You really have to see Obama in person to get a feel for the creepiness that pervades his speeches. I really can't think of any other word that fits. The other candidates I've seen (Edwards, Clinton, McCain) offer just standard American style political gatherings but the Obama experience was disturbing to me. Almost no one could tell you exactly what he said when he was finished but the audience just looked and acted spell-bound while Obama spoke. I've never seen anything like it. For all the "Great Communicator" hype about Reagan he couldn't do what Obama does. I don't know how his words and actions effect people the way they do. There is no substance to what he says any more or less than the others but he works the crowd differently. You can see Clinton, Edwards, McCain trying to pull emotional responses from the crowd and succeeding to some degree but with Obama it is effortless. He doesn't appear to be trying, it just happens. More like what I imagined a religious tent revival to be like. People in a state of euphoria over.... nothing. Very creepy to me because without conscious effort to avoid doing so it seems it would be very easy to get swept up in the euphoria of the masses around you. I had to tell myself to remain objective and observe. I told myself it was because it was the end of the day and I was tired and the room was hot and crowded that I had to consciously remain indifferent. I know those things all play some part in moving people into such a state of mind but obviously there is more to it than that since many such gatherings are hot, crowded, and late in the day. Maybe people mesmerized into euphoria over a completely vacuous speech isn't creepy but if felt that way to me.
John Thornton (Yes I already voted and no it wasn't for Obama)