OBAMA

People change and a lot of

People change and a lot of the change people make in their lives becomes necessary due to their instinct to survive.  The goo goo eyed, good doer politician to be, will soon realize that to survive in his new environment, he should think like a fox and act like a shark. He should toe the line as set forth by his party or there will be no money alloted to his re-election campaign for his next term. 
He soon learns that in Rome he should do as the Romans do. To be an effective politician he soon learns how to talk from both sides of his face, wear five different hats, shake all the hands extended to him, smile from ear to ear while wiping the crocodile tears  off his cheeks, and kiss a couple babies for good measure. All these to be done at the same time no less!  
To an idealist person, it would sound great to suggest that if we choose a new or inexperienced politician we shall be better off because a new politician is an honest politician. This may be correct in a short time. But nothing in real world of government is achieved in a short term. Everything takes a long time to get done. So, by electing a novice politician not only we do not achieve the desired goal, but also we get ourselves a politician without experience, who has to learn and make mistakes on the job.   Whether we are choosing a doctor, a politician, or a new president, experience matters. People pay more to get a more experienced worker, a plumber, or an accountant, then why should we not value a more experienced politician? 
The answer may be to place more accountability on the shoulders of our politicians. To put in place more checks and balances, rather than dumping them just because they have been in politics for too long.

Dear Mr Bullet :)

when people with good intentions and enough ambition show character and integrity, they get elected as public officials and become politicians. The longer they stay in politics, the more they are forced to play the game, they get involved with different lobbies and are forced to return favors etc... we're in this royal mess (socially and economically) because of the old politicians in this administration. I don't see the "lack of experience" as a weak point. I'd rather have someone who is still interested in people's well-being in the office. Don't you?  

please read Dr Bakhtiar's article, you'll see what I mean:

//iranian.com/main/2008/no-madness-worse-greed

Thank you

IRANdokht

Did Bill Clinton and Reagan & .. have foreign policy experince?

answer is NO . They were governors, not even US Senators.

If experience in Washington is what matters, it is good that Obama is not yet tainted much with it  

its about judgement, Character and vision when comparing to the other two choices that we have

So many Iranians abroad are so stuck in what happend in 1979 in Iran that they just can not go beyond, Shah, Khomeini and Carter

time to move on  , the world has... !

Neither one is a good choice

I have already ranted and raved on other threads about her, so I will leave it with this. The only thing Hillary is about is ......Hillary.

Obama carries himself in public better than most politicians, which gives him a measure of respect, which he certainly has earned.  

Unfortunately, his lack of experience at this political level is very troubling. Jimmy Carter had the same affliction. A Southern gentleman farmer who is also arguably the lousiest president ever.

An Obama supporter tells the difference

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=kica8hmSdAM

Alborzi, you are misguided BIG TIME!

Sounds like you have bought into all the garbage that Fox News, on orders from the criminals now in power are feeding you and most naive Americans.

Best of luck to you and people with your attitude.

Mr. Barak Obama

I have been watching and listening to all the news of the presidential election in the United States. This election has become very important and unique in its own right. Never before has a woman or a black man has even entered into the arena with a good chance of winning. I must say that I am in the process of reading Mr. Obama's book entitled: "The audacity of hope" and that I been inspired by his honesty and openness. An openness and straight forward manner that is unprecedented in politics and I believe that has inspired millions of Americans to vote for him in the primaries and to send him money - he raised $50 million in the last month alone - but that’s not all.
He brings with him not only inspirational speeches but detailed ideas on how to solve the many problems middle class Americans face today.
As for us Iranians, I think he will be the best candidate to force the Mullahs in Iran to talk to the US, thereby taking away the main slogan of the IR; this alone and other pressures would weaken the IR and help our people to become free of the IR, as we all want.
Hillary Clinton offers more of the same as Bill Clinton managed in his presidency and Mr. McCain wants to bomb us.

