Is Obama Too Thoughtful?

thedailybeast.com



In this blog, Mike Signer muses on one of Obama's greatest strengths -- his mental vigor and his thoughtfulness -- and America's ambivalent attitudes toward intellectualism, with all of its negative connotations of indecisiveness and effeminacy.

I remember my grandfather saying that Adlai Stevenson lost the election to Dwight D. Eisenhower because Stevenson was "too smart."

Much as I admire Obama's intellect, though, I also get impatient with his seeming reluctance to get into the fray and fight when necessary.

Abraham Lincoln was also a man of great intelligence, but he could still forcefully lead a country torn by a civil war. Lincoln never pulled his punches when it was necessary to directly confront his enemies.

Obama must not let his greatest strength also become his greatest weakness.

A good leader is one that can use his intellect and thoughtfulness in a timely manner. Obama seems incapable of doing this. We've all be trained since elementary school that there are time limits on things. There's a reason why timed tests are used to weed people out when it comes getting into universities, specialized programs, IQ tests, bar exams, etc.

Anyone can make a decision if there isn't a time limit. If you can't make a decision quickly under pressure you shouldn't be in a leadership position. Period.

Jemison

Obama's intellect? I haven't seen any proof that he's smarter than anyone else.
He's not thoughtful, he's just waiting for someone else to come up with an idea, just like most people who benefit from affirmative action.

He clearly is very intelligent. As soon as I heard him speak I took an interest in him, as he was clearly far more intelligent than our then President.

But of course here in 'Murica we are suspicious of those who can think.

Originally posted by Grumble
He clearly is very intelligent. As soon as I heard him speak I took an interest in him, as he was clearly far more intelligent than our then President.

But of course here in 'Murica we are suspicious of those who can think.

Obama Quote: " The Middle East has obviously plagued the region for ... centuries "


America NEEDS to be suspicious of anyone who not only 'thinks' as illustrated above, but who also believes the world will find same acceptable, even 'intelligent'

Originally posted by Jemison
A good leader is one that can use his intellect and thoughtfulness in a timely manner. Obama seems incapable of doing this.

I agree with this entirely. Anyone who doesn't think he's an extremely intelligent man obviously has some serious political bias. That said, you can be the smartest man on the planet and still fail if you can't turn that intelligence into actionable legislation. Obama is too concerned with appeasing his critics and so doing he isn't appeasing much of anyone.

Are we talking about the Obama who through lies and the power of the US has brought Toyota & soon Japan to its knees?
You guys have been looking elsewhere while the rest of the world is starting to fear again the US.
www.koreaherald.co.kr...

Give me a break. Anyone who speaks on the record as much as a Presidential politician will make mistakes. Bush's could (and do) fill books.

I am referring to the thoughtfulness inherent in the way he expresses himself. He is clearly not a believer, but is a reasoner. His speech on race during the campaign was an astonishingly intelligent presentation of the subject.

Well isn't this a happy chappy Obama thread...with all this talk of how smart and thoughtful Obama is and such...just a little weird I guess...I'm used to everyone only saying negative things about him...although, I'm not from the US and don't visit these here political boards very often...

[edit on 14/2/10 by CHA0S]

He does tend to come across more as a philosopher and less as a leader. We, however, need something more in the middle.

As far as his intelligence, I can't say. He seems articulate, but I don't know if it's his innate ability or his teleprompter, aides and speechwriters. Obama's the only president that we have known *nothing* about. We knew Bush was a C student and a cheerleader at Yale. We knew Kerry was a C student and what he majored in. O has sealed his records so it is difficult to make a case either way since I don't know what he studied, how his grades were, how his thesis read.

reply to post by ZombieOctopus


Your post is bias. Anyone who does not see his great intellect is a political shill according to you right? I am only using your words. I hate both sides and to say he is some great mental giant is something that you don't know and I don't know. You are putting your personal truth out as fact, And all that does is show just how weak you argument is.

I think Obama is the most dangerous Bush of all. His recent attacks on Toyota & Japan show a devious and hard hitting attack. Brilliant is what it is and the people swallow it up.

reply to post by Mountainmeg


It's known that Obama's grades at Occidental College were not stellar. He has himself acknowledged this, and admitted that he was not the best student at that time. His grades at Columbia University were good but he did not graduate with honors. His bachelor's degree at Columbia was in international relations. In contrast, he graduated magna cum laude(with highest honors) from Harvard Law School in 1991. He later taught Constitutional Law and other law courses at the University of Chicago for awhile after graduation.

He was not required to write a senior thesis at Columbia. He did, however, write a long paper in his international relations seminar. The topic was on Soviet nuclear disarmament. The professor did not keep a copy of his paper and universities ordinarily don't save seminar papers so there really isn't any proof of this. (I have a link to this thesis info. but can't find it at the moment. Will post it as soon as I do).

Other sources for his academic records are:

GPA and College Records

Education Background