From Breitbart, Best of the Web, and Radio Vice Online.
- Montecito, Calif., Sept. 8, 2007. "A woman standing in front of the stage appeared to faint as Obama spoke about Iraq," the Associated Press reported. "The candidate paused and asked the crowd to make way for firefighters. One supporter shouted, 'You're a good man,' leaving Obama momentarily at a loss for words. 'Well, I'm not the only one stopping to help her,' he said, sounding almost embarrassed."
- Madison, Wis., Oct. 22, 2007. "This excitement mirrored the aura in the room that grew throughout his speech," reported WISN-TV. "Before the senator arrived, students were tossing around an inflatable cow above the crowd. Three people fainted in the midst of all the enthusiasm."
- Hanover, N.H., Jan. 8, 2008. "Barack Obama's first and only rally on election day came to a sudden and lengthy stop when a young woman in the Dartmouth College gym fainted, and was eventually rolled off on a gurney by emergency medical technicians," the Los Angeles Times reported. "At first Obama half-narrated the episode, saying soothing things like, 'She's OK,' 'She's talking.' But the longer she lay on the floor, the quieter Obama got, standing on the podium, arms folded, looking worried as the medical crew worked." Minneapolis's WCCO-TV has video showing Obama handing a bottle of water to the Dartmouth damsel in distress.
- Hartford, Conn., Feb. 4, 2008. "And when a woman appeared to faint in the standing-only VIP section in front of the podium, Obama paused his speech for over a minute as he directed the crowd to make way for an EMT team and tossed a bottle of water from the stage," reported the Yale Daily News.
- Seattle, Feb. 8, 2008. "Climate change, the Iraq war and Obama tossing a bottle of water to a woman about to faint all received big cheers," MSNBC.com reported. "As Obama told the crowd to part so that the woman in question could leave and called for help, a young girl in the crowd shouted out, 'What a man!' The audience roared with laughter (although the press that has seen this happen before rolled its eyes)."
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20 comments:
This is the song that Obama reminds me of.
http://www.hamienet.com/midi7595_Superstar.html
Barack Obama, Superstar!
Who are you, what kind of change are you are talking about?
Barack Obama, Superstar,
Who are you, what kind of change are you are talking about?
Barack Obama, Superstar
Who are you, what kind of change are you talking about?
Adoph Hitler could really rally those masses, and Olde Joe Stalin could make them walk barefoot through broken glasses, And Ho Chin Minn, he could bring the crowd in, and that Po Pot he know how his words could make them hot...
Now do you believe?
Now Marshall Applewhite made them think that they were going to go to Heaven on a comet, and David Koresh he sent his faithful on a path to Armageddon. And of course we all know about olde Jim Jones. His people did what he told em and that Kool-aid got overflowin...
Now do you believe? (the mesmerized crowd shouts back Yes we Believe) Now do you believe?(louder) Yes, we believe! Hallelujah now get that sister some water (the front row of women then faints).
Barack Obama, Superstar,
Who are you, what kind of change are you are talking about?
Barack Obama, Superstar
Who are you, what kind of change are you talking about?
Now do you see yourself as as Che's Second comin... Or maybe you set yourself up on a path even higher. Perhaps you do see yourself as the new Messiah, start a new religion with you as its idol.
Do you believe?
Cults of personalities well they very rarely end well and with yours it could set the earth a trembling... For when you come unglued as all cult leaders in the end do, you could push that nuclear button and set the earth afire..
Barack Obama, Superstar,
Who are you, what kind of change are you are talking about?
Barack Obama, Superstar!
Who are you, what kind of change are you talking about?
Barack Obama, Superstar!
Turing America into one big Manson Family
Barack Obama, Superstar!
Turning America into one big Manson Family
Look into my eyes, what do you see?
Cult of personality
I know your anger, I know your dreams
I've been everything you want to be
I'm the cult of personality.
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/1472/Cult_o1.mid
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/1472/Cult_o1.mid
You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You me power in your gods name
I’m every person you need to be
I’m the cult of personality
Look into my eyes, what do you see?
Cult of personality
I know your anger, I know your dreams
I’ve been everything you want to be
I’m the cult of personality
You gave me handshakes
And signs and tokens
I bought your deception
Because I was broken.
Behind Christ only
Yourself you elevated
Your cult of personality
Held us captivated.
Charisma was your power
And storytelling your game
Only later would science
Reveal your shame.
You offered no evidence
And faith was your tool
Fear made us ripe
And submission did rule.
Even your wive you abused
As you took many spouses
The youngest being fourteen
Such men today are called louses.
Your narcissism is documented
Your fabrications exposed
And yet sincere people
Still unknowingly get hosed.
Your followers today
Have forgotten your nature
The historical record
They call "anti" literature.
And yet when you ask them
How can you be sure?
To faith based emotion
They quickly defer.
Because light-giving evidence
They are taught to avoid
Instead they use dogma
To fill the void.
They hide their beliefs
And call them sacred
Secret combinations
Reek and are acrid.
