Holy Christ, why do people think that only people quailified to be President are old, white and male, take a look back at the last 30 years and tell me there weren't more qualified people than Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II, that weren't old, white and male.

At the end of the day, America is not going to elect a 45 year old one-term Senator, Muslim with the name Barack HUSSAIN Obama
to the White House. Not going to happen. With his entry we now officially enter the "silly season" of Presidential politics.

Kim

Your implication appears to be that Obama's experience in a dangerous time of terrorism and "the axis of evil" is somehow deficient.

We have, or have had, 2 men, Cheney and Rumsfeld with decades of so-called experience who succeeded in dragging a naif-in-chief into, as Sen. Hagel said, "The most dangerous political blunder since Viet Nam."

BTW: the great founder of the Republican Party had a mere 2 yaers experience as a US Congressional Representative from, od all places, Illinois.

How asinine Michael! Obama is a Christian and a member of the Church of Christ.

The extreme right-wing and at least one Wizfool is now going to try to smear gim because of his middle name. You already have exposed

1) your bigotry
2) your total lack of knowledge about Obama

Michael:

Your ignorance is ONLY exceeded by your racism and xenophobia. Sounds like you watch a lot of NASCAR and pay attention to little else

Oh please...stop it with your knee-jerk liberalism. The man
is not going to be President. Xenophobia - glad to see you can use big words.

Racist? so if I disagreed with I am racist. get real.

If Colin Powell ran I would vote for him. Obama is a arrogant piss ant.

"Sounds like you watch a lot of NASCAR and pay attention to little else."
Linda a little prejudice are we?

Whether one is a success or failure at the Presidency, it is a potentially overwhelming job. I do not know how many folks with little political experience/connections could take on the task. When Clash says that there were people more qualified than.... old, white and male, for whatever reason, that type of person was/is considered electable. I am always interested to hear (without any specific names being mentioned) what one considers the most important qualities a President should have? When I discuss this with my friends most are interested in the new face but ultimately place a lot of stock on political experience. I would like to see Obama get knocked around a little bit in the Senate before getting such serious consideration as presidential material. I also still talk to people who like candidates because they're nothing like Bush, even after pointing out that Bush is not running in 2008.

Michael:

I watch NASCAR and go to it with my husband. Your racism and xenophobia is obvious. You felt a need to capitalize his middle name? Your ignorance is obvious as well. He is not a Muslim.

Knee jerk liberalism? I don't think so. Knee jerk racism (calling him a Muslim) is more like it.

Linda,

Islam is a religion not a race (whatever that is), a muslim is one who follows Islam. How is calling someone a muslim racist?

Linda your very silly. Keep it up.

Hey,

Did any one else hear the harpy-like screetch coming from New York? Man, that was scary.

"Sounds like you watch a lot of NASCAR and pay attention to little else."

"I watch NASCAR and go to it with my husband."

It just ocurred to me...Linda you make no sense. Do
you realize that?

Kim: I, too, believe Obama is peaking too early. In fact, I believe it may already be over.

Why?

Because he made the announcement to form an exploratory committee, not to run. WTF has he been doing up to now if not exploring the idea of running? Forming an exploratory committee is a distrinctly bureaucratic way of doing things: it doesn't bode well for Obama that he's first deicision is, essentially, one of indecision, saying (in effect) that he's thinking about running.

Dems will of course say this is S.O.P., but Obama's inaction must make Hillary and her supporters happy. Obama has all the traits of Bill Clinton : hesitatnt, dependent on bureaucratic ways of doing things (what's next? A 'Blue Ribbon Panel' formed to decide if he should wear a b lue suit or a gray suit when he goes to Iowa?), and dependent on polls and focus groups in forming opinions and policy.

Barack Obama is one anti-climax after another.

I doubt many people commenting here care what race or religion any politician is...they probably are more interested in the fact that:

- Obama voted against the tax cuts (see story on ever-increasing federal revenue above)

- Obama voted against the estate/'death' tax repeal (sorry, leftists, the estate tax remains amazingly unpopular amongst the populace)

- Obama voted against free trade and opposes lifting protectionist tariffs

- Obama voted against drilling ANWR

- Obama is against Bush's 'Ownership Society', something I dare say many people like...you know, owning a house, school choice, etc.

