# President Barack Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 11, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185 "2009-11-11T15:09:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/21 "2009-11-11T16:08:49Z")
Oh, right, school’s out today. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/22 "2009-11-11T16:11:54Z")
> [@Dynastic](#): > > Look, it’s like this. Barack Obama is the first black president. Who would be against a black president EXCEPT a racist??) That doesn’t even make sense. If they don’t like him because of his race, then of course that’s racist. But if they don’t like him because of his foreign policies, UHC ideas, etc, that’s not racist, sorry. The man isn’t perfect - nobody is. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/23 "2009-11-11T16:12:27Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Oh, right, school’s out today. My kid is home sick. I’m pretty sure it’s not him. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/24 "2009-11-11T16:15:49Z")
[Mod hat on] > [@Dynastic](#): > > I dont have a problem with people criticizing, but WTF with him calling me retarted??? If you want to be literal about it - and people here always do 😉 - he didn’t call you retarded. He called the comment of your post retarded, which is harsh but allowed. You can pretty much say whatever you like about someone else’s ideas, but personal insults of other posters are not allowed in any forum here except The BBQ Pit. So let’s keep it civil and just deal with the ideas. [/Mod hat off] > [@](#): > > Barack Obama is the first black president. Who would be against a black president EXCEPT a racist??? Why are you assuming race plays into the decision? There are some racists out there for sure, but people can be opposed to his policies on their own. ---
**Author:** ![Dynastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@Dynastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dynastic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/25 "2009-11-11T16:23:58Z")
Oh, okay, I’ll just call everyones ideas retarted but not them, whatever. Like WTF is up with people talking about school??? Of Course race is the decision. Everything is about race. When white people see a black man (and Barack Obama IS A BLACK MAN) all they see is a N\*\*\*\*\*. So thats why they oppose him … damn, its so OBVIOUS. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/26 "2009-11-11T16:27:17Z")
Wow…college level performance art. Still sucks, even after all these years. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/27 "2009-11-11T16:28:31Z")
> [@Dynastic](#): > > Of Course race is the decision. Everything is about race. When white people see a black man (and Barack Obama IS A BLACK MAN) all they see is a N\*\*\*\*\*. So thats why they oppose him … damn, its so OBVIOUS. So is that all _you_ see when you see him? ---
**Author:** ![Dynastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@Dynastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dynastic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/28 "2009-11-11T16:36:31Z")
Duh … I am not a racist white man. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/29 "2009-11-11T16:37:32Z")
oh well, no logical debate here. and here I was really hoping that someone who really believed in his policies would help me understand. _exits to any thread with some intelligent debate_ ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/30 "2009-11-11T16:44:55Z")
**Marley,** as a Moderator, do you see much sense in letting this thread go any further? ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/31 "2009-11-11T16:45:05Z")
> [@Dynastic](#): > > Of Course race is the decision. Everything is about race. When white people see a black man (and Barack Obama IS A BLACK MAN) all they see is a N\*\*\*\*\*. So thats why they oppose him … damn, its so OBVIOUS. All white people? Because if that was true, he wouldn’t have been elected, because all the white people would’ve voted against him. Anyway, there’s no real debate here. You saying something is obvious isn’t proof, and it’s not going to convince anyone of your point. ---
**Author:** ![Honesty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f04885/32.png) [@Honesty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honesty)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/32 "2009-11-11T16:48:40Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > People don’t have to shut the hell up if they don’t like him. We’re actually allowed to vocally disagree with our political leaders, and that’s a great thing, no matter what side you’re on. I see what you’re saying but the overwhelming negative sentiment toward Obama has been, in my mind, over minor things compared to his predecessor. The idiocy of George Bush was hand-waved by Fox News whether it be Valerie Plame or Guantanomo Bay. Currently though, Fox News spends days talking about black school children singing about Obama and trying to convince people that he (Yes, Obama specifically) wants to take away the health care from senior citizens. Even if CNN and MSNBC were rabidly anti-Bush, they rarely indulged in twisting the facts to produce an illogical conclusion. Everyone is allowed to disagree, but let us all use the facts. His approval has stabilized in the 50ish range. So I still have faith that the