by Mark Silva
Well, doesn't Esquire magazine have a sense of timing?
"Ready, Set, Obama,'' declares the headline on the June issue, reaching newsstands May 13.
The featured story inside - "The Cynic and Senator Obama'' - explores the message of hope and inspiration that Obama has framed for his presidential campaign. "The cynic will need to be convinced,'' warns the lead-in to the long impressionistic article by Charles P. Pierce.
"The cynic likes the stump speech,'' he writes, following Obama through Wisconsin in the days before the Rev. Jeremiah Wright or Chicago powerbroker Tony Rezko had occupied the headlines. "Even the fourth time around, and even though it's oddly impervious to the immediate events of the day....
"The cynic had been in the hall for Obama's big speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004,'' Pierce writes. "It was beautifully written, impeccably delivered and its rhetoric was thrilling.''
Like the Democratic Party's presidential contest itself, we'd be giving something away if we told you how this curious story ends.
We'll leave that to Esquire and its readers, with thanks to the magazine for an advance look and the cover.
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Comments
Wait til Rezko plea bargains and delivers Obama, Blagojevich and both Daleys.
Obama has, for years, been an obedient, knowing and smoothly functioning part of the Rezko/Auchi/General Mediterranean criminal enterprise.
He will go over for accepting money and sponsoring legislation in furtherance of this criminal enterprise.
The U.S. Attorney already has enough on him to put him away for the rest of his life.
The house and land were a front for a criminal scheme.
The Riverside development was a front for a criminal scheme.
This is why Hillary isn't pulling out.
On the other hand, her guys are next. What do the Daleys have on her?
I'm sure Mr. Fitzgerald wants to know.
What can you do when your ENTIRE political system (by the way, when will McCain go over?) is organized crime?
Sad, isn't it?
Posted by: John Ryskamp | May 7, 2008 1:48 PM
This battle in the primary has helped sift through who Obamas supporters really are. He also has learned who he will need to try to win over, independent voter wise. John McCain is an unusually strong republican candidate with crossover appeal. This is the match up I had always hoped for. These two candidates will have a debate on where this country is going policy wise. Two very different views of American economic and foreign policy will be presented. I hope the voters will look at the bigger picture as opposed to harping on small gaffes or faux pas if you like. So much is at stake. Should be very interesting to all here in The Swamp!!! Obama 2008
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | May 7, 2008 1:49 PM
I love how Hillary posters have to craft complex unfounded conspiracy theories out of a Grisham or Ludlum novel to base an attack on Obama.
We don't need those for her though. We have plenty of real, proven, concrete issues to attack her on.
They're always an amusing read, though...
Posted by: Fontapa | May 7, 2008 2:18 PM
Barack obama will emerge from this tuff battle with Mrs Clinton a better candidate and more ready than ever to take back America from the broken and corrupt GOP.
Posted by: Anton Chigurh | May 7, 2008 2:43 PM
Looking at candidates with a jaded eye?
Ummm... isn't that supposed to be your job, Major Newspaper Washington Bureau "Reporters"?
Posted by: MJ | May 7, 2008 3:26 PM
Dont be jealous....they have a magazine cover for her too!
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Southsider | May 7, 2008 4:55 PM
John, you really need to lighten up. I think it was the Clintons that were investigated by the Feds, not the Obamas - and really, all that Rezko stuff turned up what?
Posted by: Keely | May 7, 2008 7:21 PM
John Ryskamp, you said "Wait til Rezko plea bargains and delivers Obama, Blagojevich and both Daleys."
Nah, Rezko will be promised something - I don't know what - but I'll bet he keeps his mouth shut.
Obama is too important to the Liberals. Blago will be thrown under the bus, but Obama will be protected.
All of the forces in the media, elected government and whatever pressure they can muster in the Judicial system will be brought to bear. The easiest thing is to somehow delay all of this until after the election. Or there will be some unfortunate accident.
Posted by: Alz | May 7, 2008 7:50 PM
Ah, Charles Pierce has found a new crush. Read his glowing love letter to John Edwards around this time last year. It's always amazing to see someone like Pierce, who is so full of himself, give so willingly over to idol worship to folks such as Edwards and Obama. His man crush on these two is only surpassed by his hatred to those who do not share his love.
Posted by: Outsider Looking In | May 7, 2008 8:34 PM
I agree with "Logic Prisoner" in that this will be an interesting match-up with a lot of brain power being expelled during the debates - something we haven't seen much of in the last 7 years.
As for "John Ryskamp" and "Alz": thank you for the very funny take on the paranoid right. Great laughs!
Posted by: Jim A | May 7, 2008 9:17 PM
Outsider Looking In - you might want to actually read the article....it is most certainly not a love letter, but a very challenging article that asks whether or not Obama will be willing to be more than a speech giver, who preaches unity, and hold those accountable who have helped turn this country into a tragic joke.
Posted by: phillip western | June 3, 2008 12:55 AM