I guess I must have "Obama Resistance Complex"..........

[IowaGirl]

I didn't really understand exactly why I couldn't fall in line easily but then this article did give me some food for thought: http://nationaljournal.com/rauch.htm It's entitled "A New Politics? Or a New Pandering?"

Excerpt:

"No, it's these doubts, this hesitation. About Obama. A man I respect. Admire. I want to fall for him, love him as so many others do. But ... I can't. I try, but I can't.

Ah. This is not so uncommon. Obama Resistance Complex. You have Barack blockage. You are afraid to love, to commit......"

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Why is it that it Obama support implies a requirement for love & devotion?

I would never love a political candidate.

[MADem]

6. Because his acolytes demand it. I don't blame him so much as them.

It's where all that cult language came from--their behavior, not Obama himself.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. Bullshit.

But if it makes you feel better to pretend that that is the case, go for it. (And I'll point out that it's the bullshit that it is)

If you haven't noticed, most of the cult language is sarcasm directed at this exact bullshit postulation. Your leg is being pulled.

[MADem]

53. You prove the point I made. There shall be NO dissent!!!! nt

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

57. Wtf are you talking about?

You're here.

You're dissenting.

I'm dissenting with your dissent.

Again, :wtf: are you talking about?

[MADem]

60. Actually, I'm not dissenting. I'm agreeing with the premise of the thread.

I'm in agreement with those who have not had a heaping helping of KoolAid.

The KoolAid drinkers cannot bear that there be even ONE discussion that says anything other than "How Swell Is Obama? Sweller, or The SwellEST?" All dissent must be stomped out, eradicated!!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

62. Swell.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

64. Cult characteristic: anyone who disagrees w/leader is labeled as "bad" or "evil"

n/t

[MADem]

70. Yep, and if not that, then

full of some kind of shit, either bull or horse, apparently! Fall in line!!! Or else!

If I'm so evil, I'll be sure to save them all a seat by the fire!

[usrbs]

76. You forgot the "Evil Hillary" threads

[MADem]

79. Those are "throw another log on the fire" efforts.

I take heart in the fact that this forum is not at all representative of our party, and as DU goes, so goes....uh, DU. This forum didn't back the nominee initially last time, either. There wasn't as much trolling, though.

[JoFerret]

68. THOU shalt bow down

NOW

[txaslftist]

20. Horsepucky. "His acolytes demand it...."

What a pantload.

People are so used to "politics as boring-usual" that any time people get actually excited by a new candidate it's automatically a "cult". If you wave a sign too high or make a phone call on a candidate's behalf you're an "acolyte" or a "moonie" or a "bot".

Nobody is demanding crap from you. Nobody's putting a gun to your head and saying "post on DU or die!"

You're here because you are presumably interested, but anyone who is "too interested" is a cult follower?

Gimme a break.

[MADem]

52. Bingo! You prove my point. NT

[LaurenG]

34. Not all of Senator Obama supporters behave badly - a few do

and you might run into the loudest and most cantankerous a lot.

I am an Obama supporter, I dislike Senator Clinton's attacks but I defend her when there is blatant unfairness; many of us do.

Please don't broad-brush all of Senator Obama's supporters because it's not totally true. Oh and I don't "adore" any public figure except maybe Viggo Mortensen. ;)

And this is just a fantasy adoration.

[IowaGirl]

38. WooHoo, something we can all agree on--Viggo rocks!!

:pals:

[MADem]

54. I'm sure that is true. I didn't say ALL his acolytes, mind. NT

[redqueen]

16. It's spin. The latest angle on the "empty suit" meme.

Support for Obama couldn't *possibly* be due to anything but such nonsense.

[NOLALady]

27. It doesn't.

It's a spin by his opponents.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

61. You're one of just a few....

n/t

[easy_b94]

2. Make sure thats not a black Resistance Complex

[2rth2pwr]

4. cries of racism! if you criticize or say you're not

voting for Obama.

