tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post107061948744177861..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: My Hopes & Fears for President ObamaIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-53206175591924824432009-01-21T13:22:00.000+00:002009-01-21T13:22:00.000+00:00re: Obama being too short termist. I think the ele...re: Obama being too short termist. I think the electoral danger for Obama is the oppositte. His agenda is to be long-termist. He's proposing changes (energy independence, broadband, slow but steady attempts at peace/clean water/arms control) that won't be achieved in 2 years. That might hurt him if the recession is still full bore for the 2010 Congressional elections.scott reddinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16201040172369428187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-16984683857602863292009-01-21T10:07:00.000+00:002009-01-21T10:07:00.000+00:00We most certainly DO have to spend our way out of ...We most certainly DO have to spend our way out of a recession, but success depends on exactly what it is you spend it on. Government could pour squillions into boosting the manufacture of Kirby grips, but this would not work, as there is no longer a demand for Kirby grips. On the other hand, there will always be a demand for clean energy, and so investment in energy conservation, renewables, and a super-grid is clearly the way to go.DocRichardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08903964792092284406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-74301220001324066192009-01-21T01:00:00.000+00:002009-01-21T01:00:00.000+00:00I'll make a confession. I don't watch TV. I didn...I'll make a confession. I don't watch TV. I didn't "get" Blair and I don't "get" Obama. He doesn't seem to have any firm ideas, and having read some of his books I don't really see what his policies are (or no more than Blair's 3rd Way).<BR/><BR/>He sounds more honest than Blair though.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13775753218753337766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56716461754174312392009-01-20T21:04:00.000+00:002009-01-20T21:04:00.000+00:00There are two words that sum up why Blair hardly a...There are two words that sum up why Blair hardly achieved anything in his first term:<BR/><BR/>GORDON BROWN<BR/><BR/>And never forget Blair's achievements in Northern Ireland<BR/><BR/>As for Obama - I wish him luck. He will most certainly need it.Oscar Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09423019456579337438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-11727935636193494362009-01-20T20:14:00.000+00:002009-01-20T20:14:00.000+00:00I can not stand to hear his (obama) voice, it is o...I can not stand to hear his (obama) voice, it is offensive to my rather deaf ears, and the sooner he is gone the better, it will not take the yanks to get as sick of him as it did the British to get sick of the blair tosser, he will be a dead loss, for obama read blair, all gas and no action, candy-floss, all pretty on the outside, but no substance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-15619987531931307752009-01-20T20:13:00.000+00:002009-01-20T20:13:00.000+00:00Iain, once again you miss the moment. Obama's opt...Iain, once again you miss the moment. Obama's optimism heavily outweighs your pessimism.<BR/><BR/>Times have changed, for the better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59217251650971996512009-01-20T19:51:00.000+00:002009-01-20T19:51:00.000+00:00If he's assassinated, he's definitely be the wrong...If he's assassinated, he's definitely be the wrong one to target...look for the one hiding in the "BUSH"...<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.mylifeiscrap.com/" REL="nofollow">http://mylifeiscrap.com</A>R E Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16328094021622962856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-30487289819830887612009-01-20T19:18:00.000+00:002009-01-20T19:18:00.000+00:00Good piece Iain. I broadly agree with your hopes a...Good piece Iain. I broadly agree with your hopes and fears. THough I very much hope he steers clear of assassins!<BR/><BR/>I have written my thoughts here: http://richardwillisuk.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/president-obama-%e2%80%93-a-new-era-dawnsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-73715358260686067982009-01-20T19:15:00.000+00:002009-01-20T19:15:00.000+00:00DespairingLiberalI don't know the truth about Obam...DespairingLiberal<BR/><BR/>I don't know the truth about Obama's meeting the "birth" qualifications for the presidency as specified in the constitution. <BR/><BR/>However I do know that instead of simply producing a birth cert. he has fought every legal suit that was asking him to do just that. Why ? What's he hiding ?<BR/><BR/>As for potential assassins, why a white guy ? You mean like the DC snipers of a few years ago who were assumed to be disaffected white guys by the Mayor, media and Police Chief but who instead turned out to be a pair of black muslims ?Yak40https://www.blogger.com/profile/10391635243252561168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-38588230168671310962009-01-20T19:02:00.000+00:002009-01-20T19:02:00.000+00:00Good grief...When I stated that there is finally a...Good grief...