Self-esteem without critical thinking is nothing more than bravado, or arrogance. Barack Obama's defenders claim that he's "confident, not arrogant." They're correct that there's such a distinction. They're wrong that Obama is confident. He shows no indication of critical thinking. He rides on a glib manner and vague platitudes about helping the people and instituting "economic justice" that seem pleasing to a majority at this point in time. Nevertheless, it doesn't take much scratching of the surface to realize that he's saying nothing new, and that his economic policies in fact amount to nothing more than dusting off the semi-socialist policies of the 1930s and 1960s. This isn't "change."

Smugness in the face of the unearned IS arrogance. Barack Obama is about as arrogant a politician as America has yet to see.