Monday, April 14, 2008

Grasping at straws

For the sake of argument, let's grant Obama's point that people cling to religion out of bitterness and desperation. I then wonder, who would/should you rather put your faith in to make your life better? God and your fellow congregants, or Barack / Hillary and big government? Which belief would actually be more "deluded"?

Bittergate
(as Tyler is calling it) is lights out for me as far as Obama as something special is concerned. At this point, besides the fact that he can't bowl, what is the difference between him and HRC?

3 comments:

Jayson said...

Unlike religion/god at least big government is real, however both are dangerous.

Anonymous said...

Were the lights were ever on for Angus regarding Obama, at least from what I've read here.

Like Andrew Sullivan, I see more empathy than condescension. You guys disagree with him on the degree to which the government can help. How does this comment change anything? His point isn't that people cling to religion out of bitterness and desperation, but that people seek solace in the familiar, for many people, and for Obama more than any of his opponents religion is one of those ways to seek solace.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/04/obama-on-the-cu.html

The difference between him and HRC is not a policy point, and it is what makes him special. He doesn't lie about it. He didn't run out and do a photo op with a gun. The most important thing is that if he wins, he's not going to ignore those folks or punish them for voting against him, he's going to try to help in ways that he genuinely believes in.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/04/the-audacity--1.html

Another difference is that he's honest. According to Theda Skocpol, HRC is not being honest in portraying herself as somebody who would never believe in such a statement:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/188673.php

Anonymous said...

Wow, I lost that first thought. The first line of the post above should say, "Were the lights ever on for Angus regarding Obama? I haven't seen much positive about Obama from what I've read here."

Even corrected, there's not much of a point in that passage.