Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

THE WORLD REACTS TO PRESIDENT OBAMA


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19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Refreshing to have a President not be a complete embarassment

Anonymous said...

Haven't felt this good in quite some time!!! Love your blog BTW!

dmarks said...

A: Haven't had to worry about that particular problem since 2001.

Anyway, I read on the news that the President is making the right sort of enemies, so to speak. Mainland China actually censored his inauguration speech. Too much opposition to tyranny and too much support for freedom. I would guess that Al Queda and similar groups have made more racist statements about him, and I doubt his words made Hugo Chavez and other dictators happy either.

Handsome B. Wonderful said...

I went out and bought a bunch of newspapers this morning for history.

Shaw Kenawe said...

I don't think our new president will walk over to any G-8 leader and giver her a noogie on her neck.

That was a real low point for the US.

I never hated GWB, I was just astonished that he attained the heights he did with so little.

It's curious to read on various extreme right wing blogs that the people who are enthusiastic over President Obama are "cultists."

These are the same people who do not acknowledge any of Bush's flaws and the mistakes and blunders he's made as a result of them.

These are the same people who continue to blame Bill Clinton for George Bush's failed presidency.

Now THAT'S talkin' cult!

dmarks said...

Shaw: That thing with the German leader was embarassing. GWB hugging Obama yesterday? Much less so.

"It's curious to read on various extreme right wing blogs that the people who are enthusiastic over President Obama are "cultists.""

I've seen this on several right-wing blogs, none of them extreme (I don't go to extreme blogs of either side). They have a point in that some of the jubilation does go overboard. I just hope BHO does not let it go to his head. That's a real danger.

Anonymous said...

"There were lines in this speech that I think will get chiseled on granite." (Bob Shrum)

"There’s FDR. There’s JFK. And there may be Barack Obama." (Chris Matthews)

The celebrity "Pledge" video.

The schoolkids taken from class to watch the inaguration.

The constant "O-ba-ma" chants.

The iconic Soviet Realism artwork.

The constant emotional inducements to give money (even after the election).

Pretty culty looking, don't you think?

Anonymous said...

Gordon stated the painful truth:

'Pretty culty looking, don't you think?'

I was hoping THEY would have waited a while longer & lure more real Americans unknowingly into the net of Marxism. But you know how it is. Tyrants are always in such a hurry.

Apparently all personal firearms need to be turned in to the authorities Tuesday next week. And your forced labor assignment should come through early February.

Patrick M said...

Here's some reaction I found from the UK.

I never hated GWB, I was just astonished that he attained the heights he did with so little.

Swap Obama for GWB and you know how we feel, Shaw.

Gordon: Thanks for the projectile vomit list. If only I had Matthews' shoe in which to spew.

Dave Miller said...

Shaw, I am currently in the puckerbrush of Mexico. This afternoon I was in the back of a small truck/taxi with a group of Zapotec men.

They were astonished that Obama won and even more so excited about how they felt the US would now once again be a real leader in the world.

There is moreover a general feeling of true excitement in this part of Mexico amongst most people for our new President.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Gordon,

I remember when Reagan left office there were lots of people pushing to get Reagan's image to replace FDR's on the dime. I remember Nancy Reagan saying she wanted no part of that.

(Nancy was very warm and kind in her praise of Obama, BTW, and her son, Ron, Jr., said she was impressed with his intelligence and oratorical skills.)

There were also people who were sending a petition around the country to get Reagan's visage carved into Mt. Rushmore.

Cultish, no?

My friends Patrick and Gordon have forgotten the cult around Reagan. On many right wing blogs his face is still seen as the first image on the comments section--while a huge population in their twenties weren't even alive when he was president.

The honest truth is that Patrick and Gordon see the enthusiasm for Obama as cultish, but the adoration over Reagan as normal.

But more to the point. Don't you ever wonder about the reason for the over-the-top jubilation over Obama's election? Nothing like it has ever been seen in this country's history. Nothing.

It's not just here in the US, either, that people are so thrilled with Obama--it's all over the world!

Even Reagan didn't engender that sort of enthusiasm.

You must look honestly at the reasons Obama has affected so many Americans and the world the way he has.

Anonymous said...

Shaw,

The difference is that the adulation toward Reagan was after his presidency, not before.

I haven't failed to notice the emotion. It worries me greatly. Soaring oratory is nice, and can be useful. It can also substitute abstractions for concrete ideas.

And what, exactly, are the reasons everyone loves Obama? Seriously. There are some very unreasonable expectations out there.

Obama has benefited from nearly unanimous positive coverage from the press, here and abroad. It will not always be so, especially with the foreign press; they know they can sell papers by being critical of the US.

I've written this before: many, many people have pinned unreasonable hopes and emotions on Barack Obama. He has yet to demonstrate the kind of skills needed for the job (for any job really, that demands results). He may have those skills. But when he disappoints them (as he must) the backlash could be very severe.

dmarks said...

"You must look honestly at the reasons Obama has affected so many Americans and the world the way he has."

It appears that Gordon has. But I think he overlooked the power of a very effective marketing campaign. Compared to this. GWB and McCain had little or nothing.

Shaw Kenawe said...

He has yet to demonstrate the kind of skills needed for the job (for any job really, that demands results). He may have those skills. But when he disappoints them (as he must) the backlash could be very severe. --Gordon

Barack Obama was an unknown 4 years ago, and is now the president. No one believes that can happen because the media liked him. He demonstrated political skill, leadership qualities, and the ability to get people to come together to do good things.

Do you actually dismiss the fact that people in traditionally "red" states made history by voting for him?

When you say you "worry" about the adulation, I'm not sure you're not being honest with yourself.

I think your worrying really means your irritation in seeing a Democratic politician so well received and even loved by the American people as well as people around the world.

That fact creats a dissonance in people who are convinced that Democrats (liberals) are worthless America-haters.

Reflect on the image of Washington DC on Tues. when millions of our fellow Americans came together in joy, and hope, and peace to celebrate their good sense in electing this good man.

PS. Rush Limbaugh in his ill-thought out statement that he hopes Obama's presidency fails, has made himself a laughing stock in front of everyone except his most ardent fans.

He is now officially the King of the Malcontents and Sour-Grapers.

Anonymous said...

Shaw,
You might be right about me not being honest with myself. But I'm no the first person to notice that many people saw Obama as a blank slate; upon him they chalked in all of their hopes and dreams.

When these people discover he doesn't piss brandy and crap plum pudding, they're going to be very, very disappointed.

Anonymous said...

Gordon typed:

'When these people discover he doesn't piss brandy and crap plum pudding, they're going to be very, very disappointed.'


Shouldn't be a problem Gordon.

After all, this isn't Ireland.

In fact once it turned out GWB didn't piss Mountain Dew and crap Doritos it didn't slow down his base one little bit.

dmarks said...

I'll never eat Dorito's again.

Anonymous said...

Being a Texan, Arthurstone, GWB would piss Dr. Pepper, not that green stuff.

But Doritos...oh man, that would hurt.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Hey you guys!

I've asked Joe the Plumber to come in here and clean the place up!