"Rename the Candidate" Contest

[shereads]

His name is Barack Obama.

Rhymes with Osama.

Not bumper-sticker material.

Too bad, because the state senator from Illinois could have a promising future in national politics, judging by his impressive speech at the Democratic Convention.

Another teensy obstacle in his path to the U.S. Senate: he's African-American. The Senate doesn't do African-American so much, as you will have noticed if you saw Farenheit 9/11. That's more of a House of Represenatives thing.

I'd like to donate some suggestions for a legal name change that could turn this young man into a real player in Washington.

My suggestions:

Bill 'Bama. Risky, but the bubba element could be just what he needs to counteract his lack of whiteness.

Bob O'Bama. A Black middle-class Kennedy with no known scandals.

Your thoughts? What's in a name? How much of an obstacle is an unfamiliar name on the ballot, in the US or where you are?

 

[shereads]

deleted double post

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Bob O'Hara, makes everyone happy. Total whitebread, sounds good when you say....Hi, Bob O'Hara, damn glad to meet you...or What can Bob O'Hara do for you?

 

[Lisa Denton]

"Bam Bam Obama --- A tough guy in your corner."

 

[OldnotDead]

Didn't vote

Sher,

He IS going to be a US Senator. Last time I checked, which was BEFORE Ryan had to withdraw, the polls were 80/20 Obama's way.

If you want to know more about this rising star in the Dems universe you can start here:
http://globalization.about.com/gi/d...post.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4062-2004Jun24.html

It links a Washington Post column through about.com so you don't have to register with the Post.

If you have any understanding of Illinois politics, it is absolutely amazing that he survived the primary. That his poll numbers are so high that Ditka ('da Coach') would not consider running against him, speaks volumes about his reception with moderate voters. His credentials are quite solid. This is not a 'token' that was raised up on stage to showcase. Running front in an Illinois Senate race is no mean feat. Running away with one is unheard of until you've been an incumbent.

Yes, his name is not a terribly fortunate one, but unlike a lot of other made up ones, he actually came by his through birth. I think we will be hearing a lot more about him in coming years.

 

[shereads]

Bob O'Hara, makes everyone happy. Total whitebread, sounds good when you say....Hi, Bob O'Hara, damn glad to meet you...or What can Bob O'Hara do for you?

"Damn glad to meet you" is great, but let's keep it off-camera or Pat Buchanan will be on MSNBC expressing concern for the candidate's distasteful language.

"What can Bob O'Hara do for you?" Brilliant. Downright Bobdolesque.

 

[shereads]

Re: Didn't vote

He IS going to be a US Senator. Last time I checked, which was BEFORE Ryan had to withdraw, the polls were 80/20 Obama's way.

So I heard. Amazing, isn't it?

Until last night, I hadn't paid any attention to other state races. Down here, we're still busy trying to sort out who's a Fidelista and who's a real American, based on what our local politicos revealed about themselves during the Year of Elian Gonzalez.

The Illinois Senate race was briefly newsworthy on a national level because of The Sex Club Fetish Scandal -



- but this was the extent of my awareness re Obama: the default candidate, a Democrat, who benefits from the first known instance of a Republican expressing a positive interest in oral sex. (His wife refused, of course.)



So I was pleasantly surprised by Obama's speech, which was as refreshing in its way as Theresa Kerry's. Who knew there were charismatic Democrats who could follow Clinton without looking small and clumsy?

I'm not worried about him getting into the Senate. I just think he's unlikely to become one of its insiders. Becoming Bob O'Bama would help.

 

[shereads]

"Bam Bam Obama --- A tough guy in your corner."

Bam Bam might work at the state level or in the House of Representatives, but in the Senate they'd all think he was an ex-boxer hired by Security.

Still, I think you may be onto something, Lisa. Changing his name at this late date is risky and might be unnecessary, as long as his lead holds. As he's exposed to a nationwide audience, maybe he should use the unfortunate rhyme to his benefit.

Hate Osama? Elect Obama!

 

[OldnotDead]

Re: Re: Didn't vote

So I heard. Amazing, isn't it?

Until last night, I hadn't paid any attention to other state races. Down here, we're still busy trying to sort out who's a Fidelista and who's a real American, based on what our local politicos revealed about themselves during the Year of Elian Gonzalez.

The Illinois Senate race was briefly newsworthy on a national level because of The Sex Club Fetish Scandal -
. . .

I'm not worried about him getting into the Senate. I just think he's unlikely to become one of its insiders. Becoming Bob O'Bama would help.

Like all news today, the reporters missed the real story. Ryan - a well connected Illinois Repulbican that should have been able to attract some Dem voters - couldn't get out of his own way. But even after self destructing, no one else in the party wanted to go up against this amazingly popular man.

As for his possibility of success in Washington, there was a time when white folks whose names ended in vowels had trouble. Barack goes in through the front door at the Union League Club in Chicago, not the servants entrance. This double IVY grad (Columbia - Harvard Law), half white, half African, is probably going to set Washington on fire. Make no mistake, he is not someone that has never had a 'real job' and moved into politics as an extension of activism. This guy can hang with just about anybody, whether a seven course state dinner in tails talking to CEO's, or a bucket of wings with some guys off a factory assembly line.

