I just found these comments compelling and interesting. It is regarding the first presidential debate so sorry for the delay, but still...again from NRO, the author is of Russian heritage.
"Saturday, September 27, 2008
Obama and the Debate: Proud of His Country? [Peter Kirsanow]
Obama and the Debate: Proud of His Country? [Peter Kirsanow]
Two quick points on the debate:
Obama inexplicably chose to feed the narrative that he's smug, arrogant and condescending by repeatedly referring to McCain as "John" and by his behavior while McCain was speaking; on the split screen Obama's expression was one of disdain and he had a tendency to interrupt and talk over McCain as McCain was trying to wrap up a point. Not necessarily in the same league with Gore's repeated sighing, but off-putting enough.
Second, at the very end Obama seemed to be going for a big finish. He talked about his father from Kenya "writing letter after letter" trying to come to college in the U.S., because in no other country on Earth could one make it like here—"our ideals and values inspired the world." Powerful stuff.
But then Obama concludes by saying " I don't think any of us can say that our standing in the world now, the way children around the world look at the United States, is the same. " CLANG. He then states, reminiscent of Kerry's "Global Test", that we need to "show the world that we will invest in education" and "things that will allow people to live their dreams".
The Obama campaign spent months countering Michelle Obama's "for the first time in my life I'm proud of my country " statement and then Obama himself suggests our ideals and values don't inspire the world, and that we ourselves realize our values and ideals are suspect.
Criticizing George Bush or any of our other political leaders is one thing. Contending America's ideals and values are somehow suspect is a breathtaking statement for a prospective commander in chief to make, especially when thousands of Americans have given life and limb, sons and daughters, in brave demonstration of our ideals and values.
In case Mr. Obama missed it, millions remain sufficiently inspired to try to come to America; our values and ideals still cause the rest of the world to look to us first whenever there's a crisis. And we always respond.
Like Obama and millions of other Americans, my father also came to America from another country. Not after writing letters trying to come to a prestigious college here, but after escaping from the death squads of the Soviet empire. Once here, he saluted the American flag every single day. And although he has since passed, I'm certain he'd marvel at our ideals and values today. He'd hold Obama's statement in contempt.
Insulting the values and ideals of America may be fashionable in the salons occupied by William Ayers and Rev. Wright. It may be a matter of course at swanky fundraisers in San Francisco attended by pampered glitterati. But it's not something likely to fly with those who expect their president to have unwavering pride in America and the sacrifices of its best and bravest.
Obama kept saying that he had written the administration, or warned the administration, or warned the world, or what have you. If only they had listened to Barack Obama.
McCain might have said something like, “Oh, you’re the one” — you’re the one who (for example) said that these subprime mortgages were getting out of hand. A little, light sarcasm. Obama sometimes gives the impression of considering himself the center of the universe. And, as Newt Gingrich and others have said, what’s he done, mainly, besides think about himself and write books about himself?"
Obama inexplicably chose to feed the narrative that he's smug, arrogant and condescending by repeatedly referring to McCain as "John" and by his behavior while McCain was speaking; on the split screen Obama's expression was one of disdain and he had a tendency to interrupt and talk over McCain as McCain was trying to wrap up a point. Not necessarily in the same league with Gore's repeated sighing, but off-putting enough.
Second, at the very end Obama seemed to be going for a big finish. He talked about his father from Kenya "writing letter after letter" trying to come to college in the U.S., because in no other country on Earth could one make it like here—"our ideals and values inspired the world." Powerful stuff.
But then Obama concludes by saying " I don't think any of us can say that our standing in the world now, the way children around the world look at the United States, is the same. " CLANG. He then states, reminiscent of Kerry's "Global Test", that we need to "show the world that we will invest in education" and "things that will allow people to live their dreams".
The Obama campaign spent months countering Michelle Obama's "for the first time in my life I'm proud of my country " statement and then Obama himself suggests our ideals and values don't inspire the world, and that we ourselves realize our values and ideals are suspect.
Criticizing George Bush or any of our other political leaders is one thing. Contending America's ideals and values are somehow suspect is a breathtaking statement for a prospective commander in chief to make, especially when thousands of Americans have given life and limb, sons and daughters, in brave demonstration of our ideals and values.
In case Mr. Obama missed it, millions remain sufficiently inspired to try to come to America; our values and ideals still cause the rest of the world to look to us first whenever there's a crisis. And we always respond.
Like Obama and millions of other Americans, my father also came to America from another country. Not after writing letters trying to come to a prestigious college here, but after escaping from the death squads of the Soviet empire. Once here, he saluted the American flag every single day. And although he has since passed, I'm certain he'd marvel at our ideals and values today. He'd hold Obama's statement in contempt.
Insulting the values and ideals of America may be fashionable in the salons occupied by William Ayers and Rev. Wright. It may be a matter of course at swanky fundraisers in San Francisco attended by pampered glitterati. But it's not something likely to fly with those who expect their president to have unwavering pride in America and the sacrifices of its best and bravest.
Obama kept saying that he had written the administration, or warned the administration, or warned the world, or what have you. If only they had listened to Barack Obama.
McCain might have said something like, “Oh, you’re the one” — you’re the one who (for example) said that these subprime mortgages were getting out of hand. A little, light sarcasm. Obama sometimes gives the impression of considering himself the center of the universe. And, as Newt Gingrich and others have said, what’s he done, mainly, besides think about himself and write books about himself?"
4 comments:
Most people thought McCain was far more condescending and disdainful and that Obama was rather respectful (going so far as to say "You're right, John" several times, for which he was mocked, but I saw nothing wrong with it). As for Obama's comments about whether America "inspires," as a person living abroad I can attest...he's right. We've lost our shine in many ways. He's pointing out that America IS inspiring, but we have to work on our shine a bit!!
Probably you can find that element of disdain in both candidates (and to a degree I think we expect a bit of it), and that part of this NRO post was not its strength.
And of course I have no doubt that there's a lot of anti-Americanism in the world today, though I think we could have a long debate about the reasons why.
But I did think that statement of Obama's highlighted in this piece picks up on an important subtlety in the way things are phrased, and without getting into the minutiae of the wording, I think we do hear things from Obama and Biden that make it sound as though, I guess, America has fallen and they are going to help us get up.
And at least my response to that is that sure, we can always do better and we must keep striving, but I also think most Americans feel that today's world all too often misjudges us and does not give us enough credit for wanting to and trying to do good for the world. And I like to hear from a candidate that they understand that, and that rather than standing aloofly with "the rest of the world" (I'm speaking broadly, of course) and lecturing us, they emphasize our desires, ideals, and goals, which are good, and focus on how we can get closer to those.
Of course I'm not saying that Obama doesn't understand that and of course he often does speak in the mode I'm talking about. But I think he does slip a little at times, and that's what may have happened here. And I don't think it's something you see from John McCain.
I hear you. I also think that Americans far too often think patriotism is about flag-raising rather than introspection and self-correction. I am proud of America, too, but I think we have a lot to ponder about, too, and I like a leader who recognizes that.
Fair enough; I agree we need to always be evaluating how and where we can do better...
Post a Comment