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For starters, he's just a much better public speaker n/t Stargleamer Dec 2016 #1
He was a brilliant public speaker yeoman6987 Dec 2016 #26
The "race speech" in response to the rev wright controversy bhikkhu Dec 2016 #34
Yes Chitown Kev Dec 2016 #49
yes DonCoquixote Dec 2016 #133
I've been thinking about that moment a lot recently. rogue emissary Dec 2016 #73
I wish he governed the way he campaigned. yurbud Dec 2016 #126
For starters, he was also a HE. nt ncgrits Dec 2016 #53
Having a long record is a disadvantage marylandblue Dec 2016 #2
I think you are right.. plus I think a younger president is more appealling Zing Zing Zingbah Dec 2016 #6
I disagree about younger being more appealing. Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #71
Democrats seem to do better when they run younger candidates Zing Zing Zingbah Dec 2016 #95
Reagan got a shit load of Democrats to vote for him. Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #100
Bill Clinton and Obama both won being relatively young Zing Zing Zingbah Dec 2016 #104
Feel free to keep your ageism. Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #105
I'm trying to suggest something that I think will make the dems more likely to win Zing Zing Zingbah Dec 2016 #107
He is likable and she was not. He has charisma and she does not. Pisces Dec 2016 #3
Oh, piffle mcar Dec 2016 #13
Of course there is a higher standard. The first of anything has to be extraordinary. Pisces Dec 2016 #25
That might be your personal experience... Begabig Dec 2016 #56
You know Obama was the first black president, right? Goblinmonger Dec 2016 #57
Of course, there are absolutely no higher standards for African Americans... Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #72
You genuinely believe she was as personable, charismatic and inspiring as Obama? And that people JudyM Dec 2016 #74
I did not say that mcar Dec 2016 #80
Ok so what's the distinction you're making here? Looks pretty much the same to me. JudyM Dec 2016 #82
The distinction is that I wasn't comparing one to the other mcar Dec 2016 #83
But you say it was a higher standard for her than him! That's totally making a comparison. JudyM Dec 2016 #86
Maybe Lotusflower70 Dec 2016 #101
Oh, puhleeze. LisaM Dec 2016 #27
speak for yourself. i supported Obama and i find her likable JI7 Dec 2016 #28
Exactly right... RazBerryBeret Dec 2016 #102
Be a relatively young outsider in a change election? nt geek tragedy Dec 2016 #4
He had a near-catastrophic predecessor and a country on the brink enough Dec 2016 #5
Hillary would have won pretty similar to BHO in 2008 Cosmocat Dec 2016 #14
I agree NewJeffCT Dec 2016 #64
Not convinced of that. Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #77
She would not have won by the same margin Cosmocat Dec 2016 #87
Obama was a natural at campaigning & he had the luxury of running right after 8 yrs of Bush mtnsnake Dec 2016 #7
He was relatively new and had far less baggage PatsFan87 Dec 2016 #8
The Media hates Hillary. They "Gored" her. Va Lefty Dec 2016 #9
there is something to that. yurbud Dec 2016 #10
YEP Cosmocat Dec 2016 #15
add in the foreign influence and huge whoring for trump JI7 Dec 2016 #30
I would not say that Obama got a fair shake in 2008 NewJeffCT Dec 2016 #65
Obama WORKED for it. 87 days in Iowa at every small town dinner Dems to Win Dec 2016 #11
When Hillary took weekends off in August I was stunned. yeoman6987 Dec 2016 #31
She was sick and is 70 years old - can you cut her a little slack!?? Joe941 Dec 2016 #90
True. yeoman6987 Dec 2016 #91
This! NWCorona Dec 2016 #67
He had no expectation that it would be handed to him on a silver platter. n/t Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #84
Obama was not beaten up in a primary. Demsrule86 Dec 2016 #12
nor by the M$M ffr Dec 2016 #16
Were we watching the same 2008 primary? PatsFan87 Dec 2016 #17
McCain even used a Hillary speech in a ad against Obama. NWCorona Dec 2016 #69
Obama took it in good humor and it kept Dems in the spotlight. yurbud Dec 2016 #18
Yes he was. He was just better at deflecting the he criticism. Exilednight Dec 2016 #43
OMG. Oh, lord. Man Goblinmonger Dec 2016 #58
Are you serious? That is a laughable statement. Hillary threw kitchen sink at Obama NWCorona Dec 2016 #68
How quickly folks forget... Begabig Dec 2016 #70
Post removed Post removed Dec 2016 #85
"Change" "Change" "Change" Bottom line. jmg257 Dec 2016 #19
Very good question, and one simple answer. Exilednight Dec 2016 #20
it reminded me of an Obama meme that sprouted up AFTER he was elected: yurbud Dec 2016 #50
So true! JudyM Dec 2016 #75
Obama followed the 50 state strategy NWCorona Dec 2016 #21
No, he really didn't. TwilightZone Dec 2016 #37
The only states that Obama didn't visit in 08 was Alaska and North Dakota NWCorona Dec 2016 #38
His first trip to NE was in 2012 for events in Iowa. TwilightZone Dec 2016 #40
Ok I see you now. NWCorona Dec 2016 #42
more accurately, he BENEFITTED from it. The brief window of control of Congress was thanks to Howard yurbud Dec 2016 #81
Post-Bush, rural outreach in purple states, pre-Shelby County v. Holder, favorable media coverage. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #22
