'You will experience an epiphany & you will say to yourself I have to vote for Barack.'

[Bluebear]

:scared:

OBAMA: (from a speech in South Carolina) That's his job, get you to the polls, vote for Obama. My job is to help him do his job. So I am going to try to be so persuasive in the 20 minutes or so that I speak that by the time this is over, a light will shine down from somewhere.

It will light upon you. You will experience an epiphany. And you will say to yourself, I have to vote for Barack. I have to do it.

And if you make that decision, if that moment happens, then it would be great -- even though it's just one day to go -- for you to fill out one of these supporter cards before you leave, because that way we'll know, you know, who, in fact, is going to be voting. Make sure that you are getting to the right precinct. It will be very heful to Dave in doing his job.

So let me just see a quick show of hands. How many people, be honest, are still undecided about who they're going to vote for tomorrow? Raise your hands.

Oh, see. Got some live ones right there. There's one, there's one over there. A couple others.

All right. We have you now in our sights. We are coming after you, and coming after you hard.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0801/07/cnr.02.html

[incapsulated]

1. Yeah, I can't imagine where we are getting this cult meme

I mean, wtf?

This is out of his own mouth:

It will light upon you. You will experience an epiphany. And you will say to yourself, I have to vote for Barack. I have to do it.

:crazy:

[Bluebear]

3. "We are coming after you, and coming after you hard."

:crazy:

[NMMNG]

33. Eeeek!

[donheld]

67. Sounds romantic

:D

[kurth]

107. O for orgasmic epiphany

[niceypoo]

75. This is getting so bizarre,

Ive read a lot online today about people worried that Obama is the anti-christ

Thats what happens when you run your political campaign like a christian revival.....and you replace 'Jesus' with your own name in your sermons...

The victims who fall for it dont think for two seconds that everything Obama says is the product of slick, paid, professional speechwriters.

[Hoof Hearted]

78. My 18 year-old daughter was talking about that very thing yesterday. Eeek.

Part of me says he's just rolling with what works but a bigger part of me is really uncomfortable with it and wants to tell him enough already. You're getting creepy. Really creepy.

[Political Heretic]

120. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Political Heretic]

126. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Carni]

141. It's a bad one and he should use his OWN voice

Not some freaky evangelical amwayish one...

I want a candidate not some extension of the bush/jesus shit from 99.

[NMMNG]

2. Is it just because I'm an atheist that I'm freaking scared shitless?

:yoiks:

[Critters2]

14. Can't be just that. I'm a Christian, and I feel the same way.

My problem with BO is just that--I already have a religion, thanks.

[NMMNG]

36. Thank goodness

:hi:

[BenDavid]

72. How about looking at this from the obama folks....you this don't

scare some folks....

"Obama basic training
Volunteers told to share personal conversion stories with voters - not policy views."



The title says it all. It's just like the rival tent shows of the 19th century.

[kurth]

104. Classic sign of a personality cult - "Why I think Dear Leader is God"

"How Wrong I Was To Doubt Dear Leader"

[NMMNG]

130. I saw that too

"Personal conversion stories". :wtf: Conversion doesn't tend to have positive connotations to me when used with humans.

[Auntie Bush]

16. Me too! n/t

[Fresh_Start]

25. me too, its like one of the freak Christian faiths

or at least one the the televagelical ones....send me your money
believe and jesus will save you

[NMMNG]

37. Just HOPE and everything will CHANGE.

Oy.

[Straight Shooter]

46. I'm not scared sh*tless, Buffy, but it does make me want to puke.

[NMMNG]

50. I like that little smiley

I recently had a variation on an old saying of my friend's mother in my sigline:

Hope in one hand, shit in the other. See which hand fills up first. (The original has "pray" in place of Hope)

[Straight Shooter]

54. I like that saying. I'll have to remember that. :) n/t

[krabigirl]

52. I'm thinking the same thing.

[Political Heretic]

121. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Political Heretic]

127. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[cottonseed]

131. It's because you're an Idiot.

Nice trying pushing the cult meme.

