Wayne Besen - Author, Activist, Columnist, Public Speaker

Monday, October 23, 2006

Your Thoughts On Obama Running For President?

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Illinois) on "Meet the Press":

TIM RUSSERT: It's fair to say you're thinking about running for president in 2008?

SEN. OBAMA: It's fair, yes.

MR. RUSSERT: And so when you said to me in January, "I will not," that statement is no longer operative.

SEN. OBAMA: The—I would say that I am still at the point where I have not made a decision to, to pursue higher office,but it is true that I have thought about it over the last several months.

MR. RUSSERT: So, it sounds as if the door has opened a bit.

SEN. OBAMA: A bit.

7 Comments:

Hillary Clinton could take a lesson from Senator Obama's direct answer to questions about his possible future ambition. I was shocked when I heard him openly say on Meet the Press that he was indeed considering a run. Contrasting that to Clinton's coy, cryptic manner is certainly refreshing.

Having said that, Obama is largely an unknown to me. Sure, he seems nice on television and has intellectually progressive views, but who IS this man? Where did he come from? Two years ago, we knew nothing about him and now he's a rising star. More information is needed about him, but after six years of Bush's failed presidency, things like this certainly temp us to hope that a better future is ahead. Look for him as a possible VP choice in '08.
posted by Anonymous, at 10/23/2006 11:26 AM

It sounds like people have been massaging his ego. What a stupid idea, convincing him to run for President. He hasn't got the experience he needs. And despite what he may believe, he hasn't got enough support from his fellow Democrats. The dude should sit down with Elizabeth Dole and have a long talk with her about being hoodwinked by your party. He'd learn something! I am not so all-fired-up about Barak Obama. I vote for issues not for personalities. Did you know that he doesn't support marriage equality?
posted by DC HAMPTON JACOBS, at 10/23/2006 11:33 AM

It's time for America to have a black president. In fact, it's long overdue. Having said that, Obama makes me nauseous. I'd prefer to have Barbara Lee or Cynthia McKinney as our next president.

Obama is black, but he's not African American. He's quite the oreo as well.
posted by Anonymous, at 10/23/2006 1:37 PM

At least he's articulate; unlike the shrub. "Oreo" is pretty nasty (and racist), do you think a black man who speaks rapperese and wears bling would have a better chance of becoming president? If he acted like Snoop Doggie, no one would take him seriously.
ps..i think he has a better chance than Hillary. Besides being a woman, she's still very hated and mistrusted by too many people. (I didnt mean a woman couldnt be a good president---only that sexism (like racism and homophobia) is still alive and well in this country.
posted by Anonymous, at 10/23/2006 2:12 PM

"Obama is black, but he's not African American."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

"Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. a Harvard-educated economist of Nyangoma-Kogelo, Kenya, and Ann Dunham of Wichita, Kansas, an anthropologist."

His father is African, and his mother is American. How is that not African American?
posted by Anonymous, at 10/23/2006 7:59 PM

As smart and intelligent as he is, lets not forget he's like Clinton, doesn't believe in marriage equality, so what's the point of voting for someone like that?

Robert, NYC.
posted by Anonymous, at 10/24/2006 10:02 AM

A thought to ponder:

If this were a race between Democrat Obama who does not favor marriage equality and a hypothetical Republican that did (say Guiliani), how would you vote?

While it isn't terribly likely that a Rep Presidential candidate would be more pro-gay than the Dem, in 2008 it isn't entirely impossible. If it were Hillary v. Rudy, I think an analysis would show that he's been the more supportive one. I don't know Obama's record well enough to know if the same is true.
posted by Timothy Kincaid, at 10/24/2006 4:56 PM