Obamamania

Jason Rees · Post by **Jason Rees** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:29 am

People didn't vote for Obama for his skill, Gene. Don't insult yourself.

Youth
'looks Black'
Good looks
Not in the same party as Bush
'Change'
'Hope'

And not necessarily in that order. Nope, people really don't care who's behind the helm these days. Soon Minnesota won't be the only state with governors from the WWF and comedian senators. Everyone's finally come to realize that government is only truly fit for clowns.

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:50 am

True story... Years ago in college when I wrote my first resume, I used the word "hope" in the context of where I intended to take my career. One of the first professionals to review my work told me to strike the word out. Why? Because "hope" implies putting control in the hands of others, rather than being self directing and self starting. It was a toxic word in a job resume.

Years later, the word still rubs me wrong. I don't mind hearing Christians use the word when their faith is about putting trust in the hands of the supernatural entity in their world. That's their thing, and I support the right of individuals to practice the faith (or non-faith) of their choice. But in politics? Well everywhere I see the word "hope", I see advocacy of wealth redistribution. Hmm...

My mentor in the placement office was right.

And I'm not going to use the word "hope" in the same sentence with the name of any politician. Nope... Not gonna go there. I don't worship any human. And it really bothers me when I see others who do.

- Bill

Mary S · Post by **Mary S** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:22 pm

How about "CHOPE"???? (to coin SNL)

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:40 pm

I like that interpretation of the word hope, Bill. I never wish anyone "good luck" for the same reason.

Mary S · Post by **Mary S** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:09 pm

However, when you look back in retrospect:

'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.'
- George W. Bush

'If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.'
- George W. Bush

'One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one
word is 'to be prepared'.'
-George W. Bush

'I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the
future.'
- George W. Bush

'The future will be better tomorrow.'
- George W. Bush

'We're going to have the best educated American people in the world.'
- George W. Bush

'I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.'
- George W Bush

'We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm
commitment to Europe . We are a part of Europe '
- George W. Bush

'Public speaking is very easy.'
- George W. Bush

'A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls.'
- George W. Bush

'I have opinions of my own -- strong opinions -- but I don't always agree
with them.'
-George Bush

'We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.'
- George W. Bush

'For NASA, space is still a high priority.'
-George W. Bush

'Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children.'
-George W. Bush

'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in
our air and water that are doing it.'
- George W. Bush

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:26 pm

Mary S wrote:'For NASA, space is still a high priority.'
-George W. Bush

That one actually makes sense. The first A stands for Aeronautics, and they do general research. But ya, the rest made me giggle.

Gene DeMambro · Post by **Gene DeMambro** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:19 pm

Sorry, Jason, but you miss the point. And I don't se anyoen worshipping Obama, Bill. But I do see his political enemies thinking people do.

cxt · Post by **cxt** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 7:40 pm

I gotta go with "Mania" here.......I wish the man all the best, but way to many folks are completely off the chain where Obama is concerned........both positive AND negative.

Including any number of otherwise rational people whose job discription would tend to imply at least "some" degree of objectivity.

"Worship" is probably too stong....but "mania" might be close to the mark.....maybe.

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:48 am

My brother-in-law and I were chatting with my niece around Christmas time at a bit of a family re-union. The subject got to politics. My sister-in-law is a freshman at UCLA in theater. You get the picture...

She was talking about the "mass hysteria" in her school (her words) when it was announced that Obama had won. (She should have seen my blogs at least a month before where I was announcing "It's the economy, stupid!") In any case, Matt and I started talking to her about politics and her beliefs.

The most startling thing happened. Whenever we would pick a topic and describe how a fiscal conservative would think, she would get agitated and start shaking. In a few minutes, she had burst into tears. We calmed her down, hugged her, and said "We're just having a discussion." Matt then talked some more, and she completely lost it. So... We stopped talking about what fiscal conservatives think, and I told her I was proud of her for all her work on the campaign.

<Sigh...>

I agree about the "mania" part, cxt. It is a LOT like Beatlemania. I was in 5th grade when they first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, and the reaction of the girls was a total mystery to me.

It STILL is - even though it's predictable from watching those old grainy black-and-white films.

Understand that I like the Beatles - all generations of them. Not ALL of their music, but... Good stuff. Fun, melodic, harmonizing songs in their early work. The White Album is my favorite, with Sargent Pepper a close second.

So when I started seeing this same hysteria at rallies, the "Beatlemania" thought popped right in my head. My eyes don't lie. As with my observations in 1965, I don't quite get it. But from my viewpoint the response is... charmingly wacko. Hey, my opinion.

I do not think "worship" is too strong a word. I've seen Revivals. The behavior is similar.

Praise the Lord, and pass the collection plate!

I'm glad people have something to be happy about.