<BR/><BR/>When I stated that there is finally an intellectual in the White House, I was referring to recent years.<BR/><BR/>I am sure that, in years to come, if a comparison is made between Obama and many of the early presidents (Jefferson, Adams etc) he'll be seen as wanting (after all, they are hard acts to follow).<BR/><BR/>Personally, I'm none too happy about a Democrat in the Oval Office, but if he treats Brown with the contempt he deserves I'll give Obama the benefit of the doubt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-52119426938675615542009-01-20T18:00:00.000+00:002009-01-20T18:00:00.000+00:00Whatever. Welcome to the 44th President of the Uni...Whatever. Welcome to the 44th President of the United States, Barack H Obama from all the readers of Iain Dale's Diary!DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-29741221808767477022009-01-20T17:57:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:57:00.000+00:00You're wrong Tankus, he is far more of a heavyweig...<EM>You're wrong Tankus, he is far more of a heavyweight than Blair ever was. Blair was hardly even a proper politician. Obama has far more skill.</EM><BR/><BR/>You are forgetting your history. Blair was regarded as a heavyweight having made mincemeat of Dracula while Shadow Home Secretary. He was percieved as having, like Obama (and net-enabled campaigning), shaken up his Party's creaking machinery (an image he enhaced through the Clause 4 theatre). The difference, in so far as there is one, is that Blair actually had more front-line legislature experience than The One.<BR/><BR/>How anyone can watch this and not have a 'Things Can Only Get Better' 1997 Milbank flashback is on better drugs than I. And the NHS gives me some pretty good drugs...Shaunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02611541853278115075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-85321574727243873222009-01-20T17:56:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:56:00.000+00:00Aaaah...assassinated...I get it now.I thought he s...Aaaah...assassinated...I get it now.<BR/><BR/>I thought he spent all that time behind bullet-proof glass because the Secret Service assumed that as he was black HE was likely to shoot someone.All Seeing Eyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15671520010496394878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-43463561374115780322009-01-20T17:47:00.001+00:002009-01-20T17:47:00.001+00:00DespairingLiberal "you're wrong Tankus, he is far ...DespairingLiberal "you're wrong Tankus, he is far more of a heavyweight than Blair ever was. Blair was hardly even a proper politician. Obama has far more skill."<BR/>I truly hope that I'm wrong , but off hand I cant think of one politico that in the end.. utterly fails to meet expectations .<BR/><BR/>Mind you , he must have one of the worst presidential handovers ever !... best of luck to himAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-12541370290052024782009-01-20T17:47:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:47:00.000+00:00Mike Law had it right in his first line. Another m...Mike Law had it right in his first line. Another misery memo from miserable Mr Dale.<BR/><BR/>If you gave some arguments I'd be more interested. But this is just a glob of gut feelings. Misery gut feelings.Chris Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15679067503215414300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-44661671168152088222009-01-20T17:40:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:40:00.000+00:00Obviously it wasn't going to happen, but it would ...Obviously it wasn't going to happen, but it would have been hilarious if Obama had had a 'Redwood moment' during the anthem.OBC Newshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05199336701581647524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10032967627975131462009-01-20T17:36:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:36:00.000+00:00'finally an intellectual in the White House'JFK on...'finally an intellectual in the White House'<BR/><BR/>JFK once hosted a dinner at the White House for winners of the Nobel prize. Some fool asked, 'Was there ever so much brainpower gathered under this roof before? No, said Kennedy, except when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.Jim Baxterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10817293012642419524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-2033814353842146302009-01-20T17:33:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:33:00.000+00:00You're wrong Tankus, he is far more of a heavyweig...You're wrong Tankus, he is far more of a heavyweight than Blair ever was. Blair was hardly even a proper politician. Obama has far more skill.<BR/><BR/>The real issues with Obama are which way he will go on some key policies, particularly Iraq, economy and the deficit.<BR/><BR/>I agree that some on the left will be disappointed with him though. So will some on the environment - there was already a hint in his inauguration speech that he favours biodiesel and as this is always a pork barrel issue in the States (cash to midwest farmers) it sets off suspicions that he will side with special interests when push comes to shove.