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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
May 1, 2008
/ 26 Nissan 5768
Carter, Hart ... and Obama?
By
James Klurfeld
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
The political question of the day is why Sen. Barack Obama can't close out the Democratic nomination. He missed the opportunity in New Hampshire, and then again in Texas and Ohio, and now in Pennsylvania.
In a race that has gone on for this long and with the demographic profiles of the two candidates so different, it would be foolish to single out just one reason Obama can't put an end to the race. But it's possible to place it in a historical context. That is, it's not at all unusual for a political newcomer to bolt out of the gates and shoot ahead of the field early, only to come down back to earth as voters take a closer look at somebody they don't know that well and who doesn't have much experience.
Obama is on a flight path similar to Jimmy Carter's in 1976 or Gary Hart's in 1984, or even Bill Clinton's in 1992. The underlying truth is that Americans feel more comfortable with their presidential candidates when they know them well. There are myriad reasons Obama hasn't put the nomination away, but they all revolve around this issue of familiarity, and, especially, a lack of national experience.
The Republicans, going back to Richard Nixon in 1960 and 1968, have generally nominated the most-experienced candidate. And, by and large, it has served them well.
This time around, it was inevitable that someone would emerge as the anti-Hillary Clinton candidate. She just has too much baggage, and there is too much antipathy toward her within the party, for Democratic voters not to have looked for an alternative. And that Obama turned out to be as articulate, charismatic and unique as anybody who's emerged from our system in years just added to the drama.
But once he made his initial impression and soared to the top, it was just as inevitable that voters would take a second look. That's what's happening now, and Obama has not done particularly well. But a lot of the questions center around his not being well known or having much experience. And Clinton has been dogged, if not downright vicious, in pressing his weaknesses. That is, after all, what campaigns are about.
A similar thing happened to Carter when his campaign stalled about halfway through the primaries. He was too far ahead to be caught, but even late-entrant Jerry Brown, then California governor, started beating him in primaries. Carter's road to the White House was bumpy after that, and he almost blew a big lead over President Gerald Ford. And that was in the wake of the Watergate scandals and Ford's pardon of Nixon.
But the more relevant point might be that once Carter became president he proved largely unqualified for the job. His early promise, "I will have a government as good as its people," had resonance at first. But when he blamed the American people's "malaise" for the failure to get things done, and then saw the Iran hostage rescue mission blow up in the sands, he was finished - even though his defeat by Ronald Reagan didn't become apparent until the closing days of the campaign.
I suspect that one reason older Democrats have shown much less enthusiasm for Obama is the memory of Carter. To young voters, all that is ancient history.
Gary Hart's 1984 run offers another instructive comparison. He came out of nowhere to win the New Hampshire primary over former Vice President Walter Mondale and seemed to be surging ahead - especially with support from young, college-educated voters (sound familiar?). But he didn't fare so well in the inevitable closer look, when it was discovered he had changed his name from Hartpence and couldn't articulate an answer to Mondale's "Where's the beef?" question.
I'm not making any predictions here. We've seen too many be wrong this year. But I do believe Obama has to deal with the question of experience and familiarity in a more effective way - if not against Sen. Clinton, then certainly in the fall, against Sen. John McCain.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
James Klurfeld is a professor of journalism at Stony Brook University.
Previously:
04/12/08: Election year politics and the cost of war
04/02/08: Time for a '30s-style government mortgage role
03/11/08: Power rightly belongs to Dem superdelegates
03/04/08: A neophyte looks like a pro, and vice versa
02/22/08: The allure of Obama for young people
02/19/08: Obama sounds good, but words aren't enough
© 2008, Newsday Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
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