Does Obama have a chance?

Originally Posted by Trigunnerz

It's fucked up, but I bet that will be the reason he will lose.

Personally, I'd bet that the reason he'd lose is because he first has to get past Hillary Clinton.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by mistershow

I don't know about that...He seems to be following the Howard Dean formula and attacking the social networking and college sites. I can't tell you how many times a day I see people joining the One Million Strong or whatever it is group on my news feed on facebook.

Which means nothing, given how this same formula failed Howard Dean so spectacularly.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Similarly, you've not given much reason for why charisma is more important than experience in choosing a President.

Because the George W. Bush example cuts both ways.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by BurningRanger

But I don't understand what you mean with your cuts-both-ways comment...

What I mean is quite simple; in 2000, George W. Bush's experience in political office totaled 6 years as Governor of Texas. At that point in time, Al Gore's political experience included 8 years as Vice President of the United States, 8 as a U.S. Senator, and 8 as a U.S. Representative.

However, Bush was far more charismatic than Gore was.

Quote:

How does a governor have the experience to be the commander-in-chief of the armed forces?

By that same token, how does the charismatic junior Senator from Illinois have the experience to be commander-in-chief of the armed forces?

Quote:

What experience is necessary to negotiate with other national leaders? OH, RIGHT, CHARISMA.

Charisma?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Crowdmaker

The Clintons don't make that much money. I remember reading (from somewhere reliable, I think) that most of the money they make comes from Bill's lecture tours, which was some figure in the low millions, and maybe more in the future from some business deals I forget what.

However much money the Clintons make is in no way related to how much money Hillary Clinton has or can raise for a political capmaign.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Spikey

but who's this new guy the Repubs are putting up? What experience credentials does he have?

One of the people on this list, most likely.

Of them, the early frontrunner is John McCain, whose experience consists of twenty years in the Senate, four in the House, plus a career in the Navy.

The other big name candidate, Rudy Giuliani, spent eight years as Mayor of New York City and before that 23 or so years as an attorney in the Justice Department.

(On that note, of the Democratic candidates, the most experienced would probably be Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson.)

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by BurningRanger

You guys are, for some inexplicable reason, completely misinterpreting my point.

We're not misinterpreting your point; it's just that your point is stupid.

Your idea is basically that Barack Obama should be the next President of the United States based on the fact that he's charismatic, and that anything else is effectively not as important as his charisma.

If charisma alone were as important in the selection of a president as you're making it out to be, why not elect someone like Christopher Walken?

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by BurningRanger

Charisma alone isn't the only thing important in the selection of a President. But it is something we need now.

You say we need a charismatic president, specifically for winning back support from other countries that we've lost over the course of George W. Bush's presidency. The people you're talking about more than likely don't care if the next president is charismatic or not; they'll likely settle for someone who isn't George W. Bush.

Quote:

Are you going to say we shouldn't vote actors into presidential office?

This would have been a more effective barb were this section not present.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by darkrose16

I'm from Illinois and I think he should have maybe taken on Mayor Dayley

Why? Going from being a U.S. Senator to a mayor is quite a step down, and leaving the Senate would have cost him a lot of the national attention he gets. Besides, Obama's come off pretty well by not challenging Daley.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by The Xeno

Whoever recognizes that quote is a wise man indeed

Why? It's a well-known quote.

Congratulations on Godwining the thread, though.

There's nowhere I can't reach.