The reason they hide
From inquisitive probes
Is that evidence has shown
The emperor has no clothes.
Their entire structure
Is founded on ignorance
To confront it would create
Intolerable cognitive dissonance.
You cannot discuss this
Because you fear exposure
And so from the charlatan
You will never have closure.
They've co-opted the things
Humans hold most dear
And intertwined your happiness
With mind-numbing fear.
"All the things you love
Can be yours if you wish
You just must submit
And act like our bitch."
"Give us your money
Your time and your love
And we will assure you
Your reward is above."
"Do not ask questions
And never investigate
Because troublemakers
We quickly will castigate."
"Never forget all the
Truth we have shown
Or when you lose faith
You quickly we'll disown."
Behind Christ only
The Authorities are elevated
Their cult of historical revisions
Holds you captivated.
Hmmm, the original blog was created at 3:28 AM and the other Obama Superstar and Cult of Personality comments were made within half an hour of that time- at 3 in the morning. There's no way the Administrator would play the game of making the post and then writing his own supportive comments, would he?
I seem to remember a history lesson about a, "cult of personality" that arose in New York in the early 1800's. The followers were drawn to a young farm boy who claimed to have found Red Indian writings hidden in a hill not far from his house. He translated the writings using some kind of angelic crafted stones from the unknown red language into King James English.
I guess this "cult" of his personality loved him enough to allow him to marry more than one of his followers as a wife, and even marry the women already married to several of his male followers ! His personality must have swooned both sexes to allow that to happen. Or maybe just the men fainted to allow time for this whole thing to transpire.
I don't know if any comparisons could be made though. The comparisons to dictators and cult leaders above in the really funny poems, comments, and cool superstar song (I think its a song ? I hope to hear that on KSL 102.7 soon!) are enough I think. But know knows, maybe that farm boy, Manson and Barack do have something in common?
Actually when I see what goes on at Obama rallies this is what goes through my mind.
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
Ah, what is puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
Lybbert is a very bright guy, but I would expect him to be a little wiser than what I have read lately. His criticism of Barack is centered around the fact that many of his followers resort to justifying their support based on emotion rather than policy. He then makes liberal use of the word "cult" and expects the secular among us to let him off scott free. Mr. Lybbert, how many times have you and members of your cult used emotion (pray to know if these things are true) to justify yourselves? You should be a little more careful about your choice of criticism, especially when the criticism could be used to destroy your religious stance.
Mike D & Trent, Are you joining Barak's religion? Does this mean you consede the religious overtones of Baraks campaign? Is it reasonable to expect a difference between religion and a political campaign? How do Lybbert's personal beliefs apply to Obamas campaign?
It seems to me that you are attacking Lybberts religion because you think he attacked yours. Aren't you gusy proving his point?
Lybbert brought the religious/political comparison on himself by using provocative language. Also, you make the assumption I am an Obama supporter. If you re-read your post, you will realize that you and Lybbert are the only ones who are comparing Barack's following to religion, not me. My comment was drawing attention to the inherent hypocrisy in Lybbert's language. My hunch is he is taking his frustration out on Obama because his dream candidate Romney was shot down. He also must be frustrated that the candidate he is now forced to back because of his mindless party loyalty is nothing for him to be excited about. His reluctant candidate is an old crusty guy who refused to kiss the ring of the religious establishment, much to right-wing frustration. Lybbert needs a candidate that validates the religious nut-jobs because he feels it validates his radical religion by association. I'd bet my marriage that Lybbert would have never once mentioned "cult" if Romney's following generated the same enthusiasm and energy as Barack does. This either makes him dishonest, or more likely, a predictable party loyalist with zero independent thoughts of his own.
As a personal rule I am generally skeptical of any and all who are willing to "bet their marriage" on anything. Especially on blog posts.
In regard to Mr. Obama, I believe that he is one of the most intelligent individuals the American political machine has produced in a long time. His talent for using ethos to "move" people is also impressive. I don't believe that Mr. Lybbert's point is to demonstrate that all who appeal to ethos are somehow using "cult" tactics. In both ancient and modern times our world has been led my men, both good and evil, who have used this skill to shape history. From my perspective, it is not his effective use of ethos, but rather the lack of logos in Mr. Obama's message that has been most frightening. We have a candidate who has created an impressive movement despite his lack of concrete policy or unique voting record on any issue other than the Iraq war and health care. The cult analogy is appropriate to the degree that Mr. Obama's support is the result of an appeal to people's vulnerability, emotions and ignorance instead of rational logic and facts. If this was Mr. Lybbert's meaning, then calling the Obama campaign a cult is a valid comparison.
I believe Obama does have to convince Americans that he is more than just uplifting talk. However, I agree that the Administrator should have chosen not to use such inflammatory language to discuss the issue. The explanation Branden gave for an appropriate use of the word cult was a real stretch. By his logic, I could define the majority of the political campaigns I have witnessed as cults. Does anybody really want to argue that Bush never appealed to peoples' vulnerability, emotions and ignorance? Try and make a non-generic argument please.
