[Jacko]

Originally Posted by ryberg

Thanks! That means a lot, coming from someone of your academic/critical leanings (criticism being, as you know, as inevitable as breathing). I even got your references to Thorstein Veblen and the IWW the other day, having ages ago written a (craptacular!) undergraduate honors thesis on Dos Passos' U.S.A. Trilogy.

Anyway, Jacko, I wasn't trying to rain on your parade or anything. And in fairness to that author, I fear that he may not have had so much any overt political bias as he is just following the prevalent trend of highlighting the fear and burying the good news.

Wow! I would add a number of Republicans in the latter type, as well -- probably more than Democrats, if the truth be told -- but I very much agree with the bolded part.

In fact I mentioned as much in referring to the difference between Clinton's and Obama's responses in the previous debate about whether the world was safer today as a result of Iraq or not, her taking the seemingly safer answer and him the riskier one (regardless of what one happens to feel on the point in question). I would add, though not without caution, that I think specific experience of the type people usually have in mind in such situations is easily and often overrated as a measure of suitability, in the same vein as that comment of yours about actual policy stances.

Geez, that's 1 point I agree with you on and 2 points I agree with Stogey on in just about 3 days, here.

Steve

Hey, no sweat..its all political punditry anyway....

Actually, what I found most interesting had not so much to do with Obama as the state of politics in general.....

"Sometimes, in order to maintain your position with your constituency you have to vote in a different way than your own mind will tell you," said retired state Sen. Denny Jacobs, one of the close pals. Jacobs was explaining why he believes Obama cast votes that were more liberal than he actually was. It was an unusually frank analysis of how politicians — even one such as Obama who claims he is above politics — often trim their views to appease constituents.

"You're always a little tainted," Jacobs said, "and I think he comes from a district that is a little different than he actually believed."

Obama could be as calculating as they come. He promoted himself as a defender of abortion rights, but he encouraged fellow Democrats to vote "present" on abortion bills. Friends say the strategy was designed to protect lawmakers, including Obama, with designs on higher offices.

Still, he once voted against requiring medical care for aborted fetuses who survive.

Obama proposed a constitutional amendment to mandate universal health care. It lacked detail and he settled for a task force to study the issue.

Sen. Kimberly Lightford, who entered the state Senate shortly after Obama, recalls walking into Obama's law office and asking for advice after winning her Democratic primary. "I'm, like, very naive and think I can fix the world — come here and change things overnight," she said. Obama curbed her enthusiasm.