The audacity of vanity
July 22nd, 2008Great article by Charles Krauthammer on Barack Obama’s arrogance and vanity. An excerpt:
Americans are beginning to notice Obama’s elevated opinion of himself. There’s nothing new about narcissism in politics. Every senator looks in the mirror and sees a president. Nonetheless, has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?
Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted “present” nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself.
It is a subject upon which he can dilate effortlessly. In his victory speech upon winning the nomination, Obama declared it a great turning point in history — “generations from now we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment” — when, among other wonders, “the rise of the oceans began to slow.” As Hudson Institute economist Irwin Stelzer noted in his London Daily Telegraph column, “Moses made the waters recede, but he had help.” Obama apparently works alone.
“As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship?”
Compare to John McCain who graduated 894th out of a class of 899. Let’s not replace one dumb President with another.
It’s a source of endless amusement to me that the candidate with the biggest Messiah complex I’ve ever seen has the atheist vote locked up.
So long as no one gets crazy (or fanatical) and claims that Jesus of Nazareth is Messiah…
Anyone else but Him. So yeah Peter it’s hardly suprising.
Obama’s opinion of himself is alarmingly like Bill Clinton’s. Sad.
Obama’s opinion of himself is alarmingly like Bill Clinton’s. Sad.
So is his penchant for shady real estate deals. At least Clinton had some prior governing experience.
More contrast on the education of the candidates, this one compares their technology background…
McCain Finds Video Professor
Candidates@Google: Barack Obama
If being in touch with current technology is important to you, your choice is clear, Barack.
Sorry, the Obama@Google link is http://youtube.com/watch?v=m4yVlPqeZwo
Speaking of stupidity, Obama doesn’t even know what Senate committees he’s on.
Vote for Obama, everyone….he apparently is more adept with TiVo than McCain.
I suppose there needs to be SOME reason for him to be running. He doesn’t seem to have any viable (touchy word with him) political skills or experience otherwise.
Oh, but Obama has two very, very important qualities….he has hair, dark and nice and pretty teeth. No matter if the head is empty except for vanity.
More education contrast, this time on the economy…
McCain…
“I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.” - John McCain
“The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” but “I’ve got Greenspan’s book.” - John McCain
Obama…
“There is grave concern in low-income communities about a potential coming wave of foreclosures. Because regulators are partly responsible for creating the environment that is leading to rising rates of home foreclosure in the subprime mortgage market, I urge you immediately to convene a homeownership preservation summit with leading mortgage lenders, investors, loan servicing organizations, consumer advocates, federal regulators and housing-related agencies to assess options for private sector responses to the challenge.” - Barack Obama Letter to Bernanke and Paulson Regarding Housing Crisis
Mind you that this was written over a year ago. Barack Obama was able to foresee the mortgage crisis before it came to be. If the economy is an important issue to you, Obama is more in touch with what is happening than McCain.
McCain: Knows he has deficiencies and admits them. That equals humility and honesty, which are signs of true leadership.
Obama: Thinks he knows all the answers, and the problem always lies with someone else. Never admits he’s been wrong. Liar, egocentric, the worst possible combination to lead a nation. Probably reads The Prince while sitting on the john. Oh, wait, he probably never needs to go.
I’ll take McCain’s education in humility in a Vietnamese prison camp over Obama’s privileged Harvard time.
Those aren’t the only reasons I’ll be supporting McCain, but they’re sufficient.
Let’s see, Obama is so much more qualified to lead in the area of economy that he leads or serves on no financial committees or subcommittees in the Senate. In fact, he doesn’t even serve on any committee that has anything to do with money. But is able have his staff write a letter for him to sign. At least McCain admits his areas of shortcomings and is prepared to put experts around him that actually know this area. I am sure that his VP choice will help shore up a strong economic competency. That’s what leaders do. As far as short comings go, Obama cannot even bring him self to admit that he was wrong on the hugely successful surge strategy in IRAQ.
