Charles Krauthammer - Conservative Commentator - Praises Obama, Pans McCain

[Median Democrat]

Charles Krauthammer is more of a George Will type of conservative, than a Rush Limbaugh/Sean Hannity sort of conservative. However, he is a conservative and frequent guest on Fox News. Well, rather than repeating the talking points, Krauthammer has grudgingly given the nod to Obama as the more presidential candidate. I say grudgingly, because Krauthammer can't resist making reference to Wright and Ayers. However, despite this, Krauthammer still praises Obama over McCain.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/opinions/index.html

Hail Mary vs. Cool Barry

/snip

Part of reassurance is intellectual. Like Palin, he's a rookie, but in his 19 months on the national stage he has achieved fluency in areas in which he has no experience. In the foreign policy debate with McCain, as in his July news conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Obama held his own -- fluid, familiar and therefore plausibly presidential.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. famously said of Franklin Roosevelt that he had a "second-class intellect, but a first-class temperament." Obama has shown that he is a man of limited experience, questionable convictions, deeply troubling associations (Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Tony Rezko) and an alarming lack of self-definition -- do you really know who he is and what he believes? Nonetheless, he's got both a first-class intellect and a first-class temperament. That will likely be enough to make him president.

/snip

So, it is notable that even the intellectual conservatives are starting to lean towards Obama. I think Krauthammer and Will epitomize this. They may disagree with Obama's more liberal policies such as health care, but they also understand the need for cool-headed pragmatic leadership that sees beyond the need to make partisan stands. In the case of the credit crunch, Obama and the Democrats could have easily played to the anger of most Americans at the bailout. Indeed, even McCain refused to support the plan outright during that infamous White House summit. Obama did, but discreetly in order to avoid making the bailout even more of a political football, then it was, since McCain made such a grand show of riding in to the rescue.

I think conservatives like George Will and Charles Krauthammer know the real story of what took place, and who was helpful in this crisis versus who was grandstanding, thus I think it is very notable that they have tentatively begun to support Obama. I think even they are scared about the temperment and readiness of a McCain/Palin presidency.

[Marsala]

1. Krauthammer is more bitter at Obama's likely victory than supportive

He's a neocon from way back. Somehow, he's recognized reality.

[Blondiegrrl]

7. Perhaps he, like many other conservatives (I suspect), is actually rooting for Obama

to win just he can pin the blame on Obama when Obama doesn't clean up 8 years' worth of Bush's mess within 24 hours of taking office.

[Median Democrat]

13. Well, in that case, I sure hope that conservatives en masse vote for Obama...

and vote for other Democrats.

It would be similar to us all voting for McCain so that we just confirm once more that Bush's policies suck.

Let me put it this way, if McCain was a Democrat with Obama's policies, but with his same temperment and with Palin as his VP, and Obama was a Republican with McCain's policies, I would be worried because regardless of McCain's policies, I think he is unstable and a terrible leader. McCain is a stubborn impulsive jerk, and I would be reluctant to support him even if he was a liberal stubborn impulsive jerk. The most common thread I see among some conservatives who criticize McCain is their concern about his temperment. McCain likes to grandstand, and draw attention to himself. He also likes to take (needless) risks in order create the illusion of being active.

However, as John Wooden said, "Never mistake activity for achievement." McCain does not appreciate this basic truism. I seriously worry about how our government will operate if McCain were elected President. Lack of understanding combined with lack of impulse control is a potentially fatal combination.

[Blondiegrrl]

14. Good point. As for the lack of impulse control you mentioned,

I was listening to conservative columnist David Brooks on NPR today. He said more voters are seeing Obama as the safe choice as they become more alarmed by McCain's -- and I quote -- "erratic behavior." You know it's bad when even the other side is noticing this.

[Xipe Totec]

2. Thanks, but no thanks, Krauthammer,

We don't need your praise.

We need you to shrivel up and blow away.

[Cosmocat]

12. Questionable convictions and troubling associations?

a man of limited experience, questionable convictions, deeply troubling associations (Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Tony Rezko) and an alarming lack of self-definition -- do you really know who he is and what he believes? Nonetheless, he's got both a first-class intellect and a first-class temperament - said Krauthammer ...

FRICK HIM, F R I C K him.

Assassinate BO at the personal level at the same time you endorse him?

Frick him.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. The gargoyle speaks!

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

4. Krauthammer is a great guy. But he still sucks ass.

See? I just complimented him, Krauthammer-style!

[sad sally]

5. Geo Will flip-flopped

When Palin was first introduced he couldn't say enough nice things about her - especially re. the fact that she had a Downs child, as does Will, he said. However, he seems to have changed his opinion after hearing her ramblings and knowing McCain is the reason the Republican party is stuck with her.

[Kingofalldems]

6. This extremely Hugh!!11!!1

This guy never is a total repub down the line. The fact he wrote something like this is shocking to me.

[Blondiegrrl]

8. He's still a douche nozzle, but perhaps Krauthammer will convince

some conservative voters to back Obama.

[maxsolomon]

9. krauthammer is a neocon war criminal

who should be in the hague with doug feith & pals. & maybe they will be during obama's 2 terms.

i wouldn't tar g. will with that brush.

[arewenotdemo]

11. I agree with you on Krauthammer, but listen to Will in 2004...

"It is too late for debate about being in Baghdad. And the (relatively) pretty phase of empire -- the swift dispatch of an enemy army -- is over. Regime change, occupation, nation-building -- in a word, empire -- is a bloody business. Now Americans must steel themselves for administering the violence necessary to disarm or defeat Iraq's urban militias, which replicate the problem of modern terrorism -- violence that has slipped the leash of states."

http://allnurses.com/forums/f112/george-will-s-monopoly-violence-63127.html

Will would have made a fine Nazi, IMNSFHO.

[edhopper]

10. Don't fall for it

they want us to think we've already won and falter in our effort. We must push even harder.
OBAMA!!!!