Barack Obama is on the cover of Time Magazine

[Poiuyt]

with the caption: Why Barack Obama could be the next president

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/15/cover.story.tm/index.html

[Mass]

1. And Joe Klein writing the article, of course...

I think Obama will be candidate and may be president someday, but I sincerely doubt he will be the next president.

[ourbluenation]

3. What Mass said. He's the real deal, the whole package, charisma galore but

he's too young and inexperienced right now - give him a decade and he will be something else. I look forward to watching him evolve.

[aquart]

7. So far I've been wildly unimpressed.

All packaging no principle.

[undeterred]

8. ditto

[itsrobert]

9. Double Ditto

Are we DittoHeads now? yikes!

[diamidue]

36. Can I triple ditto??

He's too conciliatory. Now is not the time for a "leader" who will seek to spread good will and reach across the aisle. Now is not the time for pretty, idealistic speeches. Instead, we need a leader who can stand up to the fascist element facing us today - who can kick a little ass. Get us out of Iraq. Clean house. And speaking of Iraq, has anyone seen the article on Earthside.com? It appears the Chair of the Dem. Congressional Campaign Committee is allowing funding to PRO-WAR dems only. Anti-war candidates are getting the shaft.
http://www.earthside.com/

[bowens43]

13. Care to cite an example of his lack of principle?

Seems to me your comment is all rhetoric with no substance.

[qanda]

29. People on DU love to hold him to the highest standard possible

Sometimes I wonder what their motivation is, but I dare not say what I'm thinking.

[TAPat]

15. And let us not forget

Joe Lieberman was his mentor...

Absolutely all packaging - and I ain't buyin' it.

[TankLV]

19. Dittio - we can do a LOT better!

If he weren't black, he'd be a nobody - an also ran...

Don't like what he says, don't like his positions...

I want a LIBERAL and a true PROGRESSIVE for a change, not some corporate hack and almost repuke lite...

sorry...

[immoderate]

24. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

I can't recall hearing anything by Obama that was profound on principle or policy. So far, to me, he's just a pretty face.

--IMM

[madrchsod]

27. i`ve heard him talk the talk

during his stop here in ronnyland but we all know what happens when they get to washington...then money talks

[madrchsod]

26. i`ll agree on packaging cause i`ve seen that in person

i`d say he does have principles but politics makes that concept mute sometimes...

[skipos]

2. Maybe. I would sure like to see some good non-senator candidates from

flippable red states.

Senators are easier to smear, and we need all the electocal votes we can get.

[leftchick]

4. anyone interested in Obama needs to read the latest Harpers

They wrote an article about him and I am half way through. It is titled Barak Obama, Inc. the birth of a Washington Machine. I don't think it is online yet.

[Poiuyt]

5. What kind of slant are they putting on the article?

Is it pro or con Obama?

[niallmac]

6. Can you list a couple highlights of the article?

CNN/TIME tells me I am talking about his 2008 prospects. Am I? I didn't realize we were all talking about his 2008 prospects. What do you think?
My un foot noted impression of his leadership against this Iraqi war that defiles everything
the human soul should strive for is that he has been weak and conciliatory.
Is Barack, aside from his intelligence, charisma and speaking ability
a progressive democratic leader? Is he a non progressive though strong democrat leader?

Are we excited about Barack Obama for president?

[jefferson_dem]

10. ignore please.

sorry.

[leesa]

22. weak and conciliatory...that describes him to a tee. He puts his finger

to the wind long after the wind has been blowing to find out what he should be saying than puts out some flowery double-speak which in essence says nothing.

The new DLC product.

[FARAFIELD]

14. I read that yesterday

It was a great article one of the best that Ive seen. To sum it up it says that hese been running and making very progressive proposals since his first days in elected offices, but that the senate is a deliberative body and that he will need to learn how to compromise, also it said that being a senator now is less about reflecting your state and more about raising money and reflecting the interests of those that contribute, I think im pretty close on those ideas. They had another good article on following Dana TItus in Nevada which was pretty entertaining.

[niallmac]

21. I have to agree. I finally sat down and read the TIME article.

What a good job of reporting IMHO.
I will see how Obama answers the
questions that are ahead of him.

