Obama’s certainly a gifted speaker. Certainly issues like abortion and gay marriage require nuance and a sense of humility. Somewhere around 51% (supposedly) of Americans identify themselves as “pro life”. Many African Americans and Latinos voted in favor of prop 8. Obama has something to lose taking on a hard left turn on these issues. Plus, in any religious establishment, you have to be in safe mode.
But on the economy and confronting some conservative voices (Rush Limbaugh) he can be abrasive. He’ll be soft spoken on issues that require that kind of tone, on areas considered his strength, he’ll go on the offensive. His dismissive remarks aimed at the tea party movement, as well as his laughter at a truly tasteless joke by Wanda Sykes, illutstrate this point.
Obama’s very good at creating a sense of open mindedness to opposing views. “We can have a honest debate about this”. But right after that, he’ll go long about why his ideas are ultimately right, or slyly associating the other ideas to “failed ideas of the past”.
