Well, suffice it to say that he's a lot better at delivering setpiece speeches than are his rivals. I feel inspired and disinclined to write anything embarassingly gushy.
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Obama's Speech
03 Jun 2008 10:43 pm
Comments (65)
Let me compensate for your shyness.
This guy is something else.
McCain must be wondering and saying to himself, what the fuck! I can't compete with this fire.
Obama's genius is that he can weave liberalism AND sane foreign policy AND American exceptionsalism into one unifying and inspiring message. The dude has got game.
He sure did own McCain.
It's an amazing night, one I never really believed I would see.
The line about a war that "asks everything of our soldiers and nothing of Iraqi politicians" was new to me, and seems like a really effective tack to take against McCain. Impressive stuff overall.
I feel ... disinclined to write anything embarassingly gushy.
Yes you can! Yes you can! Yes you can!
Come on Matt. Sully has already blown a load. Don't let us down!!!
Suffice it to say that writing "suffice it to say" 3 times in two brief posts more than suffices.
I didn't listen to Obama's speech, and I am deeply impressed that you fear writing something ì embarassingly gushy. You might not know this, but to blog readers, you often give the impression that you tend towards snark and are, perhaps, a bit cynical.
Good choice Matt. Sully's post would be tough to top here.
Forget John McCain, someone see about resurrecting Ronald Reagan. Obama runs rhetorical circles around that glorified character actor too.
There should be a beautifulagony.com for lefty bloggers watching Obama speechify.
What a study in contrasts tonight. Obama the Lion versus weasels McCain and Clinton.
The beautiful thing about Obama's speech and the historic moment tonight, is that you don't NEED to write anything to put it into proper context.
You just need to contrast it to the two appalling speeches by McCain and Clinton.
I love that he just delivered that from the site of the republican convention. Lets just see somebody top that. That is how you drink somebody's milkshake.
I think he's gonna do it . . .
This man is the next President of the United States.
;)
The last minute or two of Obama's speech were delivered with the force of a tidal wave. I was blown away. I must say that no matter how the rest of the election turns out, we have in Obama one of the great, perhaps greatest, orators of American history. The bar has been raised in a substantial way.
Clinton's speech, in contrast, was unappealing in every way. I agree that she is mostly right on the issues, differing little in substance from Obama. But that being equal, she is simply incapable of any perspective. When you lose a fair fight, you concede. To do otherwise is immature and unworthy of any admiration or pity.
It would demean Obama's entire message to have her on the ticket. But, like many times before, Obama has shown conviction and been willing to stand up to political pressure. I have faith that he will pass this test and send her packing.
The only reason you people liked this speech is because you hate all the rural, hard, white working people who are 18 million and now a majority with 270 electoral votes and so your stupid poopy head guy can never ever be President.
Feeling pretty gushy myself.
I love that he just delivered that from the site of the republican convention. Lets just see somebody top that. That is how you drink somebody's milkshake.
I thought this was hilarious [from dailykos]
"im in ur base killin ur d00dz"
Yes, one of the few funny quotes to ever come from that site.
If anyone else was just watching MSNBC and saw the Brian Williams stock-car-focus-group rant and then the bitchiness from Tim Russert and Chris Matthews?
Fuckin' hilarious. It was three douches trying to outman each other across a four-way split screnn and Keith Olbermann quietly trying to hold in his laughter in the up right box.
"The only reason you people liked this speech is because you hate all the rural, hard, white working people who are 18 million and now a majority with 270 electoral votes and so your stupid poopy head guy can never ever be President."
Posted by El Cid
El Cid - why did you vote for Clinton? I hope you will think about it, and then read Obama's website to find his positions on the issues that you hold most dear. It sucks to have your candidate lose. I remmeber when Kerry lost in '04, I felt crushed. But I hope that instead of feeling like all of Clinton's voters are going to be ignored, you will instead embrace the huge swell of support and excitement that Sen. Obama has generated. And try to understand why people feel the way they do. Perhaps you might eb won over and join the movement.
If you cannot bring yourself to support him, then I question why in all the world you were supported Clinton in first place, considering their extreme similarity on every substantive issue.
You know, if I weren't lazy, I'd use the intertoobz to see if any of the most rabid Clinton supporters were also harshly mocking Mexican left-liberal Presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador either barely lost or was robbed of victory in the 2006 elections, lead gigantic rallies & marches & camp-in's in Mexico City and went on to declare himself the Presidente Legitimo ("Legitimate President") where he committed to grassroots organizing.