- Obama is in favor of that old-time Social Security...you know, the one that likely won't be paying people like me anything when we retire (I'm certainly not figuring it into my retirement planning)

- Obama voted against Alito and Roberts (yes, even Roberts, the one that even a bunch of liberals voted for, the one that's been forging surprising unanimity and earning liberal editorial writers' praise for calling for higher judicial pay)

- Obama is one of your typical run-of-the-mill NARAL 100% rating club of Democrats

- Obama is for partial-birth abortion

Simply put, Obama is as liberal as they come. That, and an amazingly slim resume (take a look at the past few decades...I'm seeing Governors, Vice-presidents, etc...not one-term Senators), is why I suspect most conservatives don't want him anywhere near the Oval Office.

I love reading the comments about Obama. Here is a man who epitomizes all that is humble and intellectual, compassionate and hopeful all in one package.

The Republicans have not even one possible nominee that comes close in caliber and credibility. His "inexperinece" is a plus for many people as he has bearely ahd time to become tainted by the Beltway politics.

His wife is a smart woman who shows as an equal partner in the spousal relationship. No dowager librarian or concubine there.

So where does that leave us. It leaves us with him being elected to one of the two top positions in 2008. It will happpen, mark my words. Bet on it.

Compassionate? More like arrogant high mindedness
that the average taxpayer should be pushed down into the same class as the poor. He doesn't talk about lifting up the less haves, he talks about pulling the rug from underneath the haves making them poorer.
I don't find socialism or communism compassionate,
both are factual and historical failed states.
Since some don't find putting an inexperienced
politician into the top office of this country, maybe they wouldn't have a problem with untrained, inexperienced folks as fire fighters or policmen either.
I really found interesting his admission of his
civic religion. Is he talking about statism?
He has lots of growing to do before thinking he's
ready to lead this country. If he's wise he'll see
this for himself.

"arrogant high mindedness"
Sounds like someone wanted to say Uppity N%#@!&

This is not a fear of inexperience this is a fear of an African-American holding the highest office in the land if not the world. I pray that this happens just so I can see Rush and Sean's heads explode.

civil behaviour - you are assuming that the Dimwats win the White House in '08. Has not happen much for over 40 years and is not likely to happen this time. Bet on it.

A deserving Black should be President someday...someone like Colin Powell not a arrogant piss ant like Barack HUSSAIN Obama.

"arrogant high mindedness"
Sounds like someone wanted to say Uppity N%#@!&

As usual, liberals think first and foremost about the color or one's skin, NOT their character. If a conservative reacts negatively to the liberal notions of a person, the first thing a liberal has to do it check out the liberal's skin color to see how to change the argument and try to make out the party that first put a black person into the Sec of State's office (twice) and first put a black person into the Nat. Security Advisor's office and voted at a higher rate for civil rights legislation as the party of racists...whilst a Klan member sits on the Democratic side of the aisle in Congress. Do you really think anybody that knows more than what they see on TV buys that crap anymore? Which types of editorial 'cartoonists' was it drawing Condi and Colin as racist ape-like stereotypes and house slaves? Here's a hint: not the conservative ones. Methinks your pants are on fire.

First I am not a liberal, I am very much a Reagan Republican, who also happens to be retired military as well as one half of an interacial marriage. So I think I have all my bases covered as far as street cred goes when I say I have seen this from both sides. America fears putting an African-American Man in the White House, sure, give Colin Powell and Condi Rice high ranking positions, just don't let them run the place. Deep down inside, Obama is what middle aged white males fear the most, he is proof that they are not needed, and that scares the hell out of them.

His wife is a smart woman who shows as an equal partner in the spousal relationship. No dowager librarian or concubine there.

Yeah, they said the same about Hillary Clinton, and we all know how that turned out. No thanks.

Barak Obama? Yawn. I don't let the idiot media tell me who I should be excited about.

