The Obama Hypnosis

Every day, there seems to be a new example of Barack Obama's Jim Jones-like grip on otherwise (semi) rational people. What began as a political phenomenon borne of a particularly charismatic figure has turned into a creepy and possibly malignant force.

Obama is a man of undeniable intelligence and skill, but his hyper-ascent has never been truly explained. If you got past the "satirical" cover, last week's New Yorker story posed an interesting question about Obama: "Who Sent You?" Nobody rises that far that fast through the ranks of Chicago Democratic machine politics without some powerful patrons. In Obama's case, they remain in the shadows. Who supported him? Who financed him? Who promoted him? Who covered for him? Who answered for him? Who sent him?

No one really knows.

Now that he's on the cusp of the Democratic nomination for president, there are other, even darker questions. Sure, he's got youth and dynamism. But can those things alone explain the incredibly hypnotic effect he's having here at home and abroad? It goes beyond the wild frenzy the Beatles inspired: that was about a new sound, a new way of hearing and seeing and being entertained, a liberation of sorts.

Although some of that is playing into the Obama Hypnosis, this time around, it's more profound and the implications more grave. Many (again, otherwise rational) people are willing to turn over not just their ears but their incomes and their family's and nation's security to someone unproved, untested, and unfamiliar. Someone whose connection to the rest of us is shaky at best.

The hypnotic swooning began during the primaries, when people started fainting at his rallies and women began raising their babies to him, hoping for his touch. People stood wide-eyed as he spoke, as if they were, in fact, witnessing the Second Coming.

Then the "professional" journalists succumbed to the swoon, and Chris Matthews declared a tingle going up his leg upon listening to Obama speak and other journalists gushed that "it was hard to be objective" about Obama because he was so "infectious." Last week's Newsweek cover story about Obama's faith was such a whitewash, such a puffball piece of propaganda that it looks like the piece's author is under the spell too.

Certainly most conservatives are immune to his potent charms, but it seems the only Democrats to also be immune are the Clintons. This is one seduction routine Bill didn't orchestrate, and he's still not falling for it. Neither is Hillary, although she's game-faced.

The Obama Hypnosis was interesting and relatively harmless for a while, but now it's starting to slide into Creepsville. The adoring throngs prepared to show up in western Europe to greet him this week. His selection of Berlin's Victory Column at which to give a major speech: a true symbol of Prussian and Nazi militarism. His choice to give a stadium acceptance speech during the Democratic convention. The "Dear Leader" overtones are hard to miss.

And then there's this week's story that the New York Times turned down an op-ed on Iraq written by John McCain because it didn't "mirror" one written by Obama last week. The left-wing media's bias against McCain doesn't surprise. But what does is their blatant explanation that McCain--like everyone else in America and the world--ought to fall under the hypnosis and "mirror" Obama.

Mindless, automatic, unquestioning acceptance: it's all very Stepford.

Remember that YouTube video mocking Hillary Clinton as a "Big Brother" brainwasher, whom a woman destroys by throwing a sledgehammer at the giant screen projecting Hillary's image?

Isn't it the height of irony that the real brainwasher is now upon us, hypnotizing, seducing, and controlling, and no one seems ready, willing, or able to throw the sledgehammer?

Comments

[FK]

I brought up on an earlier thread that, while everyone was making a big deal about the "New Yorker" cover, the article inside is far more damaging to Obama's reputation . . . that is, if anyone bothered to actually read it.

It is impressive that Obama always makes those 3-point shots. But I guess the liberals are behind that, too? Or maybe the basketballs themselves are biased in favor of Obama?

[SteveOk]

His message is similar to Huey Long's message in the 1930s. Long's program of "share our wealth" went well past Roosevelt's "New Deal" to radical redistribution of income. Obama has updated and repackaged the same old radical leftwing agenda to fit the modern age but it's the same old song and dance that the leftwing in this country has been singing for decades. Slick Willey is a scammer and that's why he isn't buying Obama's schtick. Sometimes it takes a scammer to recognize a scammer. Other people who will not be amused by Obama is the terrorists. They will recognize immediately that the man has no substance and character and can be had. The President of Iran will play him like a fine Stradivarius, just like the Ayatolah Khomeini played Jimmy Carter.