(He's still at it, by the way -- he went on a nation-wide grassroots organizing tour and helps lead protests against the privatization of Mexico's state-owned oil company Pemex.)
um, BostonSatyr. You need to check your sarcasm detector. "Stupid poopy head" should have been your first clue.
My bad. Believe me - I'm so used to inarticulate Clinton rants, I didn't even check the by-line.
Huzzah for Obama!!!
I am proud of Obama; I am also proud of Hillary and what she stands for. I trust he will see fit to let her run with him. Now, for McCain and all the "preacher" talk about Obama....Let's remember that McCain carries a load of baggage. Hillary took her vows "until death do us depart" seriously with forgiveness in her heart, and McCain left his wife (an invalid) because she was not "pretty" anymore and married the pretty little rich girl the day after his divorce was final. (His own daughter has nothing to do with him, but his former invalid wife says she forgave him.) Now, does that sound like a decent man? Do not say, he was young....he was 40 and if he did not have any sense of responsibility at 40, how can we trust him with our country. A good "foot soldier" he was and a shame he was captured. But, many who were captured never got the chance to return to their WIVES! Now, go do the right thing....(old saying..a hard P____has no conscience!
I am proud of Obama; I am also proud of Hillary and what she stands for. I trust he will see fit to let her run with him. Now, for McCain and all the "preacher" talk about Obama....Let's remember that McCain carries a load of baggage. Hillary took her vows "until death do us depart" seriously with forgiveness in her heart, and McCain left his wife (an invalid) because she was not "pretty" anymore and married the pretty little rich girl the day after his divorce was final. (His own daughter has nothing to do with him, but his former invalid wife says she forgave him.) Now, does that sound like a decent man? Do not say, he was young....he was 40 and if he did not have any sense of responsibility at 40, how can we trust him with our country. A good "foot soldier" he was and a shame he was captured. But, many who were captured never got the chance to return to their WIVES! Now, go do the right thing....(old saying..a hard P____has no conscience!
My bad. Believe me - I'm so used to inarticulate Clinton rants, I didn't even check the by-line. Sorry, El Cid.
Huzzah for Obama!!!
My bad. Believe me - I'm so used to inarticulate Clinton rants, I didn't even check the by-line. Sorry, El Cid.
Huzzah for Obama!!!
Except for Harold Ford?
My bad. Believe me - I'm so used to inarticulate Clinton rants, I didn't even check the by-line. Sorry, El Cid.
Huzzah for Obama!!!
I am proud of Obama; I am also proud of Hillary and what she stands for. I trust he will see fit to let her run with him. Now, for McCain and all the "preacher" talk about Obama....Let's remember that McCain carries a load of baggage. Hillary took her vows "until death do us depart" seriously with forgiveness in her heart, and McCain left his wife (an invalid) because she was not "pretty" anymore and married the pretty little rich girl the day after his divorce was final. (His own daughter has nothing to do with him, but his former invalid wife says she forgave him.) Now, does that sound like a decent man? Do not say, he was young....he was 40 and if he did not have any sense of responsibility at 40, how can we trust him with our country. A good "foot soldier" he was and a shame he was captured. But, many who were captured never got the chance to return to their WIVES! Now, go do the right thing....(old saying..a hard P____has no conscience!
I am proud of Obama; I am also proud of Hillary and what she stands for. I trust he will see fit to let her run with him. Now, for McCain and all the "preacher" talk about Obama....Let's remember that McCain carries a load of baggage. Hillary took her vows "until death do us depart" seriously with forgiveness in her heart, and McCain left his wife (an invalid) because she was not "pretty" anymore and married the pretty little rich girl the day after his divorce was final. (His own daughter has nothing to do with him, but his former invalid wife says she forgave him.) Now, does that sound like a decent man? Do not say, he was young....he was 40 and if he did not have any sense of responsibility at 40, how can we trust him with our country. A good "foot soldier" he was and a shame he was captured. But, many who were captured never got the chance to return to their WIVES! Now, go do the right thing....(old saying..a hard P____has no conscience!
I am proud of Obama; I am also proud of Hillary and what she stands for. I trust he will see fit to let her run with him. Now, for McCain and all the "preacher" talk about Obama....Let's remember that McCain carries a load of baggage. Hillary took her vows "until death do us depart" seriously with forgiveness in her heart, and McCain left his wife (an invalid) because she was not "pretty" anymore and married the pretty little rich girl the day after his divorce was final. (His own daughter has nothing to do with him, but his former invalid wife says she forgave him.) Now, does that sound like a decent man? Do not say, he was young....he was 40 and if he did not have any sense of responsibility at 40, how can we trust him with our country. A good "foot soldier" he was and a shame he was captured. But, many who were captured never got the chance to return to their WIVES! Now, go do the right thing....(old saying..a hard P____has no conscience!