[IowaGirl]

8. I think if you read the whole article, you would know that is not the prob.

[easy_b94]

12. ok sorry ...I still love u ;)

[MADem]

33. Cheap shot. Unwarranted, too. NT

[2rth2pwr]

3. Sounds like you have an immunity to "Obama Fever"

Same here.

[Sinistrous]

5. "Obama Resistance Complex" : I gusss that makes you

an ORC. (For clarification, see "Lord of the Rings".)

(Sorry, I could not resist that punderful observation. I'll go :hide: now.)

Sinistrous

[Teaser]

7. Why do you need to love him?

I don't love him. I don't know him.

I love exactly 4 people. That's it. I don't plan on loving many more, unless I have another child.

Politically speaking, I'm just looking for
1) A winner
2) someone whose views I share or can at least tolerate.

My judgement is that O meets those qualifications.

[LisaM]

15. You only love four people? That seems low.

I have a small family, and only a few really close friends, but I can count the number of living people I actually love deeply as close to 30, and if I throw in my relatives who have passed away, another half dozen or so. And I don't have children.

[Teaser]

19. low or not

That's my number.

For me, someone you love is someone you'd die or kill for.

Using that sense of the word, well, then I love my wife and my child, my mother and my brother.

Dad is long dead. When he was alive I loved him. I can't love someone who has ceased to exist.

As for my friends, they are friends. I don't make many of them, because friendships require more energy than I'm usually willing to invest in other people. As for how I feel about them, well I care about them. I wish them well. I'll help them out when I can. But love? No.

[stillcool]

35. you can't love someone..

who ceased to exist? Wow. The most important people in my life are dead, yet their memory lives inside of me every single day. Their love for me, and my love for them are a piece of me. There's a lot of dead shit-heads that are a part of me as well. How do you exorcise life experiences from your being? Are you an island?

[Teaser]

73. Am I an Island

maybe. Dunno. I am what I am, as is everyone else.

[Skittles]

9. lol

I am thankful there are others who have not been absorbed into the Obama-Borg

[SammyWinstonJack]

26. I'm sure there are many "others", myself included.

[cali]

10. I don't give a rat's ass if you love him or if he makes you gag

but if he's the nominee, and you consider yourself a dem and a person that gives a shit about the future of the world, you should damned well vote for him. If Hillary, by some fluke, gets the nomination, I'll clothespin up and after getting stinking drunk and mark my X next to her name.

Oh, and grab a clue: NJ is a right wing publication. duh.

[cliffordu]

11. It has been shown that in 20 out of 70 cases,

Obama Resistance Complex can lead to Compulsive Pastorbation and Neoincontinence.

Best of luck, though

:rofl:

[redqueen]

17. It seems also to be associated with Neolibophilia.

[cliffordu]

21. ROLF.... I mean ROFL!!!

:rofl:

I'm stealing that!

[Hutzpa]

37. God!! you guys are good !

:rofl:


you guys :yourock:

[Hutzpa]

36. You have to like this

wow! you're brilliant....

Pastorbation and Neoincontinence

Note for future reference, absolutely brilliant.....:yourock:

[cliffordu]

Thanks, but I stole the Pastorbation from someone on this board,

but I think that Neoincontinence is mine..maybe not, though as there are some AWFULLY smart people on these boards.....

edited for speling (sic)

[bunnies]

14. Maybe it would help if you stopped reading RW publications.

Just a thought.

[IowaGirl]

31. It seems every publication is RW when it says something that a dem doesn't want to hear these days.

If someone presents a reasonable opinion, it really shouldn't matter what the publication is pidgeon-holed as. How can dems defeat repubs if we don't know what they are thinking?

[bunnies]

41. Knowing what they're thinking is different than agreeing with them.

Which is what you seem to be doing.

[IowaGirl]

45. My experience has been that a middle of the road dem looks an awful lot like a middle of the road...

repub. There, I've said it and I expect to be struck by lightening at any second. :scared:

[bunnies]

51. lol.

