Is Silicon Valley going gaga over Presidential candidate Barack Obama? Netscape (and Loudcloud and Ning) founder Marc Andreessen shares his impressions from an hour-and-a-half private meeting he had with the Senator back in early 2007 and declares him to be “normal,” “smart”, “not a radical,” and incredibly “credible.” We here at TechCrunch also find him credible, which is why we endorsed him as the most tech-enlightened Democratic candidate in our Tech President Primaries.
Andreessen sheds some more light on Obama’s leadership and foreign policy skills—two areas where he’s been criticized as being weak. Excerpt:
We asked him directly, how concerned should we be that you haven’t had meaningful experience as an executive — as a manager and leader of people?
He said, watch how I run my campaign — you’ll see my leadership skills in action.
We then asked, well, what about foreign policy — should we be concerned that you just don’t have much experience there?
He said — and I’m going to paraphrase a little here: think about who I am — my father was Kenyan; I have close relatives in a small rural village in Kenya to this day; and I spent several years of my childhood living in Jakarta, Indonesia. Think about what it’s going to mean in many parts of the world — parts of the world that we really care about — when I show up as the President of the United States. I’ll be fundamentally changing the world’s perception of what the United States is all about.
He’s got my vote.
That last point is a pretty powerful rejoinder to the criticism that foreign policy is not Obama’s strong suit. His unique life history arguably puts him in a better position than any other candidate to change the anti-American attitudes rife in many other countries. What other candidate could do that simply by being elected?
@allen
it’s not? what’s the difference then? enlighten me.
i don’t want to pay to put out a fire that you start in your house because you (hypothetically) smoke and drink like a fish at the same time and pass out and set yourself on fire. i don’t want to pay for your library, or your rec center. i certainly don’t want to pay for your war.
seems like the same thing to me, everyone pays for stuff that not everyone needs. the reason people are OK with these things is because they make society better. want proof? look at scandinavia. those countries have some of the highest tax rates in the world, and guess what? they have better healthcare *and* a higher standard of living than us anyway! aside from stubbornness i don’t see what your point is.
I agree with the fact that Obama appeals to the idealist. I’m usually one of them but have always had a practical side. I am also not saying that, if Obama is elected, that he won’t be a good president — he might be great. I’m just saying that people need to look past Obama’s idealistic message and look at the experience. We’re not supposed to take big risks with this job. Our current president is terrible. Most people now agree with this.
I would be curious to hear what the readers of this site (who I may assume are generally free trade) about the Obama- Canada- NAFTA contretemps?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenat.....on/1293120
” Did Barack Obama’s campaign quietly contact Canadian officials to tell them not to take seriously the Illinois senator’s tough talk about renegotiating trade agreements?” - this from The Nation, who one would assume be strongly in the Obama camp.
On the one hand one might hope that the anti-trade, anti-NAFTA pronouncements spouted by Senator Obama (and to be fair also by Senator Clinton) would be merely “for show” to placate Democratic working class voters in Ohio.
On the other hand, what if he (or they) actually believe in causing such a rupture between the US and our largest and closest trading partners?
@ BRadC
That’s a pretty ridiculous statement, “probably because they’re educated and have learned to think for themselves as opposed to the inhabitants of the isolationist, fearful flyover states.”
You are probably one those people who say GWB is an idiot because he’s not the best public speaker. I guess an undergrad from Yale and a MBA from Harvard qualifies him as stupid.
If you want a good perspective on Obama (or any other candidate for that matter), read his speeches in the printed word; it’s an eye opener. Obama’s speeches are shallow and completely devoid of any detail. He is repetitive and speaks in platitudes. His speeches indicate a vacuous man that is in no way ready to be President of the United States. This Obamamania is just plain stupid. Most of the people feigning over him have no clue as to the issues themselves. He’ll be exposed in the general election campaign as real American voters start sounding off (not liberal and core Democrats). I’m sick of hearing about the Obama tidal wave over America because it just isn’t so - he is not winning over middle America, just fringe Democrats.
I agree with Joe that Obama is NOT ready to be president. I do think Obama is a substantive and likeable person that should be taken very seriously and will likely be president someday. I just think the concept of making this guy that none of us really know or understand is truly bizarre.
I am the “flip flopper” who would vote for Obama over McCain then flip and vote for McCain over Clinton.
There are policies which Obama supports that hurt my sensibilities. As a father I fell in love with my son long before his birth. I would give my life over his. Sorry, just can’t help feeling that way.