I guess it was just the racist thing you said that made you sound like a liberal. And what the hell difference does it make whether you were in the military? Does that give you license to make racist remarks? How about an 'interracial marriage'...does that give you license to make racist comments? Apparently you think so. And heads of departments do indeed 'run the place', which is the best that can be done for unelected positions (I guess we all should have voted for Al Sharpton, just to prove we're not racists?). Stop sounding like a liberal if you don't want to be perceived as one. You want to know who Obama scares? Old white liberals like John Kerry who couldn't be bothered to have any blacks work on his campaign...old white liberals like Ted Kennedy that can't be bothered not to call him Obama bin-laden...old white liberals that disgraced our country with their attacks on Assoc. Justice Thomas...not old white guys like Bush that reached out aggressively as governor to hispanics and has consistently appointed minorities to extremely high positions in his administration (unlike old white liberal Clinton - accused of using racial slurs against blacks when out of their hearing) and spends so much time with them and puts so much trust in them that he ends up accidentally referring to his Sec of Def as his wife. Which party attacked Lieberman for his religion? Which party attacked Steele for his race? You're looking at the wrong group of people if you want to attack conservatives for being afraid to have blacks in power...it wasn't Mfume that had oreos thrown at him in Maryland. You can sit there as smug as you like passing judgement on what you think people are like, but actions speak louder than words and the actions of Republicans and conservatives don't favor the racist attack on conservatives you made. Your 'military service' does not make it acceptable, who you marry does not make it acceptable, who 'some of your best friends are' does not make it acceptable. You made an ignorant, racist remark where the first thing you thought of was a person's skin color and the first thing you assumed is that no one can disagree with a man for his principles, but only for the color of his skin. Dr. King would be so proud.

"Deep down inside, Obama is what middle aged white males fear the most, he is proof that they are not needed, and that scares the hell out of them."

What a load...s___t. Man is simply not qualified. That is all we are saying.

"First I am not a liberal, I am very much a Reagan Republican..."

Do you really think we are going to believe that...what a maroon.

Muslim with the name Barack HUSSAIN Obama

He's a Christian, and his middle name is HUSSEIN. At least if you're going to be a coward and smear someone based on their religion and heritage, get it right.

Man is simply not qualified. That is all we are saying.

You are a liar. Your statement that he is a "Muslim with the name Barack HUSSAIN Obama" is clearly a racist one, and says nothing about his qualifications.

Michael;first personal attacks are a very poor tactic, I was using Obama as a generalization, for well educated & equally quailified African-American males.

As for
"arrogant high mindedness"
Sounds like someone wanted to say Uppity N%#@!&

It is what it is, I read it to say just that. And preception is everything.

As far as my politics and service to my country are concerned I joined the AF in the middle of the Reagan era and retired as soon as Bush Jr started sending us back to where I had just been 5 times in 8 years and I though enough was enough.
And my military background does matter because the service is where my opinions were formed under Reagan, Bush, and Clinton it was a great way of life, under Jr. not so much.

Point #1 to the trolls...his name is Barack Hussein Obama...if it's racist to utter his name (even with the misplaced letter or so), there will be consequences for such ridiculous PC standards you bring to the table.

Point #2...he is NOT qualified to be President. At all. Bush? Was governor of one the largest states in the union (and inherited and dealt with more stuff than people can possibly imagine). Clinton? Was governor of Arkansas. Bush I, was Vice President under Reagan, UN Ambassador and CIA director. Reagan...was governor of the largest state in the union. Carter...was governor of Georgia. What qualifies Obama to be President? That he speaks well?

The bigger point is the man was swept in because the man he was going to face off against (Jack Ryan) bowed out because of the unveiling of divorce records with his former smokin' hot wife and was promptly replaced by Alan Keyes who got stomped.

A state legislature record does not a President make and that's all Obama has going for him. I couldn't tell you any legislation the man has brought forth, even if it's the worst piece of Senate legislation in history (McCain/Feingold or Smoot/Hawley). Where's the Obama bill you guys can point to?

Could Obama be president some day? Maybe. But so far, aside from looking nice in a suit and having a winning smile, I don't see it. After he's had a few terms in the legislature, a cabinet posistion or a governorship (heck, even running a large company), he may show that he is the real deal.
I think much the same of Hillary Clinton. What, really, has she done to put her in posision to be a serious contender? Even Boxer and Pelosi can at least point to a longer track record of public service.

"Deep down inside, Obama is what middle aged white males fear the most, he is proof that they are not needed, and that scares the hell out of them."
Clash, this statement is pretty pathetic.

So does this mean every Democrat in the Senate is running for President? So much for a new Democrat Congress actually accomplishing anything.

BTW, the last time we elected a young, naive one-term Senator as president, he nearly killed 500 million people through incompetence. (Google Cuban Missle Crisis) If you're old enough to remember 1962 personally, and not the Kennedy myths written years later, you'll remember the situation was a major fuck up. Kennedy revealed evidence of missiles in Cuba as an October surprise in a ploy to win more Democrat seats in Congress. Congressional Republicans had been warning of missiles for 6 months prior, but Kennedy ignored them, preferring to "discover" them two weeks before the election. His political theater nearly devolved into nuclear war. Only the steady hand of the only adult in the crisis, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev, kept the world out of a full-blown nuclear exchange.

