[POLL] Four years ago, had you ever heard of Barack Obama?

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WhipperSnapper

WhipperSnapper

Lifer
Oct 30, 2004
11,442
32
91
While listening to an NPR clip about Obama's victory, the thought occurred to me. Had I even heard of this guy two years ago? Four years ago? When you contemplate that--that a relatively unknown man who is a racial minority could win the presidency--his election victories really are amazing.
 
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Infohawk

Lifer
Jan 12, 2002
17,844
1
0
His big entrance was giving a speech at the 2004 DNC. Everyone raved about it. At the time I just thought that he was getting a lot of attention for being well-spoken and black.
 
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nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
heard of Obama at the 2004 convention and assumed he was going to be a strong contender in the 2008 primaries.

didn't time run a cover on Obama shortly after the convention with the headline "the next president?"?
 
F

Farang

Lifer
Jul 7, 2003
10,913
3
0
I am a political junkie so I'd heard of him in '04 during the DNC and was surprised at his candidacy in '08.. at first I thought it was premature and that he was trying to get his name on the national stage and possibly vie for a VP spot. Maybe he was and got more than he bargained for.
 
WhipperSnapper

WhipperSnapper

Lifer
Oct 30, 2004
11,442
32
91

Maybe I'd heard of him then as well but I can't say that I really have much memory of his existence prior to about two years ago.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,064
14,477
146
Originally posted by: Infohawk
His big entrance was giving a speech at the 2004 DNC. Everyone raved about it. At the time I just thought that he was getting a lot of attention for being well-spoken and black.
Click to expand...

I agree, except he was more than just well-spoken. The guy is a fabulous orator. I may have heard his name before this, but if so, I don't remember it...but after his speech...his name was everywhere.

I'm actually quite surprised that he did as well as he did in the primaries, but not so surprised that he won the election. He seems to offer so much more substance than McCain. Only time will tell if there's any actual substance to the guy or if it's just campaign rhetoric and smoke & mirrors.
For the sake of the country, I hope it's actual substance.
 
ProfJohn

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
0
Originally posted by: Infohawk
His big entrance was giving a speech at the 2004 DNC. Everyone raved about it. At the time I just thought that he was getting a lot of attention for being well-spoken and black.
Click to expand...
Exactly, who thought he would become the President.

Back in the 80s the Democrats picked some female congresswoman from New York to give the big speech. Everyone thought this would be her big move to the front of national attention and then nothing happened afterwards and I think she even lost her seat years down the road.

So Obama gives this big speech and I am thinking "flavor of the day, again"

And even when he ran I really thought he was just laying the ground work for a future run.
I honestly wonder if he really ran based on that idea. Get his name out, build some fans and then run again in 4-8 years and really have a chance to win then.
 
AstroManLuca

AstroManLuca

Lifer
Jun 24, 2004
15,628
5
81
I watched the 2004 DNC and I remember his speech well. It was amazing. I remember Kerry's speech as well, and it was pretty good (in fact, probably one of the best he gave in the entire campaign), but Obama was quite a bit better. He definitely struck me as presidential material.
 
palehorse

palehorse

Lifer
Dec 21, 2005
11,521
0
76
ummm, hello... little event called the 2004 DNC was held over four years ago where he owned the night.

But, before that, no.
 
TallBill

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: palehorse
ummm, hello... little event called the 2004 DNC was held over four years ago where he owned the night.

But, before that, no.
Click to expand...

Umm, hello, I was to busy in Afghanistan to be watching the news. I only recognized his name when he became an IL senator, but knew nothing about his politics until the primaries this year.
 
Born2bwire

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
I'm from Illinois so I know about him from his senate run (man, what a circus that one turned out to be). I'm not in Chicago so I wasn't familiar with his previous bids.
 
Mani

Mani

Diamond Member
Aug 9, 2001
4,808
1
0
Saw his speech in the 2004 DNC and knew he'd be president one day. I just didn't think it would be so soon.
 
F

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Originally posted by: Infohawk
His big entrance was giving a speech at the 2004 DNC. Everyone raved about it. At the time I just thought that he was getting a lot of attention for being well-spoken and black.
Click to expand...
Exactly, who thought he would become the President.

Back in the 80s the Democrats picked some female congresswoman from New York to give the big speech. Everyone thought this would be her big move to the front of national attention and then nothing happened afterwards and I think she even lost her seat years down the road.

So Obama gives this big speech and I am thinking "flavor of the day, again"

And even when he ran I really thought he was just laying the ground work for a future run.
I honestly wonder if he really ran based on that idea. Get his name out, build some fans and then run again in 4-8 years and really have a chance to win then.
Click to expand...

If Obama didn't do as well in school as he did (as opposed to many other politicians) I'd probably be a bit worried about his Presidency due to his lack of experience. Not too worried though, as very little gives someone the experience to be President, and I wouldn't say even a 100 years in senate gives true leadership experience (which Obama at least has a little of). I'm hoping he is as smart as he appears to be and proves to be a highly adaptable President, able to think on his feet. The exact opposite of "stay-the-course" Bush, really, who had plenty of experience.
 
WhipperSnapper

WhipperSnapper

Lifer
Oct 30, 2004
11,442
32
91
Originally posted by: Born2bwire
I'm from Illinois so I know about him from his senate run (man, what a circus that one turned out to be). I'm not in Chicago so I wasn't familiar with his previous bids.
Click to expand...

Was Alan Keyes the one providing the "circus" element of it?
 
Born2bwire

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper
Originally posted by: Born2bwire
I'm from Illinois so I know about him from his senate run (man, what a circus that one turned out to be). I'm not in Chicago so I wasn't familiar with his previous bids.
Click to expand...

Was Alan Keyes the one providing the "circus" element of it?
Click to expand...

Well it started with the original Republican candidate, Jack Ryan. He ended up dropping out in the middle of the race because it came out that his ex-wife alleged that Ryan took to various sex clubs, among other things. And Keyes was like a Hillary Clinton, when the hell did he ever live in Illinois? The party just shipped him over for the election and he was just full of crazy.
 
M

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
74,592
6,715
126
I knew who he was the minute I heard his name. So I wrote him and told him to stop hemming and hawing and run because he was going to win and his country needed him.
 
LunarRay

LunarRay

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2003
9,993
1
76
Originally posted by: Moonbeam
I knew who he was the minute I heard his name. So I wrote him and told him to stop hemming and hawing and run because he was going to win and his country needed him.
Click to expand...

Kenya needed him?

edit: oops :D
 
S

Skyclad1uhm1

Lifer
Aug 10, 2001
11,383
87
91
Nope, but then I'm European. Most US Senators stay out of the news here, unless they get caught cheating on their wifes with a guy.
 
S

shafeen

Member
Oct 14, 2008
58
0
0
read in some newspaper four years ago.......when he made some kind of speech

the editor there guessed that this guy is gonna do something big.......
 
S

SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
81
Originally posted by: Infohawk
His big entrance was giving a speech at the 2004 DNC. Everyone raved about it. At the time I just thought that he was getting a lot of attention for being well-spoken and black.
Click to expand...

The speech was huge for him. I remember thinking that he had a lot of potential.
 
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