politics

Media Stokes Obama Drama, Bloggers Less Coy

The senator’s Meet the Press interview propelled talk about a possible 2008 presidential run to a new level, not least in the blogosphere.

October 23, 2006

During a five-day span last week, the New York Times published four Op-Ed columns speculating about Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s presidential potential. At the same time, the senator’s face popped up on the cover of Time magazine. Finally, the media’s stoking of the Obama drama reached a new zenith this weekend when the senator appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press with Tim Russert.

To Russert’s inevitable question about Obama’s 2008 bid, the senator responded, “I don’t want to be coy about this, given the responses that I’ve been getting over the last several months, I have thought about the possibility. But I have not thought it — about it with the seriousness and depth that I think is required. My main focus right now is in the ’06 [elections] and making sure that we retake the Congress. After oh — after November 7, I’ll sit down and, and consider, and if at some point, I change my mind, I will make a public announcement and everybody will be able to go at me.”

Afterwards, bloggers were even less coy.

“Personally, I think Barack Obama is the David Caruso of this political season,” asserts Myrna Blyth at the National Review blog the Corner. “Caruso, you may remember, was the star of NYPD Blue and so hot, hot, hot that he left the show after just one season to become a Big Movie Star. Only trouble, after making several crummy movies, he is back on CSI: Miami, twelve years later, playing virtually the same role he played then. I don’t doubt that will be Obama’s career path.”

“I’m finding it ever more likely that Obama will be on the ticket in one way or another,” writes blogger “Woodrow Eisenhower” at Race 4 2008. “His extreme liberal voting record will not garner him many independent votes, but the Republican Party must not underestimate his enthusiastic, fresh face and rock star appeal. If the Republicans want to counteract this, they will want to have someone with a good amount of celebrity appeal on their ticket as well. But, having Obama on the Democratic ticket will virtually ensure that any Republican ticket with the slightest appeal to moderate voters will sweep the Electoral College.”

Elsewhere, some conservative bloggers put a favorable spin on the news.

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“I have to admit it … I’m a gun owner, a conservative Christian, and a Democrat,” proclaims A Catholic Sooner. “That’s right, I’m a conservative Democrat! I’m a proud supporter of gun owners’ rights, I believe in the right to life from womb to tomb, and I’m a staunch supporter of Democrats for Life! So that is why today has been so awesome! This morning on Meet the Press, Illinois Senator Barack Obama opened the door for a 2008 presidential run!!!!”

“Obama may easily be a less effective president than Clinton,” writes libertarian blogger Daniel Macintyre at Key Words, “which is ALWAYS a good thing! An effective president usually builds up government interventions, increases funds to his pet projects and increases the burden of the Americans he’s ‘saving’ with his decisions. Give me a president who inspires gridlock ANYTIME!”

“The fact that two-year Senator Obama is treated like a rock star and given presumptive serious-presidential-candidate status by the 527 Media is an indicator of just how thin the Democratic Party’s bench is after Hillary, Kerry, and Gore (oh my),” adds TBlumer at Bizzyblog.

Meantime, some liberal bloggers were less than ecstatic.

“My particular criticism of Barack Obama is not at all directed at his stupendous political talent, intelligence or even commitment to a progressive agenda,” writes Big Tent Democrat at Talk Left. “It is directed at his disdain for politics. Yes politics. Because, whether for selfish image-conscious reasons or for idealistic reasons, Obama has decided that Democrats need to find common ground with the Religious Right, look to compromise bipartisan solutions with Republicans and not engage in the political battle. These pretty thoughts make David Broder and Joe Klein smile, but they are bad politics and since bad Democratic politics lead to Republican governance, bad policy.”

Finally, one blogger noticed a serious news angle overlooked by many of his peers.

“The women will go crazy for Barack,” writes Adam Ash. “He is extremely sexy — the sexiest candidate since, well, JFK.”

Mark Boyer was a CJR intern.