The one thing that impresses me most about Barack Obama

[bigtree]

. . . is his ability to appear calm and confident as events and controversies swirl around him.

I'm watching his speech at the South Dakota Corn Palace and I'm completely engaged in this speech I've heard several times before. It occurs to me that what he's done is reach to a new level of calm and confidence as he delivers it, molding it only slightly to fit S.D.. My wife is even watching him now as he tells the 'fired up' story . . . she's sat there watching all the way through and she's not ranting at the tv like she usually does, sort of smiling to herself.

Barack Obama makes it easy to support him. He certainly cast a refreshing air of calm and confidence today in South Dakota. I'm looking forward to more of that.

[tekisui]

1. KNR!

[Aloha Spirit]

2. Maybe it's that low blood pressure ;-)

[anonymous171]

3. No drama Obama.

:hi:

[quantass]

4. +1

[graywarrior]

8. I love that!

[thoughtcrime1984]

5. Nice post! nt

[KAZ]

6. "refreshing air of calm and confidence". Reminds me of you, Bigtree. K&R

[Starbucks Anarchist]

7. Yes, and it's the total opposite of hothead McCain.

I can't wait for those debates. :evilgrin:

[PretzelWarrior]

10. I hope Obama goads McCain into a tantrum

it would be beautiful.

[TahitiNut]

18. Amen. That's one of my fondest expectations.

The thing is, though, that Obama doesn't "bait" folks, either. I'm guessing he knows how ... and chooses not to. It'd probably be McInsane doing it to himself out of frustration.

[PretzelWarrior]

24. weellll....wouldn't be too sure about that

I think much of the interesting controversy swimming around these days is Obama camp's perfect strumming of the strings.....causing people to react to him.

For instance, when he said certain things that were "code" for McCain losing his marbles or Hillary being a bit "attitudinal" and maybe too emotional.

Another thing--every day we talk about Obama's crazy pastors and now his new decision of what church he's going to land in reinforces the MEDIA MESSAGE THAT............drumroll.......OBAMA is a GOD FEARING CHRISTIAN.

THink about it. If there's one thing the middle America church-going folk lap up, it's stories of redemption and reconnecting with God. What better way to play out this drama?

It's awesome. He even sealed himself off from looking cynical in all of this by saying this pastor gate controversy came as a huge surprise to him. It's something he hadn't counted on.

[Condem]

9. Well done, tree

[SwampG8r]

11. very nice tree

very nice indeed

[barack the house]

12. If there is anything we can know from the primary, he will remain calm and in that make the most ...

rational decisions for his country.

[bigtree]

13. .

:kick:

[slinkerwink]

14. thank you for a great post! It's not very easy to ruffle Barack Black Eagle's feathers :-)

[MzNov]

15. add those great qualities to his honesty, and what do you get?

a great leader! and a giant headache for the GOP

:bounce:

[bigtree]

20. and,

a perfect gentleman.

[my3boyz]

16. I think it is because he avoids the cable tv coverage! I read an article a while back

where his campaign workers said he does not get stressed out. He just looks at the problem and tries to figure out what they did wrong. Then they move on from there.

[truedelphi]

29. Whatever it is he does, I just hope that he keeps doing it.

I'm impressed by the whole family. I love Michelle, and I even like Rev Wright.

[RichardRay]

17. Decision making strategies.

He recruits the right people, and he actually listens to them. He makes his own decisions, but before he does so he takes input from a whole range of people with a myriad of perspectives, including some he doesn't agree with and even those who wish him ill. He's got all the ego necessary to want to be the president of the United States (that's a pretty towering ego), and it's harnessed to his purpose.

(edit to fix the closing tag on the one word I meant to be bold :-)

[bigtree]

22. I also like his ability to fashion fresh answers to familiar concerns

And, you usually get a sense, listening to him, that he has even more under his hat than he's letting on.

[burythehatchet]

19. and McCane isn't half as smart as Clinton. Barack's biggest

challenge will be to not make Muckane appear too stupid and elicit a sympathy vote.

[Colobo]

21. Obama will be a great president!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

23. He allows us to throw eggs at the T.V. and bash our computers against the wall

here on DU with all the bullshit we have to deal with regarding The Enablers! He allows us to get mad so that he doesn't have to. :(

[Danger Mouse]

25. I agree, and thank you. You're a credit to your candidate of choice.

[NotThisTime]

26. I like his cool and calm nature, but equally his intelligence in answers to hard questions

He has an amazing insight... I think he will be a great President...

[Ice-9]

27. K&R

I couldn't agree more. His seemingly unbreakable composure inspires confidence in people, and I think it will be a nice counterpoint to Senator McCain's temper in the general election. I read somewhere (unfortunately, I can't remember where) that even some of McCain's Republican colleagues in the Senate shudder at the possibility of him anywhere near the nuclear button. When that first footage of McCain bloweing his top leaks out -- and it will leak out eventually -- people will appreciate Senator Obama's serene confidence all the more.

[bigtree]

28. kick

:kick:

[Mooney]

30. After eight years of screeching RW yahoos whose two speeds are LOUD and HYSTERICAL,

"calm and confident" is indeed very refreshing. I think it's going to serve him very well in the GE, particularly against a frothing psychopath like McCain.

[grantcart]

31. he has grown in stature before our eyes