by Frank James
Sen. Barack Obama met with the Boston Globe's editorial board today and offered an unusual answer to that nagging question about his lack of big-time management experience.
According to a posting on the Globe's "Political Intelligence" blog by Foon Rhee, the paper's deputy political editor, Obama likened himself to a $100 million high-tech start up taking on what the called the "Microsoft of Democratic politics," aka Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign and doing so with great success.
Obama also dismissed doubts that he lacks experience as a chief executive, saying launching his candidacy was akin to launching a $100 million start-up against the "Microsoft of Democratic politics" -- the Clinton campaign -- and raising more money than his main rival and creating a better on-the-ground organization.Much of the longer experience that other candidates claim, he said, is not in actually governing, but more in campaigning on the national stage.
That's a fascinating metaphor. He's the nimble start-up with the big new idea backed by venture capital money. She's the entrenched and dominant market leader with the monopolistic tendencies who presumably uses her power to stifle the competition.
Of course, this is a metaphor that cuts both ways. The Clinton people, for instance, could run with it and accuse him of peddling vaporware like so many dotcoms of the late 1990s Internet bubble.
Here's a link to the Globe posting.
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Comments
A brilliant, forward looking attitude to have. We need imagination and creativity in the governance of this country, not a skills entrenched former CEO who cannot think. Neither Johnson, Nixon, JFK, Eisenhower, Ford, or Truman were administrators or former governors, or even headed businesses. Our current head CEO in charge had big time business experience, and prior governorship in his storied resume and Republicans were overwhelmingly impressed. We don't want to be overwhelmed this time. We want to get it right, and B.O. is the right man at the right time.
Posted by: GW | December 3, 2007 4:04 PM
Obama is Google...
Hillafry is Enron!
Posted by: perry | December 3, 2007 4:16 PM
She's Microsoft and He's Google and Apple. Yeah, she's still a household name and trusted brand, but certainly not the future. Her recent questionable moves are eerily remniscent of Microsoft prematurely introducing The Zune and Vista. If you're asking what the Zune is, enough said.
Posted by: Dawn | December 3, 2007 4:25 PM
THe truth is that ppl service only because we always have start-up companies, Without them, there will be no addional job, the unemployment rate rate would go all the way up.
Posted by: Tibwa | December 3, 2007 5:01 PM
Dawn-
A trusted brand? Hillary is a trusted brand? I trust her less than I trust Vista, which I have no intentions of "upgrading" to.
Posted by: nisleib | December 3, 2007 5:03 PM
Can someone please do a fake Apple ad with HRC as "PC" and Obama as "Apple"? I'm falling over laughing just thinking about it!
Posted by: Jim | December 3, 2007 5:22 PM
Can someone please do a fake Apple ad with HRC as "PC" and Obama as "Apple"? I'm falling over laughing just thinking about it!
Posted by: Jim | December 3, 2007 5:29 PM
"Our current head CEO in charge had big time business experience, and prior governorship in his storied resume and Republicans were overwhelmingly impressed."
Posted by: GW | December 3, 2007 4:04 PM
Harken Energy comes to mind. Why his business acumen would be a reason to have voted for him is beyond me. I'm all for giving a guy like Obama a shot.
http://www.bushfiles.com/bushfiles/fertilize_bushes.html
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | December 3, 2007 5:41 PM
"WELL IF THAT'S THE CASE"
MICROSOFT WINS! There is not a nation that can run without it's application and software!
So RIGHT ON BROTHER, AT LEAST YOU RECOGNIZE!
Posted by: Roger Morris | December 3, 2007 5:54 PM
No, no, NO. Those are the wrong metaphors.
Obama is a J.C. Penny window mannequin and HC is an ice sculpture.
Neither of them has anything to offer.
That aside, if i were a Democrat I'd be worried sick that either of these two could win the nomination.
Do you really believe that middle America is going to embrace either a shady Cook County political operator or a Suburban Chicagoan transplanted to New York? If so I've got a great deal on a bridge I'd like to talk to you about!
Posted by: Tommy Paine | December 3, 2007 9:18 PM
I'm liking this guy more and more..any of us know what a pia Microsoft products are!
Posted by: Elisabeth | December 3, 2007 9:30 PM
Strange, as time moves on Hillary looks more and more like Nixon.
Power corrupts, indeed !
Posted by: Ragman | December 3, 2007 10:18 PM
Tommy Paine? Really? That's the best you can "Cook" (County) up? If Obama is a "political operative" than I have a bridge I'd like to sell you: a bridge between both lobes of your brain, for starters. The real Thomas Paine would be awfully proud of the white privilege you suckle from the teat of self-congratulation each morning, "Tommy," wouldn't he? Oh wait, you're the problem. Obama is your next commander-in-chief. Get used to the idea now, it'll make it far easier to swallow come January '09. And what's with the hood, dude? That's so 90s. 1890s.
Posted by: Joel Pantola | December 4, 2007 12:36 AM
"Neither of them has anything to offer."
Posted by: Tommy Paine | December 3, 2007 9:18 PM
I like them both better already Ronbot.
Posted by: Abby Hoffman | December 4, 2007 5:49 AM
as for the post that says " Power corrupts" what do you think will happen with oprahs money?
SHES STILL THINKING SHE WILL BE FIRST LADY IF SHE SPENDS ENOUGH ON BARACK WINPHREY. This guy cannot run for president without a womans backing. Lets just put the experienced WOMAN "HILLARY" back in the White House...
CLINTON 2008 THE BEST CHOICE FOR OUR CHILDRENS FUTURE
Posted by: Jamie | December 4, 2007 7:36 AM
Well said, Obama.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | December 4, 2007 8:41 AM
He is a start up who is throwing money at all the right people and greasing palms thru back alley deals in order to get ahead. It may work but it doesnt make it right or ethical and he will end up just like Enron in the end.
Posted by: Vinny | December 4, 2007 10:49 AM
barack is no vaporware. much like apple he can see what everyone else wants, and is just the one to do it. he can see that people aren't looking for something totally new, they like their computers. they just want ones that they can actually use and that work for them.
Obama 08!
Posted by: aaron | December 4, 2007 2:13 PM
Hey Obama - Ever hear of pets.com?
Posted by: Terry | December 4, 2007 8:18 PM