The first evidence of how the terrorists are going to manipulate Obama is his proposal to redeploy 10,000 troops to Afghanistan. He is playing directly into the terrorists game plan here by sending 10,000 more troops to Afghanistan and completely withdrawing our troops from Iraq. This is exactly what the terrorists want us to do. We can never win in Afghanistan as long as the terrorists have safe haven in Pakistan yet the more troops they can draw into Afghanistan the better for them and they can do to us what was done to the Russians in the 1980s. We have no national interest in Afghanistan and the purpose of the increased terrorist activities there now is an attempt to draw us deeper into that country and out of Iraq. Obama is falling for the bait hook, line, and sinker.

The terrorists threw everything they had at us to drive us out of Iraq and only the genius of General Petraeus was able to turn the tide. Obama is now going to finish what the terrorists couldn't force us to do. Why do the terrorists want us out of Iraq and into Afghanistan? They can't defeat us in Iraq but they believe they can in Afghanistan where the Russians were defeated. We have no national interests in Afghanistan and if we take the bait we may suffer the same fate as Russia.

[FK]

Perhaps Obama is the "black messiah" that Ray Davies sang about:

"They say a Black Messiah is gonna set the world on fire
A Black Messiah is gonna come and rule the world
Everybody talk about racial equality
Everybody talk about equal rights
But white's white, black's black and that's that
Everybody got the right to speak their mind
So don't shoot me for saying mine"

-- "Black Messiah", off the Kinks' "Misfits" album

[SteveOk]

(Fred):"Perhaps Obama is the "black messiah" that Ray Davies sang about:"
------------------------------

Fred, do you know what you call someone with a "messiah complex"? Answer: crazy. Obama has a "messiah complex" and many people in the Democratic Party also have this malady. Monice uses the analogy of the Jim Jones cult to describe Obama and his followers. The followers of Obama exhibit the same traits as Jim Jones followers.

Another example of someone with the "messiah complex" is Al Gore. If you read some of his latest speeches he sounds like he believes he is the savior of the world and even threatens people to get out of his way if you don't believe what he is spewing. I beieve he is a very dangerous man who is willing to use the full power of the Federal government to impose his radical views on America regardless of the will of the people. These people believe so srongly in their messianic view that they are willing to circumvent the normal democratic processes to impose their radical views on society.

[J. Pierpont Finch]

BEWARE OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA PROPAGANDA ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY!

Most recent example of unprecidented media bias is the former Clinton aid turned NY Times Editor decision to publish Obama's OP Ed Opinion and reject John McCain's OP Ed Opinion.

We are now living in an age where those who seek to know the news must proactively reach out using the internet to publications around the world that they trust and piece the news together to the best of their ability. From my viewpoint, we are all mushrooms in a blacked out cave of a country (Except for FREDK).

[FK]

I am *not* a mushroom in a blacked out cave? Did Finch just compliment or insult me?

[gringoman]

Monica,

If I may paraphrase from gringoVision's sometimes incredible incisiveness, posted months ago at this very site. It became evident to our sources back then, and later you saw it confirmed in the delegate aftermath, and now in the gushing Lamestream's Rockabama World Tour with BrianKatieCharley. It's this:

The New Slick met the Old Slick. Guess what happened to the Democrats' two-headed Slickzilla?

The New Slick came, saw, and out-slicked the Old Slick.

[gringoman]

from GRINGOBRO.

Yo Monca you fine thang you,

Lookit, Chil'. I gonna try to explain Obama to you. I ain't been to no Hahvit, I think you know, but I try. OK?

Obama, he be the Black Messiah. Yeah, I know supposed to be funny. That supposed to be a joke for the Hahvits. Yeah? Jus' a joke.

Guess what, Monca? It ain't no joke. Ain't really. Blacks---well, maybe only 99 puhcent--know it is what he be. They know it. They know he ain't the only one waitin' for him. They waitin' for him too. Why call it racis'? Do them fancy white libruls call it dat?

I don't mean all blacks belong to the Yaweh ben Yaweh cult, you know, dat come outta Jamaica, say God black, Jezis black, the apostles black, in fack the real Jooz is black---the lost tribe, anyway.

Yeah, I know, lotta black folk gonna laugh a little, but you know what? They
mightn't not say they believe he a Messiah. But you know what? They feel it. How many you think gonna not vote fo' him? Yeah, I'm tellin' you, girl. Sometimes you gotta listen to GringoBro. Remember: I blacker than you.

An' you know it ain't jus' the black neither. You see them Obamagirls. Them collitch kids. Them white libruls bendin' all over theyselves, wanna touch the robe. Like that dude Chirs Matthews on 'Harball,' say he gettin' that feelin' up his thigh bone, yeah, all up an' down his fat leg? So what he feelin'? His wife? No, he feelin' Messiah.

