Political Punch

What Obama supports and voters heard was, "I will give you money, you won't have to worry about anything because I will take care of you" and that is why they voted for him.

And they refused to look into his background to find out why that was such a lie. Obama takes care of his rich friends, not the people who vote for him.

Too much controversy creates doubt. I think time we will tell what the real truth is. The birth certificate is probably just one of the controversial issues facing the President-elect.

I served in the United States Navy from 1963 to 1969. I was with Task Force 117 during Viet Nam. That being said, none of you people are taking into consideration that SCOTUS will be hearing Philip J. Berg v Barack Obama et al on Jan. 9, 2009... the day after the electoral votes are cast. At that time, Berg will have standing to raise the issue of the Obamination's eligibility to hold the office of POTUS. The certificate of live birth (undoubtedly a fake) in no way proves the place of birth. Only that he was living when he got to Hawaii four days after being born in Kenya. His refusal to produce a valid, long form, certified birth certificate lends proof to the fact that he has something to hide.
Sit back and watch... The One will NOT take office. He's a fraud and a ursurper.

I just seperated from the US Navy a month ago. I'm not surprised Obama didn't get a superbowl type reaction. There are alot of prejudice/racist individuals in the military. I have witnessed it from the higher ranks as well as the lower ranks.

No surprize here if you know ANYTHING about the Marine Corps and our Marines - and I guess the chow wasn't good enough for him (no friggen lobster).

Moderate, you may have taken him seriously but plenty of others did not, including the Clintons. I recall a Republican pundit, Ed Rogers saying on Hardball "they think they can win with a guy named Barack Hussein Obama?? Give me a break!"

A lot of people said that he would sink under the weight of his name, ethnicity and inexperience alone. Before the primary, we were told how he could never withstand the Clinton machine. In the general, he was supposed to be chewed up by the Republican attack machine. Yeah, right.

Not scrutinized by the media? You are confusing what was covered with what was effective. The public heard about Wright and Ayers and Khalidi and Rezko endlessly from the media. They simply didn't care!

They heard about "present" votes. They didn't hear that it was 133 out of 4000 and that voting present is routine in the Illinois Senate. They didn't care about that either!

No other candidate has had to be responsible for words and deeds of their minister (Jeremiah Wright), co-workers (Khalidi), neighbors and board members (Ayers). The relationships were explored extensively. Political opponents made hay out of them. But the public simply didn't care.

Obama's books, college and law school writings were scrutinized. They picked over the Rezko stuff for a year. Every time Obama's name was mentioned in Rezko's trial, it made the national news. Again, the public didn't care.

It wasn't that he got a free pass. It was that the country decided it didn't matter.

You believe Obama is in over his head. Why is that? Because he's young? Inexperienced? What *actions* can you point to that demonstrates he is out of his depth?

I say *anybody* would be, considering the mess we're in. But I truly feel that McCain would really be in over his head. The way he handled the economic crisis showed he was in over his head with his campaign! The presidency? He's too old and he's simply not very bright.

Happy New Year.

"As Obama entered the room, it was absent of the regular fanfare of cheering and clapping. The diners were polite, staying seated at their respective tables and waited for the president-elect to come to them to stand up."

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This is different than Dubya's presidency already. All GOP politicians try to play up their support of the military. If this trip had been by Bush it would have been a pre-planned, canned photo op with shots of cheering troops and plenty of flag-raising and maybe even a prayer or two. Fortunately, I'm confident that Obama will do more for this country than just wave the flag and pray for the next 4 years.

Carolinagirl,

Well, I don't believe he was born in Kenya or even that he's a closet Muslim. But I do think he will prove to be in over his head. I guess it is a matter of perception-- you honestly see what you described in your post-- that he was discounted at every turn and yet triumphed. I see it completely differently. I told my husband when Obama spoke at the Kerry convention that he would run in 2008. When he said, after arrived at the senate upon his election there, that he had no intention of seeking higher office in the near future but would concentrate on learning the ropes in the senate, I rolled my eyes. When he announced he would run, I knew he would get the nomination, because he had positioned himself so well and is a clever politician. I worked hard for John McCain but was not at all surprised that Obama won. At every turn, he has been given kid-glove treatment by the press and has never been given the level of scrutiny and skepticism a national politician should be given. I don't know who it is that "predicted" he would "sink like a stone." I always took him extremely seriously and anyone who did not do the same did so at their own peril.

Where the hell is 'Kaneche Bay' ?

MSgt Ken HUCK USMC (Ret)

Moderate, I know what Obama's approval rating means. I point it out because every since he entered this race, people have predicted he would sink like a stone at each turn.

At the beginning, they said he didn't have a chance of getting the nomination. They they said he would lose the election to McCain.

Now, people who hate Obama are saying that his supporters have buyer's remorse or that he's showing he's in over his head. I point out his 82% approval rating to show that this is more wishful thinking by his detractors. Not only are the people who voted for him pleased, he's picked up support from many who did not vote for him.

I am sure his numbers won't remain this high when he starts governing but Obama has demonstrated that he's a bright, insightful and studious president who is up to the challenge. The only people who can't admit are the same people who insist he was born in Kenya!

