34 Comments

• 1. congressive  |  February 1st, 2008 at 11:25 am

  Physical traits matter, do they? Schoolyard bully tactics like belittling physical traits is soooo last week.

  No defense for Obama’s policies from me, though. He, like all the leftover runners in both parties, is a product of a broken system that can only win through embracing the corporatocracy.

  The only thing he might be great for is appointing Edwards for attorney general, and in my dreams, Noam Chomsky for secretary of defense.

• 2. SEW  |  February 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am

  Obama and Rosie as VP?

• 3. Chris  |  February 1st, 2008 at 12:31 pm

  He’s not Hillary.

• 4. Choose.Life.Not.War  |  February 1st, 2008 at 12:40 pm

  This one’s easy…

  CHANGE !

  Now, more than ever before in the history of this nation, we need change.

• 5. Choose.Life.Not.War  |  February 1st, 2008 at 12:58 pm

  “…. fans of the jug-eared one” Mark ???

  Why would fans of George Bush be fans of Obama ????

  it makes no sense.

• 6. StopJohnLiberalMcCain  |  February 1st, 2008 at 1:02 pm

  He will defeat JohnLiberalMcCain and then that ghost will finally be put to rest.

  From then, the GOP can rebirth like a Phoenix from the ashes of Dole II.

• 7. Joe  |  February 1st, 2008 at 1:25 pm

  The thing that makes an Obama presidency attractive to a lot of people is this is someone that is not standard D.C.
  Yes he is a Senator, but as people on this blog LOVE to point out with their experience comments, he is not a long-timer, and I think that adds to his attractiveness.
  He speaks of hope which is something that a LOT of people living paycheck to paycheck are hoping for. He speaks of change from the last 7 years were people not a lot of people are better off now than they were then.

  People are looking for inspiration.

  I know all the regulars here are going to say “he is all talk and no plan”. You know what… that is what presidential candidates do. How many plans that are laid out during a candidate’s run are actually carried out as they laid them out? Not many, if any.
  So Obama has ideas, do I expect them to be carried out word for word? Of course not. That never happens with anyone. What you do is hope that his plans are close enough to bringing you toward where you think we should be. That would be the HOPE that people are talking about.

  One thing about Obama, for me anyway, is that I see him as being intelligent enough to surround himself with good people. progressive people. Not the same old re-treads like we have had in the current administration.

  Why Obama over Clinton? I’d be good with either, but with Clinton, there are just SO many people (as seen on this blog) that are anti-everything Clinton. I don’t want the divisiveness. I want to see someone that could actually be some sort of uniter (not the type of uniter that the current President SAID he was).

• 8. bagni  |  February 1st, 2008 at 1:37 pm

  markbama
  obama doesn’t have to tell why he’s better
  or even be better for the country
  because the percepual reality is that
  he’s the ‘change’ candidate
  sadly…that alone might be enough

• 9. SteaM  |  February 1st, 2008 at 1:46 pm

  Some of the many positions that are posted on his website…

  Address the Subprime Mortgage Issue

  Combat Mortgage Fraud and Subprime Loans: The implosion of the subprime lending industry threatens to bring foreclosure to over two million households, including many families with children. Barack Obama has been closely monitoring this situation for years, and introduced comprehensive legislation over a year ago to fight mortgage fraud and protect consumers against abusive lending practices. Obama’s STOP FRAUD Act provides the first federal definition of mortgage fraud, increases funding for federal and state law enforcement programs, creates new criminal penalties for mortgage professionals found guilty of fraud, and requires industry insiders to report suspicious activity. This bill also provides counseling to homeowners and tenants to avoid foreclosures. Finally, Obama’s bill requires the Government Accountability Office to evaluate and report to Congress on various state lending practices so that state regulations that undermine consumer’s rights can be identified and hopefully eliminated.

  Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures:
  In addition to taking important steps to prevent mortgage fraud from occurring in the future, Barack Obama will establish policies to help Americans currently facing foreclosure through no fault of their own. For instance, in communities where there are many foreclosures property values of innocent homeowners are often also negatively impacted, driving them toward foreclosure, too.
  Obama will create a fund to help people refinance their mortgages and provide comprehensive supports to innocent homeowners. The fund will also assist individuals who purchased homes that are simply too expensive for their income levels by helping to sell their homes. The fund will help offset costs of selling a home, including helping low-income borrowers get additional time and support to pay back any losses from the sale of their home and waiving certain federal, state and local income taxes that result from an individual selling their home to avoid foreclosure. These steps will ensure that individuals who have to sell their homes will be able to quickly regain stable financial footing. The fund will be partially paid for by Obama’s increased penalties on lenders who acted irresponsibly and committed fraud.

  Create a Credit Card Rating System to Improve Disclosure: Barack Obama will create a credit card rating system, modeled on five-star systems used for other consumer products, to provide consumers an easily identifiable ranking of credit cards. Under the Obama plan, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will assess the degree to which credit cards meet consumer-friendly standards. The FTC will test for a set of credit card features that are deemed the most dangerous for consumers, including the underwriting standards used to issue the card, the card’s interest rate spread between the introductory rate and the maximum rate allowed, and transaction fees. The FTC will assign ratings so that consumers can easily understand if a credit card agreement meets or exceeds standards of safety. Credit card companies will be required to display the rating on all application and contract materials, enabling consumers to quickly understand all of the major provisions of a credit card without having to rely exclusively on fine print in lengthy documents. Credit card companies will also be required to disclose in simplified, clear language all of the major features of the card in addition to their FTC rating to provide consumers with additional information to compare credit card products.

  Establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to Protect Consumers: Credit cards could turn into the next subprime market crisis. In addition to being able to easily understand how risky a given credit card is, every American should have a uniform set of rights while dealing with credit card companies, no matter their financial status or credit history. To protect those rights, Barack Obama will require the Federal Trade Commission to analyze credit card company compliance with these basic rights, and provide the Department of Justice with the full authority to investigate and penalize non-compliant companies.� The Obama credit card bill of rights will:

  Ban Unilateral Changes: Currently, credit card companies can unilaterally change the terms of a credit card agreement at any time for any reason with only a 15-day notice to the consumer. Barack Obama will ban these unilateral changes in credit card agreements unless companies have obtained written consent from consumers and have followed the rules and terms of the agreement.

  Apply Interest Rate Increases Only to Future Debt: Credit card companies often apply increased interest rates to both new debt incurred by the cardholder, as well as previously incurred debt. Barack Obama will require increased interest rates to apply only to future credit card debt, and not to debt incurred prior to the increase.

  Prohibit Interest on Fees: Credit card companies often charge interest on transaction fees, such as late fees or paying a bill by telephone. Barack Obama will prohibit credit card issuers from charging interest on transaction fees.

  Prohibit ”Universal Defaults”: ”Universal defaults” are a practice in which a credit card company raises an individual’s interest rate based on failure to pay a different creditor on time. Barack Obama will prohibit this practice.

  Require Prompt and Fair Crediting of Cardholder Payments: Barack Obama will require credit card issuers to apply payments first to the credit card balance with the highest rate of interest and to minimize finance charges.

  more here http://www.barackobama.com/issues

• 10. NeoClown  |  February 1st, 2008 at 1:59 pm

  Noonan, I’ve seen you on TV and here’s a tip:
  You have no right to make fun of ugly people.

• 11. Mark Noonan  |  February 1st, 2008 at 2:03 pm

  NeoClown,

  And you can’t take a joke…rather pathetic.

• 12. Kurt Diekelman  |  February 1st, 2008 at 2:06 pm

  I have no idea what people see in this guy. He is only three years removed from taking orders in the Illinois State Senate. Yes, that is what he did. If he can’t stand up to the folks who run the Dem machine in Chicago, how is he going to stand up to the terrorists? Obama and Hillary are constantly arguing over which one of them is the tallest midget. Obama will be an easy opponent in November.

• 13. SteaM  |  February 1st, 2008 at 2:20 pm

  I have no idea what people see in this guy.

  You people? I have not idea what is it that you disagree with in terms of where he stands on positions. Give me one issue, on his website, that you disagree with.

