Obama Rocks

[shoshntosh]

anyone else out there really chuffed that this guy could be the next Prez of the US?

or is it just me?

[SeanMacGabhann]

not just you shosh - I'm well chuffed he beat Hilary but he has a scary 5 months ahead. Fingers crossed he beats McCain too

I'm quite enjoying his 2006 book as well - but I do worry about what happens to people when they get in - and Obama is such an idealist it seems too good to be true - I worry the only way is down. But then I think of the alternative and I breathe again

[????]

He supports West Ham.......good man

[shoshntosh]

seanmc... completely agree on all points. he not only has the next election to get through... he has 4 (at least) years in washington.

incidently,i also fear for his safety constantly. there are so many racist nutters in the US, and they are allowed to own guns! he's a brave man indeed.

[citizenED]

Could conservative, redneck America really vote in a black guy as president? Just trust he beats the pants off McCain

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Oh dear, I really liked him until: "He supports West Ham".

[????]

evening scummer, I used to like Daniel Day Lewis for a while;-)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Daniel is a man of consummate taste.

[SeanMacGabhann]

oh shosh - I don't think you stand a chance with this Milwall v West Ham soccer slang

and citizenEd - I know you too well to think this - but for the galleries - when you say "conservative, redneck America" you mean the "pockets of" right?

As for Obama's personal safety - well, it does tend to be the good ones that get killed - MLK, Ghandi, Lennon - all killed. Reagan? wounded.....

[????]

I feel a Marvin Gaye song coming on....

[atila the gooner]

I really don't believe he will be the first black president of the USA, I still believe America is too right wing to allow it.

[HonaloochieB]

atila the gooner Wrote:

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> I really don't believe he will be the first black

> president of the USA, I still believe America is

> too right wing to allow it.

What, all of America? Every last man jack of them. The blacks who may be motivated to vote for 'their' candidate?

The much derided liberals? The fact he's the first black prospect is significant, is it not?

What's more interesting than his race is that he does not seem to be beholden to too many vested interests for his campaign.

[jumpinjackflash]

I'm getting fed up with all the media "Is America ready for a black President?". "Is America ready for a female President?". What do they mean 'ready'?? They've had a complete moron running the country for the last seven years.

[gerry]

I think if Hillary becomes his running mate, they will beat McCain. If he chooses the Virginia senator, I'm not sure he will have the wide appeal. When and if Hillary becomes Vice President, the country will also get Bill..... and many believe that is a good thing!!

[citizenED]

But that is the question though, isn't it? It's not so much in the sense of ready as in "advanced" enough to have a woman or a black man, but in the sense of "brave" enough. Perhaps they go with the status quo of having a moron run the country rather than have the guts to make that symbolic change.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Have to say "no" to Hilary as the running mate. I get the feeling that she will hang around anyway and will never go away but given leverage to promote herself, she will - at Obama's expense

jumpinjackflash - when the articles say "is the country ready for.." the question is - if it was a white male running against McCain the odds of a Democratic victory shorten. There are pockets - in many countries - which don't take kindly to giving power to anybody other than white males. Sadly, you won't have to dig very deep to find some democrats change sides, because they now have a black candidate.

[gerry]

If Hillary is given the VP job, she will help him get elected. Its that simple. If not, he won't get in on his own merit...too much prejudice still in many areas. I would like to think otherwise, but many friends over there say he would struggle.

[mockney piers]

I just can't see Obama winning saldy. He's a much stronger candidate than John Kerry, but in the end I see middle America playing it safe.

They'll think, yes Bush screwed up our economy, pushed up oil prices, oversaw the banks screwing everything up, spent our children's inheritance on stupid wars and basically handed our hegemony to the Chinese....BUT McCain might be better.

...or something....

It's 1992 (for us) all over again.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'm inclined to pessimism - but this time I have a hunch that America is more like UK in '97 (hopefully with a better 10 years therafter)

Logically, I'm inclined to agree with you gerry - but something tells me that it's not the dream ticket that some people are painting. The people who are voting for meaningful change with Obama want just that - meaningful change. It's hard to imagine that happening if he is dependant on Clinton to get elected. Better to stand on his own merit and lose (which I don't think he will)

I'm happy to start a book with ???? on this one too

[mockney piers]

I also can't help but feel there's no real change, Washington is as Washington does.

Though on the other side, he's not in hock to ANY lobby groups, which is nice, but I can't see him being radical about the state of banking....

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638

[SeanMacGabhann]

indeed Mockney indeed - but is there anyone, anywhere who could get elected that would?

[david_carnell]

gerry Wrote:

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> If Hillary is given the VP job, she will help him

> get elected. Its that simple. If not, he won't

> get in on his own merit...too much prejudice still

> in many areas. I would like to think otherwise,

> but many friends over there say he would struggle.

I have to disagree Gerry, I think, if anything, this ticket would bode badly for Obama. Whilst many "undecideds" and even the left-leaning Republicans would consider switching to Obama when Hilary comes aboard opinion polls tend to suggest that vital support drains away. She is a divisive figure both within her own party and on a national scale. Kind of love or hate - and for many Americans it's definitely hate.

If, and I grant you it's a big if, I was Obama's advisor I think he has two options for a successful running mate. The first is John Edwards who has previously been on the ticket and has the experience of Presidential campaigns that Obama lacks. The second choice is the more risky but could herald a new dawn in American politics. The ethnic group Obama fails to reach is the Hispanics who tend to vote Repubican. Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico is a latino and massively popular in the SW United States. A black/hispanic ticket would be both powerful and controversial but is a distinct possibility.

[mockney piers]

Quite D_C, quite

[bon3yard]

A Hammers Fan? This surely proves that he is a man who stands up for the rights of the little man, the downtrodden, the underdog...

[ratty]

I am so cynical but is Hillary only willing to be VP because it will be a shoe in to power when Obama inevitably gets assasinated within the first 3 weeks of his presidency by some loony white WASP nutcase covered in tatoos?