Obama rings in his 47th in style
The ultimate 47th birthday present for Barack Obama would be a double-digit lead in national polls. Or, say, a major gaffe by John McCain. Or, even better, a coveted "red" state in the fall.
"I asked Barack what he wanted for his birthday, and he said just three things: Indiana, Colorado, and Virginia. That's it," Senator John Kerry told revelers tonight at the State Room in downtown Boston, where Obama is celebrating his day. (And raising a little coin. Actually, a lot of coin -- to the tune of some $5 million.)
But Obama had to settle for a little less than battleground states tonight. Though, to be sure, his pile of gifts was nothing to sniff at, starting with the fund-raising haul. In addition, Harry Connick Jr. and his 9-year-old daughter, Kate, came into town to sing him "Happy Birthday." Supporters also presented him with a Red Sox-themed Hawaiian shirt, for use on his vacation next week in Honolulu.
"I gotta say that, as a White Sox fan, this hurts a little bit, particularly because we've been losing lately," Obama said. "But it is a very attractive shirt, I must say."
There was also a birthday cake -- from afar, it looked like a two-tiered chocolate cake with white icing -- with a big "47" sticking out of it. And, to top it all off, Boston Philharmonic conductor Benjamin Zander, apparently unsatisfied with Connick's rendition, led the 850 people at tonight's reception in another refrain of "Happy Birthday."
"I don't want to let this go without a really rousing performance," he said. "Whether he becomes the president depends on how we sing today."
Obama flashed a wide smile. If only it were that easy.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com
Happy Birthday Obama I live in Indiana everyone I've spoken with all for you. I have a birthday coming up on the Aug 27, you have my vote.
Happy Birthday President Obama!!!
Obama's Birthday Wishes:
1. Improved judgment in choosing his spiritual advisors. ("goddam America!" - Rev Wright).
2. Some basic common sense in dealing with the economy.
3. A redo on Energy Policy 101.
4. An understanding that going after Big Oil and Big Pharma means going after
everyone's pension plans (i.e. our 401K's, IRA's, pensions are tied to Corporate America).
5. A wife who keeps her mouth shut. ("this is the first time I've been proud of erica").
6. Many more years of leadership experience.
7. A lot less National Socialism in his politics.
8. Less Taxes, Less Spending.
9. An appreciation for our serviceman and women.
10. Humble Pie.
Obama knows the impact of words but has not lived up to any of them. Because he has no experience, his words are not sincere and they ring hollow. Great words without substance are just worthless cliches.
If he lived up to his words, reached out to the "One, United States of America", he'd look more like McCain and not have a 97% party line voting record. He is not open minded, he had his foreign policy set before his "due dilligence" visit, which was honestly, a photo opportunity.
Ask John Kerry about strength, loyalty, duty to Country, reaching out to your political opponents and ask about the values in these categories for both Obama and McCain. McCain defended him in 2004, went against his Party in an election year to defend Kerry. Kerry has forgotten a Massachusetts value, Loyalty. If someone sticks them up for you, you don't forget it.
How about Obama's twisted lawyer speak. Is Harvard proud to have taught him to mislead by adding cryptic qualifiers to weasel out of seemingly clear stated positions. Is this guy for drilling or against it? Does he think the surge worked or didn't? Is he for a timetable or not? All those lawyer disclaimers are just weasel words. The word "timetable" gets you elected in the Primary, but the little weasel words give you a basis to flip flop. How many times does he say "I didn't say that, I said this..." What does Harvard tell their future leaders that their followers are dumb hayseeds? His argument about his flip flop in the strategic oil reserves is so pathetic, it is like a little kid's excuse for not doing his homework. The great ones who had strength spoke clearly. Obama likes to talk powerfully in lofty themes, but speaks like a weasel when it comes down to specific policy and follows the politcal winds.
Liberals, ask yourself this: Was Dr. Martin Luther King's Dream to have a Black President, or have a color blind World? The main stream media will turn a blind eye to this hypocrisy when he gives his speech in Denver. History will unveil this hypocrisy and expose the members of the Press that have been asleep at the wheel. What about evaluating content of character, or substance? Obama has no substance, he has no experience, he has voted Democrat 97 percent of the time and had voted the lame "Present" for almost a record in Illinois.
Obama's straw man arguments: They're going to tell you this or that.. Who are "They". John McCain isn't a bigot. Obama is the cynic for making a baseless claim about McCain. The Globe defended his race card play but failed to address the fact that Obama was referring to "Them" as McCain and Bush. To insinuate that McCain is a racist is out of the strike zone, but the Globe didn't address this.
