POTOMAC WATCH: Change Agent? Barack Obama and the burden of liberalism.

The Wall Street Journal ^ | December 28, 2007 | KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL

[Aristotelian]

"If you want conventional Washington thinking, I'm not your man. If you want rigid ideology, I'm not your man. If you think that fundamental change can wait, I'm definitely not your man. But if you want to bring this country together . . . then I offer a different choice in this race and a different vision for our future."

--Barack Obama DePaul University, Oct. 2 Ask an Obama supporter what they love about the presidential contender, and some version of this pitch is what you'll hear. Mr. Obama can "heal divisions," can "win hearts and minds." He's going to change the way crummy old Washington does business, get past this red-versus-blue thing, and get on with being president of one truly United States of America.

If the Democratic race has been about anything, it's been about promises of "change." Mr. Obama has made it his signature issue, tapping into a national unease with the status quo, and riding it to within striking distance of Hillary Clinton. What the charismatic young Illinois senator has not yet had to do is explain what shape this change will assume, or how he intends to bring it about. And lucky for him, because it's far from clear Mr. Obama is anything but same old, same old.

[Aristotelian]

Pols and pundits alike keep referring to 2008 as a "change election." I don't get it. Other than the fact that this election has no incumbent whatsoever (first time since 1952), where is all this momentum for "change"? The only thing of substance might be Iraq, but ever here, with the tide turning in our favor, Iraq is becoming less of an issue. Are Americans clamoring for higher taxes? More government regulation? A smaller military? Not that I can see. So what is all this "change" talk? I think its just liberalspeak for, "Elect the Democrats."

[Rudder]

Kucinich aside, and after a quick review of my memory, I think all the Dem candidates are saying nothing more, and even less, than the standard, boilerplate platitudes.

[iopscusa]

The Dem candidates are flappin’ their mouths more and saying nothing...of course that seems to be the routine for all the “we got a plan” DRats.

[Godwin1]

A wolf in sheep’s clothing: Obama is the most far left candidate to run for national office since Henry Wallace. His legislative record in Illinois was anti-police, pro-criminal, fanatically pro government-funded abortion through all ninth months of gestation, pro-affirmative action, pro-high taxes. In the international realm, he has said publicly that subjecting foreign visa applicants from Muslim countries to heightened scrutiny is unacceptable “profiling.” He clearly believes any and all foreigners have a “right” to a US visa. He favors amnesty for illegal aliens. He favors homosexual marriage.

[PurpleMan]

Your saying he worse than Hillary?

No way.

[PurpleMan]

You’re saying he worse than Hillary?

No way.

[digger48]

Osama Bin Laden is also actively seeking “change” in America