printBefore being swept up in it, let’s trace the genesis of Barack Obama mania for a moment. It was started by Oprah Winfrey. I’m not saying he ought to be discounted because his popularity is of the Queen of Kitsch’s making. For one, it’s too late for that. Oprah is a powerful person. However, since the media have taken on her mantle and kept the momentum going, we seemed to have forgotten that Oprah introduced Obama to the public.
Obama is a nice enough man. Whereas most candidates are quite ignoble, he’s merely mediocre. I think he was against the war, which ought to elevate him above The Hildebeest among Democrats. Republicans won’t have worthy candidates, unless Tom Tancredo or Ron Paul decides to run.
In any event, it doesn’t hurt to remember that Obama was launched by the confessional queen and in many ways represents the Oprah-ization of American life, down to his names.
Had he been christened “Barak,” he’d be the namesake of an impressive “military general in the Book of Judges” in the Hebrew Bible. Alas, if his mother intended to so name him, she misspelled “Barak.” If this indeed is the genesis of his name, it would also be emblematic of contemporary America.
Obama’s middle name — “Hussein” — he shares with Saddam and many millions of Muslims. That too provides a snapshot of modern America.
As a resident of the of Soviet Satrapy of Blagoyestan (once known as Illinois), I am somewhat aware of Obama’s record in the state legislature here. His “moderate” appearance is a total act to lull the clueless Oprah-viewer into ever-deeper complacency. His actual positions and voting record are those of a hardcore leftist – arguably even more blantantly Marxist than those held by the Lizard Queen herself.
Obama’s Kenyan father (Barack Hussein Obama Sr.) was apparently a ringleader of the Mau-Mau uprising back in the 50s and 60s who came (or fled) to the US as a student. His mother was a white American leftist who married an Indonesian Muslim after Obama Sr. abandoned her and Jr. There is a Muslim connection in the Kenyan side of the family too, hence the middle name.
Obama is ostensibly a “Christian” who attends a black nationalist “church” affiliated with the United Church of Christ – a Marxist faux-Christian denomination even deeper into apostasy than the Episcopalians are.
While it received zero reporting in the fawning US media, Obama’s recent junket to Kenya apparently was not so successful. The reception was initially very enthusiastic (native son and all) but he said or did something that really angered many Kenyans – departing under a cloud. Perhaps other readers could fill us in on more details.
[WOW. Keep it coming]
His father is Kenyan, not America. His mother is white (not sure of nationality). My Kenyan friends call him a “.5” (point five).
African-American? Hardly. Yet, the name really fits only people like him, not the American Negroes. This is a most curious circumstance.
I do think the hype is all reactionary to the stunning talents of Condi Rice. [You can’t be serious. Follow the links at the end of this post] The Dems want to have their “black,” too. But, there’s no real comparison at all, in any way, mind, gender, ethnicity, experience, etc.
Obama has accomplishments, or experience, none to speak of. What would he run on or as? “Dark” horse?
Seems the really talented black men (maybe women too), aren’t interested in politics at all.
In the realm of politics & government, red flags should be waving everywhere, when a politician does not make a verbal public stand AGAINST the country of Iran. That country is the most dangerous country on the earth. It also has the most dangerous man as its leader. Barak Obama has not denounced Iran. Instead, he thinks you can have dialogue & reason with viscious killers. If you could gag a mule with political correctness, Barak Obama would do the trick.
It appears that even though he has no experience to lead the USA, he does have experience in playing the race card. It doesn’t matter if your a politican, musician, or sports star, if you are half black & half white, presto, you’re “African-American”. I am a caucasian. My gene pool is from Eastern Europe (Hungary). I can’t do anything about that, & I am proud of my heritage. But why is it more popular to claim being “black”, when you are half Caucasian? [As Halle Berry does–even though her black father deserted her; and her white mom raised her.] The answer is obvious isn’t it? Tiger Woods does nothing to refute that he is the “first African-American to win the masters”. His mother is 100% Taiwanese”. Why isn’t he the first Taiwanese man to win the Masters golf tournament? All the Nike contracts aren’t quite as palatable for a Taiwanese, I reckon. This gets old to me & frankly am sick of it. I have no racial ax to grind at all, with anyone. But when you don’t have the integrity & courage to call Hezbollah terrorist killers, I don’t care who you are, you have no buisness attempting to rule & represent the United States of America as the president.
Martin Berrow
Have to disagree with you on Rice, Mr. Yaegley. Larry Auster found a quote from Bob Dylan which strikes me as particularly apt for Imam al-Dubya’s “twin brain” percolating in the swamp gas over at Foggy Bottom:
“You’re an idiot, babe,
It’s a wonder that you still know how to breathe”
– Bob Dylan
[Too good. LOL]
Both Obama and Oprah are examples of how shallow we have become as a society. Obama is just another pretty face, which is about all it takes to get a political career moving if the individual is a liberal. Most voters don’t know yak dung from Shinola about the issues and are just waiting for somebody to tell them what to do so they don’t have to think. This is where the Operahs of the world come in. She is successful in sho biz and she makes people feel good every day as they sit there and let their barely used brains atrophy a little more as they eat up the drivel that passes for entertainment on her T V show. Therefore she is just the one to present a candidate for them to support. That way they don’t have to think, which is obviously a painful proposition at best. As much as I hate to lose a debate or an election I can live with it if my opponent is well prepared, logical and actually believes in his position. I just go back to my preparations and plan to beat him next time. But to see the disingenuous phonies that pass for political leaders in our country being touted by politically ignorant self-important stuffed shirts like Operah to legions of non-thinking boobs like most voters is more than I can accept without resorting to occasional nausea.
Thank you for this thoughtful post. I have linked to it.
I don’t understand the fascination with this lackluster fellow either. I didn’t know that Oprah launched his career but it doesn’t surprise me. Everybody seems to lap up whatever Oprah spoon feeds them.
“But why is it more popular to claim being “black”, when you are half Caucasian?”
It has nothing to do with what’s “popular” but rather how you, me, and everybody else in America sees people who are “half black and half Caucasian”. We don’t call them White, and if they even suggested that they were “White” they’d be laughed at by you, me, and everybody else. Ideally, I agree with you that it would serve everybody better if they embraced their “white” and “black” roots. But those who do often get slapped with the “Uncle Tom” label from some communities and “Uppity Negro” from others. *shrugs*
“Why isn’t he the first Taiwanese man to win the Masters golf tournament?”
He is when he goes to Taiwan. Your view of race is purely an American one. In the East, Tiger Woods is celebrated as the great Asian golfer.
Tiger Woods is a product of America. When he grew up, White America(ns) told him that he was Black. They told him that he definitely wasn’t White.
You’re also wholly a product of your culture (at least in this respect you’re obviously unable to transcend it) which is why my reply will probably be an epiphany to you. When in fact, it’s crystal clear to anybody who has the benefit of gleaning all of this on a more global-cultural scale.
To put it bluntly, this man doesnt know Cr-p from shinola.
Aperantly the people of the culture would rather snort and snarl than read history, and figure out who started the KKK: it was the Democrats!!!! and see Who helped start the NAACP: it was white men; they were the same men who started Harvard …
It’s the Party that has kept you, behind not the Man. The new person Obama will be an bad choice since he too stands for nothing. His wife adopted their children. She works in the medical field but supports abortion.
Well I digress.
He flat out is a bad choice, not because of race, but because he clearly stands for nothing and flip flops like John Kerry, Bill Clinton, etc. That’s my point.
Mr. D.