Obama is a celebrity

[itsoutthere]

I wanna start off by saying that in this previous election I wasn't stoked on either candidate
But Obama was elected as a celebrity not a president...
People were excited for a African American president who looked good and was a great public speaker and that's why (I believe) most people voted for him
I don't think most people realize how very little experience he has
I don't pretend to know everything about politics but I do know that he is becoming a celebrity
He has his own action figure and I believe his daughters are going to appear on Hannah Montana
It seems like he's two steps away from getting a reality show in the white house
I just think that we need a president in the white house not a celebrity
Am I the only one who feels like this?

 

[ElephantGuts]

It does seem like the American people are treating Obama as a celebrity. But that's okay as long as he's a good president. The more a leader is liked the better. And I do have confidence in Obama being a good president so if more people like him then that only increases his ability to change things.

And I think people elected him before he was a celebrity, not because, he was still elected because the majority of Americans thought he was the better candidate.

 

[Iolair]

The reactions to this election have taught me a lot.

Those who are upset about the outcome have been spending a lot of time judging Obama for things he hasn't even done yet. They've pounded their fists and kicked their feet like gradeschoolers who lost the soccer game, and I have just about as much respect for it.

It is only a matter of time before *all* presidents become celebrities. Obama just got an early start. US Presidents are celebrites no matter what they do. I'm not proud of that, but it is what it is.

 

[Jordan Deam]

He was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review and a professor of constitutional law at the University of Chicago for over a decade before he ran for president. Yes, he lacks experience in federal politics, but he's demonstrated his intellect in both the legal sphere and at the local and state level of politics. The fact that he's probably the strongest orator we've had as president since JFK is just the icing on the cake.

If there's ever been a case of someone's celebrity being deserved, it's Obama's. More than, say, this guy's.

 

[Erana]

You're likely just a little put off by this glory because of the last few candidates.
Go find someone of a generation or two ago, and ask 'em where they were when JFK was shot.

See, people used to like their political leaders. I really hope I can do so with Obama.

 

[FalloutJack]

All presidents are celebrities, whether they like it or not. People are eyeing them up like crazy, waiting for either the boon to mankind to sprout or the scandal to drop. I have no problem with the outcome of the election. I find the people making trouble over it to be a pain in the ass.

 

[Yensid]

The guy is the first real 'New generation' president. They guy carried a Blackberry and is actually personable. So far he seems like he really wants to change things. Yeah, he's black. That happens to be a big deal. It also help that the rest of the world actually likes him too.

 

[itsoutthere]

If lack of experience is a problem, why kick anyone out at 4 or 8 years?

 

[Kilo24]

If lack of experience is a problem, why kick anyone out at 4 or 8 years?

It helps keep the cynicism fresh.

As for the original post, an extraordinarily significant part of the President's job is being a celebrity. The election process necessitates it. Check out Ronald Reagan.

 

[Jamash]

But Obama was elected as a celebrity not a president...

As opposed to Ronald Regan?

What's the problem? He hasn't been in enough films to deserve his celebrity status?

 

[Simalacrum]

He does some good policies in my opinion... and besides, i think theres no real way to prepare for presidency... so experience can be gained. besides, he wouldn't have been voted if he wasn't celebratised.

 

[TheBluesader]

He was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review and a professor of constitutional law at the University of Chicago for over a decade before he ran for president. Yes, he lacks experience in federal politics, but he's demonstrated his intellect in both the legal sphere and at the local and state level of politics. The fact that he's probably the strongest orator we've had as president since JFK is just the icing on the cake.

If there's ever been a case of someone's celebrity being deserved, it's Obama's. More than, say, this guy's.

@ itsoutthere, define 'experience' that you would consider necessary to be president. A life-long politician, compromising ethics to please lobbyists and voters too disinterested for all but platitudes? Maybe a military career, which proves that one is loyal to the country and good a doing what one is told, but not much else? As Dream points out, he has law experience, teaching experience, and is well known for being a successful community organizer in a city where success is always hard-won.

I agree with Dream. He's only a celebrity because he's the sort of person who should be idolized worldwide. Time will tell if he's a good president. But I for one do not recall in my lifetime another man more deserving of the opportunity. Don't be distracted by how much people like him. Look to the man, and give him a chance.

 

[Cousin_IT]

The Democrats got their black Jesus; America got a president who might, if he is able to do anything like his ideas in his prentiously titled "the audacity of hope*," actually see the nation go anywhere but down while he's in charge. Everybody wins...for now at least

*as good a read as that book was, its name & his smirking smug face on the front made me cringe whenever I opened it. Elected as a demagogue, but hopefully wont rule as one

 

[Guvnorium]

If lack of experience is a problem, why kick anyone out at 4 or 8 years?

I can answer that. FDR was elcted four times. Congress was afraid someone else (maybe someone with worse intentions) would repeat the trick, so they ammended the constitution. (Oversimplification to be sure, but I don't have the time to explain it all.)

As for Obama, I say treat him like every other politition: With as much distrust and ciniscism as you feel like. His popularity and celebraty status means nothing when it comes to his policy. So that's how I'll judge him.

 

[shadow skill]

Every president is a celebrity, hell every candidate is a celebrity. Oh and Cousin_IT you do realize that by the first and second definitions of demagouge every political leader, or leader of a movement in history was and is a demagogue.....If you look at the second definition you would actually want Obama to lead, as a leader of the people rather than just segments of the population.

 

[The Wooster]

Did Bush "have experience"?

 

[letsnoobtehpwns]

celebrities are stupid, on drugs and fuck up a lot. the only celebrities (off the top of my head) who aren't (or weren't cause most are dead) total assholes were John Wayne, Morgan Freeman, Ronald Reagan, Michael Phelps and Clint Eastwood. but i'm not saying that Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood should run for president, celebrities and politics are 2 very different things that should not be mixed

 

[shadow skill]

Did Bush "have experience"?

On paper yes, and he was surrounded by people more than qualified on paper to be president, yet they failed miserably.