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Playing by Clinton Rules
NY Times ^ | March 7, 2008 | DAVID BROOKS

Posted on 03/08/2008 2:47:36 PM PST by neverdem

Barack Obama had a theory. It was that the voters are tired of the partisan paralysis of the past 20 years. The theory was that if Obama could inspire a grass-roots movement with a new kind of leadership, he could ride it to the White House and end gridlock in Washington.

Obama has built his entire campaign on this theory. He’s run against negativity and cheap-shot campaigning. He’s claimed that there’s an “awakening” in this country — people “hungry for a different kind of politics.”

This message has made him the front-runner. It has brought millions of new voters into politics. It has given him grounds to fend off attacks. In debate after debate, he has accused Hillary Clinton and others of practicing the old kind of politics. When he was under assault in South Carolina, he rose above the barrage and made the Clintons look sleazy.

Yet at different times during this election, he’s been told to get off the white horse and start fighting. In the current issue of Time magazine, Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs report on a meeting that took place in Chicago...

--snip--

In short, a candidate should never betray the core theory of his campaign, or head down a road that leads to that betrayal. Barack Obama doesn’t have an impressive record of experience or a unique policy profile. New politics is all he’s got. He loses that, and he loses everything. Every day that he looks conventional is a bad day for him.

Besides, the real softness of the campaign is not that Obama is a wimp. It’s that he has never explained how this new politics would actually produce bread-and-butter benefits to people in places like Youngstown and Altoona.

If he can’t explain that, he’s going to lose at some point anyway

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: barackhusseinobama; barackobama; chebama; cultofobama; davidbrooks; hussein; marxism; nobama; socialism; yobama

1 posted on 03/08/2008 2:47:36 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem
"voters are tired of the partisan paralysis of the past 20 years"

I.e., let's all get along and unite in our socialism and create a new bigotry against the evil and productive.


2 posted on 03/08/2008 2:58:28 PM PST by I see my hands (_8(|)
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To: neverdem
He’s run against negativity and cheap-shot campaigning.

The kind that the MSM and dems always use against the GOP
3 posted on 03/08/2008 3:07:19 PM PST by uncbob
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To: I see my hands
Famed British novelist and prominent Fabian socialist H.G. Wells called for "Liberal Fascism," saying "the world is sick of parliamentary politics."

Stealth Marxist and product of Chicago machine politics B. Hussein Obama says: "voters are tired of the partisan paralysis of the past 20 years."

Two socialists, about a century apart, but the same impatience with free elections.

4 posted on 03/08/2008 5:00:10 PM PST by hellbender
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To: hellbender

bttt


5 posted on 03/08/2008 5:22:59 PM PST by Matchett-PI (Lead, follow, or get out of the way.)
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To: neverdem

Did anyone hear the witch stumping in Casper, Wyoming? The fake was trying to talk cowboy in the audience. I thought I was listening to Baxter Black, the cowboy poet. This biatch has no shame.


6 posted on 03/08/2008 6:10:56 PM PST by Sig Sauer P220
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To: Sig Sauer P220; archy
Did anyone hear the witch stumping in Casper, Wyoming? The fake was trying to talk cowboy in the audience.

I wish I did. That sound track or video might come in handy during the general election juxtaposed with the one where she was imitating a Southern drawl. Is this supposed to be a comedy routine or a show of contempt?

7 posted on 03/08/2008 6:52:03 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem; All

I have a question about Senator Barack Hussein Obama: Mr. Obama was born in 1961, and was therefore required to register for Selective Service (”the Draft”) under the law. Does anyone know if he registered? Bet the media won’t dig too deep into that one like they did President Bush’s time in the Texas Air National Guard!


8 posted on 03/08/2008 9:39:28 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (http://www.fourfriedchickensandacoke.blogspot.com)
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To: Sig Sauer P220

I rather listen to a cat scratching on a tin roof.


9 posted on 03/08/2008 9:45:42 PM PST by sport
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Salena Zito
2ndDivisionVet wrote:

I have a question about Senator Barack Hussein Obama: Mr. Obama was born in 1961, and was therefore required to register for Selective Service (”the Draft”) under the law. Does anyone know if he registered? Bet the media won’t dig too deep into that one like they did President Bush’s time in the Texas Air National Guard!

I'm hoping a member of the Fourth Estate would know how to get that information.

"Selective Service registration is required to be eligible for a federal student loan, job training, most federal jobs, and U.S. citizenship."

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama Commencement Address Saturday, June 4, 2005 — Good morning President Taylor, Board of Trustees, faculty, parents, family, friends, the community of Galesburg, the class of 1955—which I understand was out partying last night, and yet still showed up here on time—and most of all, the Class of 2005. Congratulations on your graduation, and thank you for the honor of allowing me to be a part of it. Thank you also, Mr. President, for this honorary degree. It was only a couple of years ago that I stopped paying my student loans in law school.

10 posted on 03/09/2008 3:26:52 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Buckhead; Tony Snow
I have a question about Senator Barack Hussein Obama: Mr. Obama was born in 1961, and was therefore required to register for Selective Service (”the Draft”) under the law. Does anyone know if he registered? Bet the media won’t dig too deep into that one like they did President Bush’s time in the Texas Air National Guard!

2ndDivisionVet has a good idea. Obama had stated that he had student loans.

11 posted on 03/09/2008 3:44:26 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: All; neverdem; Buckhead; Tony Snow; John Robinson; Jim Robinson; BillF; Angelwood; The Mayor; ...
"I have a question about Senator Barack Hussein Obama: Mr. Obama was born in 1961, and was therefore required to register for Selective Service (”the Draft”) under the law. Does anyone know if he registered? Bet the media won’t dig too deep into that one like they did President Bush’s time in the Texas Air National Guard!

"2ndDivisionVet has a good idea. Obama had stated that he had student loans."

I'm not saying that I know Senator Barack Obama's selective service (draft) status. I just find it amazing that the subject hasn't come up: Look at the lengths that Dan Rather, Mary Mapes and CBS News went to to discredit President Bush during the last election cycle! IMO it's only fair that both parties candidates are vetted to the same extent.

12 posted on 03/09/2008 7:43:35 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (http://www.fourfriedchickensandacoke.blogspot.com)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; holdonnow

I dunno if holdonnow is on your ping list you put up for the thread, but I think he would be interested in these questions about Obama, also.


13 posted on 03/10/2008 10:37:37 AM PDT by dynachrome (Immigration without assimilation means the death of this nation~Captainpaintball)
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To: dynachrome; holdonnow; All
I just think that "fair is fair" as it pertains to the candidates: Dan Quayle, Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh, Karl Rove and George W. Bush were raked over the coals on this while Bill Clinton, John Edwards and now Barack Obama are given a pass. Maybe a lot of democrats don't care if Obama registered for Selective Service, but I'll bet a lot of them do!
14 posted on 03/10/2008 10:44:12 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (http://www.fourfriedchickensandacoke.blogspot.com)
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