But I also know that Barack was 100% right on the Iraq war. As a hunter I know what guns can and can’t accomplish. Terrorism is a spiritual (not religious) war. We must win the hearts of the hopeless.
The rhetoric of evil enemy is misguided. We can’t fight our way to victory. As much as Bush/McCain use Germany and Korea as their guiding examples… they are simply wrong. Terrorism is not a state… it is a state of mind. Persuasion is the only strategy. In this war… words do matter!
Hillary and McCain don’t get it. I don’t fault them. They are just politicians.
McCain is an American hero. I deeply respect his service. If the Soviet Union attacks us I hope to God we call on him for guidance (and I am sure he’d be there). But they won’t because there is no “Soviet Union”.
Hillary and Bill do know how to manage. And they certainly thrive on politics. It is the “fun part” for them.
However, terrorism is emotional. Words are sacred. You don’t blow yourself up as a technical matter. You don’t memorize the sacred text for fun.
Obama has shown the capacity for understanding the human spirit. Might sound simple and even ridiculous, but in reality it is the highest level of leadership. He is our greatest hope to alter the internal dialog of the hopeless. And that is where this battle plays out.
David,
All good thoughts re: Obama. All I’m saying is that what you’re saying *might* be true — no one really knows because Obama has such little history on a national stage that it’s almost weird. I like him and think we should all watch him over the next few years. If he’s as great as you think it will clearly pop out for all to see. I have to admit that his first 4 years in the senate have been quite unnoticable. Why is that? Where’s the greatness? Let’s give him some more time to prove it.
@ jbs “Following that reasoning, the way to change such anti-American attitudes is to make us, the United States, less powerful.”
Bush tried that and it doesn’t seem to be working. How low is the US dollar now? Oh yeah, if the foreigners buy us then they’ll *have* to love us. Either that or control us.
That last point only shows how fundamentally naive Erick Schonfeld is…
Sorry David but i’m not buying your pie-in-the-sky rhetoric. I’ve yet to hear what the hell Ombama is going to change. Change what? Climate change? Sex change? Spare change? Again, Big on rhectoric, small on details.
Also, Ombama and his camp act like he is going to ride into Washington and “change” the way politics are done. Has he been able to single handedly change the racism in our country? No; there are many things that are systemic. Can Washington be changed? I know McCain has been trying to fight for years now the way Washington deals with lobbying and he has had limited success even after decades of trying. For those who think Obama is some white knight riding into town and is about to change Washington then that’s some strong Kool-aide you all are drinking.
Further, doesn’t this country have bigger problems ahead of it to solve? Social security crumbling. Medicare in shambles. Our deficit a calamity. Yet Obama thinks he can move move a mountain on his own, in a single term, and “change” the way Washington operates. I think the Clintons are just realistic here. Work with the system as best as you can and work toward incremental change while focusing on the bigger problems facing the country (ie: tU.S. economy, errorism, world instability, etc.)
I agree that people who rely on Faux News are complete and utter retards. Keep allowing them to frame the argument for ANYTHING around “national security” and taxes, and you’ll end up with exactly what you’ve got now with Bush…but far far worse. Neo-con bullshit is responsible for this asinine war - an excuse for Bush cronies and neo-con multinationals to make MEGA profits on no-bid contracts while the standing of America as the bastion of freedom and democracy is being eroded in the eyes of the rest of the world daily and giving rise to other petty dictators (like Putin, Chavez, etc. who are simply following in GW Bush’s footsteps in running roughshod over their countries’ constitutions for their or their cronies’ financial beneift). Neo-con blathering is responsible for the fear which created an environment where civil liberties are being eroded irreparably. Tell me…would you rather be less free and pay less taxes, or have your freedoms restored and be certain that your taxes are going to be put to good use (healthcare isn’t a good use……really?). What do you mongoloid Bill O’Reilly kool-aid drinkers think…..we’ll just keep paying for a war that so far cost $3trillion dollars by sinking further into national debt….without consequences?? Or maybe we’ll invade Venezuela next and pay for it with their oil? Ryan, Joe and Allen must either work for Halliburton or a company like Blackwater, or they truly hate America and would rather see it destroyed than see a “liberal” raise their taxes. Oh the Horror!! Enjoy Faux News boys….they’ll be the first to break the news about the coming Apocalypse you idiots seem sooo anxious to see happen.
As for me, Obama or Hillary…..it doesn’t matter. Either one would have a gargantuan task ahead of them to restore the respectability of the office of the President and the stature of the United States as a country to be taken seriously in matters of human rights, civil liberties, and common decency and sanity.