[NMMNG]

132. Back at you dearie

:hi:


Have some more Kool-Aid.

[Bluebear]

135. And whose little sockpuppet are YOU?

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Looks like the transcript from the final moments of Jonestown.

[Eric J in MN]

53. Watch another part of that speech and judge for yourself.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/02/02/sot.obama.free.trade.cnn?iref=videosearch

(I looked for video of what the OP posted but couldn't find it.)

[puebloknot]

91. On this issue, I agree, he's impressive! nt

[REDFISHBLUEFISH]

5. Messianic?

[jillan]

6. It's a little scary....

[TankLV]

66. not a "little" - it's a LOT scary...

[REDFISHBLUEFISH]

128. Republicans can flip the zealot thing on us if Obama gets the nomination.

Seriously will the old Fundie argument work? Not really, Repubs will use this to counter it.

[hedgehog]

7. Proof once again that some people are humor -deficient....nt

[Bluebear]

8. Ah, so this was a comedy routine?

[NYCGirl]

17. Indeed it was. NT

[incapsulated]

Yeah, well he can keep his "I'm the messiah" humor

Thank you.

[Cameron27]

122. The new Joshua was joking?

I'm not laughing.

[jillan]

12. It's just that it's the same thing coming from so many of his supporters.

he calls his campaign a movement, his supporters 'believers'.

How could he not have seen this coming?

[Iceburg]

9. The Cult-ivator speaks again ...

kinda makes Bush41's "a thousands point of light" rather dim in comparison.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

42. I can easily imagine that this was light-hearted in delivery. (But it's still creepy)

[readmoreoften]

10. Hold me, Bluebear. I don't wanna be in their sights. Why can't they leave me alone?

:scared:

The badman wants to shoot my brains out and make me an Obamacan.


(heh-heh, heh-heh...he said hard heh-heh)

[Bluebear]

23. Fill out your supporter card!!!!!111

[Xipe Totec]

11. I loved Barack... much better than Cats...

I'm going to vote for him again, and again...



:rofl:


Seriously, though, the cult thing is getting old...

[LittleClarkie]

49. You stole my line

Damn you. Damn you all to hell!

Heh.

[hedgetrimmer]

13. The epiphany will be that Hillary is a bad donkey and

Obama is a good donkey and the light on the good donkey will draw you unless you have a bad streak, and if you have a bad streak you might lean toward Hillary.

[maddiejoan]

15. Barack Obama

is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.

[Critters2]

18. LOL!!! nt

[incapsulated]

20. rofl

:D

[Dogmudgeon]

47. I think I just wet myself

No, I lied.

I DID wet myself.

--p!

[terrya]

98. LOL

I cracked up when I saw this. :-)

[CTLawGuy]

19. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

some people don't like inspiration and enthusiasm.

[maddiejoan]

24. Some people

like the genuine article.

[CTLawGuy]

143. no warmongers for me

thanks.

[sykalla]

144. Your guy is just as much a political pragmatist....

Voting to fund the war... For God's sake, he only differed from Hillary on the order of magnitude of 10 votes!!!!

It's easy to say anything when you are not held accountable for it.

[CTLawGuy]

150. so if he said he was for legalization of child molestation

there would be no consequences becuase he wasn't voting on it ??????????

[alteredstate]

21. He was joking.

Geeez!

[maddiejoan]

27. People said * was joking

when he said:

"If this were a dictatorship it would be a heck of a lot easier, just as long as I'm the dictator."

[Iceburg]

29. Were you there? We need clarification.

[alteredstate]

32. Yes, I was there.

[smalll]

22. Wow. Obama said all that himself. Troubling is far too sedate a word for it.

/nt

[More Than A Feeling]

26. I decided to support John Edwards after hearing him speak..I wonder what would have happened

if I had heard Obama in person first.

[rodeodance]

63. The SWoom would have hit you.

[DURHAM D]

28. Looks like Obama is using Christian Code Talkers.

CCLs for short.

[RestoreGore]

30. Already had the epiphany. He isn't it n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

102. ...

