"oprahbama"

[Tatania]

If i was ever inclined to vote for Obama,just hearing that the big O endorses him turns me off completely. I can't stand that woman!!

I'm Canadian and agree 100%. What I dislike the most is how she acts like she's "just folks - just one of us". It's not that she has more money than most families will ever have in 3 life-times but that she demonstrated clearly in her "road trip" with Gayle that she's actually not comfortable living an "ordinary" life and is totally removed from most of our everyday realities.
It bugs me that all she has to do is say a certain Panini maker is the best she's every tried and you can no longer find the item in stock anywhere across Canada (what do we really all need Panini makers for anyway??)
It bothers me that she endorses silly, pseudo-science, “Laws of the Universe” or "Laws of Attraction" (as if it was like the "Law of Gravity")and her followers immediately buy into the whole philosophy. Well, at least a few people made a fortune off “The Secret”. Hope the rest have realized it's not actually a scientific Law.

Having traveled extensively in Europe and Asia over the past years I can assure anyone who still has doubts about this, that the Bush presidency has severely tarnished America's image abroad. Unfortunately, the citizens of other countries don't differentiate between the American people and who they elected into office. In all the years I've both lived and traveled in Europe, I've never seen such animosity toward America and it's people. Whether it's the bullying and childess name-calling countries endured when their citizens did not want to send troops to Iraq, the kidnapping of suspects to be interrogated in other countries, the torturing of prisoners, the denial of any hearing or trials to all those being held in Guantánamo, the manipulation of the UN, the huge debt the US treasury is racking up, etc. etc. - the negatives pile up.


The Americans I met in Europe this summer (through two months of travel in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Holland, Austria, and Switzerland) where the nicest people and all of them felt they had to apologize to us for the havoc Bush and his administration have wreaked. I love Americans and I frequently find myself in arguments with friends defending my decisions both to visit the US (I'm going to Orlando in January) and explaining that it's not fair to extend hatred for government to its citizens - even if they did elect the government.

One more thing I wanted to add - I remember when my American friends were so concerned about the image they had abroad during the Monica Lewinsky thing. I can assure everyone, that both Asians and Europeans are far worldlier about these things and the only thing they found amusing and couldn't fathom, was Americans hysterical reactions to a politicians’ fling.

 

[frndshpcptn]

'Cause........ he's............... black?

Glad you brought this up. I don't think that I could ever vote for a Jew or a Muslim or a woman.


Or a Morman.

You'd be surprised how many people actually really think what you wrote.

 

[Charade]

You'd be surprised how many people actually really think what you wrote.

Of course they're *all* conservatives and Republicans. Right?

 

[Tomader]

I'm Canadian and agree 100%. What I dislike the most is how she acts like she's "just folks - just one of us". It's not that she has more money than most families will ever have in 3 life-times but that she demonstrated clearly in her "road trip" with Gayle that she's actually not comfortable living an "ordinary" life and is totally removed from most of our everyday realities.
It bugs me that all she has to do is say a certain Panini maker is the best she's every tried and you can no longer find the item in stock anywhere across Canada (what do we really all need Panini makers for anyway??)
It bothers me that she endorses silly, pseudo-science, “Laws of the Universe” or "Laws of Attraction" (as if it was like the "Law of Gravity")and her followers immediately buy into the whole philosophy. Well, at least a few people made a fortune off “The Secret”. Hope the rest have realized it's not actually a scientific Law.

Having traveled extensively in Europe and Asia over the past years I can assure anyone who still has doubts about this, that the Bush presidency has severely tarnished America's image abroad. Unfortunately, the citizens of other countries don't differentiate between the American people and who they elected into office. In all the years I've both lived and traveled in Europe, I've never seen such animosity toward America and it's people. Whether it's the bullying and childess name-calling countries endured when their citizens did not want to send troops to Iraq, the kidnapping of suspects to be interrogated in other countries, the torturing of prisoners, the denial of any hearing or trials to all those being held in Guantánamo, the manipulation of the UN, the huge debt the US treasury is racking up, etc. etc. - the negatives pile up.


The Americans I met in Europe this summer (through two months of travel in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Holland, Austria, and Switzerland) where the nicest people and all of them felt they had to apologize to us for the havoc Bush and his administration have wreaked. I love Americans and I frequently find myself in arguments with friends defending my decisions both to visit the US (I'm going to Orlando in January) and explaining that it's not fair to extend hatred for government to its citizens - even if they did elect the government.

One more thing I wanted to add - I remember when my American friends were so concerned about the image they had abroad during the Monica Lewinsky thing. I can assure everyone, that both Asians and Europeans are far worldlier about these things and the only thing they found amusing and couldn't fathom, was Americans hysterical reactions to a politicians’ fling.

I've traveled to Italy and never gave much thought to how the Italians felt about me being an American. I guess that is because I'm proud of my country. I never felt a need to apologize for my President and the decisions he has made. If you need to justify why your coming into the US maybe stay where you are. If we are such a big bad country maybe it would be best not to visit us. A small side note. For this crazy American I take marriage seriously. A FLING is something to be embarrassed about when you are married. It shows the charater of the person. That applies to politicians.