Carolinagirl,

I'm glad you responded to my post before it mysteriously disappeared. I think we are making a similar point but having very different approaches to that point. As you say, the approval rating at this point is for the transition, which is his current "job." My point is that this "job" is not the same as the job he will be called upon to do once sworn into office and is not a terribly difficult job to get good numbers for doing. Having an extremely high approval rating right now, in part, is not surprising because the tough part hasn't kicked in yet.

I am perfectly happy to concede that this is an extraordinarily high rating for any president-elect. I will also concede that a great deal of it does come down to popularity for the man himself-- a lot of folks who gave him high marks for handling the transition have no clue what he's doing, who the people he is appointing are, or even what is involved in the transition.

As an aside, I would actually argue that the job approval rating of any president is never purely a reflection simply of the job he is doing as president, for forming an opinion is a complex thing and many people cannot separate their feelings about an individual's personality, past actions, etc., from their perception of how he (up until this time, at least, but someday s/he)is currently executing the job of president. So asking someone to give a job approval rating of President Bush at this late stage in his presidency, for example, triggers a congeries of associations and the response is related to how the respondent feels about how he has handled a variety of issues over the years, from the war in Iraq and the war on terror to the environment to education, as well as how the respondent has come to perceive the president's personality and temperament. The question of job approval seems simple, but is not. The same will hold true of Obama as president, as it currently does of him as president-elect. Many people will respond at this stage (favorably or unfavorably) to the potential he represents, to his personality, to the fact that he is not President Bush. His high approval rating tells me more about the mood of the American people than it does about him as a leader.

I am not saying that is a good thing or a bad thing. I am not criticizing Obama in making that statement. I am simply reminding you that Obama having a high approval rating at this moment in time is not a hugh surprise, nor does it have the significance for others that it clearly has for you.

>> The Marine snapped to attention,
>> saluted, and said,'See you tomorrow
>> sir.'

Heh, what a sorry excuse for a Marine.

One sunny day in 2009, an old man sitting on a park bench opposite the White House, got up, crossed Pennsylvania Avenue and said to the U.S. Marine standing guard,
'I would like to go in and meet with President Bush.'

The Marine replied, 'Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer
president and no longer resides here.'

'Okay,' said the old man and walked away.

The following day, the same man walked over to the White House and said to the same Marine, 'I would like to go in and meet with President Bush.'

The Marine replied, 'Sir, as I said yesterday, Mr. Bush is no longer president and no longer resides here.'

'Okay,' said the old man again and walked away.

The third day, the same man walked over to the White House and said to the very same Marine, 'I would like to go in and meet with President Bush.'

The Marine, understandably annoyed, looked at the man and replied, 'Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking to speak to Mr.Bush. I've told you already that Mr. Bush is no longer the president and no longer resides here. Don't you understand ?

The old man smiled and said, 'Oh, I understand. I just love hearing it.'

The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said,
'See you tomorrow sir.'

Moderate, let me explain something you you, dearie.

When polls are taken on a president, it's all about job approval rating. For example, they never ask if you approve of Bush as a husband, a father, a work-out buddy--only how he's doing his job. Currently, 20% of people approve of how he's doing his job, thus his 20% approval rating.

Now, take Obama. His JOB is the TRANSITION. (Get that? Job = transition). So when 82% of the people approve how he's handling the transition, that's an 82% job approval rating.

82%. . . ahhhhh. Read it and weep!!

Roxanna said "Now that BO got a bare majority of the popular vote, they're back to talking about the electoral vote again."

Bare majority? He defeated McCain by 7.3% and 8.6 million votes. 5% and 5.5 million more votes than Bush in 2004. In what world does that qualify as a "bare majority"?

Roxanna, thank you for bringing up the draft (and the fact that it's DEMS who want it). Think maybe the military people aren't too thrilled knowing soon the soldier beside them will be there unwillingly? Forced service might affect "job performance" just a tidge... our soldiers depend on each other.

And I wonder what kind of spin Obama will put on it to make it palatable? Oh, yeah, the whole America Serves babble. Still, I'm thinking that children of the Left drafted into going to war will affect their support of him, don't you?

When Clinton couldn't get a majority of the popular vote in either of his elections, all the democrats wanted to talk about was the Electoral College win. When Gore won the popular vote in 2000 but lost electorally, democrats wanted to do away with the Electoral College. Now that BO got a bare majority of the popular vote, they're back to talking about the electoral vote again.

John Murtha (D) is talking about reinstating the draft. Charles Rangel (D) wanted it reinstated during the Bush presidency. Both know that the draft will most likely be needed during a democrat presidency. Reinstating it during Bush would have allowed them to blame him for it. Didn't work out that way.

If the draft is reinstated under BO, he will have no one to blame but himself. The Left bashes the military unmercifully, all the while expected that it will protect their worthless hides if necessary.

Wow. The racism and ignorance in these responses is just disgusting.

And you people call yourselves Americans?

I certainly don't.

Great going guys. Hope he got the point the jerk.

The lounge lizard in the mess hall....