To those Iranians whom are mistrusting of him and think that the message of hope and change is naive, I will say this:
8 years of Bush has brought economic hardship for million of Americans and disaster after another on the world stage. Today a man sits in the oval office that had lied to the American people and the world and used 9/11 as an excuse for invading Iraq, and I don't hear anyone complaining of that.
But just when someone starts to talk honestly and sincerely we become suspicious of him because we have never heard the truth and that we Iranians are used to lying and to have liars as our leaders for so long.
Are we Iranians bitter of change as the result of unfortunate changes that happened 30 years ago in our land, that we cannot see the changes happening today?
This is the 21st century and the new technological advancements that have taken place have empowered the individuals the entire world over to see what is happening around them and they are seeing the light and they undoubtedly want change.
Change from the dirty politics of yesterday, change from scaremongering and negative campaigning of yesterday, change from lack of transparency in government, and change from the messages of hate and war and destruction.
All of the above has been practiced by the current administration for far too long.

But tomorrow promises to be different. Here is a man whom chose to do grass root campaigning in Illinois his home state. Here is a man whom decided to teach constitution law in the university after becoming a lawyer instead of joining the Wall Street and becoming a corporate lawyer. He happens to be the most educated, the most centred and respectful politician. He has worked his way up, despite of all the discriminations a black man faces in US, and he has done a very good job of that.
He had the wisdom, and courage to oppose the Iraq war from the start and he did so
at the time that when it was very unpopular.

If you look beyond the colour of skin and beyond the middle name and look at the man and what he stands for, I believe you will see a new kind of politician emerging.
Lets hope that he get the democratic party’s nomination and wins the presidency in November.

There is a BIG difference, one means it and other says it !

Remember how Khomeini, Khatami and Ahmadinejad made all those promises to people to get to power? (not that two systems are same but lesson are !)

What one says or promises before s/he gets to power can not be the only gauge to determine who is a better candidate to represent people

Clinton and Obama may say and promise almost same things and of course they do!. They both are from Democratic party !!! What else would anyone expect? That they present a liberterian, or republican manifesto such as Ron Paul's or McCain's .. ?!!!

THE DIFFERENCE between Obama and Clinton is that one means it and the other one says it to get to power?

How can we know? It is very simple!!

Look at all that Hillary says and does from kitchen sink to kitchen stinks to garbage disposals, from one day crying while stealing John Edwards words that "This is very personal to me" to another day telling Obama that he is doing plagerism to another day that she is honored to be next to him , just to shout the next day : "shame on you Obama" about a brochure that she knew about since Ohio!!  From saying that McCain (a repiblican) is more qualified than Obama  to........ hiding her tax returns. From trying to delay the results of the Texas Caucus because she knows in reality she lost Texas and not win it to not disclosing her earmarks...From lying about her positions on Iraq war and NAFTA to counting being wife of a president as political experience. Then I guess Barbara Bush should run for president too...and the list goes on.... HILLARY ONLY CARES ABOUT HERSELF AND NOT THE COUNTRY. IN HER BOOK IF IT IS NOT HER, MIGHT AS WELL BE A REPUBLICAN SO THAT SHE CAN LATER SAY: I TOLD YOU OBAMA CANT WIN. She has tried to don more damage to Obama than all republicans combined have done so far !

If you want a US president who would do anything and tell any lie to people (just as she is doing in campaign), If you want a US president who will promote secrecy (just as she is doing in campaign).... Then Hillary Clinton is the choice. She will continue the same deceitful practices later with people too....haven't we had enough of that with Bush ?!  You already are getting previews of Clinton and Obama's presidency through their campaigns, one tells anything to people and other maintains a respectful one. If you also want to to see the management styles of their presdidency, look at how wasteful Clinton's campaign has been with the money they had to how good and organized Obama has run his campaign.

The previews of the movies are in front of us already ! 

In summary it is more about CHARACTER and DECENCY when it comes to Obama versus Clinton. One has it and other one doesn't!

and yes I agree , Obama is where he is because he is (half ) black!! BECAUSE If he was white he would have been elected as democratic party candidate by now !! 

Obama is my man

If lived in deep south in 60 's and 70's like I did, then you would know how unique Obama is.

On lighter side,

how could you not be a fan of Black man -1/4 white/shia / Christian/ Harvard Grad who attends radical black church.

as oppose to cold 1/4 Jewish Lesbian who is married to the "slim"

Dear Reza Varjavand

First of all, the perception piece shows two separate examples as to how people's perception affect their actions. May be I should not have placed those two examples together and confuse everyone.

