Why do conservatives love Obama?

Anyone who has been following the video conversation with my friend Steve Gillmor knows that I'm a passionate Hilary Clinton fan -- the ultimate star-struck political teenybopper. I l confess that I love the liberal lady to death and I'm extremely depressed that Democrats seem to be passing her up for that windbag Harvard Law grad from Honolulu/Chicago (full disclosure: my wife was at HLS at the same time as the fellow -- so I'm very familiar with sanctimonious Harvard Law School windbaggery).

What I can't figure out is why Obama is so beloved by radical conservatives. Reading Peggy Noonan's celebration  of Obama's supposed victory of Hillary in Saturday's Wall Street Journal was surreal enough, but then we had Bill Kristol in today's New York Times delightedly claiming Obama has momentum. As Paul Krugman, the only guy maintaining his sanity in mainstream media's Obamamanic atmosphere, also wrote in today's Times, we are now seeing a cult of personality develop around the freshman Senator from Illinois.

So what's going on here? The Obama people will, no doubt, tell us that their candidate is post-ideology, bipartisan, bringing the country together, talking to real people, blah blah blah. Bipartisanship my arse. Either you are on the left or the right, either you are a liberal or a conservative, either you believe in raising taxes or you believe in dismantling the state. My guess is that it is the radical conservatives who have seen through Obama -- they know he's all windbaggery and no concrete politics, they know that he lacks the experience, the team, the understanding, the ideology, to put America back together again.

Or maybe it's because many neo-cons (including, for example, Kristol's dad, Irving) are ex Trotskyites who have never been able to resist a good cult of personality.

If you want competent government, vote Hillary; if you want to feel good about yourself, vote Obama.

Comments

[Conrad]

If Hillary stands for competent government, why is her campaign so badly prepared? This is the largest enterprise she has ever undertaken, and it is a mess because she made a lot of assumptions. This despite the fact that she had the assistance of the most influential and talented politicians in the nation, and is the wife of a two term president. I hear a lot of excuses from her advocates, but excuses don't cover foolish mistakes.

[Kell Brigan]

And, Hillary's vague plans to "penalize" fat people are more than enough to have me concerned, both about the quality of her research and evaluating process, and about the possible erosion of civil rights under her watch. (Obama, certainly, is far worse, however; on the subject of fat people, he's near hysterical.)

The realities of fat life (that we don't eat different from thin people, that fatness is overwhelmingly genetic, that weight loss attempts always fail and usually cause residual weight gain, that people currently labelled "overweight" live the longest and most healthfully of any other weight ranges, etc. etc.) rarely show up either on the Net or in mainstream media. (The online "movement" for fat rights is endlessly mired in Chick Lit level angst about clothes and sex; any attempt to take a stand on political issues is immediately shot down.) There's a question: how can the truth get out when the Net is in chaos and mainstream media is determined to fan the flames of hatred against fat people?

Meanwhile, I ain't got nobody I'm willing to vote for. McCain looked a little hopeful on fat civil rights issues, but he's gong anti-choice, so...

[John S]

i think fat people should be penalised

[Kell Brigan]

Zeig Heil, Johno! Keep building those gas chambers! Way to hate other people's genes!
(And, yet further proof that the Net is full of morons.)

[Sin]

If you haven't observed Hilary's patronizing behavior then you're an idiot. If you have, then you're bias and/or corrupt.

Which is it?

[Den Fennessy]

I agree with Kell.. I'm not bias. please read that slow Kell.

[Lutak]

I don't think that 'Conservatives' love Obama...what a lie.

Personally, I think that Obama is arrogant...and this will be his downfall amongst educated, well-rounded, mature and informed American voters.

I also believe that websites like the one listed below could ultimately determine why more and more Democrats will defect to John McCain's camp.

Unfortunately, there is little about Obama that a website like the one below says that can be refuted...that is, unless you've flunked Philosphy 101 in college,or never got to college in the first place.

Check it out: http://www.chilkootmarketing.com/index.htm

What can be done?

Sooner or later all of us will have to reckon with our conscience and higher intellectual powers and when this occures we will invariably be forced to choose between either 'principle' or the physical attributes of the other candidate.

Which candidate is traveling down the wrong road on critical issues?

