PEGGY NOONAN'S SOFT (HEADED) ENDORSEMENT(?) OF BARACK OBAMA

"The case, the race, and a hope for grace," rhymes P. Noony, as the subtitle for her article.

However, she lets us know early on, writing, "The case for Barack, in broad strokes," that the (conservative) case for Mr Obama is so thin that it won't include any niggling specifics or details.

What we get, instead, is narrative.
In case you are not aware: narrative begins where qualification ends.

But, on with it.

Ms Noonan begins, "He has within him the ability to change the direction and tone of American foreign policy.
I agree. That is, I agree if by "changing the direction of American foreign policy" Ms Noonan means "allowing Iran to acquire nuclear arms and rid the world of Israel."

She continues, "His rise will serve as a practical rebuke of the past five years, which need rebuking."
Again, I agree. But the rebuke required is a Libertarian, not a Socialist, one.

Then, feeling she can already outdo herself, she writes, "His victory would provide a fresh start in a nation where a fresh start would be a national relief." (Yeah, market capitalism is getting boring; let's try central planning!)
Once again, I have to agree. If by "relief" Ms Noonan means his promise to relieve us of our hard earned dollars via higher taxes.

But she hasn't outdone herself; not by a longshot.

She avers, "He shows good judgment in terms of whom to hire and consult."
This woman wrote speeches for Ronald Reagan?
Lady, he hired Joe Biden and consulted Franklin Raines.
Maybe you should read the Wall Street Journal instead of write for it.

Now, she's beginning to hit her stride:
"A great moment: When the press was hitting hard on the pregnancy of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, he did not respond with a politically shrewd "I have no comment," or "We shouldn't judge." Instead he said, "My mother had me when she was 18," which shamed the press and others into silence. He showed grace when he didn't have to."
This is dreamy, sentimental nonsense.
Mr Obama was merely being his usual politically savvy self.
He didn't shame his press confederates into anything. He simply signalled to them that he too was vulnerable on this one, and to drop it.
Though I will give him credit for not denying his mother, as he denied Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, his connection to ACORN, etc., ad nauseum.

More dreaminess follows, as Ms Noonan reaches her nadir:
"There is something else. On Feb. 5, Super Tuesday, Mr. Obama won the Alabama primary with 56% to Hillary Clinton's 42%. That evening, a friend watched the victory speech on TV in his suburban den. His 10-year-old daughter walked in, saw on the screen "Obama Wins" and "Alabama." She said, "Daddy, we saw a documentary on Martin Luther King Day in school." She said, "That's where they used the hoses." Suddenly my friend saw it new. Birmingham, 1963, and the water hoses used against the civil rights demonstrators. And now look, the black man thanking Alabama for his victory.
This means nothing? This means a great deal."
I told you the case was thin, but this is truly stretching it.
I simply point you to Mr Obama's brother in Kenya and aunt in Boston.
Mr Obama has lifted exactly no one, but himself, up in his entire life.
Credit someone for this county continuing to rise to its greatness, but do not give credit where no credit is due.

So, the narrative ends.
And for the most part, it's not even his.
It's someone else attemtping to fill Mr Obama's empty suit.

Ms Noonan fails to convince.
Though, she wasn't really trying, was she?