Obama 2008

[piterburg]

Barack Hussein Osama Obama just  declared his candidacy for the US President. I wonder who is he going to pick up as his running mate -is it going to be Hillary ?(what a dream ticket: Barack and Barracuda...).

I wonder whether American people are ready to elect someone with a name like his...if they are, I have my own nominee -

Comments

[hahi]

I wonder if American white (still) majority is ready to vote for any black candidate, whatever his or her name is. I do not know much about this Oba-na, but his party hardly would seduce me to vote it if I were American - but Lady Condo looks one not bad choice, not only because of being a Republican. Am I wrong due to lack of knowledge?

[piterburg]

I think that Americans are ready to elect a black President, provided he is not running as a "black" candidate. But not someone like Obama who was raised in Indonesia as a Muslim.

OTOH,Colin Powell was certainly electable, and so is Condi Rice. I could certainly imagine myself voting for Condi. The problem is that Condi will never get nominated as she does not have a political base.

[hahi]

Yes, this is what America really needs now - a Muslim president :( But the president should be USA-born, is it true? Otherwise Schwarzenegger would be running...

And what do you mean saying "she does not have a political base"? No clear platform, or no rich supporters?

[piterburg]

The President has to be a US citzen by birth, not by naturalization. Barack Hussein Obama was born in the US of Kenyan Muslim father and white American mother. He lived in Indonesia as a child and was raised as a Muslim.

However, he is not a Muslim any more - he converted to Christianity at 25 and is ostensibly a church-going Christian these days. So Muslims consider him as an apostate.

About Condoleeza: not having a political base means not having loyalists among party faithful, people who would volunteer for the campaign, vote in primaries, do political grunt work for her etc.

Within her party she is a foreign policy specialist, rather than a politician in her own right. A geek, a technical person, rather than manager or executive. As such she could only advice the top gun, rather than be one herself.

[lyoka10]

Well, I do believe that Americans now are starving for something new, like it was with Kennedy, who was the only "not WASP" in the history of presidency of the US. And plus, Obama has good credentials and doesn't have such a big luggage (I mean he's quite new in politics, compare with Mrs. Clinton). Have you read his book "Audacity of Hope"? I like his positions, but it's just my opinion, you might not agree with it.

[piterburg]

My post was more about his electability rather than about his suitability.

Having said that, I have to confess my doubts about the latter as well. Surely he has style, but does he have substance?

[isartorius]

I have no problem with his religion(although it may come to a question of where his "loyalty" stands,whatever that means) may pop up...
He is not bad though and he is center left,which ok with me. I still will put abet on Hillary though,but that's my own opinion...

[piterburg]

I do not doubt his loyalty to the US. I just doubt that someone with a name like that is electable.

[isartorius]

got it. What you're saying is US may not be ready yet for either black president or a woman president right?

[piterburg]

I am not saying it. I think the US is ready for a black president or a woman president. But it would have to be someone like Colin Powell or Condi Rice or maybe Hillary C., someone whose life was a mainstream Anerican experience, not someone whose name is Barak HUSSEIN OBAMA who grew up a Muslim in Indonesia.