority President (whether based on race or gender) is an important social change. It would be a milestone and be indicative of a tipping of the balance of power in this society.

The question then becomes, as Black people what is important to us when voting? William Julius Wilson wrote the Declining Significance of Race in which he argued that class was increasing in significance and race, although still of significance, was declining in its social relevance for us. So should a people with disproportionate poverty, disproportionate criminality, and over 60% single motherhood vote based on class or do many Blacks still feel like race is what impacts our life chances? Poor blacks will undoubtedly vote Democrat, whether that's based on their race or class. Many middle to upperclass blacks will vote based on class and therefore vote Republican. Unless they are thinking of the bigger, more racially utilitarian, picture.

shinerbock · #12 10-27-2006, 07:05 PM

Republicans don't ignore black people, its just generally against their platform to give many black people what they want. Its ideology difference, not negligence based on race.

DSTCHAOS · #13 10-27-2006, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Republicans don't ignore black people, its just generally against their platform to give many black people what they want. Its ideology difference, not negligence based on race.

What's the difference in this instance?

eyenomifate · #14 10-27-2006, 09:35 PM

Last question, as college educated, members of BGLOs what is your part in support a campaign such as this?

LoJ[/quote]

My point is simple: as college educated members of BGLO's, we have no obligation to vote for anyone based specifically on race.As DSTCHAOS points out "being pacified is being patronized". As african Americans we need to stop letting people (Democrats) take our vote for granted and let them earn. Earn it by not only listening to our voices, but show us some results. I would love more than anything in the world to vote for a black man or woman, but my conscious will no longer allow me to do it based soley on race.
Yes you are right, we have had an actor become Presiedent and an actor as Governor of a large state...........but look attheir track records.

LionOfJudah · #15 12-14-2007, 02:12 PM

The tides are certainly changing....

These are th latest numbers.......thoughts?

OH HOW THE TIDES ARE TURNING!!! HOT OFF THE PRESSES THE NEW POLL #s

THE RACE: The presidential race for Democrats and Republicans in New Hampshire

___

THE NUMBERS - DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama, 32 percent

Hillary Rodham Clinton, 31 percent

John Edwards, 18 percent

Bill Richardson, 8 percent

___

THE NUMBERS - REPUBLICANS

Mitt Romney, 31 percent

Rudy Giuliani, 18 percent

John McCain, 17 percent

Mike Huckabee, 9 percent

Ron Paul, 7 percent

LoJ