MARK MORFORD: The Very BestThing About Obama

[FourScore]

The very best thing about Barack Obama
No, not that. Or that or that or that. It's that other thing, deeper, crazier, intuitive
By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

Friday, April 4, 2008

Nope, it's not what you might think. The best thing about Barack Obama has almost nothing to do with him as a person or as a leader or even as Oh My God The First Black President Who Could Really Change Everything I Mean Wow. It's not even the wondrous oratory power or the charisma or the sweet sense of deeper change overlaid with all kinds of sparkly utopian futuriffic goodness.

There is, I think, something more. Something richer. And it's rather startling.

See, I've read the profiles and the liberal fawnings and the intelligent analysis, the attempted takedowns and the right-wing smears, all the valiant attempts to dig up something dirty or problematic or frightening about Obama and his family, his past, his middle name, his beliefs and his pastor and his favorite flavor of ice cream — attempts that, rather amusingly, have all failed.

I've read, too, the glut of wonderment, how Obama is this generation's JFK, how he makes Hillary Clinton's brand of retro cronyist politics feel like the equivalent of rubbing salt on a paper cut. He is, they say, that once-in-a-lifetime candidate, a fantastically rare mix of intelligence, consistency, inspiration, hope, charisma, humanity, articulation, and an almost shocking lack of manipulation and sheen (well, relatively speaking), all packaged in a strikingly handsome unit in whose closet apparently live almost no skeletons at all.

I also nodded in agreement when snark-master Jon Stewart appeared slightly stunned and taken aback and very nearly jokeless as he pointed out, following Obama's remarkable speech on race in America, that at long last, here was a top-tier politician who dared to speak to us like we were adults. It wasn't just refreshing; after seven-plus years of humiliating, monosyllabic dumb-guy Bushisms, it was downright jarring...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/04/04/notes040408.DTL&nl=fix

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Excellent analysis - recommended!

:thumbsup:

[babylonsister]

2. What a great article; recommend wholeheartedly! nt

[JTFrog]

3. k&r

[flor de jasmim]

4. Very nice article!

[Doctor_J]

5. Yup. It's all in there

It remains to be seen whether smart, glib, honest conversation can overcome Rovian name-calling, lying, and idiotic pandering, especially since Big Media will pull out all the stops to try to get McSame elected. But I am will to give change a chance.

[Cosmocat]

8. The fact is ...

It is BECAUSE of the Disaster in Chief that Obama is where he is ...

It has taken the absolute worst, most incompetent president, who initiated the most unamerican and biggest foreign policy disaster in our country's history in the Iraq bungle, who was put into office and managed to maintain the office only by the harshest and most divisive rhetoric we have seen in lives ...

It has taken a presidency THAT bad, to allow Obama's message and tone to rise to the point where he has a real shot at the presidency ... Fact is, he would have never gotten this far is things were not this bad ... People would be far to complacent, far too self absorbed ... They would just sheepishly meander toward the known or the common ...

Look at the republican side ... Whatever their inherent failings, the final two Rs were McCain and Huckabee, the two candidats with the least amount of vitrol, particularly Huckabee ... Four years ago, Rudy would have been the guy, in a cakewalk, the fire breathing, partisan hate liberals, we are all going to die candidate ...

Even the Rs have had their full to an extent, and want a different tone ...

[Blondiegrrl]

39. Excellent post! ITA. n/t

[WillyT]

6. Excellent Article !!! - K & R !!! - LOVED The Rick Santorum Line, LOL !!!

"See, I've long believed that, if nearly eight years of the World's Worst President has taught us anything, it's that the American political system has moved well beyond merely deeply flawed and broken and sad, and is now wholly rotted, ruined from the inside out, a true moral wasteland barely suitable even for cockroaches and leeches and Rick Santorum. I thought George W. Bush had actually managed to do the impossible: make an already defective system truly unbearable, turning something already gray and murky to turgid and pathetic, toxic to all decent human life.

And I'm happy to report that the fact that Obama exists at this stage of the game is proving me very wrong indeed."

