Barack Obama went on the O'Reilly show of shows last week. Mr. O'Reilly wrote a column about the interview.
I transcribed the column below.
My copy-paste key is broken, so I had to do it from memory. Apologies for any mistakes or omissions.
Like him or not, you have to give Barack Obama credit for waging a smart, focused campaign. Destroying the Clinton machine was a major achievement and so was putting together a successful convention in Denver. Obama is now firmly a part of U.S. history, no matter what happens in the presidential election. He's placed himself squarely in a historical place. An important place, just for him.
The problem some Americans continue to have with the Senator is that he is long on charisma but short on detail. This frightens some voters. Who the heck is this guy, anyway? I mean, I don't know who he is. How could I? He's never personally introduced himself to me. Never taken any time or made any effort to say anything or write anything I could use to get a handle on him.
And it's not like I haven't asked him to talk so I could learn more about him. I sent several invitations, but no response! And so Senator Obama remained a mystery to me. I was unable to draw any conclusion about him whatsoever, and I was getting worried that I'd have to make a "best guess" about who to vote for.
So when Obama finally agreed to speak to me this week, specifics were on my mind.
First, the man. The Barack Obama I witnessed is self-confident, determined and driven. He was acutely aware of his surroundings from the moment he entered the room. He looks you in the eye and touches your shoulder. He understands how to connect one-on-one.
That's the kind of specifics we all need to know about the Senator. The guy is aware of his surroundings. He places his hand on top your shoulder.
As far as philosophy goes, Senator Obama is convinced that the federal government should be in control of income distribution and, to some extent, should regulate the free marketplace. He said that, specifically. That is a classic liberal position, and Obama promotes it well.
The Senator also believes that poor Americans have a basic right to free health care and monetary supplements from the government with no strings attached.
That's the kind of specific information that I'm glad he made clear. "Monetary supplements" are his words not mine.
The American substance abuser, for example, would derive the same benefit as a hard working, laid off worker would.
Exactly the same benefit. Those are Obama's specific words, not mine. Again, classic liberalism. No judgments made regarding entitlements, supplements, health care, welfare, or what-have-you.
So, if Barack Obama does become president, there will definitely be change. His left-wing base will demand it, and he will come through. You can decide if that's change we should believe in, but keep in mind that the unintended consequences of government interference in the marketplace are impossible to predict.
Totally impossible. The free market is one thing you can't be specific about.
But it doesn't stop some people from trying. They look at events of this year, or last year, or in the last decade, and they try to draw conclusions. But it's just more of the same - trying to interfere with markets using impossible predictions.
There's one sure-fire rule you can always rely on: free markets have a way of chafing under government imposition.
On the foreign policy front, Obama has convinced me that he is tough but cautious. Very cautious, especially about fighting wars. He rose up quickly because he vehemently opposed the Iraq war.
But now I see a man who understands the victory that has taken place in Iraq. How about that for specifics? He totally opposed the war, and now he supports it! Well, he cautiously supports it. Like I said, he's cautious.
After going mano-a-mano with Obama on television, I am also persuaded that he is a sincere guy -- that he wants the best for all Americans. He's an ideologue, but not a blind one. He's a black man, but not an angry one.
He understands that his story is incredible, and, I have come to believe, he is grateful to the American system for allowing it happen. And he certainly ought to be grateful. Obama owes his place to the American system that created a place for him.
It is true that we don't know whether Senator Obama has the ability to solve complex problems, but you can say that about all presidential contenders.
You see, after going mano-a-mano, with Senator Obama, I can say a lot of specific things with certainty. But I can't say whether he can solve complex problems. There is no evidence of his problem-solving ability at all.
Like most politicians, Obama has used guile and good luck to accumulate his power. I always suspected this, but now I know. Also, He can be ruthless, kind, unfair, and generous. He can sound polite while being extremely judgemental. He likes to argue. Sometimes, when people are speaking he totally interrupts them. Disagreement appears to be his stock in trade. Sometimes he smiles. Sometimes he glowers. Sometimes his eyes gleam with an inner fire, and other times they appear perfectly normal.
In short, he's a real person trying to achieve an unreal position -- that of the most powerful person in the world.
You have to wonder what he's thinking.