• 14. Joe  |  February 1st, 2008 at 2:25 pm

  Kurt,
  Read the previous posts before commenting like this… I have no idea what people see in this guy

  I am more bummed that Edwards dropped out, but either of the remaining will work for me.

  Now the rest of your post… you haven’t really come up with any reason for me NOT to vote for Obama.

• 15. SteaM  |  February 1st, 2008 at 2:37 pm

  Joe,

  This debate about who is better for the next president, democrats or republicans, is getting boring… on this blog anyways.

  It’s just turned into… the democrats are scary and bad and therefore one of them cannot be president. I welcome some sort of debate we discuss the actual issues. That would be much more fun.

• 16. Joe  |  February 1st, 2008 at 2:48 pm

  Don’t be crazy! Why would you debate actual issues when you can call people Big Ears, Billary or Hitlery, Piglosi, Reidtard, drunk-Kennedy, etc, etc, etc….
  Isn’t that much more interesting???? NOT.

• 17. Zach  |  February 1st, 2008 at 3:29 pm

  Frankly I believe Obama doesn’t stand a chance in the General.

  He’s too progressive for the America..You might thinks thats cool and all Joe and Steam, but I dont. I dont want a president that thinks abortion, gay rights, gun control, UHC, amnesty, (or drivers lincenses for illegals) and weak on terrorism are good things for this country..

  Obama and Hillary would cripple this nation..

  It takes more than just the magical platform of “change” to get into the Presidency. I think this will ruin Obama’s chances if he gets the nomination. Just wait until he has to actually answers questions directly.

  Could you imagine a debate on economics with Romney pitted agaisnt Obama?

• 18. SteaM  |  February 1st, 2008 at 3:39 pm

  “weak on terrorism”

  Could you elaborate on why you think this?

  Also, do you feel that supporting gay rights would actually cripple this nation?

  I don’t know, Zach, to just say that being too progressive is a bad thing makes me wonder. Is it really? I am very confident that a large majortiy of the country wants some real change in Washington. This would involve some progress. That seems to me to be perfect for a progressive president. A theory is floating around now that since Edwards has dropped out his followers are turning to Obama rather than Hillary because Obama is more progressive.

• 19. Joe  |  February 1st, 2008 at 3:52 pm

  Zach,
  Ask around…. there is a hell of a lot more to worry yourself about than abortion, gays and guns. Nothing there is going to change any time soon. And if you look up certain recent gun bills in Congress, I guarantee you will be surprised. Look up the NRA response on H.R. 2640… initiated by 3 Democrats. They are for it and actually makes it easier to get guns for certain people. Dems taking away your guns is an old false theory to scare you gun lovers.

  You claim he is weak on terrorists… exactly how is that? Because he wants to pull the combat troops from Iraq? Is that your reason? What does that have to do with his stance on terrorists? Everyone jumped down his throat when he said he would strike within Pakistan if he had actionable intelligence and Musharraf doesn’t do anything about it. What else would you like him to do with terrorists? If you believe he is weak because he wants to “hug terrorists” (as some on this site have said), then please prove it.
  As for Iraq… What else would you like our troops to do in Iraq? We have accomplished everything we can there militarily. We have always heard that we will stand down when the Iraqis stand up. We’ve also heard so much good news from iraq now that the Iraqis are taking more of a lead in defending their countries and ousting the bad guys. So why aren’t we standing down? It is time to force them to stand up for themselves and stop using us as a crutch.

• 20. js  |  February 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pm

  If you watch him real, real close some time, you will notice whats wrong with him

  His lips move.

  Everyone knows that a politician lies when thier lips move.

  pretty simple!!

• 21. js  |  February 1st, 2008 at 5:14 pm

  The only defensible platform Obama has is the one about change.

  Everytime he talks about stuff, his position changes.

  This man will literally say anything you want to hear to get your vote.

  But will he stand up for what is right? I mean, when the DNC disenfranchised the entire state of Florida, what did Obama do? Did he march right up there and tell them that its not right?

  No. His actions speak much louder than his words. Obama is a fool on an errand for Soros, he is NOT Presidential material.

• 22. Zach  |  February 1st, 2008 at 5:24 pm

  I hope you can prove me wrong Joe, but I haven’t heard much from Obama on exactly how he plans to get us out of Iraq, nor has he elaborated on how he would bolster national security..Have you?

