This isn’t really a pitting, but I thought this would be the best forum for this kind of a question.
Sure, I was a little surprised that a self-described Classical Liberal/Libertarian type was backing Obama. But it didn’t seem entirely unreasonable, either. I can think of a lot of good reasons such a person wouldn’t go for the current Republican party, and I’m not one who thinks that Obama is a socialist (although I’m quite sure he wouldn’t describe himself as one who adheres to Libertarian principles).
As time when on, though, it started to seem odd. The fawning started to seem a little extreme…even, at one point, elevating him literally to God-like status. Your admiration seemed almost at the level where I didn’t think you could possibly be serious, and that perhaps you were having a little fun at the expense of the Obama followers/true believers/superfans.
As time went on, though, and the election was over, I decided, no, you must be sincere…it’s gone on too long for a joke. And that’s fine…you like the guy, you think he’s smart AND a good person. Certainly a rare combination in Washington, and a worthy combination of qualities to admire.
Then I read this post, in which you enumerate some of the “flaws” you perceive in Obama’s character that could cause him trouble as President. WTF? His flaws consist of him being so good, honest, wholesome, and pure that he won’t be able to handle Washington? Dude, come ON. This is a joke, right? I mean, really…let us in on it. I will laugh, I promise.
Remember that part in Batman Begins where Detective Gordon gets sort-of-threatened for never taking bribes?
Well, assuming Obama really is as honest and clean as we all hope, it’s going to make most of the Beltway pretty uncomfortable…
I asked the same thing a few months before the election- why the hell would a classical liberal like Obama?- and Lib’s answer was pretty convincing, although I wasn’t entirely certain about his reasoning.
Look, after 8 years of Bushco., I am sure many folks like Liberal find anybody a Godsend who doens’t speak as if he has to be reminded his own name every morning.
It’s not just that his politics seem to differ from Obama’s, it’s that he’s complimentary of the guy to a point where he seems to give him credit for things he couldn’t possibly know about him. He thinks the guy is so good and pure of heart that he’s oblivious to the fact that others aren’t? For one thing, who in this modern world could that POSSIBLY describe, and secondly, how does he know it describes Obama, a man he’s never met. Obama is, through most likely no other reason than proximity, entangled in this Blagojevich mess. He also just lived through a long and contentious Presidental campaign. How could he possibly be so naive as to the greed & selfishness of his fellow man, especially his fellow politicians? Is the guy an idiot? Oh, wait, no…Liberal thinks Obama is also intelligent and wise among other things (hey, Lib, you forgot brave, clean, and reverent), and when it comes to some problems, he thinks the man is SO MUCH smarter than the rest of us that we shouldn’t worry our pretty little heads on those subjects. Does that sound like a man who is so naive that he’s going to be taken advantage of in Washington? How could a man filled with such wisdom let such a thing happen?
I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but, IMHO, if he bothered to reason out and explain why he’s pro-Obama despite the apparent disconnect between their policy positions, he’s being sincere.
I suspect some of the ass-kissing is simply Lib being Lib- making fun of the Obama cult, even if he’s a part of it to some degree.
IMO Liberal is a very passionate person. He doesn’t do things by half. This can lead him into trouble a lot but also can give him very positive and uplifting times.
Liberal has warmed to Obama. He doesn’t agree with all his politics but he likes the man and how he thinks and acts. He has become passionate about Obama. He’s not doing it by half.
This is all me BTW. I don’t know Lib IRL and only know him from his posts.
He may be taking the piss but I seriously doubt it.
I think I saw a newsclip during the presidential primaries showing Obama making some purchases at a convenience store. This would be evidence of nothing in particular, except for the fact that he paid with a twenty-dollar bill.
I appreciate the question, and I did answer it very early on when I first expressed my endorsement of Obama. You can search for those posts, but in a nutshell, it was my discovery at the time that his chief economic advisor was Austan Goolsbee. Just so you know, Goolsbee is a Chicagoan — as in the economic school, not the city (though he is that as well). The Chicago school is closely related to the Austrian School, which is the Holy Grail of free-market economics. The more I researched, the more I liked. I do believe that Obama is the greatest leader of our generation. But contrary to popular opinion, I have not been a sycophant. I’ve called him out when he deserved it and at the level I believe he deserved. I even listed some of his flaws in another thread, as you show in your OP. Maybe they don’t show him as a horrible person, but they are flaws nonetheless.
All that said, I assure that my admiration for him is geniune, and that my expression of it is how I truly feel. Much like the admiration I expressed for you recently. I meant that also.
Just to address that question as well, it isn’t that I believe he will necessarily fall prey to the wild dogs around him. It’s just that the potential is there. I will also say that I think he’s fortunate to have Michelle. Without her, he might not be the person he has become.
Incidentally, I’ve had similar reactions toward those who are bashing him now, that you’ve had toward me. It seems surreal to me.
I appreciate that, and I sincerely hope you aren’t taking this as a Lib-bashing session, because I don’t mean it to be at all. I seriously have been wondering about this for months. I would read certain things you have written and think that you were being satirical, and then I would read other things and think, no, this is straight from the heart. This one post from yesterday was the thing that made me finally think that you were putting us all on, and I just wanted to find out if you were or not.
I dislike the man more for his pretensions and his rather poor character judgement, and his evident willingness to do or say anything to get ahead in life. I’m sure he has quite good morals beyond that. I still don’t want him as a president.
Although I do agree with this. I’d like to see Liberal get a few more years of experience in politics before he undertakes something as ambitious as running for president.