I agree that the Administrator is on shaky ground when using the word cult. As the saying goes, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. We are well aware of the Administrator's LDS faith, and while this has nothing to do with the criticism of Obama lacking substance, it most certainly reflects poorly on his use of this cheap semi-religious rhetoric. I challenge any single reader with a brain on this blog to make the case that the LDS church is less of a cult than Obama's following. You'll lose and open up a whole bag of worms in the process that you might not be prepared to deal with if you take me up on this challenge. In cult terms, the LDS church makes Obama look like an agnostic hermit. Given the Administrator's controversial faith, I encourage him to drop the word "cult" from his inflammatory rhetorical vocabulary. Geez, can you imagine Tom Cruise ever using the word cult as an insult? What's that saying about the pot and tea kettle again?
I think the point is Justin not that the LDS isnt a religion (or cult if you prefer) but that Obama has made his political campaign into a religious movement. Would you prefer if lybbert called Obamas campaign a religion? would you feel like he was giving you the affirmation you seek rather than hypocritically calling your religion a cult? Your point is silly. That because Mr. lybbert is a member of a religion you think is a cult he cant draw out the religious elements of Obamas campaign? Come on. Like i mentioned before you are making lybberts point for him. You are granting that Baraks campaign has religious overtones. Maybe it hits close to home because you have chosen it as your religion I dont know.
I suggest that you all turn out for the next Obama rally with posters saying, "Ban Hope!" Or, "We Support Cynicism and Pain!"
Seriously, I love how Mitt's campaign loses - a campaign that ran off of emotionally charged Mormons, thinking the lifelong til 2002 pro-choice Romney was conservative - and now all we're hearing is the horror of Obama simply because people support him. So yeah, down with hope. Down with optimism.
Let's get 4 more years of Dick and Bush. That's real hope, right?
Basically what I'm saying is, your rhetoric has sore loser written all over it. And while you take this road, you drive your party further into irrelevance.
The London Times, the biggest paper in England, reports that the Clinton campaign started the "Obama is a cult" story. In today's paper, the story says,
"Clinton’s camp has been circulating stories criticising the “cult” of Obama in the hope of portraying “Obamania” as a mass delusion. Media Matters, a watchdog organisation sympathetic to Clinton, compiled a report headlined, “Media figures call Obama supporters’ behaviour ‘creepy’, compare them to Hare Krishna and Charles Manson followers”. It was forwarded by Sidney Blumenthal, a top Clinton adviser, to select reporters."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3382295.ece
Don't buy the Clinton lie.
Oh lybbert is going to love this he bought the clinton spin.
Ben is right. If your candidate loses you can't criticize any of the remaining candidates. Got it? Ben don't you think you're giving Lybberty too much credit? Singlehandedly driving his party into irrelevance? That's rich. You're singlehandedly stoking Lybberty's ego into the stratosphere.
I think the case could be made that the LDS church started as a cult and evolved into a religion with its own unique lore and myths. It still has retained some of its original flavor, but has been watered down immensely over the years. Today it continues to trend toward mainstream religion and will continue to do so. It will also retain many of the teachings and practices that make the church entirely unique, which is probably a good thing. For many people, it is a healthy and happy religion and I predict its growth will continue as it evolves and reinvents itself for a wider audience with each passing generation. Like all religions of which I am aware, it has its drawbacks and weaknesses and is not for everyone. I have to believe that accurate historical information about the original church will keep it from ever becoming a major religion in terms of percentage of population, but it now sits much more firmly in the religion category as opposed to the cult side.
DMZ- I reject your premise that Obama has turned his campaign into a religion. The Administrator has offered no evidence to support this claim. It is a ploy to get people to think that if they are moved by what Obama is saying, then they might be linking themselves to a strange Kool-aid drinking cult. It is garbage and possibly originated from the Clinton camp. Regardless of the source of the original attack, it is without merit. The fact that the Administrator fell for it and would glibly use the word "cult" is unbelievable, given his own religious position. In addition, isn't this the guy who never once raised his pen to condemn the mass movement of religious voters to George W. Bush? So when there actually was a religious fervor around a candidate the Administrator remained silent (ironically, this voting block would largely define Mormons as cultists)and now that there is diverse multi-denominational excitement for a candidate this is the time to bring out the "cult" attack? Unbelievable and disappointing.
This is a truly dirty thing the Administrator has engaged in, and it is reminiscent of the swift-boating of John Kerry. It is truly Rovian in nature- that is, to attack the strong suit of a candidate head-on rather than focus on weaknesses. Obama is generating a lot of enthusiasm and grass-roots movement right now and that is his major strength, and so the Obama-haters are attempting to define this strength as powered by cult-like fervor and delusional mass hysteria. It is an unprincipled attack.
P.S.- I am supporting Obama at this point but will be influenced by the debates with McCain. As an independent voter, I am pushing for Obama in the primaries, and look forward to getting to know his vision in better detail as the general election begins.
Haha, please.
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