 

[frndshpcptn]

Of course they're *all* conservatives and Republicans. Right?

No. Actually, I don't think they are.

I think they are a political cross-section - mostly people who have had less exposure to people "different" from them in thier lifetime. People are often simply more comfortable with people who mirror them in some way.

I know quite a few people (both conservative and liberal) who never met a Jewish person until thier 20's. They were perfectly nice, but had a lot of misperceptions as they had no real frame of reference on which to base thier initial opinion.

I'm blonde with blue eyes - they were shocked that a Jewish person could be anything other than Fran Drescher. Because in reality, the Hollywood caricatures of American Jews were the only exposure they had to people of the religion until that point. They just didn't live in an area with any Jewish people.

I think it really makes people uncomfortable to vote for someone with whom they can't readily identify. And for some of this country, people still have not had much day to day interaction with Jews or Muslims. They are still an "unknown"...and that's scary.

 

[Chuck S]

A small side note. For this crazy American I take marriage seriously. A FLING is something to be embarrassed about when you are married. It shows the charater of the person. That applies to politicians.

How do you feel about lying to congress, the UN and the American people (WMDs) to justify invading a sovereign nation? Or supporting torture? That to me speaks volumes about character.

 

[Soubrette]

I like Obama. I'm not a big "fan". But I like him. I like how he handles the media instead of letting the media handle him. I like that he said he did inhale and that that was the point. He said everyone has made mistakes. Direct. Unapologetic. There is strength in that.

I absolutely agree; Obama is the only candidate I've seen in a while who actually answers the questions addressed to him. Others just say, "well, that's an interesting question..." and then proceed to launch into their canned all-purpose, poll-tested response.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Like what? What's your vision? All of the candidates have their most current "vision" for the country on their websites.

Okay, you got me. I have not been to the websites as of yet and have just gathered my information on tv, so far.

My vision is to see the US more united instead of having complete gridlock in the political arena in Washington, DC.

I would like to hear how the candidates plan to implement and pay for the programs they endorse.

I guess I had better go do some more homework.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Okay, you got me. I have not been to the websites as of yet and have just gathered my information on tv, so far.

My vision is to see the US more united instead of having complete gridlock in the political arena in Washington, DC.

I would like to hear how the candidates plan to implement and pay for the programs they endorse.

I guess I had better go do some more homework.

I think this is the problem in a nutshell. How many people really take voting seriously enough to do their research? As a PP said, many vote party lines.

I am still researching candidates and I am unsure of who to vote for but Oprah wouldn't really influence my decision. I do think she is giving him more attention which is great for him. I do not think "inexperience" is really a valid reason for dismissing Obama. He has experience as a senator, it is not as if he just fell off a turnip truck. For me, lack of long time immersion in the political arena. It means he hasn't been around long enough to pick up all the corruption and inner underground loyalties many other politicians have.

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

I've traveled to Italy and never gave much thought to how the Italians felt about me being an American. I guess that is because I'm proud of my country. I never felt a need to apologize for my President and the decisions he has made. If you need to justify why your coming into the US maybe stay where you are. If we are such a big bad country maybe it would be best not to visit us. A small side note. For this crazy American I take marriage seriously. A FLING is something to be embarrassed about when you are married. It shows the charater of the person. That applies to politicians.

Well said!

 

[Tatania]

I've traveled to Italy and never gave much thought to how the Italians felt about me being an American. I guess that is because I'm proud of my country. I never felt a need to apologize for my President and the decisions he has made. If you need to justify why your coming into the US maybe stay where you are. If we are such a big bad country maybe it would be best not to visit us. A small side note. For this crazy American I take marriage seriously. A FLING is something to be embarrassed about when you are married. It shows the charater of the person. That applies to politicians.

In a perfect world politicians would never misrepresent anything but I think you'd be very hard pressed to find one that has always been 100% straight with the public. Think about what they promise to get elected and what is actually delivered afterwards. As regards a FLING, the only people who's business it is, is the couple involved because this is NOT something that is going to have an impact on public policy. Seriously, besides wasting a lot of time in Congress, what harm was done to American people or the economy? Many Presidents had mistreses (including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Jefferson who fathered children by his slave. Where they all terrible presidents who did harm to the country?

Deliberately misleading the public (also known as propaganda) and causing the death of almost 4000 US troops and at least 100,000 civilian deaths is a far greater crime in my book. But here's the thing - I don't think the American public is responsible for this and I don't think the actions of a government makes a country "bad" or "good".

Whether you care or not, there are many people who have decided not to travel to the US until there's a new government (and that includes Americans who moved here to get away from the Bush administration). So, when I get questioned as to why I'm going to the US to spend my holiday dollars I give people my reasons. I'm not justifying anything because I don't have to - it's more a matter of trying to counter the unfair negativity I see regarding the USA. Sorry if you misunderstood that in any way.