So, Barack Obama's not perfect. He is still a great senator!

[UrbScotty]

I expect Barack Obama to do a fabulous job as a Senator.

Having said that, I do not expect that he will be perfect, simply because he is human, and thus is not perfect.

I don't know why some people seem to have developed a hatred for Obama all of a sudden, simply because of one vote. I'd understand if he had cast the deciding vote in a 50-49 decision. But what difference would it have made if it were an 84-14 vote instead of an 85-13 vote?

Let me say that I am very proud that one of my Senators, Carl Levin, voted NO. I am also disappointed that my other Senator, Debbie Stabenow, voted YES, just like Feingold, Obama, and 30 other Democrats. But I will still enthusiastically support her for re-election in 2006.

I expect Barack Obama to be a great Senator. But I also expect him to be a human.

[robbedvoter]

1. 3 for 3 crappy votes. Yous expectations are based on...Oprah?

[Bjornsdotter]

20. Exactly...

I haven't counted him out yet, but I am keeping a tally.

I voted him in...I can vote him out. I have 2 words for Obama...Alan Dixon.

Cheers,
Kim

[wildeyed]

30. Or maybe on the fact that he was president of the Harvard Law Review,

then chose to serve the people of Chicago and then the USA instead of going into private practice where he could make a bejillion dollars.

Obama is incredibly bright, charismatic, well prepared to serve, and as best I can tell, sincere in his desire to do good. I don't think his potential is just media hype.

[robbedvoter]

40. Condi was a provost, played piano...bla-bla-bla....

[mdmc]

2. He is great!

Condi should be approved... Pro War Dems suck...

[Bluebear]

3. Still? I am not impressed with his first three votes

[underpants]

4. Is this the 24 day evaluation?

I'm just saying.

[Zebulon]

5. I think it's way too early

to say he's a "great senator".

But he's a damn sight better than Alan Keyes.

[accipiter]

6. Hell yeah he is - he'll be a great Senator - some on DU think

that every Dem represents them. Wrong - Barack represents his state and he represents himself. He's saving his fights for later, as he should.

Some people on DU need to chill out.

[never cry wolf]

13. Over a million repubs voted for Obama in Illinois

He does represent them as well.

[Tomee450]

24. I have been

wondering what is it about Obama that makes people believe he is so wonderful and holds such promise. So far, I have not been impressed at all with him.

[noamnety]

19. It's one thing to save his fights

It's another to give a speech saying how impressed he is with Rice's "mastery of the issues."

The jury's out here, I won't condemn him for what he's done in just a few days, but this isn't an impressive start. He can't continue along this path for too long.

[iwantmycountryback]

7. I see, now we judge people after 3 votes

Not that that's too reactionary or anything. As one of the previous posters mentioned, what difference would his "nay" vote have made? I expect he'll vote against Gonzalez with all Dems.

[Bjornsdotter]

22. I'm not so sure about that...

I spoke with his Washington office today and I can away with the impression that he might vote yes.

We'll all have to wait and see.

Durbin voted "no" on Gonzales in committee today.

Cheers,
Kim

[merh]

8. What difference?

Gee, it would have taken the wind out of the repukes sails relative to the allegation that the opposition to CR was based on her race and not her lies to the American public if he had had the spine to vote against CR.

It would have demonstrated that he had guts and was willing to stand up for what is right for the nation. So did he not stand up because he believes the "race" issue is more important than the issue of CR's qualifications for the job?

:shrug:

He was wrong and he will not be a "great senator" (imho) if he backed down from this one!

[Mend]

12. Exactly, precisely, totally correct....his vote "no"

would have said, quite accurately, that this was not about race and would have countered repukes who said it was. And I think Andrew Young's support is all about race and not about truth and moral values which rice totally lacks.

[KittyWampus]

25. So Now It's Up To The ONE Black Senator To Do The Democratic Party's

Inter-Racial heavy work?

The Democrats need MORE people of color in leadership positions not less.

Condi, Colin and Gonzalez may be incompetent whores... but at least the GOP is smart enough to see the need for at least the APPEARANCE of inclusiveness.