I am proud of Obama; I am also proud of Hillary and what she stands for. I trust he will see fit to let her run with him. Now, for McCain and all the "preacher" talk about Obama....Let's remember that McCain carries a load of baggage. Hillary took her vows "until death do us depart" seriously with forgiveness in her heart, and McCain left his wife (an invalid) because she was not "pretty" anymore and married the pretty little rich girl the day after his divorce was final. (His own daughter has nothing to do with him, but his former invalid wife says she forgave him.) Now, does that sound like a decent man? Do not say, he was young....he was 40 and if he did not have any sense of responsibility at 40, how can we trust him with our country. A good "foot soldier" he was and a shame he was captured. But, many who were captured never got the chance to return to their WIVES! Now, go do the right thing....(old saying..a hard P____has no conscience!
My bad. Believe me - I'm so used to inarticulate Clinton rants, I didn't even check the by-line. Sorry, El Cid.
Huzzah for Obama!!!
Wandered onto this site. Anyone posting here everrun an organization or business? Would you hire Obama for any job other than public relations?
Now he is suddenly qualified to run the country.
Listening carefully to his speeches over the past three months can anyone tell me what he is actually going to do on Jan 20th 2009?
How do you explain the rise to power?
Only answer: Guilt
Obama is the Democratic party's quota for president.
Don't think the RNC is going to bring this one out in August.
Fortunately for Obama, his rise to prominence obscured what a bizarre series of events led to McCain getting the nod. I think that the big story is how McCain supporters gave a lot of money to a cetain Arkansas governor to stay in the race long enough to drive Romney out.
I really, really encourage the Republicans and their trolls to keep on bringing on the cheap race stuff and boogety boogety skeery un-Amurkan mooozlim stuff on Obama (i.e., "he da afirmive akshin kwoter").
Please. Please. Drag everything out from under the bed. Go down to the basement and drag it all out from storage. Please, please pleeeeeease bring it on.
Obama's just getting warmed up.
@NYrealist: I don't know what business world you operate in, but it's not like corporate board rooms are foreign territory for Harvard Law alumni.
You know I was going to be annoyed and show it after the filth from NYrealist, but then I read El Cid's post and realized how right he is. Every time NY Racist or Chris Ford posts it will remind everyone who the Republicans have been courting since the day the Democratic Party left Strom Thurmond behind.
I realize those posters aren't the sum total of the Republican Party, but without the racists the Republicans would have long ago gone in to their well deserved wilderness. Times have changed though, and now those racists who used to be their backstop will now be their millstone.
It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of America haters.
I know my guilt manifests itself in spontaneous applause, smiles, synchopated cheering, and general inspired moods, but I had no idea that it affected so many people the same way!
This is why I can't eat fast food in public, I don't want to make a scene when I feel guilty about carbs and fat. It's embarrassing, really. I also lie all the time. To sustain the high.
Could there be a greater contrast between Obama and McCain? McCain's speech was one of the lamest ever...his delivery and message were bland, and that awful backdrop. It looked like a high school gym that wasn't even full. Then add in the fact that all of the people there were older white people...no diversity whatsoever.
After graduating from the Naval Academy ranked 894/899 (even with wicked family pull), McCain piloted 23 bombing missions over unprovoked, innocent North Vietnam. Eventually, he was shot down and caught and jailed for 5 years, then released.
If a Vietnamese bombed America and was caught, what would McCain do to them?
As a Canadian, I’d love to see Obama ask McCain that.
Fuck Yeah!
Holy shit, Tucker Carlson isn't wearing a bow tie. How far the mighty have fallen!
From Black Messiah's speech:
I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations.
Then the next paragraph the BS artist says this:
I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal..
Oh, yes, Black Messiah! Through your divine powers as President of one country and the magnificence of your ghost-written speeches we all see you, the Messiah, commanding the sick be treated and the jobless get jobs for the first time as your holy aura slows the ocean rise and causes the planet to heal..
Great slogan for 2008 - Vote The Obama Messiah In, For HE Will Heal The Planet.
And HE commandeth the Waters Be Still, and Stop Rising, Saving His Flock..
But he will do it all so humbly and charmingly, always aware of his own profound humility, limits.
I hate him because he's confident!!!
I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.