Yo Monca---you think jus' cause them white libruls don't wanna say "Messiah", they ain't feelin' it too? Sure, they might be too stuck up to admit it. Got they heads full a New Yawk Times an' stuff.

You know what I sayin'?

Think on it, Monca. GringoBro gonna lie to you?

[timothy_d11]

"I am *not* a mushroom in a blacked out cave? Did Finch just compliment or insult me?"

You get anything you deserve for trying to be civil with these uncivilized animals.

[timothy_d11]

Krisken Says:

My comment to Barack Obama,

Thank you for not allowing Fox news to send a “reporter” on your trip overseas. The media need to be shown that networks that encourage unsubstantiated gossip filled with fake news will not be treated as news organizations.

Hold our journalists to a higher standard. We need Bill Moyers, not Bill O’Reilly, if we as a nation are to become educated in events that affect our lives.

[J. Pierpont Finch]

"We need Bill Moyers, not Bill O’Reilly, if we as a nation are to become educated in events that affect our lives."

LOL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[M/M]

I think Timothy has a great idea. We absolutely should send Bill Moyers AND Gwen Ifill to cover Obama from now until election. Does anyone actually watch those two?

Timothy, if you hang out here long enough, you'll be listening to Rush and WABC before you know it. In fact, I hear that Rush picked up some Hillary Clinton fans through Operation Chaos.

[timothy_d11]

You two clowns might be surprised but educated people respect Bill Moyers - but half of Americans could care less with what's going on with this country - they're too busy watching American Idol after working 2 jobs - and we know you dolts won't watch / listen to him. So yeah, well respected by smart people, ridiculed by stupid people who don't understand him or are told to not listen to him by the right wing radio morons.

[M/M]

I was actually thinking about Juan today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9diyCL3Kmk&feature=related

[Tom TB]

Obama reminds me of Jim Jones, handsome snappy dressers, could take their followers anywhere...

[M/M]

This is TOO funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC-yMUQ8KzI for your favorite video.

McCain is posting this on his website and asking people to vote for their favorite video. Personally, I prefer the first Frankie Valli song combined with the second video.

http://www.johnmccain.com/video/love.htm

It's true! I was listening to a clip of Chris Matthews describing Obama's trip and I burst out laughing. It was almost as funny as Keith Olbermann's rant a few months ago.

[naijaman]

This blog would be more interesting if Monica devoted a little bit of her time talking about John McCain, and maybe even offering contrasts between the two presidential candidates and/or their viewpoints. The monotonous anti-Obama threads are getting a little boring and predictable.

Just my 2 cents.

[Dgscol]

FIE, FIE, FINANCIAL ....

"There's no question about it. Wall Street got drunk ---that's one of the reasons I asked you to turn off the TV cameras -- it got drunk and now it's got a hangover. The question is how long will it sober up and not try to do all these fancy financial instruments." --- Pres. Bush ---

Now what are these free marketeers going to do? Work at Walmart? Perhaps we should send them to Hong Kong and good riddance.

[Account Deleted]

"Speculators Aren’t Driving Up Oil Prices, Report Says", according to the NYT, 23 July 2008:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23commodities.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=business&adxnnlx=1216821675-Oc+j+9fT8stCoABn8Xta9A

What the report didn't say was why we had to spend tax dollars to educate Congress in basic economics.

Will their education be complete? Increase supply, prices will drop. Will they approve off-shore or ANWR drilling? Standardize regulation of the nuclear industry and remove speed bumps? Allow oil shale exploration? End market-distorting subsidies, including those for ethanol, and reject calls for new subsidies? (T. Boone: your wind farm idea is a good one. If it is so good, why do you need us to subsidize it?)

Will the President now jump in front of the effort to increase supply with a comprehensive plan? Since he rescinded the executive order prohibiting off-shore drilling, the price of oil has dropped (now $127/barrel). Spot prices are set by futures prices; i.e., market expectation, as Zuckerman observed on TMG on Sunday. The price could jump back up if Congress doesn't follow through on their end.

Is McCain prescient enough to put a comprehensive energy plan before the American people and make this a winning plank in his platform? It would require a mea culpa on the silly tax holiday idea and replacing Fiorina with real economists who understand this stuff.

He now has the perfect opening …

[gringoman]

This blog would be more interesting if Monica devoted a little bit of her time talking about John McCain, and maybe even offering contrasts between the two presidential candidates and/or their viewpoints. The monotonous anti-Obama threads are getting a little boring and predictable.