Obama’s claim to fame with foreign policy seems to that he made the right call with regards to his original vote on Iraq; and while I agree with how he voted then, I fail to see how an immediate withdraw from Iraq will help us gain international credibility.
Let’s just think 2 steps ahead (something Bush and apparently most Americans never did), what happens when we leave a country that is unable to govern itself and unable to defend itself?
I’d say there’s a high probability that either Civil war ensues in Iraq, or Iran or decides to make a grab for some oil (or better yet, to distract the unemployed restless youth from their internal problems … you see, the US isn’t the only country that knows wars are a great distraction from domestic problems).
So what? Well, the problem is that we destabilized a country; and left it defenseless. I don’t know if there is a foreign policy guide on ‘how to win friends and influence people’, but I doubt this is high on the list of things to do. I’m far from a moralist on this stuff, but if you think the US is hated today; just wait for Iraq to succumb to civil war or Iran.
I wish we’d never gone in and started this mess; but you can’t make decisions today based on what you’d wish you’d done yesterday. You need to make decisions based on the situation we’re in today … and ideally, think a few steps ahead, so we don’t have to repeat our mistakes.
To me it comes down to these two really bad choices (and no politician is going to lay them out like this, so you’ll have to think for yourself on this one): 1) We can pull out all troops now, and likely have to send them back to squelch civil war or push back an invading force … wherein the US will sustain far greater causalities than staying put or 2) stay put until Iraq is more stable and can defend itself.
For those of you who say, who cares, it’s not our problem. Well, that’s just it .. it IS our problem, we created this mess. If think the US is going to win friends by pulling out of Iraq, you’re probably right … at least until Iraq implodes and then everyone will start blaming us again … in which case I guess we’ll be forced to go back into Iraq to appease international perception.
You need to stop chasing around ‘international perception’; and do what’s right in the long run. Going into Iraq wasn’t right, however, pulling out immediately won’t fix that initial bad decision.
#21 Allen is right! Obama wants to put $50-65 BILLION toward socialized health care every year. That is insane. Socialized. Come on guys.
to #3… I agree that, to some point, people tend to dislike the powerfull… but you sure don’t know what the USA has done in the past 60 years when you say that is the only reason for anti-american demonstrations…
#in south america, for example, USA supported ALL the military dictatorships during the 60s… and the USA is definitely not loved over here because of that…
#invading Iraq over oil, also not a very appreciated move (yes, over here most people believe that is the true casus belli)
#being the world’s biggest polluter and then raising it’s finger to point out countries who devastate the rainforest…
and I could go on, and on, and on…
There’s no one that doesn’t actually want everyone to have Health Care, everyone to have food, for our environment to be protected, and for everyone to be happy. So let’s just clarify that upfront.
The core “life-affecting” issue is HIGHER TAXES.
We don’t need higher taxes, we need SMARTER SPENDING. We need the best CEO in the world running the country, not a politician.
I just don’t understand that people don’t realize this basic FACT…
The higher earners in this country are the EMPLOYERS. They own the companies that provide JOBS to the nation. When you raise taxes companies have to make ‘adjustments’ to retain their previous profit levels — to please Wall Street, private shareholders, or themselves.
The #1 expense in any company is PAYROLL. The fastest and easiest way to cut costs to raise profits is to LAY PEOPLE OFF.
Raising taxes in this country ultimately helps NO ONE. It certainly doesn’t help the “little guy” when he loses his job.
The core problem in this country is that we can’t make a near 40% tax rate ‘work’ with all the spending ideas that we have. THAT is the problem. And the answer isn’t to just “collect more taxes” to do more spending.
this is great, but it’s clear that Obama’s campaign didn’t really take off until we endorsed him.
kidding, kidding.
if you think Arrington’s an “arrogant ass” then you must not value his opinion very much…..if so…..stay away from his site…I’m sure there’s a republitroll tech site somewhere where everyone will agree with your, and GW’s brilliance BRadC.
whoops…..jumped the gun on you a little BradC…..
np warren, we all make mistakes
http://tinyurl.com/34xqeo
If it is Obama… McCain better stop writing his own speeches!
He’ll need Reaganesque speech writers.
McCain’s themes should be…
I. On Foreign Policy
1. We are turning back divisions
2. We are ending generational hatred
3. We are planting the seeds of democracy in a landscape desperate for her fruit
4. We are giving hope to the hopeless
II. Domestic Policy
1. Liberty is our greatest gift
2. Liberty is not a gift of the state but a human right, a right the State must protect
3. Liberty requires us to look out for one another with open arms, we are our brothers keeper
If McCain focuses on the fear of terrorism, calling people illegal, and jargon about higher taxes… he will loose… and loose badly.
