January 4, 2008

Great line of the day

OK, this was said a day or two ago, but I've been meaning to mention it, because I think it was a brilliant line.

The fact that it was spoken by Mike Huckabee doesn't take away from the fact that it's one of the best lines I've heard from any candidate since Obama's remark during one of the debates. He said in response to Hillary cackling at his being questioned about the number of former Clinton administration members that he was employing as advisors to his campaign, that he appreciated their advise and looked forward to getting Hillary's advice as well once he's president.

A questioner was discussing with Huckabee American's shallow preoccupation with a candidates looks, and of course bringing up the Ken doll perfection of Mitt Romney's appearance.

Huckabee responded, "I think Americans would rather vote for someone that looks like a guy they work with, not someone that looks like the guy that laid them off."

Brilliant! And all too accurate.

2 Comments:

At 1/04/2008 8:10 PM, Blogger nicodemus said...

Yes, I think that Huckabee hit the nail right on the head. Huckabee's genuine-ness is his best quality and voters responded. It is something that money can't buy.

As far as "Americans shallow preoccupation with looks" , what else explains Obama's success? It seems that people are now so fixated on change for change's sake that they will pick somebody who has no real qualifications or substance.

Whenever I ask the simple question "what has he DONE for Illinois as a US Senator?" or "why do you like him?", the Obama supporters cannot answer.

Something is wrong when voters reject somebody like Joe Biden, a statesman with a 30+ year Senate record and truly great speaking ability and credentials... he gets a dismal 1% and has to drop out.

But along comes a Black guy with a deep voice who is barely in the Senate 1 year before he runs for President, and everyone sits back and says "Oh boy, he has charisma!!! That's who we want to follow!" I don't get it.

Now I am not going to rip on Bush because I don't feel that way and the rest of you already do it so well... but at the end of the day, I guess if I can fault Pres. Bush for one thing, it is for creating the conditions for the rise of Obama. This is how desperate voters have become.

 
At 1/04/2008 11:08 PM, Blogger The Inside Dope said...

Nico,

Yes, I'd have to say that Obama's youth, obvious intelligence, demeanor, and yes, good looks, are all factors in his popularity. It would be disingenuous to pretend otherwise.

But perhaps wrapped up in his looks is the simple fact that he is obviously a young candidate, and one that doesn't look exactly like the slightly flabby white guy with silver hair model we've gone with for what seems like forever.

He represents change by simply looking at him, and it seems even more clear after last night that voters are palpably, nearly desperately, looking for change.

Obama simply offers change and hope, and isn't really big on specifics, at least on the stump, and people rush towards it.

Just the idea of restoring hope to this country after the long dark, divisive, deadly and cynical Bush/Rove era is enough to make people invest near god-like status in anyone that seems to truly represent it.

Obama does, and we all saw just how fervently people have emotionally responded to his call for hope and unity.

It's a mighty powerful thing. Especially after 8 dark years of being told to be scared to death and to hate and vilify this group or that.

Bush promised to be a uniter, not a divider.

Well, as you note, he's finally succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams at uniting the American people nearly unanimously in their desire to get as far away from Bush Republicanism as possible and begin to repair the enormous damage he leaves behind.

 

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