Conservative Blog Political Potpourri, March 18th 2008
“The Audacity of Rationalizing”
Obama’s Mistakes
In a speech given today in Philadelphia, Barack Obama finally proved he is fallible. While many other pundits and sites will be talking about some other more obvious problems with Obama’s forlorn attempt at being as powerful with a speech as Lincoln, or MLK, I am going to target some of the more difficult to spot concerns.
1. Conditional Hypocritical Patriotism
Who is this man?
Is this possibly the man who does not like to put his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance? Is this the man who will not wear a lapel Flag Pin? Is this the man who feels it is to jingoistic and disingenuous to act patriotic in a celebratory manner?
Well then, what the hell is he doing surrounded by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8… yes EIGHT… US flags during his speech on which his political career will pivot?
2. Rationalization of Behavior
This excerpt from the speech really set me off:
“Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely – just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.”
Oh my. This is a grown adult, one which wishes to run this Country, and he is comparing in relative terms the comments of pastors, priests, and rabbis across this country with Jeremiah Wright?
I am utterly shocked at the political idiocy of this comment, let alone the ignorance of the reality that, in fact, MOST of those in any pulpit across this land don’t spew the kind of hate and lie filled rhetoric we have heard from Wright. And of those that do, I suspect we will find a high proportion of them in the black churches.
For those out there who really pay attention to such subtle statements and what is being implied, Obama did a TON of damage to himself with those words. And, it is irreparable.
3. Guilt By “Sentence” Association
This is another incredibly stupid political mistake:
“We can dismiss Reverend Wright as a crank or a demagogue, just as some have dismissed Geraldine Ferraro, in the aftermath of her recent statements, as harboring some deep-seated racial bias.”
One could make the argument that Obama is not taking the stance that Ferraro is the same as Wright… but he was not specific enough to make sure that the association was not implied, leaving open the possibility that a very large faction of the left will be very upset.
You don’t write a speech like this, with the knowledge that such a Titanic magnifying glass will be applied to it, without recognizing that “guilt by association” in sentences such as that will be made, correctly or incorrectly, by the listener.
Obama would have been far better off not putting the two names in the same sentence.
Secondly, on this issue, to even try to compare Ferraro’s comments to Wright’s is ludicrous. Ferraro made a gaffe which showed lack of foresight in composing what she intended to say in a moment of spontaneity; Wright wrote the sermons AHEAD of time.
This is a classic case of coparing Murder 1 to Involuntary Manslaughter… and “Presidential Material” should know better.
Bad move for such a supposedly “articulate” man.
4. Huge Opportunity, Missed.
You have the national spotlight on an issue which will determine your future, and you also have an opportunity to make a difference perhaps in the direction of the Country. Obama made the colossal mistake of spending far too much time defending Wright, both specifically, and in general terms- INSTEAD of defining himself, during which time he could have distanced himself more from Wright’s ideology.
All in all, I would give the speech a B-, but I would rate the political intelligence and wisdom at about a C-.
“New York , we have a problem…”
Well, it only took days to find out that the new Governor of New York has issues too.
Recently sworn in Gov. David Paterson told reporters that he has had several affairs. In fact, so has his wife. In fact, one of the affairs (his) was with a State worker. In fact, that State worker worked for Eliot Spitzer… I think…
Not to worry. It will get more exciting soon. This little Democrat orgy might spread, and who knows who else would be involved.
Paterson said he “came forward now because he didn’t want the rumors to cloud his governorship.”
This is Democrat code for “I know you will find out, so I just found my moral and ethical voice and compass!”
What’s Hillary Up To?
Mai Tai’s. Getting Ron Paul massages. Enjoying every minute of Obama’s little racial problem, and cackling that laugh…
Not to worry… she still has some tax and income info to release…
