Comments on: Shades Of John Kerry? http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/ Defending the liberal tradition in history, science, and philosophy. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:24:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Martin L. Shoemaker http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162226 Martin L. Shoemaker Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:01:01 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162226 <em>Seriously, I hope we don’t see any "Obama Derangement Syndrome." Surely after suffering from the Left’s excesses for the last eight years, we won’t resort to the same tactics and techniques.</em> <em>Surely not.</em> Somehow, I hear Supertramp... <em>Dreamer, you know you are a dreamer Well can you put your hands in your head, oh no! </em> The ODS began months ago. I'm grateful that it seems to have ebbed, but I'm sure it's still out there. Seriously, I hope we don’t see any "Obama Derangement Syndrome." Surely after suffering from the Left’s excesses for the last eight years, we won’t resort to the same tactics and techniques.

Surely not.

Somehow, I hear Supertramp…

Dreamer, you know you are a dreamer
Well can you put your hands in your head, oh no!

The ODS began months ago. I’m grateful that it seems to have ebbed, but I’m sure it’s still out there.

]]> By: CosmicConservative http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162200 CosmicConservative Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:17:44 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162200 Dean: Yeah, that's my point. Attempting to caricature your opponent in a particular negative way is a useful political tool, it's all about "crafting the narrative" and that's a good part of what campaign operatives are paid to do. But what has happened in our country in the past few decades is that too many people don't know when they are campaigning and when they are debating. In that respect the Left has been campaigning against GW Bush since November of 2000, and they've never let up. (In fact Obama is STILL campaigning against Bush.) So ALL they ever do is paint a caricature. In fact it has been so pervasive that a large fraction of liberals I know ACTUALLY BELIEVE THE CARICATURE and therefore act as if it were true. Which is one big reason Bush beat them again in 2004. What I'm saying is that I sure hope the Right doesn't adopt that same attitude if Obama gets elected. I'd like to think we can address Obama as a human being with a flawed ideology, not as a pathetic caricature who deserves nothing but ridicule. Seriously, I hope we don't see any "Obama Derangement Syndrome." Surely after suffering from the Left's excesses for the last eight years, we won't resort to the same tactics and techniques. Surely not. <em>CosmicConservative's last blog post..<a href='http://www.cosmicconservative.com/weblog/?p=4079' rel="nofollow">WoW! Terrorists!</a></em> Dean:

Yeah, that’s my point. Attempting to caricature your opponent in a particular negative way is a useful political tool, it’s all about "crafting the narrative" and that’s a good part of what campaign operatives are paid to do.

But what has happened in our country in the past few decades is that too many people don’t know when they are campaigning and when they are debating. In that respect the Left has been campaigning against GW Bush since November of 2000, and they’ve never let up. (In fact Obama is STILL campaigning against Bush.) So ALL they ever do is paint a caricature. In fact it has been so pervasive that a large fraction of liberals I know ACTUALLY BELIEVE THE CARICATURE and therefore act as if it were true.

Which is one big reason Bush beat them again in 2004.

What I’m saying is that I sure hope the Right doesn’t adopt that same attitude if Obama gets elected. I’d like to think we can address Obama as a human being with a flawed ideology, not as a pathetic caricature who deserves nothing but ridicule.

Seriously, I hope we don’t see any "Obama Derangement Syndrome." Surely after suffering from the Left’s excesses for the last eight years, we won’t resort to the same tactics and techniques.

Surely not.

CosmicConservative’s last blog post..WoW! Terrorists!

]]> By: Dean Esmay http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162193 Dean Esmay Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:45:19 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162193 President Bush is often accused of that, but then, we have all sorts of other reports of him being very down to earth and listening very carefully to people and taking what they say quite seriously. There's a balance there. While I can't prove it, I suspect there are plenty of people who can say the same for Senator Obama. Our friend John Eddy has actually met the Senator and, even though he's pretty much a Republican leaning guy, he came away impressed--and John's not the type to be dazzled by Ivy Leaguers. Maybe he'd have some insight? President Bush is often accused of that, but then, we have all sorts of other reports of him being very down to earth and listening very carefully to people and taking what they say quite seriously. There’s a balance there.

While I can’t prove it, I suspect there are plenty of people who can say the same for Senator Obama. Our friend John Eddy has actually met the Senator and, even though he’s pretty much a Republican leaning guy, he came away impressed–and John’s not the type to be dazzled by Ivy Leaguers. Maybe he’d have some insight?

]]> By: CosmicConservative http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162182 CosmicConservative Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:55:14 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162182 "But when the arrogance shuts off the possibility of learning from all but a small segment of people, it becomes dangerous." Isn't this exactly the claim the Left makes about GW Bush? Now we're going to start saying the same about Obama? I hope there are more substantive arguments against Obama than "he rolled his eyes at me when I tried to explain the nuances of interest rate swaps." Yeah, that's really going to play on main street. "Interest rate what?" <em>CosmicConservative's last blog post..<a href='http://www.cosmicconservative.com/weblog/?p=4078' rel="nofollow">Dadman's iPod Sampler</a></em> "But when the arrogance shuts off the possibility of learning from all but a small segment of people, it becomes dangerous."

Isn’t this exactly the claim the Left makes about GW Bush? Now we’re going to start saying the same about Obama?

I hope there are more substantive arguments against Obama than "he rolled his eyes at me when I tried to explain the nuances of interest rate swaps."

Yeah, that’s really going to play on main street.