:thumbsup: He'll never be it for me.

[MADem]

31. I've experienced an epiphany, and I realize that this guy is a bit more of a bullshitter

than your average politician. I don't like that level of hubris frankly. A certain level is fine, and acceptable, and expected--but telling people they're going to experience an EPIPHANY? Over HIM? Who the fuck does he think he is???

I also don't like his testy approach to reporters who ask him questions.

His personality is starting to trouble me.

A lot.

[REDFISHBLUEFISH]

34. Hillary 08! A leader not a Preacher!

[kerry-is-my-prez]

62. Ddi you see the way he looked at Hillary during the debate - like he was God

and Hillary was just a speck - or piece of crap.

He was sort of scoffing at her. It was a huge turn-off. My friend who was watching it with me said "What is wrong with him - look at the way he's looking at her. He acts like he is so superior." She came to the conclusion that there was something wrong with him. She's now refusing to vote for him and will vote for McCain if it's Obama vs. McCain. This is a Kucinich Democrat too.

[MoonRiver]

96. Yes, his behavior toward her at the debate is what put me in Hillary's camp.

The media's blatant bias against her made me furious also, but that alone wouldn't have done it. It took that arrogant asshat himself to convince me.

[SammyWinstonJack]

103. He has have a big ego. But maybe that isn't his fault, what with the all the adoration he receives.

Guess it would be difficult to keep one's ego in check, would it not? :evilgrin:

[hedgehog]

109. It's hard to look up at someone who is shorter than you.

Just sayin......

[Tennessee Gal]

35. "some people don't like inspiration and enthusiasm."

Oh, get real.

You can look at the quotes and say that?

Please, please think about what you are doing.

Snap out of it!!!!

[BlackVelvet04]

38. Ok....that's over the top.....

and they have the audacity to say the cult accusation is ridiculous?

[aka-chmeee]

39. If it comes to that..

If it does indeed come to that point in the General Election where I stand in the box and the ballot in front of me has Barack Obama and John McCain or Mike Huckabee on it, there will be no epiphany...just resignation and disbelief when I say to myself "I have to vote for Barack. I have to do it."
And I will do it, but I won't like it and I won't feel much confidence that anything will get any better.

[zonkers]

40. This is politics, you play to the room. Romney wore a Cuban guayabera shirtt in FL.

three weeks ago. Its just politics. Isn't it? I am not really

[Triana]

41. "All Your Votes Are Belong to Us"

NO.

I don't.

[FirstLight]

43. I am troubled by more than this...not just Him, but the state of things

But I do think he takes the cake sometimes...and not in a good way.


here's where my head's been today
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=226x5961

i wanna :puke:

[cooolandrew]

44. Looks like a thread I have onhidden.

[OzarkDem]

45. Praise Jesus!

I am healed by the serpent of the...oh well..

[Levgreee]

48. Convenient how you left out what came right after

And hopefully if I make a persuasive case, then you will make sure to let Dave know by filling out one of those cards. But you know what? If you're not voting for me, vote for somebody.

What an extraordinary privilege the people of New Hampshire have. You, along with the people of Iowa, will have more to do with selecting the next president than just about anybody else on the planet. And that is remarkable. And it's a responsibility I know you've taken seriously. That's why you're here today.

But we've got to follow through and finish up. Please give Dave a big round of applause.



Hardly sounds cult-like to me. If we scrounged through transcripts related to HRC we could probably find some "cult-like" speak.

[DS1]

51. They always leave that out

It's their style. Nevermind the gist of the statement, just pick and choose what benefits them. This is the kind of politics which sucks the life out of this party.

Gotcha kind of crap like this.

[Bluebear]

69. Yeah, we're evil. Evil through and through.

[lwcon]

56. Here's how it works

Saying a good thing sometimes doesn’t mean you didn’t say a very bad thing.

Allow me to illustrate:
* Kittens
* Mother-Fucker
* Hot Cocoa
* Babies

Did saying the other three things mean I didn’t just say “Mother-Fucker”?