Obama does however “lead” the European Affairs subcommittee on Foreign Relations but he is just now getting around to making a trip to Europe. In fact he can’t really even seem to demonstrate much leadership on the only committee he chairs. Obama’s European problem . While he may be very popular, his rockstar treatment in Germany does not mean much to me in America. Remember, Germany also idolizes David Hasselhoff so their judgement on talent seems to be a little suspect.
When people ask me who am voting for, I respond the same way. I don’t say “I am voting for the who has the best jumpshot or the one who can best click a mouse.” I say “I am voting for the candidate with the most experience and the most leadership credentials” Almost without fail, they respond “So you are voting for John McCain?”
Another clear contrast between Obama and McCain is how the world views America. Obama has the ability to restore America’s tarnished reputation in terms of torture, human rights, the environment, competent leadership, and civil liberties, all of which suffered massively during the Bush administration in the eyes of our European allies. Obama has the ability to draw a crowd of 200,000+ in Germany alone, many of whom were waving American flags!! I think that’s great for America. Could John McCain ever inspire that much good will and support abroad? Here is the contrast…
Obama:
Obama’s Berlin speech appears to resonate with crowd
An estimated 215,000 people filled the Tiergarten park in Berlin to hear Barack Obama deliver a sweeping speech calling for unity with Europe. After meeting with France’s president today, he’ll wrap up his nine-day trip in London.
McCain:
No image found of John McCain in front of a large European crowd waving American flags.
So, while the world is willing to follow Barack Obama they won’t follow John McCain. That demonstrates where the rest of the world places it’s confidence for real leadership, Obama.
And I couldn’t give a rat’s behind where the rest of the world places its confidence for real leadership. America’s a better place to live than the rest of the world. Why would we want to be like them?
Good relations with our allies helps our foreign policy. It’s not a question of us wanting to be like them, rather it’s a question of them wanting to be like us. I think it’s important that the rest of the world admires and respects America and Americans. They won’t do that with McCain.
Our allies will be pro-America with Obama as president whereas we can expect more resistance to our policies with a McCain presidency because he doesn’t have the leadership skills Barack does. Our allies don’t like McCain because he’s identified with Bush and his ilk. Also, McCain has no personality, he’s ill tempered, he’s a huge “flip-flopper,” and he isn’t very bright, comparatively speaking.
I knew the mortgage “crisis” would come three years ago when I saw most of the risky loan activity was with people flipping houses. That makes me three times smarter than Obama. But really, anyone watching financial news would have known it.
there was an inteview on Morning Edition yesterday. Steve Inskeep was interviewing Stefan Kornelius, a German journalist, and the question was asked
“Why is there enthusiam for an American presidential candidate? Is this negative feelings about Bush or is there any positive sense of Obama?”
A: “Mostly a disliking of Bush, nobody knows anything about Obama, what he stands for or what he wants to do”
You can listen to the whole interview here
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92864140
I’m willing to bet that’s the exact sentiment of most Obama supporters. I’m not willing to base my vote on another country’s opinion of a former administration.
If Obama is so smart, why is he campaigning in Germany?
I ain’t very bright, but I’m purty shur that Germans cain’t vote fer him.
Again giving a rousing speech is not leadership. He has failed at the only leadership position he has been given in the Senate regarding Foreign Affairs.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2007/12/29/obama_europe/
I think it’s important that the rest of the world admires and respects America and Americans.
Canceling a permanent international trade agreement and launching preemptive military strikes against Pakistan will do wonders for world opinion of America, I’m sure.
More news of interest regarding Obama and his connections. See WND. Very interesting……..but not good. Whose side is he really on?
Two Obama letters…
Obama’s guestbook entry at Yad Vashem
Very eloquent but the next one worries me…
Fury over Obama’s nicked note to God
“…make me an instrument of your will.” What in the world is he talking about?
I guess Obama now thinks he is on the Banking Committee.
http://podblanc.com/obama-lies-not-a-member-banking-committee
Huh? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Banking%2C_Housing%2C_and_Urban_Affairs
I guess when you are so lacking in experience you just start inflating your resume’ and making stuff up. Most companies would fire you if you lie on your resume’.