"Interest rate what?"

CosmicConservative’s last blog post..Dadman’s iPod Sampler

]]> By: David Foster http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162176 David Foster Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:17:55 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162176 Martin...there's arrogance and then there's arrogance. A person can have a very high opinion of himself and still be willing to learn from people in less powerful positions and with less-impressive backgrounds. But when the arrogance shuts off the possibility of learning from all but a small segment of people, it becomes dangerous. Martin…there’s arrogance and then there’s arrogance. A person can have a very high opinion of himself and still be willing to learn from people in less powerful positions and with less-impressive backgrounds. But when the arrogance shuts off the possibility of learning from all but a small segment of people, it becomes dangerous.

]]> By: Martin L. Shoemaker http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162173 Martin L. Shoemaker Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:23:19 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162173 <em>If the above is really true, that should be an immediate disqualifier for Obama. Such a level of arrogance on the part of a leader, manifested by an unwillingness to learn from people he considers him intellectual inferiors (ie, almost everybody), will have a very harmful effect on any organization.</em> Heh. Dave,  if arrogance is a disqualifier for office, most of the statehouses and the Congress are gonna look mighty empty... If the above is really true, that should be an immediate disqualifier for Obama. Such a level of arrogance on the part of a leader, manifested by an unwillingness to learn from people he considers him intellectual inferiors (ie, almost everybody), will have a very harmful effect on any organization.

Heh. Dave,  if arrogance is a disqualifier for office, most of the statehouses and the Congress are gonna look mighty empty…

]]> By: David Foster http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162154 David Foster Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:26:40 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162154 The comment that really bothered me was this one: "I remember trying to explain the nuance of (interest rate swaps) to him in the cramped three Wang terminal space we called the bull pen. In contrast to his his liberal arts background, I had a degree in finance and Wall Street experience, so I knew what I was talking about. But rather than learn from a City College kid, the Ivy Leaguer just sort of rolled his eyes. Condescendingly. I’ll never forget it. God forbid he leave the impression that a mere editor like myself knew more about something than did Barack. He was like that." If the above is really true, that should be an immediate disqualifier for Obama. Such a level of arrogance on the part of a leader, manifested by an unwillingness to learn from people he considers him intellectual inferiors (ie, almost everybody), will have a very harmful effect on any organization. The comment that really bothered me was this one: "I remember trying to explain the nuance of (interest rate swaps) to him in the cramped three Wang terminal space we called the bull pen. In contrast to his his liberal arts background, I had a degree in finance and Wall Street experience, so I knew what I was talking about. But rather than learn from a City College kid, the Ivy Leaguer just sort of rolled his eyes. Condescendingly. I’ll never forget it. God forbid he leave the impression that a mere editor like myself knew more about something than did Barack. He was like that."

If the above is really true, that should be an immediate disqualifier for Obama. Such a level of arrogance on the part of a leader, manifested by an unwillingness to learn from people he considers him intellectual inferiors (ie, almost everybody), will have a very harmful effect on any organization.

]]> By: Obama Dares Question Palin’s Experience to by VP … Isn’t the President the Head of the Ticket? | Scared Monkeys http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162151 Obama Dares Question Palin’s Experience to by VP … Isn’t the President the Head of the Ticket? | Scared Monkeys Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:15:17 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162151 [...] Dean’s World: Did Barack massively exaggerate his pre-community-organizer job? [...] [...] Dean’s World: Did Barack massively exaggerate his pre-community-organizer job? [...]

]]> By: Yu-Ain Gonnano http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162130 Yu-Ain Gonnano Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:44:06 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162130 May be, but at the same time Kerry made his wartime experience the main focus of his campaign.  We all remember the "Kerry was a Vietnam Vet? Who knew?" jokes. Obama hasn't really done the same thing with his past.  He hasn't really droned on and on about his how his community organizing is his primary qualifications to office. I haven't seen his convention speach but I somehow I doubt he started it off with "I'm Barack Obama and I'm reporting for Community Organization!" May be, but at the same time Kerry made his wartime experience the main focus of his campaign.  We all remember the "Kerry was a Vietnam Vet? Who knew?" jokes.

Obama hasn’t really done the same thing with his past.  He hasn’t really droned on and on about his how his community organizing is his primary qualifications to office.

I haven’t seen his convention speach but I somehow I doubt he started it off with "I’m Barack Obama and I’m reporting for Community Organization!"

]]> By: Dave Price http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162124 Dave Price Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:09:27 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/09/15/shades-of-john-kerry/#comment-162124 True, people routinely exaggerate resumes... but this wasn't a resume.  This was the book that launched his campaign for the Presidency. At the very least, it appears he has greatly exaggerated here.  Some statements seem to be outright fabrications (or "lies"), based on co-workers' testimony.  At the very least, I think the questions need to be asked. This is especially relevant given today's news. Keep in mind too, Obama is running ads against McCain claiming McCain is ignorant on economic matters. If Obama's been extensively padding his economic resume that looks very bad in that context. True, people routinely exaggerate resumes… but this wasn’t a resume.  This was the book that launched his campaign for the Presidency.

At the very least, it appears he has greatly exaggerated here.  Some statements seem to be outright fabrications (or "lies"), based on co-workers’ testimony.  At the very least, I think the questions need to be asked.

This is especially relevant given today’s news.

Keep in mind too, Obama is running ads against McCain claiming McCain is ignorant on economic matters. If Obama’s been extensively padding his economic resume that looks very bad in that context.

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