:evilgrin:

[immoderate]

7. Great writing! I hope he's right.

--IMM

[FourScore]

13. Mark Morford's writing style is so wonderful.

I subscribe to him now and get his oped electronically whenever it is published. I love his stuff!

BTW, what is IMM?

[immoderate]

17. It's just short for immoderate.

When I joined this board, I decided to adopt the affectation of signing all my posts, and structured my screen name so I could do it quickly with the short hand version, IMM, a nick name I gave myself. It's a conceit.

Unfortunately, some people read it as "I'm Moderate." One of my friends pointed this out. I think of myself as radical in the literal sense, as in "getting to the root." Some DUers have shown me not to be all that radical though. So maybe the ambiguity is appropriate. LOL.

And yeah, Morford's stuff rings like a bell.

--IMM <== There it goes again.

[FourScore]

20. Unfortunately, I didn't think about abbreviations when I thought of my name.

whereismyparty equals...wimp?

[immoderate]

29. Maybe there'll be another name amnesty after the election.

But you didn't say you wanted to change your name. It's hard when you know people.

--IMM

[Window]

9. Mark Moford definitely gets it.

K/R


:kick:

[Armstead]

10. K and R

[DangerousRhythm]

11. Excellent article.

Thanks for the link! :)

[Inuca]

12. Intersting, thanks n/t

[Rose Siding]

14. "We still got it"

Indeed, "who knew"?

[otohara]

15. Kick

thanks for posting

[uponit7771]

16. American politic sytem "..a true moral wasteland barely suitable even for cockroaches and leeches.."

This is my feelings exactly...this line was soooo frickin funny

[cliffordu]

18. Jarring is the right word. K&R

:kick:

[FrenchieCat]

19. Seriously.......

I can't get enough of Barack Obama.

And I think that there are a whole lot of Americans like me.....and that will be the key.

[bevoette]

21. i am like you

this author's description of our political "landscape" as it's existed pretty much since my birth has made me jaded, cynical, third-party protest voting, eye-rolling at the ridiculous platitudes and soundbites we are spoonfed by our 'leaders'


Obama...says things that i actually think, thinks about things the way i actually do, uses common sense and reality and intellectual thoughtfulness to come to conclusions

there was a time when i thought McCain was that kind of candidate, but i think he fell victim to the same jadedness. now...of the three, i can SO.CLEARLY.SEE! that two of them will feed right into the bitterness, partisanship, corruption, hurtful agendas...sure, lots of people will be 'happy' with them, but about half the people won't, and so the cycle will continue...

i truly and honestly believe Obama will break that cycle. and if he can't break it, he will at least expose it's machinations for even the most obtuse of us to see. even that would be progress.



i hope there ARE more Americans like you and me. i pray for it.

[azmouse]

22. K&R

[nolabels]

23. The best thing i can see about him is his name doesn't end with...........

Bush, Clinton, Kennedy, Buchanan, or any other name in the presumptuousness of U.S. heritable royalty. A regular person with good management skills looking to fill a help wanted sign is how i see it.

May the most qualified win the job :toast:

[Kurovski]

24. K&R. (nt)

[silverweb]

25. Awesome column.

One of Mark's best. :kick:

[ClayZ]

26. Woooo Hoooo! That's what it is!

K and R

[Scurrilous]

27. K & R

:thumbsup:

[WillyT]

28. Kick !!!

:kick:

[cilla4progress]

30. Oh yeah!

Right fucking-on!

There is NOTHING BO could do at this point that would turn me away from. Is he perfect? Hell no. Do I agree with ALL his positions, or feel he's hit on my personal top 5? Not entirely. Am I adult enough to handle this reality. Yes! And, in total agreement with Mr. M. (who I do adore!), it's Mr. O's expectations of us, treatment of us as mature adults, talking "up" to us, that frees me to be bigger and better than me-me-me I-I-I. All I can say to Mark's article is, I second that emotion. Yeah yeah yeah,

[RBInMaine]

31. Cool Essay. Yup, in Dylan's famous words, something is "blowin' in the wind".

[bhikkhu]

32. K&R - excellent article.

[JayFredMuggs]

33. And these, among so many OTHER reasons is why I support Obama

Obama, ROCKS!

