Comments on: Obama’s latest campaign stop: my unconscious

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:01:13 +0000

I frankly am very wary about great leaders, though I do think we need one now. I don’t happen to share your assessments of either Obama or McCain, but thanks for the comment.

By: Karl Schmeling

Karl Schmeling — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:59:08 +0000

The cat and bird imagery is very fascinating. In the real world cat’s lay in wait and pounce on unsuspecting birds. Some times the bird’s get away, some times they don’t. Forunately this one did, but then he was but in a box to be rehabilitated. Interesting that a bird needs to be rehabilitated to be taught to be a bird. I also thought it interesting that Obama only observed. He didn’t jump in and come to the bird’s aid like you did. You did something meaningful. He didn’t. Maybe you should be the one running for president.

My only hope for the presidency is that someday we will have great leaders to chose from, not great politicians. Obama may be very imaginative, but he has no track record and seems to be pretty weak minded. I hope he doesn’t try to imagine us out of our problems and challenges. That could be a disater. I don’t know much about McCain, but he certainly is able to hold true to his beliefs, even under great pressure, as demonstrated by his years as a POW. I look forward to the debates, so I might find out who they are and what they stand for. So far it seems like a lot of promises without the details of how they will accomplish it all and make it all work. Until then I remain uncommitted. But thanks for sharing your dream.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:19:08 +0000

Yes indeed. Well, I think Obama is doing a very good job of acting like a bit of a doofus lately — that thing with the imitation presidential seal, for example, or his decision to start wearing a flag pin. But my support for his candidacy is based on the belief that he is not only very smart, but imaginative as well. We will need a great deal of imaginative leadership in the years ahead. It almost doesn’t matter that Obama’s politics differ sometimes quite a lot from mine. The important thing is that he understands the need for change, and his track record seems to show a facility not only for inspiring people but for bringing them together across party lines.

By: Lee's River

Lee's River — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:37:12 +0000

the toughest act of all for a really smart politician is not letting on how smart he is. Specially in North America where being smart is not – well – smart. duh – y’know?

(I was really fascinated by the bird and the cat in your dream)

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:55:20 +0000

mb – Exactly.

By: mb

mb — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:04:56 +0000

The whole premise of the dream (which is a marvelous dream) — the idea that we should find our president likeable and “one of us” — stumps me every time. I don’t want somebody leading the country who is like me! For Pete’s sake (or for everyone’s sake), I want somebody way smarter, way cannier and skillful than someone like me.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:38:37 +0000

Good point. But a far better solution would be to have the U.S. stop playing globocop. Oh, and democratize the U.N. – do away with the Security Council.

By: miguel

miguel — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:46:17 +0000

Your comment about “the most powerful person in the world” always hits a chord with non-American me. I see no reason why people in other countries should not be part of the whole American election process if their leader is to have power over the rest of the world. People in other countries should have a say in what the American leader does to them if the President takes things outside the borders of the United States.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:36:59 +0000

That’s true. And bright as Obama is, I’m not sure anyone is quite up to the task at hand now. Of course, I suppose he’d say that of course he can’t do it alone – that’s what the “change” thing is all about: bringing people into the process. Neutralizing the corporate lobbyists. I’ll believe it when I see it. I’d love to see him take steps to eliminate the imperial presidency and make Congress the “decider” again, as the Constitution envisions. But I imagine that, in the interest of expediency, he’ll find the currently grossly expanded executive powers too damn convenient to curtail. Hope I’m wrong.

By: Dr. Omed

Dr. Omed — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:19:09 +0000

Are you saying we have Bush to thank for Obama?

The only hanging out I’d want to do with Bush is attending his hanging after his conviction for War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. I’m afraid I insist on being rather hateful about it.

This man wasted 8 years that could of been spent saving the planet with an unnecessary, ghastly, and tragically stupid sideshow war, not to mention converting the gov’t of the United State into a proto-fascist state. Louis the Sun King said “Le Etat, c’est moi.” The Bush motto would have to be, “The Stupid, it’s me.” If Bush was a movie, he’d be “The Evil Stupid.”

Obama will have hit the ground running because we don’t have much time, because of Mr. Haveabeerability, and all the astonishingly clueless people who voted for him.