DaveD, how is my statement pathetic.
Well educated, highly qualified, male African-Americans scare the hell out of white middle aged men. America is and has always been a white middle aged man's country and the thought of ceeding power to anyone other than another white middle aged man scares the crap out of them. The only African-American male's name you can float to the WMAM and get a positive response is Colin Powell, but go to any middle class black neighborhood and see what the reaction is to Mr. Powell, though he did score some points by speaking out against Bush after he left his post. Point being change is coming, now don't get me wrong nowhere have I said Obama is quailified to be President, but someday soon there will be a very qualified African-American or Hispanic or Asian who will be sitting in the big chair.

his name is Barack Hussein Obama...if it's racist to utter his name (even with the misplaced letter or so), there will be consequences for such ridiculous PC standards you bring to the table.

Right, because people like you can look at someone writing "America is not going to elect a ... Muslim with the name Barack HUSSAIN Obama" and think "oh, the religious mention and the all-caps middle name must be references to the gentleman's qualifications".

You are right about one thing, though. There will be consequences for such ridiculous thought. They began on Nov. 7.

"There will be consequences for such ridiculous thought. They began on Nov. 7." ...oh we are so scared...oooohhh!

Brian - what are you the "thought Gestapo"? Liberals gotta luv their
hypocrisy...no wonder they admire the likes of Lenin, Stalin, Mao
an Castro.

Consequences?..what consequenes?..a midnight knock on the door?

He's a Christian, and his middle name is HUSSEIN. At least if you're going to be a coward and smear someone based on their religion and heritage, get it right.

So, you are down with Mitt Romney (Mormom) as a president then? Good.

The point is, the American public in general at this particular time vote on impressions, and sorry, you may not like it, but I think if you walked up to the average person on the street and say "Barak Hussein Obama", the words "Saddam" and "Bin Ladin" will float up. Yeah, it sucks, but deep down, you know that's the way it is.

Personally, he doesn't stand a chance, simply he has no governing experience, has only been a senator for a few months (at the Federal Level), and is unknown to about 90% of the general voting public (Hell, we have people who don't even know who Dick Cheney is!) The trend in presidents has been towards those who've had some experience in governing, not just in government.

I agree with an above poster...he's peaking too early, and won't make it past he primaries, if he even gets that far. Algore has a better chance than he does.

Further, Islam and muslim are religions, not races. If y'all can't get this simple difference correct, your arguments lose quite a bit of gravitas.

Well educated, highly qualified, male African-Americans scare the hell out of white middle aged men. America is and has always been a white middle aged man's country and the thought of ceeding power to anyone other than another white middle aged man scares the crap out of them.

What a horse's arse statement. Same argument was made about JFK vis-a-vis his Catholic upbringing. Oooh, the god-fearing Protestants aren't ready for a Catholic president...why, the Pope will start dictating policy though Jacky boy.

There are going to be many who will not like the idea of a "ferriner-sounding" name being president...surprisingly on both sides of the politcal spectrum. There will be some who aren't ready for an African-American as president (though I bet that's probably less than the first objection listed.) However ,the vast majority who bother to vote will probably look to his lack of governing experience, and lack of substance underneath the pretty package as the deciding factor. In fact, I'm willing to bank odds that he won't even get past the "exploratory" level, and will probably decided not to run after about 6 months...but at least he will get some good press.

Except for us political wonk here on the 'net, essentially NOONE knows or cares who's jockeying for position at this time...far too early, and American Idol is on.

He's a Christian, and his middle name is HUSSEIN. At least if you're going to be a coward and smear someone based on their religion and heritage, get it right.

It doesn't matter if his name is Jesus Moses Christ...he has almost no track record to speak of. And, frankly, for the left to get in such high dudgeon about religion when they call Bush a jesus-freak, frankly, is quite amusing. NOW all of a sudden, religious background doesn't matter.

(rolls eyes)

"arrogant high mindedness"
Sounds like someone wanted to say Uppity N%#@!&

Yes, you...it's called "projection".

FYI, the "i" and the "g" are located in the rows below the numbers row.

Hey, Linda...a little tip:

Your ignorance is ONLY exceeded by your racism and xenophobia.

-declaring a opinion is invalid because of superficial judgements...

Sounds like you watch a lot of NASCAR and pay attention to little else

--by making a superficial judgement...

...is what we call "Irony". It's very amusing, though. Thank you for playing, we have some nice parting gifts for you.

