realist ping
>>Obama may give soaring Wilsonian speeches abroad<<
I have no idea why even his critics keep repeating this meme. His speeches are pedestrian at best, full of low expectations and empty and vague promises. And if the TOTUS has even the slightest glitch, he goes into “um, er, uh” stammer mode (since he has nothing in his own head).
Even as a speech READER, he does no better than a High School drama student.
This is a beautiful article. VDH is terrific at putting into words the real picture of what America’s place has been in the world of the Twentieth Century.
Long, long ago there was a period termed the “Peace of Rome”. It was after Rome had basically conquered the “known world” and no one was left to wage war.
To an extent the second half of the last century could be termed the “Peace of America”. While there were truly short violent “wars” between neighbors, the might of America was able to prevent another WORLD WIDE Conflagration.
Today’s world is more dangerous because there may not be a power able to keep the cork in the bottle. The American people may well have not been happy in their role as world policeman, but they and their government did recognize the need.
None would like to live in a neighborhood without police, but we are in a world that has such a lack. Oh Oh
The more astute members of the European press are already beginning to ask these questions.
Obama is clearly a lame-duck, barely one year into his presidency. How is America (and the world for that matter) going to survive three years of a lame duck presidency?
Worse scenario is that populist outrage leads to a Ross Perot-like 3rd. party resurgence in 2012. This would most assuredly lead to Obama being re-elected on a 40-42% plurality, likely with a GOP Congress. How will America and the World function for four additional years like that?
How can we in the EU continue to live in our cushy little Socialist Nirvana if the US withdraws from it’s role as global policeman, and all of us have to [-gasp-] start picking-up the tab for our own defense?
Just a partial list: http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/victordavishanson/index:
Just a partial list. Much more at the link: http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/victordavishanson/index
Ping !
Let me know if you want in or out. Links:
FR Index of his articles: http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/victordavishanson/index NRO archive: http://author.nationalreview.com/?q=MjI1MQ== Pajamasmedia: http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/ His website: http://victorhanson.com/
Countries act in their own self interest. When their national interests and the US national interests aline, they are our good friends. When national interests diverge, the country’s foreign policies diverge. Apparently, Obama has not figured this out - an the war came.
Yet another good one from VDH.
First by Wilsonian, VDH means that the rhetoric is untethered to reality, idealistic and empty.
Second, actually Obama is a pretty good public speaker by most measures.
We may despise what the man says (or doesn't say), but his delivery is polished and fluent.
There is nothing wrong with his use of a teleprompter. He generally uses it very well.
He pauses for dramatic effect, varies his vocal inflection and gestures naturally.
He is with out a doubt the best public speaker we've had as president since Reagan.
Not that I can stand to listen for long without screaming about the appalling contradictions and manipulating devices.
For proof of my defense of the O man, imagine a Martian coming to earth to study public speakers. He gets to listen to Obama, Hillary, George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter. Based on fluency of delivery and occasional eloquence of expression, the Martian would pick Obama as the best.
Flame on.
We have to put up another two years of this garbage.