Oh, but please carry on playing "What Obama Really Meant":
http://www.correntewire.com/what_obama_really_meant

___

The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy, now at my new home: Correntewire.com

[Yossariant]

59. Watch it, Dude! Ponies, Dude! Don't rock the boat, Dude! FREE ponies, Dude!

:rofl:

[lwcon]

71. I'm sorry. What was I thinking.

I'll stop rocking the boat and start Baracking the Vote.

I'll name my pony Transformative Triangulation.

I do so love ponies!


___

The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy, now at my new home: Correntewire.com

[JAbuchan08]

138. Powerful argument

you must be a linguist.

[Straight Shooter]

57. "If we scrounged through transcripts related to HRC we could probably find some "cult-like" speak."

Go for it. We would laugh just as hard at her "cult-like" speak as we do at Obama's. I think it would lighten things up a bit, too.

[rodeodance]

61. it doesn't matter as most were SWOONed over by then.

[ecstatic]

55. If Obama frightens you so much, then you probably deserve Huckabee

Don't complain when Huckabee is seated and takes all your rights away.

[lwcon]

74. That's the way to play it!

Any legitimate concern about Obama is proof of party disloyalty!

Is the non-stop Hillary-bashing on this site proof of party disloyalty, too, or is this kneejerk defensiveness uniquely allowed on behalf of The Unifier?

___

The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy, now at my new home: Correntewire.com

[readmoreoften]

76. The Leader does no wrong. Leader will save us.

Leader is close to God. Leader will have prayer meetings in Whitehouse. Leader wants to unite all People. Do not speak bad of Leader. Do not ask how. Leader knows how.

[lwcon]

77. What do you mean...

close to God?


___

The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy, now at my new home: Correntewire.com

[earth mom]

58. OMFG! Did Obama really say that?!

Don't know why I'm surprised, but it's eerily reminiscent of * & his massive ego.

Not to mention VERY cult like! :yoiks:

[Political Heretic]

124. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[rodeodance]

60. Obama Swoon Watch>

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/02/08/obama-swoon-watch.aspx

08.02.2008
Obama Swoon Watch

"Nothing is more fundamentally powerful than how I felt when I met him. I stood, my hand embraced in his, and ... I felt something ... something that I can only describe as an overpowering sense of Hope."

--Actor Eric Christian Olsen, via somewhat embarrassed Obama supporter Joel Stein.

--Michael Crowley

[desi]

64. I know that this is not the least bit funny. It's serious and scary

but I remember reading a few years back about a preacher uttering something like Obama did here at his church: "So I am going to try to be so persuasive in the 20 minutes or so that I speak that by the time this is over, a light will shine down from somewhere." Not the exact words for sure but no sooner did he conclude preaching and sure as hell lightning struck, started a fire, and I believe the church burned to the ground. I decided to google this since I remembered it happened in Ohio and found the story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3044178.stm

[TankLV]

65. Oh good god - and the obamababies try to spin it that he's not a cult....

[DemGa]

68. I got the distinct impression of a cult when I read that transcript

Very strange stuff indeed!

[Political Heretic]

119. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Jamastiene]

70. Jesus, please protect me from your followers and their

crazy ass cult leaders.

Dude has a serious messianic complex. At one time, it was only slightly annoying. Now, his ego makes Bush look like Santa Claus. :scared: :tinfoilhat:

[Political Heretic]

118. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Name removed]

73. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

79. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluebear]

80. And you don't need to be a member here. nt

[Hoof Hearted]

81. You Fuckin' dinky-dick Freepers don't have much to do lately do you?

Since the entire country has rejected you and sent your ass back to you in your hat. You guys are about as relevant as ball sweat, and now you know it.

HA!

I laugh and dance on the grave of your stooopid ass "ray-gun revolution", and the senile Fuck that started it too.

[Skip Intro]

82. I want nothing to do with Obama or "the movement." This kinda thing is a huge reason why.

Keep your damn Kool Aid, Obama.