[jefferson_dem]

11. Fuck yes, i'm excitied! I believe Obama is just what this country needs

right now and would love to see him run!

Seriously, I can't understand the anumus toward him that i routinely see here.

[Kagemusha]

12. It's the reverse of Yoda. "Too young he is"

Just a massive sense of him not having paid his dues, not even as much as many DU'ers have. And frustration that Obama hasn't single-handedly saved habeas corpus if he's such hot stuff.

Edit: Personally, I like Obama and think he's done a lot for a freshman senator jealously watched by his peers in his own party and likely warned heavily in private to keep his head down and not cause trouble for the minority leadership.

[never cry wolf]

30. It seems as if alot here expected Obama

To turn his back and raise his right fist in protest on the senate floor over every repug proposal.

[Rosemary2205]

16. How experienced was JFK, Reagan? Carter, Bush or Clinton?

I'll grant you that age CAN be a factor but I disagree it's a DETERMINING factor. Government experience isn't even a DETERMINING factor.

Charisma, ability to fund raise - good stragetists - those are determining factors and without it, no matter how wonderful a president a candidate might be, he won't win.

Edwards has it. Obama has it. Al Gore COULD have it.

Personally, I'm rooting for Gore. Why? Because he already know how to wrestle a pigs (DC republicans). -- and mark my words, if a D wins, we have not even begun see the meaning of childish and nasty partisan BS.

[KoKo]

17. How experienced was JFK, Reagan, Carter, Bush or Clinton.....Please.....

I wish you hadn't said that...it's ....well what can one say...:eyes:

[Rosemary2205]

18. Electability doesn't require NATIONAL experience.

Americans vote for image. The ability to shape image is much more important in an election than substance. You may disagree with me, and that's fine, of course, but there is no doubt in my mind after seeing Bush elected twice.

[KoKo]

20. Bush had his whole Family Empire and the Structure since Nixon in

place that put him in power. It wasn't his "image."

[Rosemary2205]

23. So we ALMOST agree

you say it's the money and power (fundraising and strategy are my words) either way it's the ability to work the political machine behind the scenes (which I think we are both talking about and agree on)

But I still say image/charisma is vitally important. It's less important for an incumbant, but an emerging player has to have charisma - star power - of the sort people seem to be looking for at the time - to make it all the way to the White House. I firmly believe that.


Edit - bad typing, sorry.

[madrchsod]

25. well that`s one way we can see our senator

seems he hasn`t been in illinois for months. i guess they are going to run him for the vice president in 2008. to bad he isn`t in the 14th right now, but oh well, we certainly don`t count as much as the rest of the nation now cause the house will go democratic.

[never cry wolf]

31. He is home more often than most

When the senate is in session he comes home every weekend possible to be with his family who have maintained their residence here.

[philosophie_en_rose]

28. Oprah Winfrey is his biggest fan.

Oprah's voter club (tm) might actually undo some Schwarzenegger damage. maybe.

I like Obama, but am waiting to see what he does. I want to support him, but I'm not there yet.

[Superman Returns]

32. wow

you people are rough. DU has very high standards. America is moderate and pragmatic whether you like it or not. Obama would make a fine President.

[SoCalDem]

33. And so it starts..

Media loves to hype people..and then tear them apart later..

[Canadiana]

34. Primary reason I would support Obama running for prez

is because Oprah would actually come out and support him. She loves him. And thus, he would win. True story.

[liberalpragmatist]

35. I really like Obama, but Come On...

There is ACTUAL news this week; there is no reason why TIME should be trumpeting the non-existent candidacy of Barack Obama. He may run, and I may even support him although I have questions about his level of experience. But I don't think that with a mid-term in 4 weeks, terrible news from Iraq, and a host of other things that they should be hyping the '08 presidential race.

Moreover, the last thing we (or Obama) need is hype. If Obama is a great candidate that should be apparent from what he does and his own campaign, not the hyping of the Joe Klein's of this world.

[Vox Acerbus]

37. Obama seems like a nice guy, but...

I just don't get the "charisma" or "likeability". He seems nice, but a President? No way. I don't see him being electable for quite some time.

I feel the same way about Hilary. Like her a lot, but don't want to put someone that so many people simply won't vote for up for President.

John Edwards and Wes Clark. They're my two picks.