Poll: 47% don't know Obama ... link

[Alhena]

33% have actually never even heard about him and a further 14% didn't know him enough to have an opinion about him.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/181359,CST-NWS-obama21.article

This is very good news for Obama, IMO, because it explains why Hillary has such a lead over him in the early polls. My personal opinion is that he comes across as much more likeable and presidential than Hillary, so I expect his numbers will rise steadily if he runs.

[Roland99]

1. *Yet*

[bowens43]

2. Who had heard of Bill Clinton before 1992?

You can bet it was a very small percentage.

[Roland99]

3. Paula Jones?

Sorry...couldn't resist. ;)

But, yeah, give Barack some time. It takes a few months for the masses to catch on. That's why trends take a while to take hold. Once he becomes more and more accepted by more and more people, the rest of the masses will want to be on the train. We just have to face the fact that a large % of Americans are swayed by public opinion instead of their own.

[Parisle]

4. "The Audacity of Hope"

---- That is the most naive-sounding and personally offensive title Obama could have picked for his book. "Hope" is not an operative term in the vocabulary of people accustomed to getting things done. I like Obama, Ok?..... and he has quite a future if he keeps his act on the road. But his future is not in 2008.

[ripple]

5. Personally offensive?

In order to overcome practically any obstacle, one must first have hope that the problem can be conquered. In the book, Obama speaks very eloquently about how people have lost hope in the political process and how leaders have failed miserably in both listening to everyday people, and in getting things done for them.

The title speaks well to the political climate we've been dealing with for the past six years, and the need for politicians and the general public to stop looking for the lowest common denominator and instead, to find reason to be hopeful for the future and look for ways to achieve our common objectives. He makes it clear in the book that he's frustrated with what isn't accomplished on Capitol Hill, and that legislators need to be much more proactive in dealing with and making progress on real issues, rather than engaging in "slash and burn" politics that only serve as a distraction.

I honestly don't understand why you, or anyone else (save Rove and company) would find that offensive or have a problem with it. :shrug:

[Hard_Work]

6. Hope as a noun, not a verb

Main Entry: 2hope
Function: noun
1 archaic : TRUST, RELIANCE
2 a : desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment <came in hopes of seeing you>; also : expectation of fulfillment or success <no hope of a cure> b : someone or something on which hopes are centered <our only hope for victory> c : something hoped for

[jefferson_dem]

7. Um...worked like a champ for the Big Dawg in 1992...

...I end tonight where it all began for me: I still believe in a place called Hope.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/speeches/clinton.html

[beaconess]

8. You obviously haven't read his book or you'd understand what this means

But if this is all you have to criticize him for . . .