Which do you think will win out, come November? '

'Higher principles' or the 'physical' attributes of a particular candidate?

Predictably, older voters will vote in favor of 'principle'... obviously, because they are more concerned about what happens after death and the legacy they will leave behind.

In contrast, the younger voters, since they have more time left in life to recant, are more likely to be reckless and procrastinate with any decision in favor of principle, and will likely vote in favor of 'idealism'...

...and these are the young and youthful voters that Obama appeals to and also why a lot of us older folks see Obama as 'the Pied Piper of the niave'.

However, (which is the next question that begs itself): 'When does Barack's own conscience begin to bother him?'

Personally, I think Obama needs to start thinking about what he can do to 'remake' his image if he wants to win this election.

I'm not sure that he'll want to be that person he's beginning to look like against John McCain...who today represents everything that America stands for.

BUT, if Obama thinks he can win going the way he's headed, then let him go for it.

But, as for me and many like me who sit on the fence until election time in November, we'll still be thinking about having to live with ourselves long after this election is over in November and maybe these are the thoughts that the new young voters haven't entertained yet...

...and, there's still a lot that can happen between now and November...

...and, this probably means that Obama faces a huge political swamp ahead...one that he has created for himself by being too impetuous on some very important issues...

...which has already gotten him into trouble with some of the very wise old parents of the younger generation.

- Jim Carder

[Republican Alternative]

CNN's Two Segment Series: Revealed McCain/Obama. Despite the tabloid like title, it was revealing. I gathered more about Obama not all flattering either but got a very deep insight into the mind and motives behind McCain. I just don’t understand why McCain’s taking the low road to the Whitehouse by exploiting 911, but after watching CNN’s Revealing McCain, I understand him more. His Seniority gives him a longer history in Washington and a lot more baggage. He’s been injured, damaged and he is very bitter over his own Republican party for many personal reasons. This election is crucial to him and means so much to him but for the wrong reasons - Revenge. He has resorted to using all the nasty political tricks Bush did and has turned against everything he once spoke of during his Straight Talk 2000 to win this round. It’s disturbing.
Not mentioned was McCain's VP pick. Palin appeal is the hype distraction she offers, she's very coachable, moldable, and knows how to keep secrets, she will do well under his tutelage.

I hope CNN will re-run this segment so that all conscious American voters will be informed on both candidates. That is, if they vote with their conscious and not their emotions and of course that they are focusing on the issues and not bigotry, not the sarcasm, not the blogging trolls, but the history of both these politicians.

[Jim]

I am not a "radical" Conservative, but feel that it is high time for all Conservatives to reclaim ownership of their principles from politicians who claim to represent conservative values in order to get elected. I bristle at the disgusting tactics and positions McCain and Palin have used in this campaign. It's insulting to me when they call themselves conservatives and then behave the way they do. I voted for Reagan because, though I did not agree with all of his positions, he was a man of dignity who commanded respect.

So if you are wondering why conservatives support Obama, please read my list of policy goals that are based on conservative principles.
http://conservativesforobama-2008.blogspot.com/

My hope is that others who share these values and goals will realize that people with a conservative point of view should support Obama and Biden. Both have demonstrated principles and conviction that offer the best prospects for returning to the traditions of decency, respect, and common purpose that so many of us share regardless of any political party.

[Joe Connors]

I't'll'b Obama in November! The times they're a chang'n

[Kell Brigan]

According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, "Experts suggest that in cases where the offender is known, victims should send the stalker a clear written warning. Specifically, victims should communicate that the contact is unwanted, and ask the perpetrator to cease sending communications of any kind. Victims should do this only once. Then, no matter the response, victims should under no circumstances ever communicate with the stalker again. Victims should save copies of this communication in both electronic and hard copy form."

OK. "REV. DEN," YOUR COMMUNICATION IS UNWANTED. KEEP THIS UP, AND WE'LL TALK RESTRAINING ORDER.

(Say, "Rev," Do you tell people about your felony drug use and grand theft history, and about how you got stoned on who-knows-what and pulled out a knife and threatened to kill three kids once -- including me -- and about how you used to hit Jane, your wife before she wised up and left, when you're trying to get them to hire you to do their weddings? Just wondering...)