But he's also what America needs to wake us up, move us foward, and stop the vicious ways we divide ourselves, and lose so much for doing so.

Bravo.......going to have to read more of that Morford guy!

Thanks so much!

[Cha]

34. I would agree and I bet Obama does too..

"This is the great revelation: We still got it. The collective unconscious, the deep sense of inner wisdom, that intuitive knowing that borders on a kind of mystical proficiency, where millions of people can actually look beyond rhetoric and media spin and merely feel the presence of something great in the room? Yep, still there. Who knew?"

It's us, baby..Obama said he couldn't do it alone.

[merh]

35. this needs to be back on page 1

:kick:

[mcollier]

36. Johnny Come Late - too damn late

Vote for Barack Obama, for what he represents, his message, his wisdom, his intellect, his judgment, his commitment to helping every American. We can all be a part of strenghtning American had charting a new course.

Visit www.BarackObama.com Find out how you can join the movement.

Thanks.


Recognize the greatness of a civic movement in the "Now" Time and Space... Not 20 + years later

[merh]

40. Many of the clinton supporters forget

that the message of change and hope are what Bill Clinton offered.

I find it so very odd that they now will mock Obama supporters for wanting that change, for holding on to that hope.

I find it disgusting that Hillary mocked Obama and has downplayed and belittled that hope and the desire for change that he offers and that touches so many.

Bill Clinton: I Still Believe In A Place Called Hope
July 16, 1992

-snip-

Tonight I want to talk with you about my hope for the future, my faith in the American people, and my vision of the kind of country we can build, together.

-snip-

This election is about putting power back in your hands and putting government back on your side. It's about putting people first.

You know, I've said that all across the country, and someone always comes back at me, as a young man did just this week at the Henry Street Settlement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He said, "That sounds good, Bill. But you're a politician. Why should I trust you?"

Tonight, as plainly as I can, I want to tell you who I am, what I believe, and where I want to lead America.

-snip-

Our people are pleading for change, but government is in the way. It has been hijacked by privileged, private interests. It has forgotten who really pays the bills around here -- it's taking more of your money and giving you less in return.

We have got to go beyond the brain-dead politics in Washington, and give our people the kind of government they deserve: a government that works for them.

-snip-

I end tonight where it all began for me: I still believe in a place called Hope.

Welcome to DU :hi:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

37. Wow. Collective wisdom. Who knew?

K & R

[Blondiegrrl]

38. Awesome. MM is one of my favorite columnists. It's good to see

that he's an Obama supporter.

And I agree with him that it's the power of "we" that is a major factor in choosing to support Obama. It's not merely a campaign; it's a movement. People are motivated and energized. Together we can be the change we want to see!

[FlyingSquirrel]

41. As long as I get my pony

Just kiddin
:)

Good article

[AlertLurker]

42. Drug-laced Kool-Aid from SF - quelle surprise!!!

"Inner wisdom?" "Collective unconscious?" "Intuitive KNOWING?" "Mystical proficiency?"

Pass the pipe, Morford! Ferfucksake, you've OBVIOUSLY been "Bogarting" it!


Sheesh. And Obama supporters wonder why the Hillbots call them "cultists?"

What a rancid, smelly, steaming pile of BULLSHIT HOPE and CHANGE!

This Obama is "JFK-MLK reborn" garbage is getting pretty stale. He's just one more corporate, political animal, NO DIFFERENT than all the rest. His handlers and spin-doctors have done a pretty good job convincing voters that he is not, however. If you believe anything else, check yourself in somewhere, ferfucksake!

[merh]

43. Those clinton supporters that call obama supporters "cultist"

Tend to forget Bill's first campaign. Hell, Hillary seems to have forgotten the same thing.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5379700&mesg_id=5391535