Comments on: Barack Hussein Obama: Profile of a Doctrinaire Ideologue http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2009/03/28/barack-hussein-obama-profile-of-a-doctrinaire-ideologue/ Conservative and Libertarian Intellectual Philosophy and Politics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jack Kerwick http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2009/03/28/barack-hussein-obama-profile-of-a-doctrinaire-ideologue/comment-page-1/#comment-77271 Jack Kerwick Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:52:17 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/?p=5676#comment-77271 It is critical that the (understandable) confusion into which discussions of "intellectualism" far too frequently lapse be avoided by readers of this essay. When I claim that Obama, unlike your run-of-the mill Democrat, even your average left-wing Democrat, is thoroughly committed to a consciously contrived ideological vision, a vision imbibed and nurtured by way of exposure to a plethora of radical literature, I by no means intend to suggest that he is any more intelligent than any of his Democratic brethren (although it would be a virtually impossible task to be any dumber than any of them). That a person is an intellectual doesn't necessarily mean that he or she is of exceptional intelligence. Conversely, an individual may possess high intelligence while having little if any interest in trading in ideas. While I have no problem acknowledging that Obama has some of the intelligence attributed to him by his adoring fans in the media and elsewhere, I have yet to encounter any evidence suggesting that he has any more than that. Reading Malcolm X, Frantz Fannon, and a Black Liberation theologian or two does not a genius make. Jack It is critical that the (understandable) confusion into which discussions of “intellectualism” far too frequently lapse be avoided by readers of this essay.

When I claim that Obama, unlike your run-of-the mill Democrat, even your average left-wing Democrat, is thoroughly committed to a consciously contrived ideological vision, a vision imbibed and nurtured by way of exposure to a plethora of radical literature, I by no means intend to suggest that he is any more intelligent than any of his Democratic brethren (although it would be a virtually impossible task to be any dumber than any of them). That a person is an intellectual doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she is of exceptional intelligence. Conversely, an individual may possess high intelligence while having little if any interest in trading in ideas.

While I have no problem acknowledging that Obama has some of the intelligence attributed to him by his adoring fans in the media and elsewhere, I have yet to encounter any evidence suggesting that he has any more than that.

Reading Malcolm X, Frantz Fannon, and a Black Liberation theologian or two does not a genius make.

Jack

]]> By: Mickey G http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2009/03/28/barack-hussein-obama-profile-of-a-doctrinaire-ideologue/comment-page-1/#comment-77259 Mickey G Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:00:25 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/?p=5676#comment-77259 ruminator, I suspect that you have never held a faculty position at a liberal institution otherwise you would not have asked the question "Can you?". Unfortunately the answer to your question is yes and the evidence of the fallacy of that answer is the significant failure rate on bar exams for those receiving the EEO grades. Does this indicate anything about BHO's grades? No it does not, only time and performance validates academic credentials. Without the dimensions of time performance the credentials are simply paper...just look at Barney Frank for an example of poor performance with great credentials. ruminator, I suspect that you have never held a faculty position at a liberal institution otherwise you would not have asked the question “Can you?”. Unfortunately the answer to your question is yes and the evidence of the fallacy of that answer is the significant failure rate on bar exams for those receiving the EEO grades. Does this indicate anything about BHO’s grades? No it does not, only time and performance validates academic credentials. Without the dimensions of time performance the credentials are simply paper…just look at Barney Frank for an example of poor performance with great credentials.

]]> By: ruminator http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2009/03/28/barack-hussein-obama-profile-of-a-doctrinaire-ideologue/comment-page-1/#comment-77254 ruminator Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:27:11 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/?p=5676#comment-77254 Mr. Ivanovich writes, "I suppose he has an IQ sufficiently high to get himself into Harvard. It couldn't be all affirmative action." That is the impression I have also. I didn't think you could use affirmative action to get the "magna cum laude" distinction. Can you? Is it hard to think of Obama as any kind of intellectual because of what he says and does, or is it hard to think that there could be such a thing as an intellectual liberal? I get the impression that a man like Thomas Sowell, for example, believes that liberalism arises only through errors at logic. But I do not get that impression from this author, much as he dislikes Obama's philosophy. Just asking. Mr. Ivanovich writes, “I suppose he has an IQ sufficiently high to get himself into Harvard. It couldn’t be all affirmative action.”
That is the impression I have also. I didn’t think you could use affirmative action to get the “magna cum laude” distinction. Can you?
Is it hard to think of Obama as any kind of intellectual because of what he says and does, or is it hard to think that there could be such a thing as an intellectual liberal?
I get the impression that a man like Thomas Sowell, for example, believes that liberalism arises only through errors at logic. But I do not get that impression from this author, much as he dislikes Obama’s philosophy.
Just asking.

]]> By: Ivan Ivanovich http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2009/03/28/barack-hussein-obama-profile-of-a-doctrinaire-ideologue/comment-page-1/#comment-77174 Ivan Ivanovich Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:04:23 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/?p=5676#comment-77174 Something in your title and article gives an impression that I don't see in BHO. Words like "rigor" imply an intellectual flavor that gives too much credit. Certainly Obama has something and among the seven intelligences we must rate him high on interpersonal. I suppose he has an IQ sufficiently high to get himself into Harvard. It couldn't be all affirmative action. He certainly wiped the floor with Alan Keyes, in the debate. But I haven’t see that sort of gravitas during the last two years. I keep getting this feeling that someone is pulling his strings. Of course, many accused Bush of the same thing and I don’t believe that for a moment. Maybe when Obama refuses to knuckle under to one of his many supporters the way Bush did with Cheney, on the Libby pardon, then I’ll get the feeling that he is more than a talking head, or should I say teleprompter reading head. In November, I was disappointed. In January, I was hopeful. Now I’m disappointed again. I still have faith in America and it will be interesting to see how this system overcomes it’s mistake. Something in your title and article gives an impression that I don’t see in BHO. Words like “rigor” imply an intellectual flavor that gives too much credit. Certainly Obama has something and among the seven intelligences we must rate him high on interpersonal. I suppose he has an IQ sufficiently high to get himself into Harvard. It couldn’t be all affirmative action. He certainly wiped the floor with Alan Keyes, in the debate. But I haven’t see that sort of gravitas during the last two years. I keep getting this feeling that someone is pulling his strings. Of course, many accused Bush of the same thing and I don’t believe that for a moment. Maybe when Obama refuses to knuckle under to one of his many supporters the way Bush did with Cheney, on the Libby pardon, then I’ll get the feeling that he is more than a talking head, or should I say teleprompter reading head. In November, I was disappointed. In January, I was hopeful. Now I’m disappointed again. I still have faith in America and it will be interesting to see how this system overcomes it’s mistake.

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