I admire your bravery. And I tend to agree with you. :hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

71. I have found that to be true myself. Oh, and BTW. . .

[IowaGirl]

80. Thanks, I guess I had that coming, LOL.

[Life Long Dem]

18. 2007 was who is Obama?

[lligrd]

22. Such BS. I Voted For Obama Based On Issues Without Ever

listening to a speech. Now that I have heard his speeches, I am even prouder of my vote. When did being an intelligent, compassionate and a good speaker become a barrier to being President?

[goletian]

23. supporting obama over the other two requires the sense to see a good thing...

hillary has run the weaker campaign, mccain is bush #2. its a very simple decision.

here is where hillary messed up:

ran on experience. got desperate, got negative.

she didnt keep her composure, saw the easiest thing to pick on obama for, ran with it, and it didnt work. she chose a short term strategy for a long term contest for the presidency. she let obama get the high ground on strategy, and she let him keep the high ground on negativity. experience has nothing to do with how good a president will be, if thats the argument you go by, mccain wins. you guys need to wake up!

[rucky]

24. Who wouldn't have trust issues after 7 years of Bush/Cheney? n/t

[IowaGirl]

28. Ain't it the truth?? LOL

[xchrom]

25. yeah -- i have it too.

i've been in therapy for it -- my therapist gave me an anti-depressant called 'ex-gay' -- but i couldn't swallow it.

[IowaGirl]

29. ROFL!!

[Hutzpa]

30. Did George Bush had any

experience? Did Bill Clinton had any experience whey they ran for office?
answer is no, I'm beginning to think this experience thing is a code word
for blacks can't hold the top office of the land. Especially an uppity
one....he should know his place, as Pat Buchanan mentioned he should be
blessed he find himself in America.

Where did America find these people?

His article is soo fucking patronizing, it makes me sick....:puke:

[IowaGirl]

32. An experienced black person should definitely be allowed to hold the top office in the land as long

as he/she is elected fairly.

[k8conant]

39. Heck, we let an inexperienced white man do it when not elected fairly...

what's your point?

[IowaGirl]

42. ROFL, that is well-put!!

[Hutzpa]

40. You don't think there is a fair

election going on, who has been calling for FL and MI to get seated?
after signing an agreement, who is it that is still fighting against
the voters in Texas, you want to talk about fair, you don't have to
look further, its right there next to you.

FAIR! Ha!....

[Arkansas Granny]

72. Actually, Bill Clinton had served 6 terms as Arkansas Governor and 1 term as

Arkansas Attorney General when he was elected President.

[Hutzpa]

75. How about a Senator?

so basically your argument is Senators are not experienced enough to hold
the executive branch.

I'll give you a chance to respond.

[Arkansas Granny]

77. Who said anything about Senators? You said Bill Clinton didn't have any experience and

I merely told you what his experience was.

I'll give you a chance to apologize.

[Hutzpa]

82. I know.... I know.....

I'm a little ahead of myself here, just thought you were on the same wave
length as myself, never mind....I mention Senator because all the candidates
in this election are Senators and YES I mentioned both Bill and George
because they were both Governors before assuming the post.

My argument which IMO you missed is this, would you say Governors have
more experience than Senators?

[Adelante]

43. Hell, you can't like everybody

It's no big deal.

[IowaGirl]

46. But you seem pretty easy to like....

:hug:

[Adelante]

48. What a nice thing to say

:pals:

[cbayer]

44. Thanks for linking to this.

Jonathan Rauch is an interesting character. He has been ardently pro-gay marriage and his choice of how to frame this particular issue reflects some of that struggle. His views are diverse and he does not identify himself with either party. He is hardly a right wing puppet. The article is well worth the read, whether one agrees with it or not.

[IowaGirl]

50. I thought it was done in an amusing vein and really captured some of my struggle and I had hoped....

it would help Obama supporters to understand a little bit of the problems others are having.

