# The two Obamas: Dr. Barack and Fast Eddie Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 22, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802 "2008-06-22T16:57:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/1 "2008-06-22T16:57:14Z")
I read a provocative opinion piece yesterday by David Brooks named “The two Obamas” and and I’d like ya’ll to give me your take on it. Here is a link to the article : [[The Salt Lake Tribune - Utah News, Sports, Religion & Entertainment](http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_9652006)](David Brooks: The two Obamas) ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/2 "2008-06-22T17:00:21Z")
Linky no worky ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/3 "2008-06-22T17:06:18Z")
[QUOTE=cosmosdan] Linky no worky [/QUOTE] [Fixed linky](http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_9652006) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/4 "2008-06-22T17:07:04Z")
Try [this one.](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/opinion/20brooks.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) > [@](#): > > God, Republicans are saps. They think that they’re running against some academic liberal who wouldn’t wear flag pins on his lapel, whose wife isn’t proud of America and who went to some liberationist church where the pastor damned his own country. They think they’re running against some naïve university-town dreamer, the second coming of Adlai Stevenson. > > But as recent weeks have made clear, Barack Obama is the most split-personality politician in the country today. On the one hand, there is Dr. Barack, the high-minded, Niebuhr-quoting speechifier who spent this past winter thrilling the Scarlett Johansson set and feeling the fierce urgency of now. But then on the other side, there’s Fast Eddie Obama, the promise-breaking, tough-minded Chicago pol who’d throw you under the truck for votes. > > This guy is the whole Chicago package: an idealistic, lakefront liberal fronting a sharp-elbowed machine operator. He’s the only politician of our lifetime who is underestimated because he’s too intelligent. He speaks so calmly and polysyllabically that people fail to appreciate the Machiavellian ambition inside. I’m not sure this is a fair characterization of Obama (I **know** it’s based on an unfair characterization of Adlai Stevenson, who only played an intellectual on TV), but if it’s true, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, nor a reason not to vote for him. Lyndon Johnson was able to pass the civil-rights legislation JFK only talked about because LBJ was intimately acquainted with the sleazy processes of real-life legislative decisionmaking. He would be remembered as the best POTUS since FDR if not for getting us into the Vietnam War, and we can expect Obama will leave a truly impressive record if he doesn’t do anything that stupid. And I have not the slightest doubt Obama is, on balance, a better, smarter, and more honest man than LBJ. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/5 "2008-06-22T17:12:15Z")
BTW, what is this “Scarlett Johansson set”? ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/6 "2008-06-22T17:13:02Z")
David Brooks is a mediocre writer who doe a crappy job of recycling the talking points du jour and cramming them in to a poorly constructed metaphor. And he never makes eye contact with anybody on the News Hour. Watch him some time. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/7 "2008-06-22T17:15:34Z")
It seems like the same ole inaccurate biased talking points to me. Nothing new. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/8 "2008-06-22T17:18:48Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] BTW, what is this “Scarlett Johansson set”? [/QUOTE] I don’t know. Maybe the celebrities in [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY) “Celebrities featured include: Jesse Dylan, Will.i.am, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Adam Rodriquez, Kelly Hu, Amber Valetta, Eric Balfour, Aisha Tyler, Nicole Scherzinger and Nick Cannon” ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/9 "2008-06-22T17:21:45Z")
I think the “Fast Eddie” characterization is mostly in Brooks’ head. He has a kernl of a point in stating that Obama is not the aloof, effete, intellectual naif that he often gets painted as, but neither is he the cynical, calculating operator that Brooks imagines he sees under the surface. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/10 "2008-06-22T17:29:33Z")
We need to listen to Brooks because he’s like totally in touch with Main Street America and small town values. The real America. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/11 "2008-06-22T17:32:53Z")
What this article really highlights for me is just how little the conservative side has actually got to throw at Obama. - Voting “present” - Rev. Wright - Town Hall Meetings - Public campaign financing What’s more is the overt screeching to make many of those into HUGE deals of epic proportions that prove what a slime Obama is. They’ve got almost nothing so are reduced to making mountains out of mole hills. [sub]–This message paid for by smart people who want a smart president.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/12 "2008-06-22T17:48:55Z")
[QUOTE=Whack-a-Mole] What this article really highlights for me is just how little the conservative side has actually got to throw at Obama. - Voting “present” - Rev. Wright - Town Hall Meetings - Public campaign financing What’s more is the overt screeching to make many of those into HUGE deals of epic proportions that prove what a slime Obama is. They’ve got almost nothing so are reduced to making mountains out of mole hills. [sub]–This message paid for by smart people who want a smart president.[/sub] [/QUOTE] Which ultimately reveals their own dishonesty to more voters. I thought that while watching them last night. They mentioned Obama avoiding debates with McCain without any realistic discussion of how that works. They played a clip of Obama talking about the terrorists from the first Trade center bombing being in prison and then tried to say that meant he expects our soldiers in Afghanistan to gather shell casings for evidence. It was such a glaringly obvious distortion of the truth I couldn’t believe they said it. They might as well run a banner saying “These distortions are brought to you by the RNC and their cooperate partners” They’re making a mistake if they think voters will swallow that shit as easily this time around. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/13 "2008-06-22T17:55:07Z")
He’s saying what I’ve said for weeks now. Republicans aren’t dealing with John Kerry this year. Obama is no wimp. Good on the Democrats for finally fielding a leader with balls. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/14 "2008-06-22T17:59:23Z")
Of course it is a caricature but not without any merit. Obama is not a political naif. He was indeed trained in the real world of politics in Chicago where the naive are digested before the rest of the world has even had their morning coffee. And he has a mind that can comprehend ideas, can listen to several sides of the same issue and see where common ground may lie, and knows that getting things done in the real rough and tumble world is oftentimes better accomplished by building from that common ground than by attempting to destroy one side or the other … even if he is capable of putting on the brass knuckles if need be. Where Brooks is wrong is in thinking that having ideals and noble goals requires one to be naive or that having honest ideals and knowing how to throw a punch in a political street fight are mutually exclusive. It is true: Obama is no Carter - to come to a Presidency full of noble thoughts but unable to provide the muscle to make it happen. This is a different sort of politician. An effective one. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/15 "2008-06-22T18:02:41Z")
But Brooks was totally right to point out that Obama wouldn’t “fit in” at Applebee’s salad bar. But then, who does? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/16 "2008-06-22T18:15:54Z")
Your point, of course, being that Applebee’s doesn’t have salad bars. Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/17 "2008-06-22T18:32:28Z")
It’s under the _bus_, you moron! Under the\*\* BUS\*\*!! ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/18 "2008-06-22T18:38:08Z")
Brooks is a hack. I wish NPR/PBS would find someone better to represent the right. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/19 "2008-06-22T18:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] But Brooks was totally right to point out that Obama wouldn’t “fit in” at Applebee’s salad bar. But then, who does? [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=miss elizabeth] It’s under the _bus_, you moron! Under the\*\* BUS\*\*!! [/QUOTE] I’m not impressed with Brooks’ arguments or his grasp on cliches. I think you could write an equally long article on McCain’s “split personality.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802/20 "2008-06-22T18:54:08Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I’m not impressed with Brooks’ arguments or his grasp on cliches. I think you could write an equally long article on McCain’s “split personality.” [/QUOTE] He certainly has done a lot this year to give the lie to his “straight-talking maverick” image. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-two-obamas-dr-barack-and-fast-eddie-obama/453802.md?page=2)