If you look at his profile, the Woods foundation he's affiliated with is as in 'Tiger Woods' and if you know anything about politics, having a low handicap is a real asset.

In many ways he reminds me of another maverick Illinois Senator, Chuck Percy. Percy failed to become Governor not unlike Obama failed to get in the House. Once he got there, Percy was considered an 'undependable' Republican as he would vote what he thought was best. If Obama has a weakness it is that he is a forward thinker and will not line up on one side of a vote just for the sake of party unity.

I believe his name is actually an asset because a lot of people will stereotype him and discard him as a meaningless party hack from Illinois. Anyone making those assumptions will be making the fatal mistake of misunderestimation

 

[Edward Teach]

Bob O'Reilly - Fair and Balanced

Ed

 

[Teenage Venus]

OldnotDead,
Don't know the guy, however - on how you describe him - he'd get my vote.

In many ways he reminds me of another maverick Illinois Senator, Chuck Percy. Percy failed to become Governor not unlike Obama failed to get in the House. Once he got there, Percy was considered an 'undependable' Republican as he would vote what he thought was best. If Obama has a weakness it is that he is a forward thinker and will not line up on one side of a vote just for the sake of party unity.

He and I seem to have some of the same 'weaknesses' Wouldn't get him far on here , but may be good for the country

 

[shereads]

OldnotDead,
Don't know the guy, however - on how you describe him - he'd get my vote.
He and I seem to have some of the same 'weaknesses' Wouldn't get him far on here , but may be good for the country

Some of our most successful candidates have been dead (Lifesigns-Challenged Americans) when they won their Senate seats. Where are those guys?

Although it backfired in Ashcroft's case.

Which prompts this thought: Before we attempt to defeat any right-wing Senate candidate, shouldn't we determine the likelihood that he'll be given a cabinet position or a Supreme Court seat as a consolation prize?

 

[ABSTRUSE]

How about.....Bob N. Weave, then he can successfully duck the issues.

 

[Guest]

Call me a party pooper, but I've resisted posting for some hours now. I find it distasteful, offputting, and not at all humourous, let alone witty, to be making fun of this Black man's real name. Given our European, and other non-American company here, I am embarrassed.

Perdita

 

[shereads]

No one is making fun of this man's name.

I am "making fun" of what I perceive to be a resistance to diversity in the Senate.

Edited to add: It's not meant to be witty, just humorous. Or is it the other way around? I forget.

 

[shereads]

Re: Re: Re: Didn't vote

I believe his name is actually an asset because a lot of people will stereotype him and discard him as a meaningless party hack from Illinois. Anyone making those assumptions will be making the fatal mistake of misunderestimation

Well done, OldNot.

I almost missed the misunderestimation.

I hope you're right. Maybe he can be a more effective Senator workiing undercover, disguised as an unwelcome visitor to America's most exclusive boys' club.

 

[Guest]

No one is making fun of this man's name.

I am "making fun" of what I perceive to be a resistance to diversity in the Senate.

Ok, a bit too subtle for me then. P.

 

[shereads]

Ok, a bit too subtle for me then. P.

Good rebuke, though. Nice and stern.

 

[shereads]

Newcomer Obama Steals The Show At Day 2

< excerpt from http://www.mtv.com/chooseorlose/voter101/news.jhtml?id=1489758 >

Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic nominee-to-be-John Kerry, introduced herself to the American public Tuesday. But a newcomer, Barack Obama, stole the show during the second night of the party's convention.

In a carefully delivered 20-minute address, Heinz Kerry took on the critics who claim she is too rough around the edges to be first lady of the United States.
"By now, I hope it will come as no surprise that I have something to say," she said to loud applause from the delegates. And she offered no apologies for voicing her opinions, saying she considers that freedom to be an expression of her rights as an American citizen.

"My right to speak my mind, to have a voice, to be what some have called 'opinionated,' " she said, pausing to simulate quotation marks with her hands and acknowledge cheers from the delegates floor below, "is a right I deeply and profoundly cherish. My only hope is that, one day soon, women - who have all earned the right to their opinions instead of being called 'opinionated,' will be called 'smart' or 'well-informed,' just as men."

In recent days, a video clip of Heinz Kerry telling a reporter from a conservative newspaper that has dogged her in the past to "shove it" has been aired repeatedly on the television news networks.

Appearing tentative and at times uncertain in her accented delivery, Heinz Kerry used the speech to discuss her upbringing in the African nation of Mozambique - a dictatorship at the time, she emphasized - and to highlight her other experiences overseas. The daughter of a Portuguese doctor and his British wife, Heinz Kerry appeared most relaxed as she showed off her fluency in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

But it was a little-known state senator, Barack Obama of Illinois, who really wowed the delegates on Tuesday. Obama, a candidate for U.S. Senate who is considered to be a rising star of the party, was tapped by officials to deliver the Democrats' keynote address. He did not disappoint, delivering one of the strongest speeches of the convention so far.

