The Political Debate

Actually, it should read "The fooling of the American People".

So much has been written about Clinton vs Obama that any attempt to write about it would not add anything new to the debate. It however, can surely bring into attention a lot of nuances that either have, or are being ignored.

Today I'll just take my gloves off for Obama. I'll reserve this opportunity for Clinton for some other time.

Its easy to trick people. All you need is to appeal to people's fears, greeds, insecurities or pain. And Obama is a master trickster. Its surprising how can anyone think of letting someone take the office of President without any experience even remotely similar to it. Think about it - would you let someone who has never flown a plane (but has been riding a bicycle for the last 2 weeks) pilot your plane? Or you would rather let someone who has been a co-pilot and has been flying gliders take the job. Its just plain common sense. Even companies check the background of people before giving them the job - this is the job of the President of the United States!!

Its beyond belief how sweet talk and populist messages can make people forget everything and willing to let anyone become the President.

Going by the popularity of Obama, I think its no small section. Really.

It makes me roll on the floor laughing when Obama touts his foreign policy experience by being on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for some time and by his living overseas(?). Are you kidding me?

Other than (well rehersed) speeches that Obama gives (and I give him credit for it - he speaks rather well), he is a dud when it comes to real talk - he speaks too slow, he hams, and fumbles for words. It makes me suspicious if he really speaks his heart and mind, or if he just speaks his pre-written speeches. I remember the question when at a CNN debate, he was asked that with 3 of the former Clinton advisers advising him and with little experience of his own, how can he provide different governance? His answer "Hillary, I am looking forward to you to advising me" came after 10 seconds of "well", "I", "Aaa" and the likes. Similarly, at another CNN debate after the "truce" between the Clinton and Obama camps after the "race and MLK" controversies, his reply was vague, and he just veered away from the topic.

Needless to say, he comes across extremely weak in the debates.

Obama comes across as a lying and manipulative person when some aspects of his life described in one of his books were researched (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-070325obama-youth-story,0,5069625.story). For example, he was not one of the black students who struggled with their racial identity in their school in Hawaii, as he pointed out in his book. His biggest struggle, growing up wasn't race, but his sense of abandonment by his parents. There was no issue of Life magazine that Obama talks about in his book. He re-inventing his autobiography to make it a bestseller!!

Well, if nothing else, it makes him a master of spin.

Hope is a good thing. Only trouble is, it alone doesn't get you anywhere. I am sure the poorest people in the poorest countries are hoping to be rich and strong one day. Only trouble is, that day never comes just by hoping for it.

Populism can pay handsomely for Obama, but its high cost would ultimately be borne by America.