tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473300844840480922.post2871505199318489893..comments2022-04-20T02:26:03.017-04:00Comments on Things Blight and Beautiful: Obama: Centrist or Weakling?SandipMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721935576457691892noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473300844840480922.post-40278951154585825762012-03-22T15:16:22.035-04:002012-03-22T15:16:22.035-04:00Kenrod, you're a worthy adversary even as you&...Kenrod, you're a worthy adversary even as you've kept your identity hidden. :-) I'd give Obama better than 4 to 1 odds of beating Romney this November unless a prominent 3rd liberal or even centrist candidate jumps in to siphon off Obama's left or independent voters.<br /><br />The real Romney probably shares my centrist views and is likely a much better administrator than Obama. But his "etch-a-sketch" shiftiness on positions and saying whatever the voters of the moment want to hear makes him less palatable to me. He makes Tricky Dick and Slick Willy pale in comparison.<br /><br />But then again, take heart - after all, both Dick and Willy won. And who'd have thought American voters in their wisdom would re-elect GWB a 2nd time in 2004?SandipMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04721935576457691892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473300844840480922.post-59495518960615547002012-02-17T12:45:31.674-05:002012-02-17T12:45:31.674-05:00Sandip,
What's your prediction on the GOP rac...Sandip,<br /><br />What's your prediction on the GOP race? And who sits in WH in 2013? You were right on Bloomberg last time so you have some good instincts, even though you're on the opposite side of my spectrum.<br /><br />KenrodAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473300844840480922.post-39250665448731489532011-08-11T14:48:21.166-04:002011-08-11T14:48:21.166-04:00Solomon, I won't dispute that Obama isn't ...Solomon, I won't dispute that Obama isn't a centrist. But that doesn't make him a liberal. Look at his cabinet choices (Gates, Geithner), delayed pullout from Iraq and Afghanistan, weak or no support of health insurance mandates or strong public option, insufficient 2009 stimulus plan, support of the death penalty, etc.<br /><br />Instead, Obama convinced enough liberals and black voters that he was one of them to topple Hillary in the 2008 primaries. Then McCain alienated Hillary supporters on the rebound by picking Palin as running mate (instead of Tom Ridge or even Lieberman) to smooth Obama's way to the White House.<br /><br />Obama isn't strongly tethered to liberal or other ideology and instead seems to take the path of least resistance. Liberals now don't see him as compromising on their core ideals as much as caving in and selling them out.SandipMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04721935576457691892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473300844840480922.post-63850258268980388602011-08-11T03:49:15.527-04:002011-08-11T03:49:15.527-04:00You can argue over the weakling part, but he is no...You can argue over the weakling part, but he is no centrist. His stated views over the years shows a liberal - not a hard core/left wing liberal, or a moderate, but more your run of the mill/average liberal.<br /><br />He's not a centrist any more than I (an actual centrist) would be a liberal if I compromised with liberals on some piece of legislation, if I were an elected official, or a conservative if I compromised with conservatives to pass a bill. What label fits a person is based on their beliefs, not whether they compromise with people who disagree with them.<br /><br />Solomon Kleinsmith<br />Rise of the CenterSolomon Kleinsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14331941231942740033noreply@blogger.com