Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Debate Analysis: Is Obama a whiny schlemiel?

Only caught the first part of the debate, we recorded the rest. Have read some comments by others, Maynard at Tammy Bruce's blog asked the schlemiel question:

Obama the Wimp?
[...] This is not the first time Obama has pointedly referred to himself as a henpecked husband. And so what? A shrewish wife is an ancient basis for jokes, often of the self-deprecating variety (think Rodney Dangerfield). It's funny, but this is not the image we associate with a leader or a winner. It's more a whiny schlemiel sort of thing.

[...]

I'm not clear on what all this means. There's something odd about Obama; something I'd like to understand, and something that I'm not sure he understands. He probably has abandonment issues, and his adult life seems to have settled into a pattern of forming associations with angry people, such as his wife or Rev. Wright. Perhaps Obama has buried his anger, and it escapes in these passive-aggressive jabs, which he follows up with a laugh to prove he didn't mean it.

I'm not pretending I understand Obama. But if there's any sense in my armchair pop-psychology, then what would Obama do if he ever found himself on top? Perhaps he'd finally shove these angry, dominant associates aside. I bet that's his fantasy! But I sense he may be doomed to let them push him around, while he shoots back with an occasional verbal snipe.

Obviously this line of speculation reinforces my concern that Obama's instincts may serve him well in putting Michelle in her place (where the downside risk is getting hit with a frying pan), but it will prove fatal when he goes up against Mr. Ahmadinejad. [...]

We can only wonder. OK, if you want real red meat about the debate, you'll have to wait for the pundits tomorrow. ;-)
     

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