to feel like i'm the only one who thinks obama isn't all that great?

[mayorquimby]

i'm just not a big fan and all the media hype and fawning is really starting to annoy me. it's not that i dislike him, it's just that he's more celebrity than politician with him and rather than getting objective responses and critical analysis in much of the media we get articles which seem more likely to have been written by lovestruck teenagers than journalists.
if bush had made some of the gaffs or decisions obama had made the papers would have had a field day on him. i just worry that the polarisation of politicians in reporting i.e. everything bush does = bad,everything obamma does= good, regardless of what they have actually done is lazy and dangerous.

btw this i am not a bush supporter i thought he was horrible.

oh and having forgotten the whole point of the thread

aibu to feel like i'm the only one not enamoured with him?it seems like if you dare mention the fact that you don't think he's brilliant and the second coming some people assume you spend your friday nights dressed in sheets burning crosses.

i think he's great...but hate the way women drool over him...he ain't that good looking!

It's fair enough. Actually have you seen news-wipe? There was a great bit in it which (amusingly obviously) explained how news in now a reflection of what the public thinks of X, Y or Z instead of the facts about X Y or Z which is kinda what I think is going on here. According to the public Obama can do no wrong, so he is presented positively, all the time.

I assume Obama-mania will wear off in a few months and the reporting will get a bit more balanced.

I have nothing against the guy but I'd love to hear a bit more about what he is actually doing and a bit less random irrelevance!

politically...only time will tell...

i don't get all the fuss over michelle...is she the only black woman to have made it big?? er...i don't think so.

If he'd have been white with those policies I doubt he'd have been elected if we're being truthful, however if GWBush had been poor with his policies neither would he.

"There was a great bit in it which (amusingly obviously) explained how news in now a reflection of what the public thinks of X, Y or Z instead of the facts about X Y or Z which is kinda what I think is going on here"

and i think that's what annoys me most. not obamma himself, i think he's a good guy,charming and very very likeable but essentially inexperienced and ,despite all his claims throughout his campaign, a party politician.
no qualms with that.

but it's the way his actions are reported and dealt with by the media that grates me and public responses to them. because if you took the headlines on their own and showed them to people, without telling them who was responsible and then revealed who was behind it the reaction is not based on what the headline says but who it is saying it about.
so we have

president fluffs lines at inaugeration speech
if this was bush : dumb redneck, can't even get his speech right.
obamma: the great ones always make mistakes

goes on letterman to joke about bowling and basketball without once mentioning economic policies during the counries worst economic crisis
if bush: wtf is he doing dicking about on tv he should be working noon and night to figure out wtf to do
obama: god he's charming, glad he's in control.

50% more troops to afghanistan
bush: wtf
obama: he's right we need to see this out

compares his bowling to the special olympics
bush:played millions and millions of times and portraying him as a discriminating prick who we all agree is nasty
obamma: honest mistake,meant no real harm and he said sorry.lets move on

and on and on like that. as i said this isn't about defending bush or saying that obamma deserves to be nialed to the cross for anything that i listed above, just the way these incidents are treated because of media or personal bias. same with obamma getting his supporters to go door to door in california to get petitions signed saying people still supported him. that's what you do during an election campaign not after,wether or not it's right i don't know.but i do know how it would have been treated if it was bush doing it.

YANBU

Ocht, give him a minute FGS! He's only just got in the door. The media honeymoon will wane eventually. It is irritating, but if you don't like the reporting from one outlet then go somewhere else for it. Pretty sure Fox wont be giving him a free ride, watch it for balance. Kinda. (Can't believe I'm suggesting someone watch Fox News)

Much as I love the man, I do think you have a point re media portrayal - but it is a honeymoon period. And in fairness, he was given a hard time re the Commerce Secretary appointments cock up.

He's a good, intelligent man who won't dick around and will, I feel sure, do a good job - one key difference between Bush and Obama, which is why Obama might be perceived as having an easy ride press-wise, is that Obama appears to genuinely give a shit about the American people and the future of the American economy - and he respects the press, which of course will earn him their respect in return.

And why, oh, why has no one mentioned that he was part of the team of lawyers that took Citibank to court because they weren't offering subprime mortgages and then said just 2 years ago that it was a great idea to be offering mortgages to people who couldn't afford it previously.

Read an article about it here

TBH I am a bit in awe of him.
Of course he is going to fuck up, who wouldnt if every move they make is srutinised.

he isn't perfect. And the media need to stop being biased, but when is the media ever balanced about anything.

but it has changed the way the world think about the US.

Firstly the shock that the Americans voted for an African American. That is still a shocker.

He has done good things (reversing stem cell research decision. stopping the torture camps, trying to befriend Iran, starting breaking up guantanamo, trying to rid the world of nuclear weapons.changing world racist perceptions about black people and more things I can't remmeber now)

From my memory Bush mainly created the above problems and fuelled the danger and racism in the world.

After George Bush, an ape would have looked great.

Obama is actually good. So right after Bush, he is awesome.

I am not fond of Obama, but then Bush was a putz as well. The main fault I find with current politics (anywhere really) is that the only people that have the opportunity to run for a high ranking office generally are wealthy enough to have their own agenda, as well as being out of touch with "normal people." Just my opinion, of course.