Just my 2 cents.

Posted by: naijaman | July 22, 2008 at 09:57 PM

Arguable point (although Monica has hardly ignored McCain). But how does it not apply to the entire media right now as it focuses on the Rockabama World Tour, except for what you call the "anti-Obama bias," something not very evident in the massive MSM coverage?

Or do you not find the pro-Obama monotony of the MSM coverage a bit boring, not to mention embarrassingly self-evident?

Would you like to see the Democrats' (sic) Fairness Doctrine applied to the MSM, so that right-wing pit bull Michael Savage (just to cite one example) would get 15 minutes every day to comment on the MSM's Obamacuddle?

[Ummahgummah]

Fred, please name some of Obama's three-point shots. I'd like to know what exactly you are referring to.

[Ummahgummah]

Hear hear! Slimytim has an air of superiority about him and he exhalts Bill Moyers to us!!

HAHHAHHA HA HA !! INDEED!!! HAr-di-har-har!!!!!

Bill Moyers is a lib FOOL just like Dhimma Cuttah!

Maybe timytim can teach ol' Bill how to curse a little during his BORING and misguided broadcasts.

When you can't fall asleep at night try the MacNeil/Lehrer Snoozehour.. the liberal drone in FULL EFFECT!

Maybe they need a KOTZkiddie like tiny to liven up their broadcasts.

[gringoman]

Naijaman,

Why don't we get right down to it? You ready? Here's what I mean.

You're a little tired of the standard commentary, especially when it takes an anti-Obama turn, right?

And even aside from that, don't we, of conscience and sensibility, want to get beyond not just the ordinary claptrap, but also the furious moonbats, standing atop their, uh, soapbox of substances, screaming "you &(&%O#@#! lousy lunatics" at each other?

Therefore, let me make a bid to cut right to the existential chase and touch on an area rarely touched even by MonicaMedia which, of course, has a duty to keep abreast of the latest Breaking News and Bufooneries, from an unabashed Republican point of view.

Ready? Here goes?

.....Samba and Hip-Hop.

Which do you prefer?

Or do you prefer one over the other?

Be honest now. In your answer you are welcome to use the political acumen to which we've become accustomed.

[Ummahgummah]

Naija.. if you want anti-McCain blogs try the Huffpo and KOTZkids. Consider that a Dollar's worth of advice.

An Obama Presidency has so much more potenial to be disastrous for this country than a McCain Presidency ever could.

An Obama White House with Dhimmicrat control of both Houses will give them two years to push all the absurd lib moonbat agendas they possibly can.

Even without being surrounded by the likes of FaraKKKlan and a bunch of race-revs and bombing professors Obama STILL has the most leftist voting record in the entire Senate.

A Senate which includes Ted Kennedy and John Kerry and Hitlery. Nuff said.

[Ummahgummah]

Gringoman you didn't ask me but I prefer Samba. Brazilian Hiphop is almost as bad as EuroHiphop.

[gringoman]

Naijaman,

The consensus at GAB is that Ummah Gummah, unfortunately, may be an oracle on an Obaminated White House, Congress and Judiciary, and what that would do to this country and by extension the world.

So why don't we get back to something that most observers think, or hope, is irrelevant, esoteric and less controversial? (For those who don't know, you include brasileiro in your heritage, as I understand it.)

Samba and Hip-Hop.

Your take, por favor.

[Ummahgummah]

Gringoman, I am far from an oracle. I just have the brains to put two and two together and arrive at the only possible conclusion. Ergo that 2 + 2 = 4.

Anyoen who thinks otherwise is either deluded or is acting in bad faith.

And I boldly predict that if Obama wins in November that will force Israel's hand. Look for somwethign top go down with Iran between the election and the inauguration if Obama wins.

Then look at increased Arab aggression toward Israel once the guy is actually in the White House.

If McCain gets in things won't be quite as volatile because he'll be something like Bush lite.

Howgh! The Oracle hath spoken!

[Ummahgummah]

Bill Moyers.. that is rich.. I am still chuckling. Bill Moyers is like Dan Rather without the attitude on his sleeve.

A smarter Dan in other words.

[FK]

I'm literally talking about Obama's three-point shots, not figuratively. The guy can play basketball.

[Ummahgummah]

Then sign him to the Knicks! They could use a guy like that. He'll even get inside the White House if he can lead them to victory.

Something he doesn't seem to be willing to to do for America.