  He doesnt want to do anything to stop the flow of illegals into this country. That doesnt scare you? You’re not worried about who’s coming into this nation? Granted most Illegals are good people that only want to make some money for their families. Thats fine. But that doenst mean that you just leave the borders open for ANYONE to walk in. Come on thats ridiculous.

  Obama said he would support driver’s lincenses for Illegals..enough said. You think he has the interest of the entire nation on his mind?
  Furthermore, I didnt “jump down his throat” for wanting to “strike within Pakistan”.

  Steam,

  You’re right, gun control, abortion, and gay rights wouldn’t “cripple” this nation. I kinda blew that one out of proportion. I guess I’m prone to “right-wing” outbreaks..haha

  Seriously though, these are issues for me:
  1.GWOT
  2.Illegal Immigration
  3.Economy

  Those are the big three for me. I believe Obama would be weak on all three. As for the moral issues..He’s way, way, way too far left for me to vote for him.

  Joe, arent we starting to stand down in Iraq? Didn’t President Bush mention that in his last SOTU, didnt he also mention that 20,000 troops are coming home from Iraq without being replaced? Thats isn’t a definition of standing down.

• 23. NeoClown  |  February 1st, 2008 at 5:36 pm

  Noonan,

  I was joking too.
  I think you’re hot dude.

• 24. SteaM  |  February 1st, 2008 at 6:05 pm

  Joe, arent we starting to stand down in Iraq? Didn’t President Bush mention that in his last SOTU, didnt he also mention that 20,000 troops are coming home from Iraq without being replaced? Thats isn’t a definition of standing down.

  Wouldn’t that actually just be bringing us back to pre-surge levels? I don’t see that as standing down. It’s probably more because our military is too stretched so we need to pull back a bit unless we are going to have a draft. The surge, if you recall, was to allow for their to be improvements to enable their poltical process to meet certain benchmarks. The last thing I read about benchmarks, couple weeks ago, said basically they had met 3 of the 15(or whatev) benchmarks.

  But that’s a neverending vicious circle of debate around here so I’ll leave it alone.

  Zach,

  You know the three issues that you are most concerned personally. Senator Obama has a website with catagories that include the three you mentioned with detailed information on what he wants to do and where he stands. I get the feeling that you haven’t read those things. Check it out and then I think we’d all have a better debate once we know where these candidates really stand on these issues.

• 25. OBAMARAMA  |  February 1st, 2008 at 7:54 pm

  This video proves Obama supporters are the best.

  http://youtube.com/watch?v=RMFQtX3Y1uw

  Title: Obama ‘08: Let Her Cry

  A male/female duet between a Hillary supporter and an Obama guy to the tune of Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Let Her Cry.”

• 26. Gozer the Carpathian  |  February 1st, 2008 at 8:10 pm

  *Shrugs*

  Personally I support Obama on the Dem side becuase he’s not Hillary. Seriously that’s all that I need for that. But since I’m in California I couldn’t vote for him if I wanted to. :)

• 27. Mark Noonan  |  February 1st, 2008 at 8:38 pm

  SteaM,

  And I can say all the things I’d like to do - but are you going to vote for me for President even though I’ve never demonstrated any legislative or executive ability?

• 28. Joe  |  February 1st, 2008 at 11:03 pm

  Mark,
  Obama DOES have legislative experience. Like it or not, he does have state and federal.
  As for executive, take a look back at the Presidents that have had executive experience. In my opinion, being a VP wouldn’t count as “executive”. So that really leaves Governor.

  So we’ve had Carter, Reagan, Clinton and W. Before that, you have to go back to FDR.

  Why is this “executive experience” so important? Is this new within the last 25 years? You backed Dole in 96… what “executive experience” did he have? How about GHW Bush? What did he have that qualified him?

• 29. Mark Noonan  |  February 2nd, 2008 at 4:22 am

  Joe,

  Just like to know the guy who will be making the decisions has actually had to make some serious decisions in the past - Obama has none of that. Heck, if he’d even been a manager of a McDonald’s at one point, that would at least be something.

