OT: I don't know

With so much at stake, I dearly hope he can do more than talk a good game.

Well, since our current president can't even do that....

E.

Unfortunately that's true.

You Describe a gifted well trained Orator or a Demagogue, nothing more. mirjam

What kinds of lows did he promote as Senator ??? What public actions was he involved in ? mirjam

You said previously that as foreigners it is not our place to comment on the US elections ??

I said I don't discuss politics but sharing a problem isn't discussing

I'm torn between voting for someone I believe in or for someone I think can then win the Presidency.

I think that what we need is someone who can get both sides of the Congress work *together* for the good of the country, and to a certain extent, the good of the world.

I am so heartily tired of all the partisan bickering and fighting; the far right versus the far left! It is like kids in the schoolyard! We are supposed to be the *United* States, so let's be united!

Maybe a McCain/Lieberman ticket would be good. I have a lot of respect for Joe Lieberman, and McCain also knows how Washington works and is no dummy.

Off my soapbox now. LOL

Well, even though hubby is in hospital, I must remember to go and vote on Tuesday.

Gillian

She's actually correct. I was admiring Obama's gifted oratory and not commenting on anything else.

If she wants to suggest that there's nothing more to Obama than his oratorical gifts, then she's only showing her own ignorance.

Elizabeth

She may be correct - or incorrect - but her position was that it was only for Americans to discuss their politics. I don't hold that position (naturally enough!) but I agree with you.

I just hope that when it is all over in November you have someone in charge who can handle things and do a better job. It's not asking much of them but seems very important this time round. GWB took over a humming economy from Billy and look at it now, disaster time.

Eh?? What did I miss? Is my ISP dropping posts again? What's wrong? Is it serious? Do you need the Needlework Fairies to hover over him?

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

I know he went to law school. Wasn't he a trial lawyer? I've known more than a few who could give a rousing closing argument without notes.

My college speech coach didn't let us use notes, so the fact that he was speaking without notes or teleprompter wouldn't have even registered with me, because that's what I was trained to expect people to do. It would've been more jarring to me if he'd had a full script in front of his face (which was one of our demonstrations to the newbies on "what not to do").

I hope anyone gets in but that Clinton Broad - I think she's as phoney as her husband and he makes me puke. Billy had an easy job of it all as far as I'm concerned - a few mishaps maybe but he was lucky. Poor George got so much slammed at him so quickly soon after he took office

- at least he made decisions, right or wrong, and didn't hem and ha till the country was totally destroyed. I admire the man. But anyone who takes that job on has got to have broad shoulders for sure. I'll be so glad to see the end of the US elections - we're just inundated with all that crap - yech, I hate it. Sharon (N.B.)

He was a civil rights lawyer, teacher, and community activist. I don't know that he ever worked as a trial lawyer.

Lots of my colleagues can speak well in public without notes, but I still enjoy it when it's done well. It's certainly not something I dismiss as "oh, anybody can do that," because not everybody can.

It only registers with me because the current president always looks like a deer in the headlights, he's so hooked on the teleprompter.

I would think that even if you expected it, you would have been impressed; he's a superb public speaker and you don't often see that quality anymore.

Elizabeth

This has nothing to do with YOUR elections ,,, But , lately with all those TV Competitions ,,, American Idol , Best Chef , top Model etc,,, Did It occure to Others [ like it occured to me]? that eventually we might end up with `TV Elections`,,,,,,, `Run For President` `Best Prime Minister` etc..... it sure looks like getting near ,,,, And than who knows whom we all might choose ??? mirjam ,

Gotta agree with you on that one.

Compare him to one of Clinton's big speeches to Congress where they loaded the wrong speech in the teleprompter and he winged it quite successfully till they got the right one loaded.

I wasn't implying that "everybody can", just that I got so used to seeing it done well that it doesn't jump out at me as being unusual, since I know so many people who can do it.

Sort of like someone who grew up in Kansas will stare at a woman wearing a kimono in the street, which wouldn't even hit the radar of someone who grew up in Tokyo until the person from Kansas nudges them and reminds them that they are currently in Kansas, not Japan.

But now that you've mentioned it, I will make a point of noticing it next time. To date, the only thing that had registered with me was that his speaking ability is definitely an improvement over BushBaby. Then again, so is Miss Kitty's......

I'll call her later today and let the world know!

That's very true - I find our Parliament very boring these days, no witty thrusts and parries, if they were allowed they would be yelling 'liar' at the opposite side. I frequently listen to BBC and hear the English parliament, bit better debating skills there.

Obama did fire people with his speech, but does he have the stuff he needs to make a good president ? That's what I am not so sure about.