[Skip Intro]

83. I want nothing to do with Obama or "the movement." This kinda thing is a huge reason why.

Keep your damn Kool Aid, Obama.

[JohnBreauxDemocrat]

84. Well said. Just who the hell does this man think he is.

Nuff said.

[mondo joe]

85. Indeed. The day I vote because of an "epiphany", will hopefully be the day I'm put away

somewhere where I can't do such foolish things anymore.

[JohnBreauxDemocrat]

86. The day I vote for haughty, assertive men like him

is the day I will be institutionalized.

[Hoof Hearted]

88. I'm so glad you got tombstoned, you gutter slug.

I dance. I'm going to go get a slice of pizza in your honor.

[Political Heretic]

93. lol finally. :)

[MoonRiver]

97. Damn! I always seem to miss the really fun freepers!

Those mods are just too fast! :D

[alteredstate]

106. Obama was joking.

[RestoreGore]

111. Prove it.

[bidenista]

87. good grief, that is weird. nt

[Political Heretic]

117. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[RestoreGore]

139. Seems everything he says is a joke to his supporters. Maybe he should do stand up n/t

[Political Heretic]

89. Well, that's one way to LIE about it.

Of course, you could tell the truth.... which is that its part of a speech he's given more that once, and when he says that part he says it in jest, being light about himself, and the crowd laughs.

....no....we couldn't possibly put the transcript in context, could we? Because that would be too.... you know.... honest and stuff.

[Bluebear]

90. Why is it he always needs an interpretation from his fans?

How the hell would anyone know that he is being "light" and who do you think you're calling a liar? Did "crowd laughs" or "audience laughter" appear in the transcript?

[Political Heretic]

92. No, which is why you shouldn't take a transcript alone and go OMG!!11!!1!!!!ONE!11

Instead of posting a little scary emote and a bunch of commentary based on a transcript without any context, you could have tried to use some critical thinking skills and discover if the context would shed any light on how the words should be taken?

It isn't that he "needs an interpretation from his fans" - its that people disingenuously post things to deliberately distort what actually happened, with the hopes that a bunch of other people who don't know the truth of the story will read it out of context and draw negative conclusions.

If you weren't doing that on purpose, then I apologize.

I have promised and promise again to do my best never to do that to Hillary Clinton. If you ever catch me doing so, I absolutely want you to call me on it!

[Tom Rinaldo]

101. I agree with you.

There is far too much of ripping words out of context used to make attacks in political debates on DU. It is exactly the type of dishonesty that we claim to hate so much when Republicans do it. And it is often done whenever a politician shows any sense of humor. The humor is stripped away completely and it is made to appear like that person was being deadly serious all the time. A lot of humor simply doesn't translate in print without the help of a commentator setting the scene and describing the context.

Having said that I don't know what the proper context is to view these words. I don't know the extent to which this was really a crowd pleasing parody for example. But I do know that context always matters.

[hill08]

94. what's more troubling

is that he seems to honestly believe that he is the chosen one.

[boston bean]

100. sort of reminds you of someone we all got to know well the last 7 years, right? nt

[Political Heretic]

116. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Perry Logan]

95. There are evidently a few authoritarian personalities in the party--and Obama appeals to them.

[bigtree]

99. preachifying

really obnoxious. I don't look forward to 4 years of this.

[Political Heretic]

115. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Armstead]

105. Here's more hyperbole -- Ooops. Bill Clinton 1992

In the end, my fellow Americans, this New Covenant simply asks us all to be Americans again- old-fashioned Americans for a new time. Opportunity, responsibility, community.

When we pull together, America will pull ahead. Throughout the whole history of this country, we have seen, time and time and time again, when we are united we are unstoppable.

We can seize this moment, make it exciting and energizing and heroic to be American again. We can renew our faith in each other and in ourselves. We can restore our sense of unity and community.

As the Scripture says, “our eyes have not yet seen, nor our ears heard, nor minds imagined” what we can build.

But I can’t do this alone. No President can. We must do it together. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be quick. We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and we won’t get out of it overnight. But we can do it- with commitment, creativity, diversity and drive.

