Well, not quite yet, but there's a good deal of hope surrounding Barack Obama. Probably lots of people got their first introduction to the man last night and judging from the way it went, I don't think it will be the last speech we hear from him. At 42 he is young and seems even younger—I understand he's something of a technophile, likes blogs (and runs one), etc.
I want to encourage moderation in all things: There's still plenty of time for compromise bills and compromising circumstances, plenty of opportunity for some of his luster to fade. Still, though, only a handful of states away, the Republicans just nominated Tom Coburn for a Senate run. As God-awful as that news is, it's in a sense genuinely encouraging for the future of the Democratic Party. We're promoting at least one shiny happy liberal on the ground and at our convention. W. will surround himself with, well, John McCain in NYC come September, but the GOP still supports the same tyrannosaurs. They can't win on backasswardsness forever.
I know this doesn't mean anything—I know it's unscientific, unrigorous, how-dare-you-blog-this-sir bad—but let's just put a couple of recent public statements by Obama and Coburn side by side for comparison?
"I say to [Americans] tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there's the United States of America." —July 24, Boston
"I favor the death penalty for abortionists and other people who take life." —July 9, Oklahoma CityThe politics of marshmallowy-good hope versus the politics of fuck-all insane grandpa. Posted by Kriston at July 28, 2004 10:47 AM
"fuck-all insane" guy gets the primary nod but can't win the general election. When will Republican primary voters learn?
I've always thought Harold Ford should have gotten a more prominent leadership position in the house, instead they chose Pelosi. I suspect the Democrats will similarly deny a leadership role to Obama. He and Ford should be Republicans anyway.--s
Posted by: j.scott barnard at July 28, 2004 12:42 PMAnd by the way, Kerry's already taken the title "Second Black President" for himself.
I wonder what old white man will be our first female president?
Posted by: susan at July 28, 2004 3:15 PMI wonder what old white man will be our first female president?
Very good. I suspect the Republicans will throw that label at our first old white gay male president.
Posted by: PG at July 28, 2004 5:32 PMFeel free to submit your link to our funky directory.
Posted by: Funkylink Directory at May 10, 2007 8:04 PM