Obama is Not Kerry
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in 2008 Election, BarackMichael Hirsh, writing for Newsweek, thinks Barack Obama is becoming another John Kerry.
Between the questions about Obama’s meager association with William Ayers, a former Weatherman, and the suspicions raised by his lack of a flag lapel pin, the likely nominee is slowly being turned into John Kerry. He is becoming, in other words, a candidate who may be mostly right about national security but who will lack the Red State street cred to carry his point—and the election.
Do note that Hirsh spends most of his column discussing why Obama is right about national security, so this isn’t a hatchet job. This is a Democrat concerned that the media and Hillary Clinton are systematically making Obama look unpatriotic. Nevertheless, I think Hirsh’s concerns are misplaced.
Obama has already proven that he’s no John Kerry. For one, Obama is far more charismatic than Kerry and is far better at sounding earnest when discussing important issues – these qualities help him weather attacks and regain trust. For another, Obama is much more aggressive in defending himself, taking every attack seriously where as Kerry allowed the swift boat matter to continue unchallenged for far too long. While there are certainly voters who will stay away from Obama because they question his patriotism, I tend to think those voters would stay away from any Democrat.
Obama, should he win his party’s nomination, will have many months to shore up any lingering concerns about his dedication to our nation and its safety. While Democratic supporters like Hirsh may be worried about how voters perceive Obama’s patriotism, I don’t think Republicans are going to win by focusing on the absence of a flag lapel pin and an association with a former Weatherman. Obama’s too talented a politician to allow such small matters derail his campaign.
No, defeating Obama will ultimately require a sound refutation of his policies and a convincing argument that John McCain, not Obama, is more likely to lead a bipartisan, unifying administration. Obama is not Kerry. It won’t be that easy for Republicans this time.
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April 18th, 2008 at 8:30 am
You would have to be living under a rock to vote for McCain in my opinion.
Any look at relevant facts regarding who will best serve the interests of the average American as President leads to an inescapable conclusion.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?cycle=2008
Time to take back the American government from the special interests and deliver it back to the people.
My vote is for Senator Obama.
April 18th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Obama isn’t Kerry that’s for sure. Kerry was cool under fire whenever asked tough questions, no matter what they were. Obama just gets petulant and whines about it afterwards. My only complaint with the media’s tough look at Obama is why it took so long. He should have gotten this treatment last year.
Hillary has been through the meat grinder and survived many times. Obama hasn’t even started to feel the heat. After the republicans get a through with him he is going to look like a traitor and terrorist sympathizer. They are very good at destroying people of questionable character like Obama. He is devisive and incapable of running an effective presidency. He has already divided the democratic party, do the Obamabots actually believe he has any chance of getting them back? sad.
If Hillary loses I am voting for McCain. He may be republican but at least he is capable of truly working with the dems. Obama will only make things worse.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Obama isn’t going to need anyone, especially republicans to destroy his candidacy. His words and actions speak very loudly as to the kind of person he is or is not.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Reason,
Obama isn’t complaining the questions were tough. He and just about everyone on the right is complaining that taking 45 minutes to ask a question that wasn’t any more than tabloid journalism was a huge disservice to the people of Pennsylvania, Indiana, North Carolina, etc.
Exactly how is the question “Does Rev Wright love America as much as you?” a valid question in any format? It’s akin to asking “Have you stopped beating your wife?” This country has serious problems, problems that will be purposefully left for the next president to solve. instead of going after how he plans to solve those problems, we’re left with the same tired old questions that have been asked for six weeks.
And for the record, the questions for HRC about Bosnia were also completely out of line.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:02 am
“Red State street cred”??? If Hirsh thinks conservatives are going to vote for Hillary in the general, he is SERIOUSLY deluding himself. Red states HATE the Clintons.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:42 am
Does anyone really believe that Obama is going to generate bipartisan hand-holding and campfire songs if he wins? Conservative voters #1 beef with McCain is that he crosses the aisle too much, whereas I don’t think anyone would raise that criticism of Obama.
Also, I think that one reason why so much focus is being put on Obama as a person is that there is realtively little to judge him on as a politician. He simply doesn’t have the seasoning for people to dig into a deep voting record, bill sponsorship, etc., so they have to judge the guy on a bunch of personal criteria.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Please don’t use RW talking point used against Senator Kerry to make your point about Senator Obama. This is 2008 not 2004 and for what Senator Kerry was faced with he did a hell of a job. He came closer than any other candidate in history to unseating a war time president. Senator Kerry never appeared dishonest or for that matter aloof when you saw him in person. There are sililarities in Obama’s style compared to Kerry and there are differences. In the end, both would make outstanding leaders.
April 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am
Eddie:” He and just about everyone on the right is complaining that taking 45 minutes to ask a question .”
What a bunch of hogwash! I am a conservative. Further, no conservative I know had a problem with the questions asked in the debate. Add Clinton’s supporters who are liberals and that leaves Obama’s devotees whimpering he was taken to task for his relationships and comments. There is nothing startling about that. A conservative would have been challenged a year earlier.
ExhileIndipendent, Obama will create as much bi-partisanship as his pastor inspires love and unity. Concur on the displeasure many conservatives feel toward McCain.
November 8th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Dispute all ya’ll HATERS OBAMA IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HI HATERS………