American electorate isn’t as stupid as I thought it was. - Honesty ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/33 "2009-11-11T16:50:03Z")
> [@otternell](#): > > Ok - since this is a debate and I really do try to be open-minded, as much as any fallible human can anway. > > Please clarify your position. the OP stated “Obama is the best President this country ever had.” Please identify exactly (allow me to emphasize the word **exactly** ) what he has done (not the potential to do, what he has (past tense) done) to deserve that accolade? Obama is not the best president ever. The best President ever award usually goes to Presidents like Washington or Lincoln. Even if Obama were to turn around this economy and stop global warming, short of an alien invasion he simply won’t have the opportunity to be the “best President the country has ever had” he’s just so much better than Bush that he looks godly by comparison. As for the opposition to Obama, it is more than disagreement. When people say that they want Obama to fail, they are putting politic before country. Washington once warned the country against the “impostures of pretended patriotism” and many of Obama’s critics are conservatives first and Americans second who wrap themselves in the flag as they hope that terrible things happen to America over the next 3 years so that they can win elections. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/34 "2009-11-11T16:50:04Z")
> [@Dynastic](#): > > Oh, okay, I’ll just call everyones ideas retarted but not them, whatever. > > Like WTF is up with people talking about school??? > Of Course race is the decision. Everything is about race. When white people see a black man (and Barack Obama IS A BLACK MAN) all they see is a N\*\*\*\*\*. So thats why they oppose him … damn, its so OBVIOUS. John Kerry held similar positions to O’bama. I didn’t like him either. So since he is white did that make me a reverse racist? For the record, I’m duh… a white man, neither rich nor powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/35 "2009-11-11T16:57:49Z")
> [@Dynastic](#): > > Of Course race is the decision. Everything is about race. When white people see a black man (and Barack Obama IS A BLACK MAN) all they see is a N\*\*\*\*\*. So thats why they oppose him … damn, its so OBVIOUS. No one else has been able to explain this to you, so I don’t know why I try. I will not call you a racist directly, because that may be considered a personal attack. But the post quoted above contains ideas that only a racist would believe. I am a white man. I do not see Barack Obama or any other human as a “N\*\*\*\*\*”. A person who assumes that all white people think the same is a racist. Hell, I voted for him and I hope his actions lead to positive consequences. But if he screws up, I will criticize his screwups and not his ancestry. ---
**Author:** ![Dynastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@Dynastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dynastic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/36 "2009-11-11T16:58:18Z")
HELLO? Washington amd Lincoln held slaves!!! They were part of the 400 years of rascism that this country was FOUNDED on and that the republicans like BUSH want to go back to. John Kerry was OK, but he wanst trying to bring CHANGE. Barack Obama is about CHANGE. WHY are people against that??? Its obvious. WHAT OTHER PRESIDENT DID WHAT OBAMA WILL DO TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE??? All the other presidents were just about money and power … He is about CHANGE!!! IF YOU STAND IN HIS WAY, YOU ARE AGAINST CHANGE FOR THE PEOPLE!!! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/37 "2009-11-11T16:59:50Z")
Gosh, and the debate was going so well. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/38 "2009-11-11T17:00:29Z")
> [@Dynastic](#): > > John Kerry was OK, but he wanst trying to bring CHANGE. Barack Obama is about CHANGE. WHY are people against that??? Its obvious. Change isn’t necessarily good. George W. Bush changed things. Hell, Jeff Davis was about change, but I am not campaigning for him to come back. And I think we have seen just how much “change” we can expect based on the sell out over gay rights. ---
**Author:** ![Dynastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@Dynastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dynastic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/39 "2009-11-11T17:00:42Z")
I am NOT A WHITE MAN. SO DONT CALL ME RASCIST. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185/40 "2009-11-11T17:01:51Z")
> [@Dynastic](#): > > HELLO? Washington amd Lincoln held slaves!!! They were part of the 400 years of rascism that this country was FOUNDED on and that the republicans like BUSH want to go back to. > > John Kerry was OK, but he wanst trying to bring CHANGE. Barack Obama is about CHANGE. WHY are people against that??? Its obvious. > WHAT OTHER PRESIDENT DID WHAT OBAMA WILL DO TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE??? All the other presidents were just about money and power … He is about CHANGE!!! IF YOU STAND IN HIS WAY, YOU ARE AGAINST CHANGE FOR THE PEOPLE!!! Two things, the caps lock button on you computer is stuck. Second, not all of us are fond of his brand of change. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-barack-obama/517185.md?page=3)