tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post1436132577702899974..comments2023-10-21T07:14:37.880-07:00Comments on Jazz: The Music of Unemployment: Sketches on the drawAndrew Durkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-10832807375654254902008-02-09T17:07:00.000-08:002008-02-09T17:07:00.000-08:00Thanks for the links. There is some solid criticis...Thanks for the links. There is some solid criticism in there, but to me it doesn't add up to a scenario in which Obama is positioning himself to the right of HRC on domestic issues as a whole -- especially if you factor in other things, like the environment, or positions on intellectual property and technology... or the kinds of relationships with lobbyists that might make one's campaign promises moot anyway.Andrew Durkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-32013087517004717672008-02-09T16:23:00.000-08:002008-02-09T16:23:00.000-08:00Hmm, can't seem to open those in a window on the d...Hmm, can't seem to open those in a window on the damn Mac, so...<BR/>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/16/opinion/16krugman.html<BR/>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/opinion/30krugman.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-67825959635758577582008-02-09T09:56:00.000-08:002008-02-09T09:56:00.000-08:00"Can you say more?"Here's a couple of Krugman arti..."Can you say more?"<BR/>Here's a couple of Krugman articles:<BR/><A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/16/opinion/16krugman.html" REL="nofollow">Played for a Sucker</A>.<BR/><A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/opinion/30krugman.html" REL="nofollow">Mandates and Mudslinging</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-31270494578854936322008-02-08T23:13:00.000-08:002008-02-08T23:13:00.000-08:00"the way he's been positioning himself to HC's rig..."the way he's been positioning himself to HC's right on domestic stuff"<BR/><BR/>Can you say more?<BR/><BR/>"And I do try to resist the instinct that drives us to bask in the charisma of stars."<BR/><BR/>Actually, I don't really get the "Obama rockstar" thing -- for me that's not the appeal at all. It's just that with any mainstream candidate, my bullshit detector is usually off the charts (cuz that's typically how most people get to <I>be</I> mainstream candidates in this country -- they master the art of bullshit). But with Obama, I just don't hear those same alarm bells going off. <BR/><BR/>Is that a guarantee that the guy is not coasting on his "looks" or his "charisma" or "star status" or whatever? Not necessarily. And given that we've been fucked by our leaders in so many ways over time, I think you're right to be suspicious. But what if, at long last, somebody good actually got through the system? And what if McCain is counting on Democratic cynicism to knock Obama out of the race (b/c clearly he'd prefer to run against Clinton)?Andrew Durkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-53456656217243274762008-02-08T19:20:00.000-08:002008-02-08T19:20:00.000-08:00Consider me disillusioned by the way he's been pos...Consider me disillusioned by the way he's been positioning himself to HC's right on domestic stuff. I voted for him, and I'm still rooting for him, but...<BR/><BR/>And I do try to resist the instinct that drives us to bask in the charisma of stars. I don't always succeed (there's really no other explanation for my love of Patti Smith's music, for instance), but I try.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-46223887039743409172008-02-08T01:15:00.000-08:002008-02-08T01:15:00.000-08:00Tues. night when he said "WE are the ones we have ...<I>Tues. night when he said "WE are the ones we have been waiting for..."</I> <BR/><BR/>Daphne and I did a double take at that point in the speech... how much more powerful than Clinton's much-publicized (and under-scrutinized -- after all, wasn't it an admission of past fakery?) NH line -- "Over the last week, I have listened to you, and in the process I found my own voice" -- which, at this point, feels like it was uttered months ago.Andrew Durkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-16542623054138692662008-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:002008-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:00As far as a potential Obama v. McCain matchup in N...As far as a potential Obama v. McCain matchup in November, I think their back-to-back "victory" speeches on Tues. night made it pretty clear who's gonna win in the charisma dept. (<A HREF="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/a-november-preview_b_85336.html" REL="nofollow">here's a convenient summary</A>). <BR/><BR/>I have a hard time voting Dem OR Repub, but Andrew I'm with you here on Barack. His speeches in the last couple of weeks have been just stunning. And it's not because he's having anything much to do with policy (which is the typical Dem problem, right? over-explaining everything on stage re: Kerry, etc. - Obama's record speaks for itself where it counts, as Lessig points out) - but because he's telling it straight, <A HREF="http://youtube.com/watch?v=wVlZZdxZ9AU" REL="nofollow">saying what he means</A>...<BR/><BR/>Tues. night when he said "WE are the ones we have been waiting for..." I got goosebumps. Never heard a politician talk like that in MY lifetime...Kris Tinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01605676500619480309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-54854567957127977912008-02-07T12:08:00.000-08:002008-02-07T12:08:00.000-08:00When we imagine the order of the final Democratic ...When we imagine the order of the final Democratic Party ticket, can we assume it'll be Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama? Either way, it seems a strong (from our very blue state perspective)pairing - but I wonder if, after this increasingly heated battle, the winner will snub the loser and pick a populist like Edwards...? <BR/>Nah, that would be rude!?M.Farinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11492592241039565658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-38342273130287800522008-02-07T11:07:00.000-08:002008-02-07T11:07:00.000-08:00Yeah, it's hard to know where this is going (and I...Yeah, it's hard to know where this is going (and I bet the networks and advertisers are having a field day dragging it out). <BR/><BR/>On the democratic side, it seems that if Clinton wins, there would be a lot of pressure to put Obama on the ticket. (This scenario doesn't work so well in reverse, as far as I can tell.) That's mildly comforting, but I suspect it would also leave the bid a little more vulnerable (because there would be some of the same internal tensions that stymied Kerry and Edwards in 04). Things would be much stronger if the democratic team was a pairing of forces that genuinely wanted to work together, not one that was "forced" together.<BR/><BR/>The other thing that makes me nervous is this whole <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdelegate" REL="nofollow">"superdelegates"</A> business. My understanding is that Clinton has the advantage there (not surprising, cuz she's a part of the traditional party system, and so are they). <BR/><BR/>On the GOP side -- especially now that Romney is out of the race -- I think you're right that there is a certain amount of "falling in line" behind McCain (if <A HREF="http://bagnewsnotes.typepad.com/bagnews/2008/02/your-turn-san-d.html" REL="nofollow">this photo</A> is any indication). I can remember earlier McCain candidacies where his brand of conservatism proved seductive to a lot of young people -- I'm just hoping he doesn't break into that demographic this go-round. I'm also hoping that the evangelicals and the wackos like Limbaugh continue to shoot the party in the foot by rejecting McCain -- cuz he really needs them to win nationally.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comment!Andrew Durkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-11334413484068744662008-02-07T07:54:00.000-08:002008-02-07T07:54:00.000-08:00The question I've been asking myself since Tuesday...The question I've been asking myself since Tuesday is, "What if Obama doesn't win the primary? Can I vote for Hillary and feel good about it?" <BR/><BR/>To make matters worse, the Republicans seem to be strengthening their position with McCain. As a moderate conservative who has had his differences with the Bush administration, he could continue to gain ground and find support across party lines.<BR/><BR/>You're right Andrew, this is history.M.Farinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11492592241039565658noreply@blogger.com