- Bill

fivedragons · Post by **fivedragons** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:23 am

That's the first time I've ever heard the Beatles' contribution to music and culture summed up as fun and harmonious.

No wonder you didn't get it.

fivedragons · Post by **fivedragons** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:49 am

The white album is my favorite also.

Revolver had some good ones like this:

Turn off your mind, relax
and float down stream
It is not dying
It is not dying

Lay down all thought
Surrender to the void
It is shining
It is shining

That you may see
The meaning of within
It is being
It is being

That love is all
And love is everyone
It is knowing
It is knowing

That ignorance and hate
May mourn the dead
It is believing
It is believing

But listen to the
color of your dreams
It is not living
It is not living

Or play the game
existence to the end
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:54 am

fivedragons wrote:That's the first time I've ever heard the Beatles' contribution to music and culture summed up as fun and harmonious.

No wonder you didn't get it.

I hate to use this acronym, but it's true: LMAO!

Jason Rees · Post by **Jason Rees** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:37 pm

Sorry, Jason, but you miss the point. - Gene

No wonder you didn't get it. - FiveDragons

And I don't se anyoen worshipping Obama, Bill. - Gene

Ah, behold, the soft bigotry of ego.

A. You disagree with me.

B. I'm right, therefore,

C. You're wrong.

Followed by:

A. I didn't see it.

B. I don't want to see it, therefore,

C. It didn't happen

"Obama's finest speeches do not excite. They do not inform. They don't even really inspire. They elevate. They enmesh you in a grander moment, as if history has stopped flowing passively by, and, just for an instant, contracted around you, made you aware of its presence, and your role in it. He is not the Word made flesh, but the triumph of word over flesh, over color, over despair." - Ezra Klein

Kathleen Geier writes that she's "getting increasingly weirded out by some of Obama's supporters. On listservs I'm on, some people who should know better – hard-bitten, not-so-young cynics, even – are gushing about Barack…

Describing various encounters with Obama supporters, she writes, "Excuse me, but this sounds more like a cult than a political campaign. The language used here is the language of evangelical Christianity – the Obama volunteers speak of 'coming to Obama' in the same way born-again Christians talk about 'coming to Jesus.'...So I say, we should all get a grip, stop all this unseemly mooning over Barack, see him and the political landscape he is a part of in a cooler, clearer, and more realistic light, and get to work." - ABC News

"(p)erhaps it's my atheism at work but I found myself increasingly wary of and resistant to the salvational fervor of the Obama campaign, the idealistic zeal divorced from any particular policy or cause and chariot-driven by pure euphoria." - James Wolcott

“I’ve been following politics since I was about 5. I’ve never seen anything like this. This is bigger than Kennedy. [Obama] comes along, and he seems to have the answers. This is the New Testament." - Chris Mathews, MSNBC

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-shepp ... port-obama

That last one is really funny. They interviewed people who said they were for Obama. Then they attributed McCain's positions to Obama. People said they agreed with McCain's policies, thinking they were talking about Obama's policies. Then when confronted with the facts of whose policies they agreed with, it didn't change anything.

So it seems, Gene, that you weren't interested in the truth: that people didn't vote for Obama because of his skills. Obviously since you claimed this and youth were the reasons he was voted for over McCain, you were done looking for the truth. In effect, you were no better than those people Stern's show interviewed.

These are the ignorant masses who don't judge a man by his achievements, his words, his deeds. They are the many who vote for the guy wearing the color they like, the hairstyle they like, the skin tone they like, who offer them trinkets, and money, and 'hope.'

And you are one of them.

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:14 pm

fivedragons wrote:
That's the first time I've ever heard the Beatles' contribution to music and culture summed up as fun and harmonious.

No wonder you didn't get it.

If you want to take a shot at me, get your facts straight. This is what I said. Emphasis in red added.

Bill Glasheen wrote:
Understand that I like the Beatles - all generations of them. Not ALL of their music, but... Good stuff. Fun, melodic, harmonizing songs in their early work. The White Album is my favorite, with Sargent Pepper a close second.

Examples of "Fun, melodic, harmonizing songs" would be: She loves you, I want to hold your hand, and Close your eyes.

Unlike much of the rock and roll music of that time, there was an actual melody in the music. Traditional rock and roll leads have a limited note composition. Rock is more than just the notes; it's all about the energy. Examples: Johnny be good, Jailhouse rock, Tutti Frutti.
They routinely sang these songs in predictable three-part harmony. Later music had harmony on occasion, but was more stylistically complex and nuanced.
She loves you, and you know that can't be bad... I want to hold your hand... This is music reeking of teenage joi de vivre. It's.... fun! Not exactly Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds or Revolution, eh?

OK Fivedragons? I could go on and on. I play and teach music, by the way.

- Bill

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:27 pm

Jason

Excellent post. Thanks for substantiating my point.

- Bill