MLK, JFK and our founding fathers had courage. MLK physically faced Nazis that wanted to harm him. Obama has never stood up and risked himself for anyone. Obama uses charged words for applause and self promotion. He is putting on a costume of men of honor. We hear the charged words but don't see any experience to back them up. If he had any courage he wouldn't have voted for over 300 billion dollars to fund the War and to confirm Condi Rice to Secretary of State? He was part of the new class of Democrats that were elected to end the War but didn't have the backbone to do it. They didn't have the competence or backbone to even retreat. On top of that, the Military succeeds, gains enough control to provide Iraq the stability to grow their first Democracy. So now that the Democracy has formed, Obama recognizes this Democaracy and their desire to have us plan to phase a withdrawl, but doesn't acknowledge the work the Military did to help provide this Democracy.
Obama is a typical partisan politician, he is a cheerleader for his party, and saboteur for any success in his opponents. He can not bring himself to give thanks for any of his opponents, is that living up to his lofty one nation rhetoric? That is not the walking the walk of that lofty rhetoric.
Obama is perceived to be a vessel of hope; he is just a politician. People are projecting their hopes, dreams and agendas. That vessel can't go every direction, but people won't find that out until after the election. He is absorbing your hopes and dreams and making you believe he can deliver on every one. If he was a man of substance and action he would be honest about his own limitations. He is such an egomaniac he's now addressing "People of the World".
If rational Massachusetts could add any value to the Nation we need to be able to ask some tough questions of a candidate of change that claims to be an "Idea that's time has come". He is a bad idea. We are a Country that is trying to pay for: guns, butter, economic stimulus/handouts, bailouts for deadbeats and unprofessional sleazebags, nation building (schools in Afghanistan?), a babyboom that is going to retire and add strain to social programs, and Obama's hope to expand socialism and entitlements, all when the current bottom half of taxpayers contribute only 2% of the price of Government. The Europeans get tons of vacation time, and universal health care because they don't do any nation building or have a reasonable Military; they know we'll defend them. The German crowd went limp when Obama asked them to consider to help out more in the War on Terror. They want us to fight for them and pay the freight for them so they can have socialism, and they want to not feel guilty so they manufacture delusions that we are a big bad country.
Massachusetts, we should know now from Deval Patrick. Patrick was the token minority from Milton Academy and Harvard that provided political and racial cover for Ameriquest. Ameriquest was reported by this Publication (the Boston Globe) to have predatory practices that targetted minorities. When Obama talks about predatory lending, he is forgetting his friend Deval Patrick. Deval Patrick got hundreds of thousands of dollars to play Judas and play the token minority that stabbed his people in the back. If Obama and the people of Massachusetts evaluated Patrick on the content of his character and not the color of his skin they would have seen clearly that he profited from the predatory mortgage lending practice of Ameriquest. If they cared about poor people regardless of color, they would have seen clearly that Patrick was not a "Man of the People".
Ok Scott, here's a political intelligence mission for you. Find a photograph of Michelle Obama taken while she was attending Princeton or Harvard. They sure don't seem to exist on any place that is internet accessable. Photos of her do not exist from 1981 to about 1993.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY OBAMA!! i love you and may God Bless You with many more!!
Obama's Birthday Wishes:
1. A bit more common sense when it comes to dealing with foreign policy and the economy.
2. A few more years of experience (at ANYTHING!).
3. Several more courses on Entry Level Econ 101 and Energy Policy 101.
4. An understanding on how a market economy works. Seems he only knows how a Socialist/ Marxist society works (and wants that for us).
5. A wife who can appreciate what this country has done for her via Affirmative Action and every other break she has gotten solely because of her race.
6. An understanding that all of our retirements are based on Big Oil and Big Pharma and Big Utilities making a profit. We are all share holders in the stock market through our 401k's, IRA's and pension plans.
7. Better choices on spiritual adivisors. (e.g. "goddam America!" racist Rev Wright).
8. Supporters who aren't blinded by soaring platitudes and rhetoric.
9. Able to come up with specific definitions as to what Change and Hope looks like. Change from what to what???
10. Someone else besides Teddy Kennedy's niece to choose his VP candidate. Nice payback for uncle Teddy's endorsement don't you think? Same old same old politics.
PUMA
Happy Birthday To The New Thinking Era of This Country...Solidarity is not Socialism..and being Republican does not mean performing in balancing budgets anymore....
Happy Birthday Senator Obama! May you win by a landslide in November!
Yes. We. Can!
Happy Birthday Hussein your "KORAN" is on its way.
Ben, did not know you are quite prophetic as well, enjoyed your session in South Africa at Melrose Arch on the 4th. Look at the possibibility with Obama after the happy birthday rendition. I don't want to let this go without a really rousing performance," he said. "Whether he becomes the president depends on how we sing today."
Obama flashed a wide smile. If only it were that easy.
There was also a birthday cake -- from afar, it looked like a two-tiered chocolate cake with white icing -- with a big "47" sticking out of it. And, to top it all off, Boston Philharmonic conductor Benjamin Zander, apparently unsatisfied with Connick's rendition, led the 850 people at tonight's reception in another refrain of "Happy Birthday."
"