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Tickle Me Obama: Lessons from Sesame Street on TIME.com is certainly an eye-catching title—truly an example of good headline writing, even if the content is less than insightful.
Considering how many things are going on in the world, I wouldn’t think that there’s a dearth of news stories, but maybe at least in the case of Obama, we’re running out of things to say.
Technorati Tags: Obama, media
Bank bailout? Auto bailout? Health care reform? Education reform? Ending the Iraq war? Total security review? International diplomatic push?
Is there any major, explosively controversial issue that Obama has not promised to tackle in his “State of the Nation” address? One particularly interesting aspect of Obama’s address is that he does not shirk from criticism at all. He takes the arguments of his strongest critics, calls them out, and rebuts then. This is not what recent American Presidents, especially the last one, have done.
In many ways, it was another fireside chat. It was another “Good Morning, America.” I think the media and blogosphere has described it as both at this point. He was blunt and treated Americans as fellow stakeholders, instead of obstacles to be dealt with.
But many of the points he made were also in his speech at the Fiscal Responsibility Summit that came before this particular speech. My feelings on his chosen set of Titans—and he’s chosen almost every single one—is that Obama is over his head. (more…)
I’m really hoping that the Obama Administration’s recently announced “stress test”—where they will simulate Great Depression conditions by computer and see what would happen to each major bank in that scenario—is just an excuse to nationalize the banks.
I’m really hoping that the Obama Administration doesn’t ACTUALLY naively think that despite a wide consensus about the lack of soundness in these banks (and more significantly, the market’s complete lack of faith in them), that these banks will come out of the stress test even close to looking like they’re ready for such conditions. Or even solvent at all.
I’m hoping that since they are expecting it, they should have a plan (which has been curiously absent so far). (more…)
It should have been easy to check (and find out) that Bristol was pregnant. It should have also been easy to notice that Palin was in the midst of a controversy in her home state of Alaska, which has the potential to develop into a huge scandal.
Finally, the McCain campaign should been alarmed that although Palin delivered a rousing speech to the Republican base, it was one that was ridiculously easy to tear apart and fedd to moderates who would promptly flee from the party in its wake—at least, if Obama cared to do so.
In a campaign now run extremely professionally by veteran campaign staff, and characterized by meticulous planning, it was more or less impossible that the McCain campaign didn’t know about all of these problems beforehand. This is especially true, even for Palin’s speech at the Republican National Convention, given that Palin’s speech was almost completely pre-written, without excessive veering from the teleprompter.
Only one conclusion seems to make sense. She was meant to be attacked. (more…)
Hillary lost because she was trying to have a victory celebration instead of a campaign.
It wasn’t because of media bias. It wasn’t because of antifeminism. And indeed, it was not, at least not entirely, Obama’s oratory skill and personality. No, Hillary lost because she went into the campaign like a victory celebration and not a battle. Now, instead of being swept into the presidency with a grand flourish, she has endured accusations of playing the spoiler and now has been forced to accept the reality that her bid for the presidency is over. She had underestimated the fight she had ahead and paid the price.
Then again however, her initial actions were understandable given the situation she faced at the time. She’s been waiting for so long for this type of political fulfillment. Now that the day’s finally here, why not celebrate a little? Why not reward those who had been with her all those long years that, through her and her supporters’ blood, sweat, and tears, had finally culminated to this—the presidency? (more…)
