Obama Thoughts & Ramblings

A striking tall lean figure is capturing hearts at every stop in the campaign. Soaring rhetoric, flocking crowds, intelligent persuasion, and positive oration make up the charm of two year Senator Barak Obama. He is turning heads. He is changing minds. He is winning primaries.

So who is Barak Obama? What does he want with America? He wants to be our President!

The unbelievable groudswell of support that is following the most charismatic figure of the 2008 election primaries is stunning. For the Clintonistas, its down-right terrifying. So badly are they looking for dirt to sling, the Clintonistas resorted to attacking Obama's written paper in kindergarten expressing a desire to be President.

James Madison in Federalist #70 proceeded to explain the qualities necessary to be found in the President of the United States. Much energy...to which can be added capacity and intelligence. If these were the only requirements, it appears that Senator Obama qualifies.

Of his voting record however, Obama has failed to show up about 33% of the time to cast his Senate vote. Obama has especially, and maybe purposefully, missed votes on 9 of the Iraq war funding bills. Its fairly easy to be the sharpest war critic if you have chosen not to vote. The pattern to not cast a vote stems back to the Illinois Senate. Voting "present" at least 52 times instead of for or against a piece of legislation, Obama skirted the "heat in the kitchen" that President Truman mumbled about.

Obama abstained an inordinate number times from voting on critical state-wide issues in Illinois. While other state politicians took the heat for their positions, Obama was apparently abdicating his duty to vote. The easy votes- no problem. The more difficult votes require an Obama vote to abstain so as not to make future enemies. Smart politically, but classic Obama on not being tied down to conviction on specific votes.

A plethora of other issues that might or might not make a difference:

Smoking pot in high school? Just like any other purposeless high school punk kid-right? Obama admits it. And he moves on.

The silver-tonged orator wants to talk with Iran; but invade Pakistan if Musharaff isn't cooperating with us in the war on terror. Obama wants a complete withdrawal of Americans from Iraq. Obama voted against the surge. He even says that the surge is working only because Sunnis see that American Democrats are likely to win the elections in 2008. Thus, Sunnies are being forced to make nice with Shia's before Americans are gone. Is there any more stretched logic than this?

Obama's flare for philosophic abstract rhetoric is rather impressive, but it can draw him into trouble. "Wasted" lives is what Obama called our troops in Iraq when they die. Apologies were forthcoming for misspeaking. With 32 Virginia Tech students gunned down, Obama referenced foolishly the violence of so many other kinds that must be addressed as well.

His gaffe in not wearing an American pin on his lapel, and haphazardly placing his hand over heart during the national anthem became questions of patriotism. Obama retorted that pariotism "is a matter of the heart"; not what you are wearing.

What must it say to our electorate when even Ahmadijad's Iran is praying for Obama's election?


Obama has been cultured, trained, and educated in elite schools. He has known the South Side of Chicago. He has learned his ways overseas in Islamic nations. This conglomerate mixture of cosmopolitan and liberal diversity in Obama's background provides much assurance to the Hezbollahs. How do we know? Even Hezbollah has connections inside the Obama campaign discussing the issues of the Middle East by their own admission. No such talks are to be found in the McCain camp---apparently???