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The power of the crowds
Betsy's Page —
Fouad Ajami has an interesting perspective on the crowds that are lifted by the Obama presence. On the face of it, there is nothing overwhelmingly stirring about Sen. Obama. There is a cerebral quality to him, and an air of detachment. He has eloquence, but within bounds. After nearly two years on the trail, the audience can pretty much anticipate and recite his lines. The political genius of the man is that he is a blank slate. The devotees can project onto him what they wish. The coalition that has propelled his quest -- African-Americans and affluent white liberals -- has no ...
Abbreviated Pundit Round-Up
Daily Kos —
... most in the places where it is hardest to get it. The United States has another opportunity to show our belief and leadership in the powers of innovation and technology, by this commitment to improve lives of families, communities and nations. We urge our delegation to GAVI to vote "yes" on the commitment today in Geneva. Thomas Sowell continues his descent into madness, today claiming that a President Obama would kill the Constitution. Fouad Ajami has apparently decided that there's no time for subtlety: America ...
What Is It About Obama's Friends and Acquaintances That Stands Out? They All Belong to the Blame-America-First crowd
¡No Pasarán! —
... Beyond that, we have Obama — rightly characterized as "a creature of universities and churches and nonprofit institutions" by Fouad Ajami in the Wall Street Journal — surrounded by the ...
It's a lose-lose proposition for Obama's supporters
Babalú Blog: an island on the net without a bearded dictator —
... No longer will they have to fight, or struggle, or even work to achieve their dreams; Obama promises to do it all for them. But sooner, rather than later, they will realize that Obama can never deliver on this impossible promise. It is then when they will experience a pain much greater than they can imagine; the pain of realizing that you gave up not only your most sacred dreams and hopes to someone else, but that you gave up hope on yourself so that someone else can do it for you. Fouad Ajami has an excellent editorial in the Wall Street Journal . He sees a disturbing ...
How we are becoming a third world country
Commonsense & Wonder —
Obama and the Politics of Crowds The masses greeting the candidate on the trail are a sign of great unease. By FOUAD AJAMI There is something odd — and dare I say novel — in American politics about the crowds that have been greeting Barack Obama on his campaign trail. Hitherto, crowds have not been a prominent feature of American politics. We associate them with the temper of Third World societies. We think of places like Argentina and Egypt and Iran, of multitudes brought together by their zeal for a Peron or a Nasser or a Khomeini. In these kinds of societies, the ...
Obama's Sheeple Herders
Wizbang —
... of anything I would feel guilty for. But I look forward to getting out of this as the negativity and environment upsets me. I wish you all well, and goodluck. PS my name is not really sarah. but I am a female and I understand your plight. Given the fact that Obama is flush with cash I have no problem believing that they're pay people to make him look inevitable. The problem is that those "along for the ride" are in for a rude awakening. For more on that see Fouad Ajami's piece in The Wall Street Journal .
Important Reading
Chicago Boyz —
Fouad Ajami on Obama and the politics of crowds. Excerpt:
My boyhood, and the Arab political culture I have been chronicling for well over three decades, are anchored in the Arab world. And the tragedy of Arab political culture has been the unending expectation of the crowd — the street, we call it — in the redeemer who will put an end to the decline, who will restore faded splendor and greatness.
Via Betsy, who has some interesting commentary:
I heard Mark Steyn say the other day that so many schools today have posters ...
Friday morning links
Maggie's Farm —
... What do Obama's crowds mean? WSJ. Bill Clinton implies that blank">blank">blank">blank">Obama's not too smart. No, but he is clever and ruthless. Obama, the Red Diaper Baby. Voter fraud chic at The Gap. Michelle. Groovy. Barack's aunt finally found. I think he wants me to take care of her. If CO2 is classified as a dangerous pollutant... Yeah, and we'll all be taxed for breathing and farting. Tax beans! Farting should be taxed, come to think of it, to discourage it. Nice ...
Cult Of Personality
Classical Values —
Cult Of Personality The last day or so I have been looking at the The Mass Psychology of Fascism [image] and how to Escape from Freedom [image] . Not the books. Stuff on the net. Let me start with Ali Sina's discussion of the cult of personality. There are other disturbing similarities. Like Hitler and Khomeini, Obama also likes to create a cult of personality around himself. As stated above, when a large number of a population is discontent, a charismatic leader can seize the opportunity and present himself as the agent of change. He can create a cult of Personality by associating himself with the idea of change. He convinces everyone that ...
Things Heard: e38v5
Stones Cry Out —
Mr Obama as Gatsby.
On the crowds greeting Mr Obama (HT: David Foster)
Books on sex and marriage … my preference is for Wing to Wing, Oar to Oar.
Israel as canary and also from Israel … the dog that didn’t bark in the night.
For anyone who’s had a political sign (which means you’ve had one stolen).
Flying on a broom, mid-tech version.
Man and God. ...
LEAK: Obama Concession Draft Admits He’s Unfit
ScrappleFace —
(2008-10-31) — The text of an address written by a Barack Obama speech writer, apparently scheduled for delivery on election night, inadvertently leaked to the L.A. Times today and was immediately released on the paper’s website.
The first line of the speech says, “I spoke with Sen. McCain on the phone moments ago, and I offered him and Gov. Palin our congratulations on their victory.” ...
