"Frustrated to a Fault" On Strength and Weakness.

[Blue State Bandit]

I was talking to my family about the Nevada debate today while we were watching the results come in from the caucus. It occurred to us, as the pundits began to attribute reasons for the projected outcome that the “strength and weakness” question that Senator Obama has been repeated whacked with portrays a greater flaw embedded in Hillary’s so-called answer.




First, the quotes….

Tim Russert:

You said each of you have strengths and weaknesses. I want to ask each of you quickly, your greatest strength, your greatest weakness



Senator Obama:

I ask my staff member to hand me paper until two seconds before I need it because I will lose it. You know, the --- you know...

And my desk and my office doesn’t look good. I’ve got to have somebody around me who is keeping track of that stuff. And that’s not trivial; I need to have good people in place who can make sure that systems run. That’s what I’ve always done, and that’s why we run not only a good campaign, but a good U.S. Senate office.

Senator Edwards:

I think weakness, I sometimes have a very powerful emotional response to pain that I see around me…

Senator Clinton:

I get impatient. I get, you know, really frustrated when people don’t seem to understand that we can do so much more to help each other. Sometimes I come across that way. I admit that. I get very concerned about, you know, pushing further and faster than perhaps people are ready to go.

Transcript source: NY Times

In all fairness, I find it commendable that Hillary holds such strong feelings; to the point of frustration, regarding what she wants to do for others. Such passion should be commended, but I find it disheartening that she could describe such a drive as a fault or weakness.


What concerns me most about her answer; to the point of honest fear, is that such an expression of frustration over what I understand from her quote as, “I know what’s best for you”, is too dangerous a fault for a President to be afflicted with.


Do we not already have a President who thinks that he knows what’s best for America; despite what America thinks? Do not such assertions belong to the realm of parent/child relationships or Dictatorial regimes? We are not children; and as such the American people, I can guarantee, will become an unlimited source of Hillary’s frustration.


How will you deal with you frustrations Senator Clinton, when Americans resist actions that you feel are “in our best interest”? How will you convince us? From what I remember, the invasion of Iraq was “in America’s best interests”.


When President Bush became frustrated by the lack of national unity for the invasion, he lied to us. Since he could not convince the American people by making his case truthfully, he embarked on a propaganda campaign to scare America into war. Senator Obama saw thru his smoke screen, but you bought it; we have your misjudgment on record.


I wonder what actions you may consider to be “in our best interests”. I fear to what degrees your frustrations may inform or cloud your judgment in your attempts to formulate methods to enact such controversial policies.


Ultimately, this reverts back to the reasoning behind the original question at hand: what are you strengths and what are your weaknesses. The propensity to be frustrated because people don’t see things your way is a weakness. It is a flaw too great for a President who WILL, if elected, preside over a divided electorate. Such a situation will only serve to exasperate the difficulties that our country already faces. In turn, such internal distractions will leave America open to further destabilizing situations just as under Bill Clinton: Monica-gate turned to wag the dog, and later, in-action against Al-Qaeda targets.


This is just one more reason why I will be casting my vote for Senator Barack Obama as President of the Unites States.

[peoli]

1. Im kicking this just because you put so much effort into writing it

[Blue State Bandit]

2. Thanks.