1. The politics (rhetoric) of hope will beat the politics (rhetoric) of fear.
2. Lowering taxes which take us further into debt is not a win. By wreckless spending (including the Iraq war) the conservative movement has not demonstrated any good from tax cuts. The long term peril of our economy (because of our growing debt) greatly outweighs any short term stimulous.
3. Terrorism happens. There is no military victory which will end terrorism. Yes, defensive measures are prudent. The greatest offensive strike is to give all people hope.
4. My generation has been fully integrated into the culture of “modern” immigration. For my father the word immigrant, when thought of in a positive light, is a Polish steel worker from the cold war era. For me it is hard working Latinos and Africans. I see significant “net” gains to society from a robust open immigration policy. Defining people as “illegal” is political jargon… it is distasteful to me… we are all immigrants… and ridiculously “illegal” relative to the native peoples of America.
you guys are fucking stupid.
nimbus…..please specify because I’ve got a really good comeback involving (ostensibly) your mom……and I don’t want to waste it.
nimbus (i think your mother was stupid for naming you nimbus) - politics is not logical or about being right - it is about getting people to vote for you - and most people vote on emotion - so was that a policy position or just a reflection of your personal history?
He’s got my vote!
begs the question. did he interview Hillary?
Probably not, so how can he make a fair comparison based on one interview with Obama vs his “perception” of her.
This Obamania has an uncomfortable cultish feeling to it… frankly I ain’t buying the kool-aid
yeah, Obama wants to put in $50B to $60B per year on health care.
Too much money!
Better we spend $3 Trillion dollars on an endless war that makes the US weaker and more vulnerable to terrorists. Not to mention missing the real perpetrators of 9/11.
nimbus = dense cloud (I have no doubt that you are dense or that your judgement is clouded)
@gilltots, #51
So if we have one cent going towards a public service, it’s socialism? I don’t have time to explain to you that it isn’t, sorry.
It is a false argument to say Obama’s plan will spend more on health care than we are already spending. The U.S. significantly outspends all other countries (per capita) than any other country. The correct negative argument (and more productive so we get it right) would be to argue the source of funds and spending priorities.
@Charles
So you are really going to compare healthcare to protecting Americans? Saddam was in the wrong (Google Resolution 1441) - period. Did he have anything to do with 9/11? No, but it’s not like he wasn’t a person of concern. I almost feel like quoting Colonel Jessep:
“I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it.”
Amen.
Allen
1. Resolution 1441 was a UN resolution… is the Iraq war a UN operation?
2. How exactly has the Iraq war protected Americans?
3. Was a full scale occupation our only option?
Well said Nimbus!
Get into politics on a tech site and you feel like you are in a Digg sandbox at a really politically correct pre-school with a bunch insecure, upper middle class, snot nosed little darlings.
Clint Murdock and my dear friend Cumulous Nimbus,
Why are you attracted to personal attacks? What is it about you? Why do those statement feel good to you?
Broken home, not that attractive, not that smart, can’t maintain intimate relationships, a little too consumed with technology? Hurts doesn’t it. I feel your pain.
Just take care of yourself… you’ll be alright.
Go Davy! Go Davy! Go Davy!
That’s the spirit… now come on over here and give me a hug… you are loved.
@ AhmedF - first off why is he so afraid to use his full name? hmmmmmmmmmmm…. why can’t we use it?
@ altz - its not racist - calling someone muslim is racists ? get lost idiot!
@ BRadC - oh please like Obama offers anything relevant to America ? have you ever heard of “fads” before tell me how he’s any different? “i was a kid in indonesia = good foreign policy? that’s the biggest stretch” so my trip to mexico makes me an expert in foreign policy - seriously, gimme break
and by the way why is he “fear mongering” that we “need change” why can’t we use his record to show everyone what he’s about ? hmmm
cuz he has NONE! go cry somewhere else you lefty weiners
hey…..my weiner DOES hang left!!….are you looking at my crotch lame?? man…..repressed repubes….explains alot.
Ha! Not bad
John McCain spent 5 YEARS as a POW in Vietnam.
Obama spent a few years growing up in Indoneisa… and that’s why he understands foreign policy. HA!
I spent a few years as a child in Russia, maybe I should run for President.
@ warren of course you want me look at your weiner now don’t you ? let me guess your from fagsicko ?
lame -
Why is it that people with interesting names (lame and cumulous) seem so hostile?