The Harvard-educated son of a Kenyan man and a white American woman, Obama spoke of his parents' struggles and his own journey into politics, while articulating a centrist political philosophy reminiscent of Bill Clinton's "Third Way."

"Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach kids to learn, " he said. "They know that parents have to parent, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black with a book is acting white," said Obama to a rousing ovation from the delegates.

And Obama took aim at the national media, which has reported on numerous polls showing Americans to be deeply divided with the election just three months away. "The pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue states: red states for Republicans, blue states for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states," he said, later adding, "we are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America."

Obama also ripped President Bush for his administration's handling of the war in Iraq.

"When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, and to never, ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world," he said, as the delegates rose to their feet and waved "Obama" signs that party officials had distributed throughout the hall.

Obama closed by speaking of "the politics of hope," and illustrated the idea by evoking both Kerry's past - "the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta" - and his own: "the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too."

Earlier in the evening, many of the other Democrats who sought the presidency this year took their turns at the microphone, including former governor Howard Dean of Vermont. After being greeted warmly by the delegates, Dean made light of his defeat in primary season.

"I was hoping for a reception like this," he said, "I was just hoping that it would be on Thursday night, instead of on Tuesday night." Thursday, the last night of the convention, is when Senator Kerry will officially accept the Democratic Party's nomination.

Dean spoke in largely subdued tones, hitting many of his key lines from the campaign, but in a more low-key manner than when he was fighting for the nomination in New Hampshire.

Delegates also heard from Ron Reagan, son of the recently deceased former president. Reagan used the appearance to argue in favor of stem-cell research, which he and former first lady Nancy Reagan have long supported.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

A name is good for making fun of a person, especially if he's a politician. This name, I'm afraid, is impossible to improve. He's destinied to be ridiculed.
With another name altogether, like Michael Thompson, he might be able to make people listen to what he has to say, but again, the fact that he's black will stop him from ever getting any real power. ËVERYONE knows you can't be a good politician if you have dark skin and big lips, right?

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Writing from Illinois, I can say that Obama could probably win any election he'd choose to run in right now. He beat a field of something like 8 candidates in the primary (okay, maybe only 4 were serious, but still), and even republicans seem to love him.

Around here we still tend to think of democrats in terms of the Daley machine, and Obama presents an alternative to that. He's smart, personable, can talk to anyone, has a sense of humor and really seems to be a decent human being. What's not to like?

---dr.M.

 

[shereads]

What's not to like?

Somewhere, as we speak, somebody's determined to find out. Failing that, they can pay some state troopers to make up something.

Maybe he'll be the exception that disproves the rule.

Watching the convention this week - all these fresh faces like Edwards & family - I couldn't help wondering what dirt will be dug up in the inevitable attempt to discredit the ones who show the most promise. An affair? A one-night stand? A series of child rapes and murders in Arkansas? Not every young man had a daddy like Shrub Sr. whose wealth and influence could turn a drunk-driving accident into an arrest for "maybe driving too slow."



Maybe I expect the worst from the opposition because I'm less likely to be disappointed that way.

 

[Guest]

dbl post

 

[Guest]

Does anyone remember Julian Bond? How far did he get? And if Obama truly is a decent fellow, how far can he really get? Do you recall how you used to feel about Powell?

Yes, I am near cynical when it comes to colored politics. P.

Bond, Julian

 

[shereads]

I don't remember very much about Julian Bond beyond the name and the face.

I share your cynicism (surprise) but Powell is a different matter. I think he was uniquely positioned to become the first Black president of the U.S.

Consider this: Colin Powell instead of Bob Dole running against Bill Clinton in 1996. The Gulf War still felt like a bloodless victory, with Powell as one of its heros. Republicans, some independents and a few Democrats were unhappy with Clinton, but not to the extent that they could all get excited about dour Bob Dole. And unlike Dole, Powell had no voting record to be examined and critiqued. Senators have the handicap that their opinions on every controversial bill throughout their careers are in the Congressional Record; governors and miitary generals can more easily reinvent themselves to suit the times.

It was a perfect moment in history. A man like Powell, who didn't yet have any known negatives other than his ethnicity, could have tested the capacity of white conservatives to put their dislike of the Clintons on the line. Moderates who disliked Dole just enough to stay home on election day would have been Powell's for the taking.

If America wasn't ready for him as president, his addition to the Dole ticket would have taken Black voters away from Clinton, in droves.

He'd have run as an incumbent VP in 2000, if Dole's age kept him from seeking reelection. If not, he'd be doing it now. Barring something disastrous during a Dole/Powell administration, he'd have made history. He'd have shattered the biggest of this country's racial barriers.

Just as significantly, he would not have taken us to war in Iraq. He knew better.

Instead he sold his soul to Bush/Cheney. As liberal as I am, and as enthusiastically as I supported Clinton, even I was disappointed that Powell didn't go for it in 96.