ON CHESS
Obama, Clinton seemed to take cues from royal game
Saturday, June 21, 2008 3:04 AM
By SHELBY LYMAN
If life imitates chess — as Garry Kasparov would have us believe — then both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton rank among the elite grandmasters.
Their struggle in the Democratic primaries was indeed a chess game of sorts, with each player offering a succession of moves and countermoves. The ebb and flow was riveting.
Both Obama (in the opening phases) and Clinton (much later) faced daunting obstacles, but both relentlessly pursued their goal.
In politics, as in chess, there are mistakes and more mistakes. But there are also second and third opportunities.
Kasparov once declared, “It has never been my style, on the chessboard or in life, to back down when the odds are against me.”
Both protagonists delivered their blows, resisted those of their opposites, and altered strategies when necessary. Clinton used every resource conceivable — and more — to continue the struggle.
Obama has won, but he still must contend with Clinton. She has set up the pieces for a new game — a shadow game that he will probably have to fight through the upcoming election and beyond.
She is almost certain to be a player in at least one more struggle for the White House. Inexorably, she still fights the good fight. But, true to himself, her opponent is making no easy concessions.
The great world champion Emanuel Lasker conceived of competition and cooperation as inextricably combined. Perhaps that duality will be the ultimate narrative of Obama and Clinton.
Source: Columbus Dispatch
Does Obama have a chance?
it would be an obmanation. i really hope not cuz the only change will be in your pocket!
Hey, if Obama wins, we can all look forward to Federal programs forcing us to pray towards Mecca.
Obamanation is a Muslim.
Obama has a chance to win, but it’s hard to imagine the people of this country electing such a radically liberal, empty suit. God help us all if they do.
With relation to the last two posts I can only say AMEN!
Come to think of it, we’re in trouble if we get Clinton or McCain too.
another excuse for a picture of Obama on the page.
The previous comments on this post have no real relevence to the article in question. Myself, I’m a GOP’r who will not vote for Obama for several reasons.
He hopes for change, but won’t tell us what the changes are. We have been enlightened though through the debates that he is a marxist leaning liberal which wants the government to run everything.
His policy on Iraq is misguided and inaccurate as he likes to flip flop on the issue as well. He even supported the Bush position back in 2004. this is what follows:
Obama’s change of tone in 2004 was so noticeable that [4] Howard Kurtz couldn’t help but notice how striking the Illinois senator’s position was in mid-2004. Obama was quoted as saying:
There’s not that much difference between my position and George Bush’s position at this stage. The difference, in my mind, is who’s in a position to execute. (Obama’s Shifting Positions on Iraq: A Rezko Connection? June 18, 2008 – by Richard Fernandez
His energy position is that of raising prices at the pump and continue the policy of not drilling on our home soil.
Windfall taxes: if the oil companies get hit, be very aware of the fact that beer companies, and casinos will be hit up on this position as well. It will force less innovation and growth.
There are others I can point out too. But I would like to make a point. If you are going to claim he is a Muslim or a leftist or something else, prove your case. Get educated about the guy or the subject, learn from it and teach others. Just do not suppose something and hope for it to change a person’s mind.
It’s one thing to hope for change, but I’d rather hope for effective change. And as I’ve proved, Obama is not effective change.
Hillary a GM? Nope. She tried the political equivalent of the 4-move Scholar’s Mate on Obama. When it didn’t work, she had no plan.
Obama did not impress me much either. He got several pieces ahead in the opening and coasted the rest of the way. He was outplayed in the endgame, but he held on to his advantage and barely won after 50 moves.
He often changes his mind about his moves, and occasionally seems to switch from one side of the board to the other, then back.
The sacrifice of FL, and the trade of MI left Hillary without enough material to obtain a checkmate. Barack advanced a pawn (MT) onto the eighth square. With the new Queen, enough delegates to win, Hillary suspends this game.
(Sorry if double post)