You can use his full name… it’s the context that has relevance. Lame I think I love you. You’re are fucking lame. Does that help?
How is Obama different from a fad?
A fad is defined as something that becomes very popular with a small group of people for a short period of time. It is unpredictable, short lived and without social, economic and political significance.
1. Over 11 million people have voted in the primaries for Obama - not a small group of people.
2. First book published in 1995, was elected to the Illinois State Senate over 10 years ago (1996), spoke at the 2004 convention, will be on the political scene the rest of your life - not a shor period of time.
3. Without social, economic, or political significance? That doesn’t even need to be answered.
So… doesn’t look like he fits the definition of “fad”. Maybe you should try another word.
@ david I don’t know why don’t you ask Obama why he’s so afraid of his name?
“A fad is defined as something that becomes very popular with a small group of people” wrong! what is it called when a large group of people find something popular then it goes away ? lol ..
“1. Over 11 million people have voted in the primaries for Obama - not a small group of people.” Hitler was popular to and your point?
How about movement? That probably fits better than fad. And yes his movement will end. The question is how it will end. Hopefully through positive changes.
Howard Dean was a movement at one time too. The unquestioning bandwagon of the Obamessiah (as one reader coined it) movement is pretty distrurbing. I’m still waiting to hear what exactly Obama means when he says change. I guess he’d prefer to have you fill in the blank Change ________. I’m totally voting McCain if this greenhorn wins the primary.
Change… the dialog from fear to hope (where are those WMDs?), from incompetence to competence (more than 150 Regent University alumni hired to top federal government positions since President Bush took office in 2001 - give me a break), from an issolating arrogance foreign policy (Resolution 1441 was a UN resolution… is the Iraq war a UN operation?), from deficit spending (the federal debt has grown under 3 of the last 9 administrations; Reagan, Bush, Bush)… and on and on and on.
@ David we wouldn’t know where those WMD’s are if Bush hadn’t gone in to find out - thank god he did.
How is killing terrorists arrogance ? was 9/11 arrogant of the terrorists? The iraq war is already justified as stated in resolution 1441 - “force will be used if necessary” . Necessary indeed.
The only reason Clinton had a good economy was he enron and all the big business scandels going on under his watch - not to mention all the hard working smart people who created the .com world - CLINTON had nothing to do with that - The economy/unemployment hasn’t been this good in years all under Bush. Also, no attacks under Bush I bet you can’t cough up that compliment toward him.
It is very suprising you support this guy. Obama is a racist liar, who could be compared quiet easily to John Kerry in that he DOES NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT HE STANDS FOR!!!
Did you not hear his “hallelujah” speach he made in Texas? Yeah, stuff like “You must feed your kids at night parents! You must make sure they get enough rest! We need change!”
Um…duh?? How can people, especially you TechCrunch, be so NIAVE as to listen to someone who ONLY POINTS OUT THE OBVIOUS! Don’t get me wrong, Clinton is no superstar either, but this guy Obama is a full fledged racist.
Do you quesiton why? Well, compare the fact that a) he always says something about how blacks need this or need that. How this guy gets away with trying to act like one race deserves MORE without being ridiculed for being racist is FAR beyond me. b) READ HIS BOOK! It says enough
Either way, you disappoint me.
If we’re just going to vote based on stretched logic and endorsements, then Hillary gets my vote and should win based on the nicely articulated response on Saturnight Live (http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=224734) with about 6:30 left in the video.
lame -
Killing terrorists isn’t arrogant - let’s finish the job in Afghanistan.
The President has very little to do with the economy.
The State needs to manage their budget (just as a business does)… or this will come back to get us as our dollar devalues (Ron Paul is right).
If Billary gets the nomination I will enthusiastically be voting for McCain (I am a gun carrying, Bush voting, Republican) and would not be upset if he wins.
But I do believe the Iraq war was a big fucking blunder (and yes I was all for it at the time)… and feel we need to be focused on finishing Afghanistan and getting our butts back home.
In the end the next President is stuck with the mess… and their actions are going to be similar whoever it is… we can’t sustain this level of engagement around the world… yet we can’t pull out carelessly.
What I do believe is something Jefferson articulated, that it is very healthy to have leadership change… entrenched leaderships become corrupt even without trying… it’s the nature of self interest.
I also believe that hope is a little dreaming, a little hope, a little good feeling is healthy.
Too much anger, resentment, fear, pessimism clouds your thoughts as much as pie in the sky dreaming… and is no more pragmatic.
So… I am enjoying this moment of optimism.
Don’t become the hate you fear.