Obama

ray a

From the Washington Post:

[i]Obama's new resemblance is less to Kennedy or Reagan than to leftist author Thomas Frank, whose 2004 book, "What's the Matter With Kansas?," answered the liberal conundrum: Why do ordinary Americans vote against their own economic interests to support Republicans? Frank explained that "deranged" and "lunatic" Kansans were led away by Republicans from material concerns to social issues. Obama similarly described small-town Americans turning to guns and the Bible in frustration over government's failure to take care of them -- a more genteel version of Frank's thesis. [/i]

Anyone from Kansas or a similar midwestern state want to comment?

allsteaks

There is no question Kansas and most other Midwestern states are thought of as ugly stepchildren to the political elite, and we even sometimes get that feeling from our own representatives. We currently have a Congresswoman who has done some positive things for eastern Kansas but then totally turns her back on her constituents on important national issues and follows party lines in all her votes (98%). It is very disappointing.
As far as "deranged" and "lunatic" terms, we aptly apply those to the liberal writers as well as the Coasters (remember the Midwest is all states inside the mountain ranges).
Just makes us tougher!!

ray a

Steaks, I like inside the Adirondak mountains, does that make me a midwesterner?

I thought the use of deranged and lunatic to describe people from Kansas was interesting, especially coming from a liberal. People have tried to parse Obama's comments and the connection was made to this writer. Maybe he really thinks you are all lunatics. Who knows.

ACU Frank

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 04-22-08 AT 10:35AM (CST)[/font][br][br]I'd have to see the context of those terms to assign them any meaning in this discussion.

However, I definitely agree with the theme of the book. I've often wondered what causes voters to put so much more stock in "feel good" issues than economic or social issues that would benefit them far more. Many midwesterners have a tendency to wrap themselves so tightly in the flag they lose their vision.

BTW - The author is from Kansas.

ACU Frank

Ray's post also mis-attributes the original source. I know it probably serves the anti-Obama agenda better by attributing it to a respected newspaper rather than its true author, but give credit where credit is due - Reagan's lap dog, Robert Novak.

ray a

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 04-22-08 AT 11:02AM (CST)[/font][br][br]Correct Frank, but I found it published in the Washington Post. I didn't mention who the author was.

The point is that Obama made a statement then when it became public he quickly retracted it saying he misspoke. Did he misspeak or was he really saying what he believed? Who is the real Obama? He tries to portray himself as a uniter, someone who can draw people from both sides together, but is that true? Or is he so far to the left he will be even more divisive?

Paul in Cannon Beach

Misstatements dont bother me. How people handle them is what concerns me. I give Obama a B- in that category and Hillary a D+.

I still get the feeling that Frank isnt excited by either of these choices. Am I reading you right, Frank?

ACU Frank

I'm just so excited our next president won't be named "Bush", that the rest is just details.

ray a

You and 99% of the rest of the country. Me too. I really fear it coming down to a lesser of evils. I'm going to write in Paul of CB for president.

marina

Good morning all.
I see we have another "good topic". Way to go "HR" friends.
I am curious to see if this is going to top the "Papal visit" reactions and responses.
At the moment I wish our good president (who was voted TWICE!! by someone out there) would find the way to decrease the gas prices that are killing me along with many others!
I hope I did not spoil a good day with such a dreary reminder.
Good day everyone.
Marina

ray a

Just came across an interesting article about another Obama connection that has been in the news recently. [url]http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/04/020358.php[/url]

Frank, I know nothing about this site, but it doesn't matter who the author is, the key is the facts. Obama seems to have a history of connections with people who are questionable. Not to mention his wife's Cartereque comments when he spoke in 1978 about us being in a national funk. Public record shows he has been and remains friends with these people who still to this day appear to have dangerous ideas. He tried to gloss over it when it first became public, but he seems to be disengenuous in his attempt to distance himself.

With friends like he keeps, how will he ever become a uniter?