So which former president does Barack remind you of?

[carnie_sf]

Every time I see him speak I'm reminded of JFK. Also there are parallels, JFK was the first Catholic president, Barack would be the first black president. His call to service is also similar to Kennedy's. Not to mention the fine first lady.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Martin Sheen.

[alsame]

7. President Bartlett is my fantasy and Obama can fulfill it.

[Bicoastal]

2. OK, let's stop the JFK parallels right there.

I've been getting superstitious lately...

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

14. Reminds me of a cab ride I had during the primaries.

The taxi driver (African American) was eager to talk politics with me. After all, he picked me up from the House office buildings, so it wasn't much of a stretch for him to think I had some political ideology or knowledge about me. I asked him who he wanted to see win this year, and he responded he wanted to see Clinton win. I said I was leaning towards Obama, but I hadn't really made up my mind. He told me that he absolutely doesn't want to see Obama win BECAUSE he reminded him of JFK. In his words, "Look what happened to JFK! I don't want to see that happen to him!"

[Vinca]

3. Definitely JFK. That's the last time I remember people being inspired like this. nt

[eissa]

4. He doesn't remind me of any former president,

but I see a lot of Robert Kennedy in him.

[WI_DEM]

5. None. He's his own unique person.

[iceman66]

6. Kind of a cross between JFK and FDR.

[RoccoR5955]

I would go along with that. n/t

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

16. I'd be inclined to go along with that.

I think he's FDR in terms of policy and knowledge. I think he's JFK in terms of savvy and demeanor.

[leftofcool]

8. None

[KathieG]

9. JFK for sure...right down to the family pictures.

[RichardRay]

10. I'll go with the 'None' votes...

He's a paradigm shift in American politics, at least so far. Yes, he may slip back into a more conventional mold after he's in office, but for now he reminds me of the line from an old Paul Simon song:

"The hope that life can be better is woven indelibly into our hearts and our brains."

[Genevieve]

11. None - he is too unique.

Love him.

[demnan]

12. Kennedy

at Democratstuff you can buy this button:




Here:

http://www.democraticstuff.com/SearchResults.asp

[ailsagirl]

13. JFK for sure

[FrenchieCat]

15. A cross between all of the best Presidents of our past.....

Jefferson because of his love of the constitution.

Lincoln because of his appeal to the better nature of man and his call to keep America whole.

FDR because of the solutions he offered to make the best of the worst of circumstances.

JFK because of his uniqueness as a First and his youthful charismatic appeal that wooed the world.

Clinton because they both offered hope.

[anonymous171]

17. Bill Clinton+FDR+JFK

[Captain Hilts]

21. Correct, they all were perfectly willing to sell-out when they had to.

FDR the World Court, League of Nations, campaigned on a balanced budget and created the recession of 1937.

JFK: ran as a conservative stirring up fear about the "missile gap."

WJC: Adapted too easily to circumstances.

BHO: Turned on FISA, DC gun ban, embargo on Cuba when he achieved the nomination.

[mvd]

18. I'd say FDR with some Clintonesque universal appeal mixed in

:hi:

[Mimosa]

19. Lincoln...FDR...and Bobby Kennedy if he'd become president.

I largely agree with FrenchieCat.

I keep seeing a lot of Bobby Kennedy's idealism and practical nature in Obama.

[Joiwind]

20. Harry Truman who is looking down on us smiling widely right now

[eleny]

22. I'm 62 and have never seen a candidate with such a calm exterior

[carnie_sf]

24. I love the obscure Dr Who ref

in your sig

[riqster]

23. A hybrid

The best parts of Roosevelt, Lincoln, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Jefferson.

[BlooInBloo]

25. None.

[Writer]

26. JFK wasn't JFK, so NOT JFK.

Barack Obama is the next Barack Obama.

[GetTheRightVote]

27. No One, he can not yet stand in the shoes of the great ones....

He like all the rest will need to earn it.

He is certainly no JFK or FDR.

[H2O Man]

28. Interesting question.

I think that Obama is unique among the politicians who have served as President in my lifetime. I believe that he is the most naturally gifted politician that I have had the pleasure of seeing.

My "favorite" US President was JFK; both he and RFK were major influences on my political thinking as a young man. John was certainly a more gifted natural politician than his brother Robert. And there are some similarities in JFK being Catholic in 1960, and Barack being black in 2008.

However, JFK had some very real advantages that Obama has not enjoyed. Not only was Joe Kennedy, Sr., an extremely wealthy man, but he had political linkages with top party people. Barack, on the other hand, began his career as a political orphan.

More, not only has Ted Sorenson -- who served as JFK's counselor -- made a strong case regarding the similarities between JFK and Obama, but Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg has, as well.

[goodgd_yall]

29. A combo of FDR and JFK

JFK for his inspirational speeches and FDR for his polcies.

[Dulcinea]

30. Bill Clinton.

A campaign that has energized so many people.

Hope. 'Nuff said.

JFk was before my time (I'm 43.)

[Oak2004]

31. Too early to tell

There's often a difference (made necessary by circumstances) between how someone campaigns and how someone governs. The campaign does resemble JFK.

I have a sneaking suspicion the governance will most closely resemble FDR, but that's because FDR essentially wrote the book on how to deal with a depression (i.e., go Keynsian and govern much further to the left than one's personal philosophy would normally take one. Hell, even Bush's treasury is starting to sound a tad bit New Dealish in that they're thinking about partial nationalization of the banking system).

[slampoet]

32. Biden reminds me of Muskie.

[jacksonian]

33. I'm going to go all the way on this one

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Kennedy, great as he was, had to learn on the job. Obama, like Lincoln, is running during a time of national crisis and is handling it with wisdom and charity.

[vaberella]

34. Clinton really...but I get the feeling once he's in power he'll be another FDR. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

35. He won't have as conservative Congress as Clinton had. nt

[crankychatter]

36. rfk - the president that never happened - nt