We can do it. We can do it.

We can do it. We can do it. We can do it.

We can do it. We can do it. We can do it.

I want every person in this hall and every person in this land to reach out and join us in a great new adventure, to chart a bold new future.


Somewhere at this very moment a child is being born in America. Let it be our cause to give that child a happy home, a healthy family and a hopeful future. Let it be our cause to see that that child has a chance to live to the fullest of her God-given capacities.

Let it be our cause to see that child grow up strong and secure, braced by her challenges but never struggling alone, with family and friends and a faith that in America, no one is left out; no one is left behind.

Let it be, let it be, our cause that when this child is able, she gives something back to her children, her community and her country. Let it be our cause that we give this child a country that is coming together, not coming apart, a country of boundless hopes and endless dreams, a country once again lifts its people and inspires the world. Let that be our cause our commitment and our New Covenant.

[LostinVA]

108. They'll never BAM-Chain me!

And they wonder where the cult thing comes from...

[terrya]

110. I'm sorry, but this stuff is just plain creepy.

Are there "disciples" now? Is a "Sermon on the Mount" forthcoming?

[kurth]

112. There have been many sermons

and Commandment_1: "Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Obama"

[Political Heretic]

114. It was a joke. Stop taking things out of context.

[Onlooker]

113. Eek

That's kind of scary.

[Political Heretic]

123. HE SAID ROUGHLY THE SAME THING IN A SPEECH I ATTENDED - IT WAS A JOKE. WE LAUGHED. STOP LYING.

It was a joke, making light of himself. We laughed when we heard it.

Context matters. And to rip something out of context is to DISTORT it and be DISHONEST ABOUT IT.

And all the people who jumped on the bandwagon -- think about how much what you WANT TO BELIEVE is driving you rather than an honest interest in TRUTH.

[REDFISHBLUEFISH]

129. Repeat it enough he thinks it is true! You strengthen the case!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

125. I now have a Tom Waits earworm....lol Thanks

[AX10]

133. He is a strange character.

This is part of where the cult description came from.

[Auntie Bush]

134. Yes, I'll have an epiphany and vote for the first woman president.

Does that count?

[Seabiscuit]

136. Run away! Run away!

I feel like I'm being indoctrinated .... :scared:

[JAbuchan08]

137. Funny how these people have an A-men chorus

to point out "cultism" in others. "An Ah say! Drive out the heretics and the cultists and the Demons infecting this man with "hope and change!" They's the devils words! It's kool-aide! now see as I lay my HAAANDS down on this Obama cultist and DRIVE THE DEVIL OUT!"

A-men! A-men! Down with the Obama cult!

[robbedvoter]

140. Hey, I thought those threads got shredded = can't have Obama look bad on DU

Besides - it's not his fault! It's not like he's writing his own speeches :shrug:

[Babel_17]

142. Many a true word hath been spoken in jest

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/32/messages/1050.html

Perhaps Obama was wryly noting the fervor of some of his supporters or how they are perceived by his opponents. Or maybe not. In any case, most people are more or less aware of the above quote and will judge for themselves.

[Carrieyazel]

145. I doubt I'll see that epiphany.

[nonconformist]

146. That is fucking creepy.

I don't care who you are, that is some fucked up shit right there.

[sykalla]

147. Deeply Disturbing

They are a cult of personality.

I don't think it can be debated that most don't even know what the message is beyond vague catch phrases that they repeat/chant.

(It is important to note however, that many of Obama supporters on DU do not fit this mold and are quite informed...)

[goodgd_yall]

148. Could have been said in a humorous manner?

The "epiphany" part, I mean.

As for the "We are coming after you, and coming after you hard" part, if his tone was playful, I don't see a problem.

[avrdream]

149. Wow, I had to go to the source to check that this was real (apologies to Bluebear).

Incredible! It really does sound like either a cult or some church event where they try to get you to "come to Jesus".

Friggin' scary. Why didn't he just join the Republican party? I'm so confused.