Comments on: This financial crisis is a bit of a buzzkill. http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/10/01/this-financial-crisis-is-a-bit-of-a-buzzkill/ Harry Rutherford's Blog Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:50:56 +0000 hourly 1 By: Sherry Chandler http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/10/01/this-financial-crisis-is-a-bit-of-a-buzzkill/comment-page-1/#comment-18774 Sherry Chandler Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:03:18 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=2411#comment-18774 [...] well, like Harry, my political instincts aren’t that good. I usually back losers and tilters-at-windmills like [...] [...] well, like Harry, my political instincts aren’t that good. I usually back losers and tilters-at-windmills like [...]

]]> By: Harry http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/10/01/this-financial-crisis-is-a-bit-of-a-buzzkill/comment-page-1/#comment-18754 Harry Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:18:01 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=2411#comment-18754 I think if you listen to something like Obama's speech on race after the Rev. Wright debacle, he comes across as intelligent and, as even more of a contrast to Bush, as thoughtful. And I'm sure he's spent much of the last twenty years thinking deeply about the issues of bread and butter politics: healthcare, housing, employment, crime. I don't get the sense that he has the same kind of deep expertise in military and financial matters, although the middle of a campaign isn't really the best time to assess those things. You can't expect a new President to know everything about everything. That's what advisors are for. And I think Obama would make a great President in the right circumstances; I just wonder if he has arrived at the wrong moment to make the most of his potential. I'm not suggesting that he won't cope: I dare say he'll do fine. I would certainly vote for him. But he must wish he was like Tony Blair, coming into power on a wave of sentiment and inheriting a healthy, growing economy, no military entanglements, and a country feeling optimistic about itself. I guess you just don't know until they're tested. If 9-11 had happened while Bill Clinton was president... well, I have no idea. You have to vote and cross your fingers. What we do know is that whoever is President next year <i>will</i> be tested. I think if you listen to something like Obama’s speech on race after the Rev. Wright debacle, he comes across as intelligent and, as even more of a contrast to Bush, as thoughtful. And I’m sure he’s spent much of the last twenty years thinking deeply about the issues of bread and butter politics: healthcare, housing, employment, crime. I don’t get the sense that he has the same kind of deep expertise in military and financial matters, although the middle of a campaign isn’t really the best time to assess those things.

You can’t expect a new President to know everything about everything. That’s what advisors are for. And I think Obama would make a great President in the right circumstances; I just wonder if he has arrived at the wrong moment to make the most of his potential.

I’m not suggesting that he won’t cope: I dare say he’ll do fine. I would certainly vote for him. But he must wish he was like Tony Blair, coming into power on a wave of sentiment and inheriting a healthy, growing economy, no military entanglements, and a country feeling optimistic about itself.

I guess you just don’t know until they’re tested. If 9-11 had happened while Bill Clinton was president… well, I have no idea. You have to vote and cross your fingers. What we do know is that whoever is President next year will be tested.

]]> By: Dave http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/10/01/this-financial-crisis-is-a-bit-of-a-buzzkill/comment-page-1/#comment-18753 Dave Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:43:57 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=2411#comment-18753 You nailed it, man. The only way I could enjoy that debate was by imagining how well Obama was probably playing in Dubuque. Though McCain makes him seem like an intellectual, there's still not a lot of there there... at least until he gets elected. People who took his course in constitutional law back in the day swear he really is a complex thinker. And to me his best attribute is that he seems to enjoy listening to other points of view and being challenged. He's a very quick study. But we need a stronger Congress, not a stronger president. If we'd had the former, we never would've invaded Iraq. You nailed it, man. The only way I could enjoy that debate was by imagining how well Obama was probably playing in Dubuque. Though McCain makes him seem like an intellectual, there’s still not a lot of there there… at least until he gets elected. People who took his course in constitutional law back in the day swear he really is a complex thinker. And to me his best attribute is that he seems to enjoy listening to other points of view and being challenged. He’s a very quick study. But we need a stronger Congress, not a stronger president. If we’d had the former, we never would’ve invaded Iraq.

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