[cbayer]

58. I understand your sentiment and your goal.

Perhaps some will actually read it and become a little more enlightened as to the questions that some democrats are raising about Obama. I will support him as the nominee, but the over-zealous adoption by some, without any hard questions or concerns, bothers me as well.

[Arkansas Granny]

74. We have the same concerns. It's not that I dislike Obama and I've not posted any

trash about him and I will vote for him if he's the Democratic nominee. Having said that, I too am bothered by the unquestioning support I see from many here on this board and in person. It seems to be based on nothing but emotion and feelings and not a study of the issues and solutions. Maybe I've just gotten cynical as I age, but I need something more than that.

[cbayer]

78. It's a real dilemma for me as well

On the one hand, I am thrilled to see people, who apparently have not been previously active, become involved. I do not want to lose them nor their enthusiasm.

However, some supporters inability to see that the two candidates are really so similar, and in doing so paint one as all good and the other as all bad, is particularly troublesome. These people do not appear to question anything.

I think that's how we got Bush and it makes me quite uncomfortable.

:hi:

[NashVegas]

47. This Is a Great Column

It perfectly sums up my own thoughts.

[question everything]

49. Matthews and the rest of the MSNBC gang don's: "something crawl up their legs"

and grab them by the shrinking balls, or whatever they do have hanging there.

[IowaGirl]

55. If you find this article interesting, you might like "Caring for Your Introvert" at.....

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch. Jonathan Rauch does give you food for thought.

[AGirl]

56. This is exactly how I feel....

his column is very very good and thought provoking.

[George_Bonanza]

59. political hipsters

You didn't fall for Obama early, and now, you don't want to just be "one of the crowd". Obama's too mainstream now.

[IowaGirl]

63. Wow, that's an interesting take on it!

:bounce:

[kerry-is-my-prez]

65. "Politics isn't a pillow fight - (they) complain so much about the mean, nasty Clintons"

snip
I wonder if he understands that politics isn't a pillow fight and isn't supposed to be. He and his supporters complain so much about the mean, nasty Clintons. What I've heard from Sen. Clinton isn't the politics of personal destruction; it's legitimate criticism and contrasts. His readiness to be president is a major issue, so why shouldn't she question it? It's her duty, in fact. When I hear his supporters gripe about how roughly the Evil Clinton Machine is treating him, I hear an attempt to stigmatize the kind of robust give-and-take that politics is all about. It makes me wonder if Obama will crumple, as John Kerry did in 2004, when the full force of the Republican attack machine hits him.

snip

[susankh4]

66. OMG! I have "ORC" too!

Does this mean I need thousands of dollars in psychotherapy?

[IowaGirl]

67. I don't even know where to find a good psychotherapist, I may have to settle for a really good......

bartender. :rofl:

[susankh4]

69. That's it!

I'm headed for Cheers.....

"Where everybody knows your name...." lalalalala.....:spray:

[jillan]

81. Well that explains it!

I have ORC.

I tried, I *really* tried to get over it, but I'm not able to.
I drank some kool-aide. Even that didn't help.

I am so glad someone came up with a diagnosis for my symptoms :P

[defendandprotect]

83. Try it the other way around; do you want a DLC candidate . .. ???? Vote HRC.

I can't think of a single major issue on which Obama has bucked the orthodoxy of his party's liberal base. His persona reaches out to the middle, but his policies look like old liberal wine in a new bottle.

From the comments in the article, I presume that's what you want . . . ???

It's not about "love or commitment" nor r-w propaganda ---
it's about a vote for the future of our country.

On the other hand, I have to say that Obama is hard not to like --- and he's not DLC.
And I hope like hell he's a progressive liberal --- !!!

[Hope And Change]

84. Iowa(Girl) doesn`t count...

sorry I couldn`t resist that:P

[Mezzo]

85. I hear the remedy is some cult like kool aide. nt

[madrchsod]

86. depends what part of iowa you are from.......

and how long you have lived there