The Debate Shows Why Obama is Not Yet Ready for the Big Chair
Some quotes from the Chicago Sun-Times:
COLUMBIA, S.C. — White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), known for his soaring rhetoric, stumbled during the first Democratic debate Thursday at South Carolina State University.
“Last night I was a little nervous,” Obama said at a rally in Charleston on Friday, where he filled the gym at Burke High School.Constrained by a 60-second limit for replies that worked against Obama’s speaking style — a very long windup to the pitch — his tendency to generalize meant he did not directly answer some questions. Even when asked something noncontroversial, what he personally did to improve the environment, he said 3,000 campaign volunteers planted trees on Earth Day. With a prod from moderator Brian Williams, the NBC anchor, Obama added he’s “been working” to install energy efficient light bulbs at home. He sounded out of touch.
Some examples:
• Obama failed to cast himself as a forceful commander in chief.
Obama was asked how he would “change the U.S. military stance overseas” if two U.S. cities were attacked by al-Qaida. After a reference to the botched response to Hurricane Katrina, he said “review how we operate in the event of not only a natural disaster, but also a terrorist attack.”
Contrast that with the reply from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) — her best during the 90-minute debate. “Retaliate,” she said. “Focus on those who have attacked us and do everything we can to destroy them.”
Obama knew he blew it because a few minutes later he added “enemies” of the U.S. “have to be hunted down.”
• • Obama did not use an opening he had to reassure Jewish voters about Israel.
On Tuesday, Obama spoke to the National Jewish Democratic Council in Washington. “My commitment to you is unwavering,” he told them. Obama heavily courts wealthy Jewish donors and some have questions about his Muslim ties. His campaign produced a 29-page “American-Israeli Relationship Issue Packet” on his views that an Obama staff fund-raiser was handing out at the NJDC conference.
Asked at the debate to name America’s three most important allies, Obama said the European Union, NATO and Japan. He added Israel at Williams’ prodding, a lapse that could hurt him with Jewish voters.
• • Obama’s debate claim that the Iraq war could end with “one signature” from President Bush or “16 votes,” referring only to the Senate, is wrong.Bush’s expected veto of the Iraq War funding bill — with timelines for troop withdrawals, can only be overridden by supermajorities in the Senate and the House.
You have to do well in the sound-bites or you lose because the television networks are only interested in sound-bites and not substance, not that the two-year senator actually showed any in a 60 second timeframe.
Written by ~J~
Big Mo Says:
April 29th, 2007 at 6:57 pmVisit Big Mo
So…Obama’s big plan if we get attacked on his watch is to…bash Bush?
~J~ Says:
April 29th, 2007 at 7:22 pmVisit ~J~
Big Mo,
What blows me away on this question is it seems Hillary was the only one who understood the premise of the question was we already know Al Qaeda is responsible for bombing two American cities. Now what are you going to do about it if you’re president?
It’s scary they didn’t even understand the premise of the question, but went off on social issues instead.