[merh]

26. How many black democratic senators are there?

I forget. :shrug:

[merh]

28. I have a friend that is involved in local politics.

She was supporting a female judge and asked me for my support. I told her I could not support her and the friend said "but we have to keep women office if we want to ensure that women issues are respected". My response to her seems appropriate to your post:

I cannot vote for some one that is incompetent or not qualified for the office. Additionally, if they are not only incompetent but are bold faced liars, then I definitely cannot support them. What example does it set for other females (or minorities) to have the office held by incompetent liars, how does that help women's issues (or the minorities' cause)?

Be principled. Demand that people with qualifications be appointed or elected to hold an office. Don't celebrate the minorities position just because they are a minority.

[KittyWampus]

31. You Are Saying Obama Is Incompetent? And Principles Come In

Hierarchies.

Some "principles" supercede others.

That is the way the Universe works.

Obama got himself elected to the Senate after getting elected in the Illinois state Legislature.

I trust his evaluation of the situation. He is entitled to his evaluation. And if Democrats can't support him... then they're cutting off their nose to spite their face.

It's a less than perfect world.

People who are fixated on ideals end up falling off cliffs.

[merh]

34. No, I am saying Condi is incompetent and a liar and

Obama's principles should have compelled him to vote against her, despite her race. What is odd is that the majority of the minority voters in my poor ole southern red state, hate CR and are embarassed that she is pulling the race card. To many, she is just an Uncle Tom used by the repukes.

Honesty, veracity and ethics should overrule race. You must be a yankee, you have no idea how it feels to be a minority that has been taken advantage by the white man who promises the 40 acres and the mule.

There is nothing to trust him on. He did not stand up when the evidence was presented to him that minorites had been denied their right to vote in November of 2004, he may have given an eloquent speech, but he did not vote against certification (1 strike) so he voted against the civil rights of minorities.

He did not vote against the deceiving, incompetent woman that the weed nominated to the SOS job, even though she basically admitted to her lies, she was the NSA on the day that our nation was attacked and she had a memo a month earlier that gave her a clue the attack would happen. She is incompetent and she lies. (Strike 2)

How did he do on Gonzales? Is that Strike 3?

The repukes want to destroy civil rights and she is playing their game with them, CR doesn't care about civil rights and she "misuses" her Birmingham connection to pretend she does. Anyone who accepts her as a leader is mistaken and blinded by a false sense of loyalty to their race and not our nation.

Obama has had 2 chances to stand up for civil rights and has failed to vote for the position that supports civil rights. He has failed and so soon out of the gate. When you win by the margin he won, you should not be afraid to vote for what is right for the nation.

[Gman]

9. Never, ever, EVER fall in love with a politician

they will, without fail, at some point break your heart. Afterall, just like your dog is really only your dog, your politician is only your politician.

(Before anyone starts, all three of my dogs are part of the family, but if I had to save someone, my family would be first, then the dogs.)

[bobbobbins]

18. you're an evil evil man

they're part of your family, but if you had to save someone your family would be first...hmm...then that would make them not part of your family

[Gman]

36. I don't think my wife would be happy if I grabbed the dogs first

especially the german shepard. Maybe she'd get over it!

[andyhappy]

10. whats he done besides

whats he done besides giving that great speech at the DNC.

I am curious why everyone loves him 'all the sudden'

[andyhappy]

17. dead silence to my question

yeah...thats what I thought

obama is one speech and thats it. Jeeez you guys jump onto a bandwagon quick!

obama 08 obama 08! gimme a freakin break obama in 08!

one good speech does not a good man make

[SCantiGOP]

11. He gets a pass on this

While I would have voted against her (and wasted my time sending a request to do so to SC's two Senators) there is a school of thought that a President has the right to pick his cabinet and that the Senate is merely making sure the person is qualified. That being said, I'm pretty sure if he were in the last weeks of his political career instead of the very beginning, he would have voted against her.

[WI_DEM]

14. I agree we shouldn't judge him on Rice vote, but it is also too early

to say he is a great senator.