He was running after two terms of Bush. LisaL Dec 2016 #23
2008 was after 8 years of Bush. media was better in calling out Palin JI7 Dec 2016 #24
Easiest answer ever... Mike Nelson Dec 2016 #29
He was a "fresh face" with lots of charisma. I would have voted for her in a 2008 GE, but... Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #32
Simply put: Else You Are Mad Dec 2016 #33
be Fresh and New NRQ891 Dec 2016 #35
America wasn't ready for a Black President, and Hillary paid the price? stone space Dec 2016 #36
Hillary lost because Obama is black. Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #92
OK here are my ideas hollowdweller Dec 2016 #39
excellent analysis. The WAR one can't be overstated enough yurbud Dec 2016 #78
Obama told gun owners in a town meeting that he couldn't ban "assault weapons" even if he wanted to. benEzra Dec 2016 #41
According to Obama RFKISNEEDED Dec 2016 #44
I think this question is missing the forest for the trees. TransitJohn Dec 2016 #45
when Obama ran the country had just had 8 years of bush La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #46
Don't understand how we can easily compare the two either... JHan Dec 2016 #51
On policy, Hillary is the better candidate. But she is also a poor campaigner. Tatiana Dec 2016 #47
Obama put more focus on economic inequality JudyM Dec 2016 #48
Very True. Trump more or less ran Obama's 2012 campaign playbook against Romney on Clinton. hollowdweller Dec 2016 #60
Good point. Pity that raising people's consciousness only worked on Dems, not rethugs. JudyM Dec 2016 #76
Own a penis. Squinch Dec 2016 #52
YEP. That's pretty much the baseline. He was a HE. nt ncgrits Dec 2016 #54
You read my mind. hamsterjill Dec 2016 #59
LOL, I'm still remembering the Edwards supporters in '08 primaries Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #93
Sure, sure. It had nothing to do with it. And yet, hostility to women is one of the greatest Squinch Dec 2016 #94
I'm not claiming that there was no sexism or misogyny in 2016. Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #97
One more time: Hostility to women is one of the greatest predictors of a Trump vote. And Trump won. Squinch Dec 2016 #110
So you're saying that no woman can win the presidency because this one didn't. Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #112
No. Actually, I never said that. I said that hostility to women was one of the strongest Squinch Dec 2016 #113
I also remember that Edwards' Iraq War vote never came up as disqualifying in any way. lapucelle Dec 2016 #108
Petraeus's responsibility for Benghazi doesn't seem to be being held against him. These are Squinch Dec 2016 #109
Men are allowed to be flawed. Women have to be perfect. lapucelle Dec 2016 #111
+1 uponit7771 Dec 2016 #122
Political baggage... Perceived and real... Begabig Dec 2016 #55
Obama had an edge Hillary couldn't: He offered a change from 8 disastrous years of Republicans DFW Dec 2016 #61
Hillary could have had that same edge but lost to Obama yurbud Dec 2016 #98
It was obvious after Cheneybish that the next president would be a Democrat DFW Dec 2016 #99
He was the change candidate and she wasn't bigbrother05 Dec 2016 #62
Win? FBaggins Dec 2016 #63
lol Grey Lemercier Dec 2016 #66
He won Lil Missy Dec 2016 #79
I posted about Obama's rev Wright speech rogue emissary Dec 2016 #88
He played to the media nt Buzz cook Dec 2016 #89
an incumbent WH party with sub-40 job approval ratings TuslaUltra Dec 2016 #96
President Obama Lotusflower70 Dec 2016 #103
He ran during Bush's eighth year for one. RandySF Dec 2016 #106
I agree overall though the comparison between Hillary and Obama is important to fix things yurbud Dec 2016 #125
Obama's popularity is personal and non transferable even to his own policies TheKentuckian Dec 2016 #114
Obama benefited from being against the Iraq war, not having a long neoliberal record, jfern Dec 2016 #115
He brought 4 million more people to the polls. Coyotl Dec 2016 #116
Oh, another "Hillary is a warmonger" dig. betsuni Dec 2016 #117
The point of the thread is what Dems can do differently next time--are we allowed to do that? yurbud Dec 2016 #119
should we just let people with money tell the party what to do? yurbud Dec 2016 #120
Same Reason Obama did better in 08 than 12 JI7 Dec 2016 #118
No Comey? uponit7771 Dec 2016 #121
He was running to replace a two-term president of the other party - he represented change nt EffieBlack Dec 2016 #123
RUSSIA did not interefere in '08 or '12. They did this time. nt LaydeeBug Dec 2016 #124
Ran as a challenger opponent against the exiting admin Politicub Dec 2016 #127
Shit was on fire in 2008. dawg Dec 2016 #128
"Eight Year Itch" Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #129
Democrats might think about what they can do to earn back those third party votes yurbud Dec 2016 #131
I'm not berating anybody Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #132
As simplistic as it seems, it was also the 8yrs. of one party in the WH thing JCMach1 Dec 2016 #130
It wasn't so much campaign tactics as it was personality. randome Dec 2016 #134
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