After 8 stupid years of George Bush

America NEEDS smart.

I've been hearing a lot of irritating comments from people about their "feelings" and "gut-reaction" to Barack Obama, particularly his "lack of experience". As the intverviews proceed, it quickly becomes clear that they have not taken the responsibility to inform themselves about any aspect of this man, his record of service (his years in the Illinois State Senate seem to be discounted or ignored) or any recollection of what he has actually written and stated during his public life and during this campaign. Ok, I've come up with a way to get you all off the hook.

Robert Dallek is the greatest living Presidential historian. I had the privilege of studying under him as an undergraduate and graduate history major at UCLA in the early 1970s. He has written profound and masterful books on LBJ, JFK, FDR, Nixon and Kissinger and a range of works on 20th Century U.S. diplomatic history. He is brilliant and articulate and one of the wisest people I have known. What does he say?

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/01/31/2008-01-31_next_to_jfk_obamas_a_newbie__but_thats_b.html

As an historian myself, I have taken the time to read hundreds of presidential and other political biographies, was well as works written by past Presidents. I have commented on the pages of Salon and other publications that too many American voters are irresponsible citizens who do not take elections seriously. Voting, like carrying a driver's license, is more a privilege than a 'right', This is not a time to vote according to "gut-feelings"- if voters cannot honestly say that they have done their due diligence in informing themselves, then they should not vote on any issue, local, state or federal.

I agree blacks wouldn't have voted for him in the numbers they did - ie 100% if he was Repug. However, once that was out of the way it was indeed their only consideration.

We all saw it too. Therefore turning around now and blaming "racist America" for Barracks problems is nauseatingly hypocritical even if it WERE the problem which it obviously isn't to any measure.

That's your problem. Outside of pushing a little paper in a Democratic majority state legistlature, he's done NOTHING. Where are the big changes he's made? where are the persons to testify to the wonders of his "community organizing"? (which actually was just an office and a nice car for himself).

So the smartest man in the world can't point to any difference he's made (and I think we all can agree he's brought nobody together

Pfft.

Somehow I'd feel better if there were some people in South Chicago, Illinois...anywhere...that were coming forth to bear witness to the works of the "smartest man in the world".

Pfft.

hootowl, that was really a work of art, was that another hoot, or was it a fart?

Where did the phrase "The Smartest Person in America" come from? I'll add to the reading list the Wikipedia article on Sen. Obama that actually discusses his work as a community organizer, a State Senator and a U.S. Senator. Or did he just drive around for three years in a fancy car? What I read in the earlier posts is just the same-old Big Lie tactic Professor Dallek discussed with us when we studied the dark days of the McCarthy Era. The Big Lie includes, of course, fabricated statements allegedly from candidates, fabricated "facts", quotes out of context and the traditional sins of factual omission. Ok, ok, I get it- you folks have made up your minds not to vote for Obama. Now how many card-carrying, subversive Communists were there in the State Department? 231, 191, 134, none?

Where did the phrase "The Smartest Person in America" come from?

you people keep insisting he's smart. well,he WAS smart enough to prey on your insistance on being told what you wanted to hear on Iraq and to know that the mere suggestion of "racism" would through the black community into a self-destructive frenzy...

He WAS smart enough to know he couldn't win a Gen. Election. Never intended to. Intended to add to his fame/fortune by getting the PRIMARY. He was happy to use swarmy means , race-baiting, skewed lefty-left caucuses to achieve this against someone who actually COULD win and did give a damn about the country. Obama has a consistent theme of using things to make himself wealthier but not leaving anyone much else the better for it. This is merely the final act.

I'll add to the reading list the Wikipedia article on Sen. Obama that actually discusses his work as a community organizer, a State Senator and a U.S. Senator

Yes, we know he's held office. We know he's the youngest person to write an autobiography too. However outside of using each office as a rung in the ladder to the next office and million, he hasn't done much else at all. The few things in the Senate for instance he claims credit for were largely Ted Kennedy handing him these on a silver platter for his ascension to run for president. Similarly, he was handed Senate Chair seats on a silver platter he never even conducted one single meeting for.

He's done much of nothing everywhere he's been except use it to get on further. The fact that not one single person in these communities he supposedly worked will testify otherwise proves it .

Regardless it's over for you. McCain has all the GOP money in the world and the election is down to seven states of which Obama can not lose a single one. All the fundraisers and vulgarity that typifies Obama's zealots won't change that.

You're cooked as you were from the beginning. The only way the GOP could have won this yaer was to induce the leftwing Democrats to (again) put forth an entirely unelectable candidate.

Congrats you done good and you never disappoint.

How2ever you want to call it, rural whiten americans are limited educationally, socially, economically, & geographically. The rigt wing plays to this lack of exposure and limited undertsyanding of the world. They keep them locked in simplicity while the world outside their little communities is on the verge of destruction. They use their children as fodder but sell them on an unjustified war where only the wealthy few get wealthier while "they" are given flags to wave and coffins carrying their sons and daughters to bury. Their jobs close and theybare lid off , the farms dry up and they try to pull themselves together. They are bombarded, not with solutions to their problems but with attack ads that speak to their fears about a man whose skin color is tan. They get "PLAYED" again, while the likes of Rush Limbaugh and LOU Dobbs buy ponies for the children and decide which house to spend the summer in. While you struggle to put $20.00 worth of gas in your tank, they fill up their luxury SUVs with ease. WHO's THE FOOL?