Comments on: Latest Column

By: Unlikely Words » Comprehensive Election Reactions Round Up - A Reference - Reactions

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:10:41 +0000

[...] Time: One other thing: this is a country whose President-elect’s middle name is Hussein. That is a fact to be celebrated. I received an email from a young friend, an entrepreneur in Kabul, this morning. He said, “We are all smiling now,” and he attached a Pakistani press clipping–the Taliban greeted the new President and said they were ready to commence talks. [...]

By: November 3rd Election Poll - Page 104 - Fires of Heaven Guild Message Board

November 3rd Election Poll - Page 104 - Fires of Heaven Guild Message Board — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:14:50 +0000

[...] Taliban greeted the new President and said they were ready to commence talks. Source: Joe Klein Republicans tried to use "Hussein" as a four letter word. Is it possible that this new President [...]

By: billiecat

billiecat — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:57:58 +0000

Thanks, Joe Klein, for your always interesting comments and commentary. You helped me follow and understand this historic race. I appreciate your work.

By: Paul Moment » Aftershocks

Paul Moment » Aftershocks — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:58:50 +0000

[...] Obama edge is already apparent in undermining the radical Islamist attacks on America. Joe Klein, via Andrew Sullivan, “I received an email from a young friend, an entrepreneur in Kabul, [...]

By: mmchampion

mmchampion — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:15:10 +0000

I completely second 'theoriginaljames' comments. Obama was by far the smartest, most competent choice for all of the right reasons. When Obama gave his speech on "A More Perfect Union" I read it and immediately went to Swampland. The first comment I read was from Joe Klein and he had a beautiful quote from one of the commenters in his update. It's lost in the archives now but I remember thinking "JK gets it - he knows this is someone different" - and I was so grateful because for the first time in my political junkie life I was thinking the same thing, "Obama who treats us like we're complex grown-ups." I'm nowhere near as schooled as many of the other commenters here but I know smart and savvy and sincere when I see it. I am also very grateful to Mr Klein for his posts on Iraq - it helps to be reminded that a low body count doesn't mean we should declare 'victory' and think it's all better now. Now if I could just get this silly post-election grin off my face. So, even though he doesn't interact with us Swampcritters I am grateful to him for his brave and courageous posts.

By: Deggjr

Deggjr — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:51:09 +0000

Because this Newsweek article, which includes insights that must have been available to Michael Scherer, make it look as if he was 'a boy sent to do a man's job'.

By: Deggjr

Deggjr — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:21:29 +0000

That's a good article Mr. Klein.
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I also hope we will continue to do it together. I think your fans here have helped you to elevate your game and I hope you agree.
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I also hope you can take young Michael Scherer under your wing and elevate his game. His 'See John run, run John run' style needs work.

By: gmalcolms

gmalcolms — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:44:46 +0000

Thank you, Joe. Your columns this year have easily been the best on TIME. I, too, feel emotionally drained by this election, even somewhat still in shock, but it will be only temporary, to be replaced by anticipation of all the work that is to be done over the next 4 years.

Sue in TX: I wouldn't worry too much about your neighbors. When they see that all those ridiculous fears don't come to pass, they'll be less susceptible to such manipulation in the future. This will be a good growing experience for them.

By: rose83

rose83 — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:19:07 +0000

I've agreed with you so consistently over the last few months I look forward to finding some areas of disagreement again, when we all have the luxury of wrestling with the ideas that will energize the transition to a new presidency.
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Kathy, well said. I feel the same way.
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Southern Bell, I agree about Joe and his refreshingly fair coverage of HRC. Reading the Newsweek articles brought back all the memories of the sexist media coverage in the primaries. Calling her "Cruella de Hil" is so astonishingly immature: It's like the press corps was an eighth grade class from a circa 1968 boy's school.

By: theoriginaljames

theoriginaljames — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:50:29 +0000

Joe, I enjoyed that piece very much. I wonder where Nate will go next.

But the day after the election, there seems to be so much emphasis on the historic racial milestone achieved by Obama. It is to be sure, but I supported Obama from the beginning, and have to say I was rarely conscious the race issue. I supported him because he was intelligent, eloquent, decisive, insightful, and full of energy, not to mention his running the most efficient campaign organization in history possibly. I was impressed by his diverse cultural background, thinking it could only help in international relations. But when I did think about his race as African American, in my mind there was a footnote that he is not really descended from the traditional African American culture dating from our countries earliest times, that of the slave culture.

I don't mean to lessen the historic racial landmark, but that was really not why I supported him. I supported him because he was the best leader I saw, and a refreshing departure from the mindless Republican gibberish I had been hearing for the last 8 years.