  As for legislative experience - name a signature Obama legislative accomplishment.

• 30. Almiranta  |  February 3rd, 2008 at 12:19 am

  So far Obama has just been trashing other Dems to try to get the nomination, and let’s face it, none of them is going to challenge him on issues because none of them really has any.

  He is a really good speaker, and he appeals to the emotions as no one has for a very long time. But even those who are enchanted with him will start to wonder, or at least some of them will, what reality lies behind the charisma and the passion and the empathy and the emotion.

  We need more than platitudes. So he wants to do some work regarding credit cards. OK. And ?????????????

  Change. Change from what? To what? How? Why?

  Hope. For what? (For change?)

  For decades this country has been torn apart by callous and ruthless and very successful efforts to turn one economic class against another and to turn races against each other. I see absolutely nothing in Obama’s campaign so far to address those issues. On the contrary, he wants to perpetuate those divisions, because that is how Dems win elections.

  There was a time when people looked at successful and prosperous people and were inspired, said to themselves “I can do that, too” and then aspired to the same level of success. And we were a great nation. Today too many look at those who are successful and prosperous and think “That elite SOB—I’m going to do whatever I can to drag him down to where I am”. Can this make a nation stronger?

  You want change and hope? Stop reinforcing class distrust and envy. Stop using the word “elite” to try to set one group apart from another.

  Better yet, stop assigning group identies to people. Stop trying to turn one segment of society against another. Stop the practice of divide and conquer, stop fomenting hatred and fear among races.

  When and if Obama starts to address real issues, those really affecting our society, I will start to have some respect for him. Right now I see him as a demogogue, an unusually attractive and charismatic demogogue but a demogogue just the same, playing on emotions to generate a near-hysterical response.

• 31. js  |  February 3rd, 2008 at 11:22 am

  Obama is stupid.

  Obama voted against Illinois legislation that would recognized an infant that survived an abortion as a living human being, affording the child protection equal to a live person.

  Experts gave him documented evidence that this goes on, where pro choice doctors set aside a living human fetus after a later term induced abortion, and leaves the fetus to suffer and die.

  Obama summarized his opinion by saying ““That may be your assessment, and I don’t see any evidence of that. What we are doing here is to create one more burden on a woman and I can’t support that.”. Obama totally missed the point that this ever occurred, after seeing filmed documentation that factually demonstrated that it happens.

  A Federal Law was signed in 2003 that recognized it, and it passed unanimously.

  Also, when legislation was introduced outlawing transporting minors across state lines for abortions, Obama opposed it. In a town hall meeting in Ottowa Ill, he was asked by a mother of 5, “How are you going to vote on this, keeping in mind that 10, 15 years down the line your daughters, God forbid, could be transported across state lines?”. Obama replied “The decision generally is one that a
  woman should make.”.

  Obama is a liar. He doesnt pay enough attention, his past brings factual evidence of this. He votes present not because of his educated analysis of facts, but because he is choses to remain willfuly ignorant of them.

• 32. js  |  February 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 am

  Obama voted NO on

  (Ill) SB 1661 (2002)
  A part of the Born Alive Infant Protection Package. Would create a cause of action if a child is born alive after an abortion and the child is then neglected through failure to provide medial care after birth.

• 33. js  |  February 3rd, 2008 at 11:29 am

  What human being would deny medical care to an infant that is born alive?

  Not one that deserves to be President of the United States, thats for sure.

• 34. Christian Wright  |  February 3rd, 2008 at 9:02 pm

  “After 30 years in government, serving under five Presidents of both parties and chairing two non-partisan commissions on the Public Service, I have been reluctant to engage in political campaigns. The time has come to overcome that reluctance,” Mr. Volcker said in a statement today. “However, it is not the current turmoil in markets or the economic uncertainties that have impelled my decision. Rather, it is the breadth and depth of challenges that face our nation at home and abroad. Those challenges demand a new leadership and a fresh approach.”

  He concluded: “It is only Barack Obama, in his person, in his ideas, in his ability to understand and to articulate both our needs and our hopes that provide the potential for strong and fresh leadership. That leadership must begin here in America but it can also restore needed confidence in our vision, our strength, and our purposes right around the world.”