My blog and some supporting evidence...

[Vekseid]

I know not everyone has read this, apparently its linkness isn't obvious to some:
Have Uou Voted?

But I saw this video, and whether or not you care for Obama, I just thought I'd show it... because although a person who never speaks out has no hope to change anything, one person's encouragement, one person's inspiration, shared, really can shape the course of this Nation.

Obama: "Fired Up? Ready To Go!"

Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

[adventurer]

No doubt this is so.

I appreciate Barack very, very much.

This enthusiasm for change and making a big difference:

Its welcomed in Europe very much. Personally I see Barack as real top leader.

Congrats to his victory!

[Moondazed]

It's certainly refreshing to have someone with charisma lined up to lead the country :D

[Trieste]

Or someone who knows how to speak the language. I would have been happy about that in either case.

[Will]

Or someone who knows how to speak the language. I would have been happy about that in either case.

Oh god, so true. >.<  It's going to be nice to have someone that pronounces every syllable of the word "terrorist."  Did Bush's staff actually write speeches for him?  Because it seemed like he was just winging it every time he stepped to the podium.

It really did feel like an intense moment when they announced that Obama had gotten the 270, moreso than I originally thought it would.  I certainly will remember that for the rest of my life.

[Moondazed]

Command of the English language is definitely a good thing, I'm talking more about how charismatic he is.  There's nothing charismatic about Bush, imo, and I lost a little enamel off my teeth every time he spoke in public.

[Moondazed]

And to hear nuclear pronounced properly... it's nearly orgasmic *giggle*

[Trieste]

Command of the English language is definitely a good thing, I'm talking more about how charismatic he is.  There's nothing charismatic about Bush, imo, and I lost a little enamel off my teeth every time he spoke in public.

I disagree. I was in Canada for the State of the Union address (I think that's which one it was, anyway) in 2002 when he pretty much declared war on terrorism. I remember sitting in my chair, probably looking as horrified as everyone else, and just starting to cry. I cannot describe the despair I felt for my country at that point. I did not like his words. But for words to be that powerful, one needs to be able to deliver them... that and he never came off as an unlikeable guy. Very few people will argue that Dubya doesn't have strong convictions, and most people I know hate the crap out of this war, but think that he truly believes he is doing God's work.

You can't get that without charisma.

[Oniya]

Mind you, charisma doesn't have to have anything to do with attractiveness.  Ghandi certainly wouldn't have made centerfold of Playgirl, but he was still quite charismatic.

[adventurer]

Oniya,

absolutely!

Charisma has to do with personality, soul and uniqueness of the person. No matter if male or female.

A.

[Will]

I'm not sure it was really charisma, but I may be splitting hairs.  I think he just had the same "my way or the highway" mentality that so many Americans seem to share, and all the people that just want to nuke the Middle East and call it over finally found someone they could rally around.

I guess you can call that charisma, but... I tend to think of charisma as the quality of getting people to follow you, and I really don't think Bush cares if anyone follows him or not.

[Vekseid]

Bush was charismatic - to his base. That's how he got people energized, and that's why McCain picked Sara Palin. You don't become president of the United States without charisma.

What's happened though, is that the Evangelical right is collapsing amongst the nation's youth... they're talking about 4% retention rates. That doesn't bode well for the future of fundamentalism in the US...

There is a hint of irony, considering it was a credit failure depression that was partly responsible for the rise of fundamentalism in the US in the first place.

[Oniya]

Bush was charismatic - to his base.

Exactly.  You can be scum to the world outside your followers, but if you've got enough of those, then you've got some force behind you, and your charisma has done its work.

[Moondazed]

I didn't say that charisma had anything to do with attractiveness?  And I can be moved to tears by the hatred and intolerance someone spews without charisma being present.  Anyway, I didn't mean to pull the thread off topic for a semantic argument of the meaning of the word charismatic :)

[Oniya]

This morning, our local news was reading and playing local opinions from people who wrote, texted, or called in, and it was amazing how many of them - of every background - openly scoffed at the race card.  I grew up with a mother who believed 'blacks and whites shouldn't interact socially' (and I told her she was nuts), so this was a very concrete change in society's attitude for me.