You have to be both the book and the tweet in politics.

Obama stood for a more accessible health policy, reform on climate change, protecting American jobs via trade policy (?!) and a more consultative and open approach to foreign policy.

He also made great speeches. He has substance its just easier for some of his critics to pretend he doesn't. We've already seen that he's had a major go on health care - though its been hijacked by the Republicans. He tried hard at Copenhagen but China played interference. His foreign policy approach has been a success - it is so different than the Bush years.

If you actually study the structure of American politics a President has less power than people think. The President has to work within a Congressional system. So that has to factor into any assessment of Obama.

This article exaggerates the absence of Obama's policy specifics. Anyone who was even remotely engaged with the various think tanks and grassroots organisational machinery which helped put Obama in the White House could tell you his major important promises made during the campaign, as well as myriad other policy expectations that came with the Democratic platform. All that required was an internet connection.

To deny this because of a myopic focus on his lofty rhetoric during speeches and the gloss of celebrity isn't clever or insightful. The comparison to Orwell is also absurd.

What about Sarah Palin and her "message" to the Tea Party protestors who pretend that they are the vanguard for the "revolutionary" impulse in USA politics.

And what about George Bush too. Try googling: narcissism George Bush.

And what about the "great communicator" Ronald Reagan (Palins hero and inspiration)

Check out a book titled The Man Who Sold the World: Ronald Reagan and the Betrayal of Mainstream America by William Kleinknecht.

Also http://www.psychohistory.com/reagan/rcontent.htm

Particularly fine article. Written with good research, style and verve. It's an extension of Neil Postman's thesis about amusing ourselves to death and some of the research that Putnam and others have done on death of community and sense making.

I wouldn't entirely agree re Obama but it's close enough to be a valid point. Tweets, Facebook, TV, blogs all have a 'look at me' entertainment factor. The technology trivialises the discourse (a word I used to use in lectures when ever the teacher saw my hand up). That's one problem but it's even worse if you've got an ignorant publc because we've trivialised political discourse out of existence.

It's a pretty, postmodern sort of metaphor, but seems it is necessary to remind Jorgensen that Obama is functioning in a complex democracy, not a Fascist state, and is not one man but a party of diverse individuals, think tanks, expert advisors and vested interests. The sort of 'leader' Jorgensen appears to desire does not exist in the western world, yet, and hopefully never will. Who has not sat on a community committee and damned democracy for its stubborn recalcitrance to good sense? I'm sure Obama is having more than his fair share of that sentiment right now.
And he's also facing this much hyped 'popular uprising' from the Loony Right, the 'Tea Party' - for God's Sake! - led by the gun tot'n Ms Palin. And what are they complaining about Obama doing? Stopping the American economy going into a tailspin and freefalling into Depression? Trying to introduce a health scheme that provides basic health care to those who can't afford it and prevents whole families being bankrupted over one member's illness? Didn't hear a peep out the same lot when Bush Jr drained the coffers to trash Iraq and Afghanistan, and let cronies siphon off a few trillion, did we? Hmmmmm..

Good points Dr Merlyn but Jorgensen is an undergrad so lets cut him a bit of slack.

Mr. Jennings, though the writer is an undergraduate, he is too far off target to deserve any slack. It's time that he begins to understand the difference between a fascist ruler and a President of a democracy. Mr. Obama has been trying his best and must work within the system. This is all that he can do. He is still trying to stay true to his promises and we need to recognize that he has been working under trying circumstances. He did not inherit a paradise!

Emotions do indeed play a huge role in elections and politcians
know it. Karl Rove worked wonders for George Bush, with his
"Osama under the bed" strategy. It terrified many a little
old lady, enough to swing the elections.

Politicians also know that the more that they promise, the
more they will suffer an anti vote, with those upset by the
promise. So it pays not to be too specific.

The US elections came down to a question of who shows
good judgement. As we can see, many Americans think that
Sarah Palin should be their leader. Clearly they never
suffered enough pain under George, to show what good
judgement is all about.

There is nothing wrong with Obama's judgement, but the fact
remains that he was left a train wreck of an economy with
an empty treasury, mortgaged to the roof. So his hands
are tied in many ways.

Many republicans are of course in denial that it was their
bad judgement, which caused all this. No, Obama is not
the magic fairy to solve all that disaster, he's just doing
the best that he can, with a shocking hand, created by
George and Dick.

Obama has in fact earned respect around the world, for showing
good judgement and not being a sabre rattler. But IMHO a
large % of the American population are too stupid to understand
this. Let sabre rattling Sarah take them to the next major
American war.

I hope that it doesent happen, but I would be surprised if it
didn't.

Hugh Jorgensen is right.None of his critics here have a clue or are just apologists for Obama's foibles.

Obama refuses to repeal the "Patriot Act" He still retains Bush's powers of presidential orders ie he can over ride congress and declare his own rules.Obama wants ot bring in "Preventative Detention".ie you can be arrested for crimes you may be suspected of committing in the future.Habeas corpus will be gone and thus will come the totaliatarian state.

Obama has just proposed that suspected terrorists be assassinated.Sounds incredible see http://www.ronpaul.com/
Ron Paul to Obama"Do not assassinate American citizens"

Obama extended the war into Pakistan and yabby has the audacity to call him a seeker of peace?

The truth is the Obama lovers dare not question his integrity for fear of their own foibles being revealed.

*Obama extended the war into Pakistan and yabby has the audacity to call him a seeker of peace?*

Arjay, Obama is indeed seen internationally as a seeker of peace
and not a sabre rattler, that is why he is globally popular.

The war against the Taliban is interconnected, the border between
Pakistan and Afghanistan just being an imaginary line.

Now if you think that Afghanistan/Pakistan should just be handed
to the Taliban on a plate, to reintroduce things as they once were
in Afghanistan, then I can only conclude that the one with the
foible of lacking any kind of intelligence is you.

The political appraoch described here also seems to describe the australian federal opposition's current political tactics. It goes some way to explaining why joyce will remain in the finance portfolio, regardless (because of??) the mistakes he may make. A number of other things, including tony's regular 'lecture's' to women, could be articulated according to the thesis outlined here.
Wouldn't surprize me if they won the next election with this tactic. Worked very well for Obhama and I've never felt the australian electorate to be as effective critical thinkers as the politican's like to say they are.

Yabby .address the reality of the Patriot Act,Preventative Denention,and now his proposal for assassinating perceived illegal combatants.How do you justify these realities?

Arjay, since Obama was elected, he has shown that he keeps an open
mind, then constantly draws around him and has meetings with all
sorts of experts in their field, groups of them, to throw ideas
around, listen to informed opionion and all the arguments. They
then try to come up with a consensus as to what would be best for
America, considering all the facts.

Unlike George Bush, who relied on visions from the Lord for his
answers.

No doubt he did the same with the issues that you are upset about
this week. I have not heard what all the experts have said,
the many points they raised, for and against. There would indeed
be many points that neither of us has considered, we weren't at the
meetings. So we can't have an informed opinion.

It is the way that Obama comes to a decision that I respect, so
trust his judgement, unlike with Bush.