Wednesday, November 05, 2008

George Stephanopoulos on Obama's "Goldilocks landslide"

I'm adding Stephanopoulos to the blogroll. He caught my attention with the term "goldilocks landslide" describing Barack Obama's win. That wonderful description obliquely captures the phenomenon that Obama was able to ride to victory. His appeal to all sides of the population, not only the political population but the whole population, is what took him to the finish line. His measured reaction to anything that someone does or says radiates power and confidence in a form that few leaders have the discipline to permit themselves to embrace.

And Stephanopoulos, incidentally, is perceptive enough to see that quality and give it a name.

Prior to joining ABC News, Stephanopoulos served in the Clinton administration as the senior adviser to the president for policy and strategy. He is the author of "All Too Human," a No. 1 New York Times best-seller on President Clinton's first term and the 1992 and 1996 Clinton/Gore campaigns.

Stephanopoulos received his Master's degree in theology from Balliol College, Oxford University, England, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude in political science.



If anyone in the media can follow and interpret what Barack Obama will be doing as president, Stephanopoulos can. He already sniffed out and
predicted Rahm Emanuel as Obama's pick for chief of staff. And as a veteran of the Clinton White House he knows more about politics than most of his peers in journalism.

Last night was Barack Obama's Goldilocks landslide.



He's the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter to get more than 50 percent of the vote.


He got the most popular vote since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.


Obama's electoral college numbers are far greater than what George W. Bush got in 2000 and 20004.


But nothing close to what Ronald Reagan got in 1980 and 1984.


Three states are still too close to call: Missouri, Indiana, and North Carolina.


If he wins two out of three of those states, he'll be close to the number of electoral votes Bill Clinton got in 1992 and 1996.

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