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-89794384371280366682009-01-20T17:32:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:32:00.000+00:00As has been said already, Obama must use his manda...As has been said already, Obama must use his mandate to the fullest extent as rapidly as possible, with some quick initiatives like the closure of Guantanamo and a real push in the Middle East – ditch Blair as envoy immediately! He is clearly a gifted and inspirational leader, with considerable intellect and humanity and a rhetorical gift to match that of Martin Luther King. As far from Bush as you can get.<BR/><BR/>Obama will get bogged down towards the end of the year and will inevitably disappoint some. The key is how he deals with this eventuality. If he deals with events and crises in the same way he dealt with the difficulties of campaigning, he will overcome short-term disappointments. Long term, all political careers end in failure, as Enoch Powell said. Obama is time-limited to two terms although there is the precedent for a third term. If he is smart (as he undoubtedly is) then he will get out quick once his time passes (as it does for everyone).<BR/><BR/>I look forward to him being the “last black president”. As soon as the novelty wears off, and he becomes plain old President Obama in a few months or a year, a massive change will have occurred – he will be defined as a man rather than by his colour, and that will permeate into wider society, hopefully in the wider world. That will be the real substance of his achievement. The change is one within the majority of the American people, as much the responsibility of non-black voters as for black voters, so Obama is not a “black president” as some may have imagined in the days of Jesse Jackson. There have been some thought-provoking comments from prominent US African-Americans which remind the rest of us that, although we may understand the history of racial divide, we do not have feel it every day. “Rosa Parks sat so King could walk so Obama could run, so we could all fly” is probably the best.Jess The Doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01694805454982688213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-74671857746755300272009-01-20T17:16:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:16:00.000+00:00Blair with a tan ..methinks loved going in ,will ...Blair with a tan ..methinks <BR/><BR/>loved going in ,will be absolutely loathed going out ...to much expected of himAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-44076610300344702572009-01-20T17:06:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:06:00.000+00:00So far the Beeb coverage is grotesquely fawning - ...So far the Beeb coverage is grotesquely fawning - like a self-conscious version of Diana's wedding or funeral. Sky is less awful.<BR/><BR/>I have to watch as until I *see* that Dubya is gone, I won't be able to believe it.<BR/><BR/>As for the other points in the post...<BR/><BR/><EM>I doubt if Obama will get assassinated (can you imagine the backlash against the US security services if they allowed that to happen?)</EM><BR/><BR/>Two words: Yitzhak Rabin.<BR/><BR/><EM>By a white redneck, I would wager.</EM> <BR/><BR/>There's an equally interesting rumour going round that the heirs to the Black Panthers have made it clear that they'll have a pop if they feel he's slightly Uncle Tomish.<BR/><BR/>And Theo...<BR/><BR/><EM>A Black Day for America.</EM><BR/><BR/>You're so wrong and yet, in a more literal context, so right. Though we don't really want to fall into the crap, US mode of identity politics, do we?Shaunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02611541853278115075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-29101491423353494692009-01-20T17:01:00.000+00:002009-01-20T17:01:00.000+00:00I suspect the BBC may just explodeI suspect the BBC may just explodeOld Holbornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10164491045068093627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1619722032309691302009-01-20T16:38:00.000+00:002009-01-20T16:38:00.000+00:00This really is like Diana's funeral or the Nelson ...This really is like Diana's funeral or the Nelson Mandela thing all over again.<BR/>Anything SO hyped just HAS to go bottom up.JPThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00796856414981086841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-61203221857049154232009-01-20T16:22:00.000+00:002009-01-20T16:22:00.000+00:00knock-knock, yawn, your site says Obama is not a n...knock-knock, yawn, your site says Obama is not a natural-born US citizen. Yet the site has not been updated recently. Why? Because you lost your legal fight.<BR/><BR/>Presumably this was funded by one of Karl Rove's hate offshoots?<BR/><BR/>Keep on taking the extreme-right pills. I think you are on the wrong blog here though - you are talking to people with a brain.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24802528836232933142009-01-20T16:19:00.000+00:002009-01-20T16:19:00.000+00:00How long do you think it will take to remove the q...How long do you think it will take to remove the question of Obamas legal right to be President?. The court case grinds on ,see<BR/>www.obamacrimes.comknock-knockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15474973374302572478noreply@blogger.com