[jonnyblitz]

16. exactly. too soon to judge him to any extreme in either direction.

:thumbsup:

[JerseygirlCT]

15. I think it would be more accurate to say he can still be

a great senator.

Jury's still out, as it should be since he JUST started this job!

I'm all for giving the guy some time -- but the flip side is not making him out to be the savior of democracy before he's demonstrated any super-power skills, you know?

[lastknowngood]

21. He's done nothing yet let him prove himself just like everybody

else. He's got a lot going for him but I haven't seen anything to make me think he will be effective or representative of Dem values. He talks a good game let's see how he plays it.

[genius]

23. He failed 2 out of his first 2 tests. His score is 0. How much worse can

he get? I don't want to know.

[Vinca]

27. Sorry to say

it appears he's turning into a "sheeple" senator.

[adigal]

29. How can you be so sure?

I mean, yes, he made a great speech at the convention, but what else has the man done? I was very disappointed in his Yes vote for Rice, in committee and on the floor. If he is so accomodating, this bunch will eat him alive. I would rather see someone with power and passion - not being conciliatory. I think he is a nice man, but I think he will not push forth the progressive agenda.

[Walt Starr]

32. I reserve judgment until the Gonzales vote

If he votes to confirm, I'm writing him off.

[OneBlueSky]

33. well, I'm sure not impressed . . .

beyond the good looks and the glib tongue, he seems to be settling right in as another BushCo enabler . . . we're looking for courage and independent thinking, and we're seeing another rubber stamp . . . sad . . .

[ElectroPrincess]

35. Obama's a moderate republican ... like Bill Clinton - they're both

great = as far as republicans (DINO) can go. :P

[ScreamingMeemie]

37. I believe that Mr Obama has visions of the Oval Office in his head...

and I am really disappointed. I question his motive. Debbie has depressed me. I'll vote for her because she really has gone to bat for us, but I now distrust her a bit. She appears to have gone DLC and that makes me want to puke on some levels.

[theboss]

38. Can we stop making judgments every 24 hours?

Sweet Jesus. Obama is great! Obama sucks! Reid needs to be replaced! Reid needs to stay! Byrd for President! Get rid of Feinstein! Boxer for Pope!

I've been politicall active my entire life and I've never followed politics in this manner. It's like being with a bunch of Sports Talk Radio callers.

[andyhappy]

46. Boxer for Pope!

ok...I really just did a giggle-snort right here at my desk when i read that boxer for pope line!

I think of DU as a giant collective brain with all sorts of thoughts bouncing back and forth. Political Synapses if you will. Some great ideas come out of the haze but sometimes (more often than not) plain awful ugly ideas materialize that you usually keep for your 'inside voice' happen as well.

I like your sports talk radio analogy, but I wouldn't take it so seriously.

People just like to vent! And why not! Its good banter! ...at least better than the sports-zoo!

[KissMeKate]

39. yes! lets not ask him to stand for truth, "because hes human"!

I dont think so.

Its time we started holding every democrat accountable for every vote. It is clear from their performance in the recent past that they will roll over for Bush if we dont.

[KissMeKate]

41. Feingold folded too

I am deeply dissapointed in him- He had alot of concerns about Rice- he should have stood up to the Bush Administration.

How can we be the opposition party if the people who "represent us" dont actually oppose the Bush administration's terrible policies and appointments?

[greenohio]

42. You just have to laugh at the mentality here.

Obama good. Obama bad. It is a delight to watch.

[ScreamingMeemie]

43. I'm not laughing.

:shrug:

I'm pissed off at our senators for voting with this lying, thieving administration yet one more time. You go ahead and laugh. I'm getting busy...hoping to change things.

[martymar64]

44. He's now on Double Secret Probation!

He's stumbled with his first few misguided votes (aka fuckups), but he has five years to redeem himself. If he keeps this up, however, his chances don't look good. Obama! Straighten up and Fly Right if you want to keep your phoney baloney job!!

[Chicago Democrat]

45. I AM DISAPPOINTED!!!

Fall in line soldier!!!