If only, Linda, you would have capped it off by calling him a "slanty-eyed whore" (see Malkin thread for reference), you would have completed a marvelous hat-trick.

Lay off the meth, James.

Lay off the meth, James.

Racist! :)

Racist! :)

C**t! ;)

I read on the intranets (its a series of tubes, you know) that a racist is prejudice against different races. I demand to know if Linda prefers Formula 1 to NASCAR! Racism isn't good for motorsports or other living creatures.

Thank you for your time.

@James Cloninger

At your first point to me, I totally agree, that is where I was coming from the same ignorance that preceeded the Kennedy election as far as a Catholic pres, you will see when someone other than a WMAM person gets close to the seat.

"arrogant high mindedness"
Sounds like someone wanted to say Uppity N%#@!&

Yes, you...it's called "projection".

Maybe you didn't read my earlier posts, I would wake up dead if I ever thought that.

Consequences?..what consequenes?..a midnight knock on the door?

You must have a short memory. How about losing both houses of Congress, for a start? Keep espousing those views, and you'll just make it easier for the Dems in 2008.

The point is, the American public in general at this particular time vote on impressions, and sorry, you may not like it, but I think if you walked up to the average person on the street and say "Barak Hussein Obama", the words "Saddam" and "Bin Ladin" will float up. Yeah, it sucks, but deep down, you know that's the way it is.

Of course that's the way it is. And that's why the right has decided to start including his middle name when they refer to him, even though they never did before, and he has never publicly gone by that name. You can't deny that that's an intentional ploy to try to stir up the very feelings that you just described. What does it say about the right that it benefits by getting people to start thinking irrationally and in a racist way?

Personally, he doesn't stand a chance, simply he has no governing experience, has only been a senator for a few months (at the Federal Level), and is unknown to about 90% of the general voting public

I don't necessarily disagree. But at least you are disputing his qualifications, rather than basing your claim on a false religious charge, and going out of your way to highlight his middle name.

Further, Islam and muslim are religions, not races. If y'all can't get this simple difference correct, your arguments lose quite a bit of gravitas.

Oh, don't be an ass. Everyone knows this, but "racist" is the closest and easiest word to use. If you want to suggest something else like "religionist", go right ahead. But such syntactic quibbling robs you of gravitas.

Brian you are such a PC clown. The Reps lost the houses in November because of Iraq. Most the Dimbulbs elected to the House were conservative to moderate Dimbulbs. After two years of
clowns like Pelosi and Reid performing...the Reps might just take back a House or two. They will if Billary and HUSSEIN are on the ticket. Consequences....my ass.

Bold words from someone who just lost both houses of Congress. I hope more Republicans like you keep thinking that their actions have no consequences when it comes to isolating your party from the public.

What comes around...goes around Brian boy. Anyhow if
Sen. Tim johnson has to retire...the Reps take back the Senate...
don't be too confident that the Dims hold on in two years.
Anything can happen. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Are you so delusional that you think the Dims are there permantently.
America can tire of the Dimos just like they got tired of the Reps.

osama bin laden is runnin for President? Will he campaign from that tribal area of western Pakistan? I guess if he gets enuff liberal democrat votes he just might win.

Other than his daddy was President and gave him Dick Cheney and Karl Rove, what exactly qualified Dubyah to be President?

Are you so delusional that you think the Dims are there permantently.

Not at all. We learned a lesson from the arrogant Republicans, who believed exactly that.

This argument can go back and forth forever. Who really knows if Obama can get the job done. All I know, is he scares me to death. We've seen what happens when we have a president who thinks Jesus is guiding their actions. Separation of church and state is GOOD. Here's an direct quote from Obama.
"...I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity United Church of Christ one day and be baptized. It came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth"

You religious zealots who feel this country should be ruled by the literal word of a text written thousands of years ago (which contradicts itself hundreds of times by the way), will love this quote. For the rest of us who think logically, be very afraid.

Spoken like a true Yellow Dog Democrat (who founded the Klu Klux Klan, I might add). You are really for the opressed. The Democratic Party (I agree you are a repugnant aRepukelican)(at least I show respect for an opponent, something you and your kind woulden't know anything about. Your idea if I won a debate is to see who shouted the loudest) has been hijaked by a bunch of rich Socialist who want power any way they can get it. They also have forgotten their roots, champanioning for the little guy. Power is what it is all about for the Democrats, at any cost. If character assisanation is the best way then so be it. You idiots woulden't know how to state a logical argument if it came up and kicked you in the A--. Better yet just forget yuou!!!