What I am very interested to know is since when we elect officials based on them being minorities and leading difficult lives and experiencing lots of hardship?  Should we not elect officials based on their record and past performance? No matter whether they are women, men, white, black, yellow, or brown? Just because Obama is black, holds a law degree and has been in the Senate for three years or so do not automatically make him the best president for us. 

Good question

The enemies are the people who have attacked /raped innocent civilians. People who advocate change by boycotting elections and generally advocate violence
are enemies. Its really a redneck logic to turn into evil to fight evil. Now if you understand it you will be admitted to Alborz. May we have a peaceful year.

You get What You Pay For!

Mr. Reza Varjavand,
Here, you get what you pay for, like at any other private club!

Not The Same

I don't follow the elections and don't listen their stuff but from the little that I did, they are very different. It may not show in their "manifesto" or official writings but I think they are very different people. Obama is far better. Clinton is a typical poletician whereas Obama is not quite there yet. Having said that, i don't hold my breath for Obama making a significant change in the US or the world. That requires more than just one person.

But an interesting parallel can be drawn with Iranian elections and how it always is lacking any "real" candidates. This seems to be s disease that affactes ALL nations! Interesting.

reza Varjavand   So,

reza Varjavand

So, what is your point? What are you trying to prove or disprove? Barak Obama is an extremely intelligent black person who has been possibly subjected to all sorts of discriminations and hardships. Nevertheless, he has managed to earn his way up inch by inch and is destined to become the first black president of this country. We should all support him any way we can because based on what he is saying he is the best president for us, minorities, and for our country. What is the relationship between the governor of New York spending money on prostitutes and Obama? Your is one of the most nonsensical article I have read in this publication

Let me clarify

All you have to do is to read or listen to the manifestos of these two candidates. They are the same or nearly the same on all the important issues. Be it the health care, war in Iraq, dealing with Iran, fixing the economy and so one. If Obama were a white man with the same agenda he would not have attracted the same number of votes as he has as a black man. I am NOT trying to put Obama down, all I am saying is that the policies he is talking about that has captured everyone's attention is not much different from Clinton's and that where he has been successful is that he has been able to create this perception in the minds of the voters that he is different and he is bringing forth something new. 

Who are Alborzi's enemies?

Dear Alborzi;

Who is the "Enemy"?. The people who are fighting to get the invaders/Occupiers out of their Homeland?. You call them "Enemies"?

I guess you have been brain washed like most of the people who support GW. Very intelligent.

He is not as pro war as clinton

It seems he is much more pro arguing with the enemy than the companies like Boeing and GM would want.
Reminds me of 1973, there was an unpopular war, inflation just had started (remember win buttons) and Nixon (the man who all hated) got re-elected. The other guy was McGovern, pro peace , pilot WWII, phd a professor at Northwestern. You do not need to worry Obama will not win a single primary. McCain is the next president. Its like delicious Chinese food, its not good unless its made with animal fat and MSG.

I guess you don't live in U.S.

When was the last time someone said a minority, especially black person in this country got some place because they wer black?

You might have noticed racism in this country!?

The minute that stupid Ferraro brought up the Race issue, she opened up the can of worms and this issue is not going away throughout this contest.

Hillary has no original ideas of her own and this is very clear from all her talks. She swings from one direction to another based on what is the popular idea of the day.

They are the same?, I don't think so.

No racism in this country?, I don't think so.

Lucky...

I see how Barack Hossein Obama is lucky to be who he is in this country running for the highest office, being black and having a name like he does...

it's almost like someone with the last name "hitler" running for elections in Israel...

I'd say Ferraro made as much sense as this article does!

besides, both Hillary and Obama have their followers, politically and emotionally. It doesn't matter which one wins the nomination though, the people who are sick of the war and the eight years of misery imposed on them by this current administration, will set aside their differences and get behind the one to defeat McCain.

Lets just hope that the people's votes count this time around

IRANdokht

How?

I tried very hard to follow your logic. How you went from Obama to Clinton to Spitzer will logically puzzle me, and all I am left to do is to recount the joke in my head and laugh at your article. LOL!

PS. a constructive feedback: stick to one topic per article.

Well, if he is the same as Clinton, why not vote for him?

OK, it's just perception but isn't that important in foreign policy? What's the problem?