Helen Thomas: Sell it, for God's sake, sell it.
I'm with Helen Thomas.The Democrats aren't selling this properly. Obama is the greatest orator of his generation and yet it is not his voice which is dominating this debate. All I can hear are the voices of the hate mongers and the fear mongers.
I want Obama to do what he does best and stand up to the plate and challenge the nonsense which these people are spewing. So far, he has failed to do so.
UPDATE:
Newshoggers land right on the money:
Mr. President we need your leadership now more than at any moment since you were elected. This is not the time to delegate. This is a time for you to take the stage -- the bully pulpit, if you will -- and call upon your considerable gifts, not to calm, not to stop worrying, not to cool our passions, but to redirect this energy in a different direction.
Fear is the emotion of the day. We fear the unknown. We fear that what might happen may be even worse than what we know. With good reason we do not trust our elected representatives. And at some level we really know that powerful interests are exploiting a critical moment in our national development. It is easier to live with the evil we know than perhaps confront one we have not yet met.
Rage is good. Anger is justified. Frustration is in order. But as the president, you must now find a way to aim this negative energy in a positive direction. It is now time to reveal and explain the many conflicting developments that have brought us to a political impasse. We need you to put on your teaching hat and become our Professor in Chief.
You have about four weeks to conduct a seminar of unprecedented size. We need a syllabus, a schedule and a goal. It needs to be in writing and it needs to be simple enough that even the most illiterate among us can understand. We need feedback and interaction, one of your strongest attributes. This piece of the seminar must be delegated. Others will have to discover what is most critical. This is not the only item on your desk. But make no mistake about it. You are the one who must drive home the hard truths we now must face and explain how conflicting interests -- all with the best of good intentions -- cannot be reconciled without making compromises.
Conflict resolution is one of the most important parts of your job description. And fortunately for us, it is an outstanding gift in your skill set.
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