Mr. Ford,
What part of "we" are you incapable of understanding? This is a clear call to collective action to tackle the greatest problems we face in the 21st century. Obama is not saying that he will personally stop the rise of the oceans, or provide healthcare for the sick. Therefore, your charge of charge of hypocrisy or excessive pride are ludicrous on their face. But you knew that. You are simply a racist piece of slime. Go fuck yourself.
chris ford: Well, he's certainly managed a miracle tonight. But be patient, I'm sure he'll get around to the rest of the items on your list after he's been sworn in in January.
"I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.."
With this one sentence, I can see millions of moderate and independent voters in high tax blue states rolling their eyes and thinking "What planet is this guy from?" He's just called the New Deal and Great Society that has spent trillions of dollars providing "care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless" for almost a century as being a complete and utter failure. The entire span of Western Civilization has been mere prologue awaiting the Age of Obama.
It's not surprising that liberals like you guys are in full swoon. “Heal the planet” indeed. Hopefully, he'll publish a little red book that you guys can all quote from to inform the masses.
But to the vast majority of Americans, Obama will soon be seen for what he is. An insufferable liberal who's not going to wear well as the election season wears on.
"I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.."
With this one sentence, I can see millions of moderate and independent voters in high tax blue states rolling their eyes and thinking "What planet is this guy from?" He's just called the New Deal and Great Society that has spent trillions of dollars providing "care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless" for almost a century as being a complete and utter failure. The entire span of Western Civilization has been mere prologue awaiting the Age of Obama.
It's not surprising that liberals like you guys are in full swoon. “Heal the planet” indeed. Hopefully, he'll publish a little red book that you guys can all quote from to inform the masses.
But to the vast majority of Americans, Obama will soon be seen for what he is. An insufferable liberal who's not going to wear well as the election season wears on.
drjimcooper - What part of "we" are you incapable of understanding? This is a clear call to collective action to tackle the greatest problems we face in the 21st century. Obama is not saying that he will personally stop the rise of the oceans, or provide healthcare for the sick.
Read again, Cochise! Black Messiah is saying that all those good things begin with the moment of his ascension to his Party's Presidential candidate, and his rapturous crowd in Minneapolis:
I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal..
For beginning June 3rd, the Obama Messiah begins to command the waves to calm, then receed. And Mother Earth weeps with joy that a man as good as Obama has come to heal it...
I thought the speech sucked, frankly. Change this, change that... it's like seeing a beer ad that was good when it came out for the thousandth time. Oh, and what's with sharking Mario Cuomo's '84 keynote speech? Didn't Devalgate scare his people off from plagiarism?
Chicounsel, make up your mind, is a closet-muslim, a secret commie, a flaming liberal, the antichrist, or all 4 at once? It helps to stay on message to recognize which script you are using.
He didn't mean the literal fucking day of June 3rd, 2008 you retard. It's a call to action on the part of all of us to strengthen America and leave it in better shape for our children and grandchildren. And as Obama said, the work will not be easy--particularly with scumbags like you swarming around trying to destroy everything that is good about this country.
C'mon Chris Ford, Obama made you literate. In my book, that marvel beats the loaves and fishes any day. Christ only dealt with the improbable, but Obama has achieved the impossible.
chris ford, NYrealist, etc etc. Obama could be a loaf a bread and he would still beat McCain 'cause the country is SICK TO DEATH of the Talk Radio Republicans.
I don't care that he's black, I don't care that he give good speeches. But he isn't a Rebumblican, and so he's got my fervent vote and every spare dime I've got. George Bush and your nodding bobblehead Republicans in Congress have wiped you guy's out-- Face it.
I am greatly pleased at the re-emergence of the Chris Ford "black messiah" whine. I strongly encourage him to keep at it.
This morning Bob Johnson of BET (a Clinton supporter)is making a big show of petitioning the Congressional Black Caucus to force Obama to make Hillary his VP, in the name of "party unity". She didn't even have the class or decency to recognize his nomination or is win in Montana last night, and they are already creating drama on national TV, grasping for the VP spot. She's so pathetic. I'm glad she lost. That loss couldn't have happened to a more classless politician.
I actually think Obama is smart enough to avoid the pressures of all the nervous jittery types to pick a VP (and for most that means picking Hillary) now, now, now, now, now -- before he's even had the opportunity to emerge as the Democratic candidate.
I don't get the point that the "Obama Messiah" stuff is supposed to make. He's a nice guy. Great speaker. Not scuppers awash in sleaze. You guys would prefer Mayor Daley or John McCain or what?
Jeffrey Davis,
The point is to suggest that people who think Obama would be a good President are somehow deeply delusional. It is the same basic idea as calling people who support Obama's candidacy the members of a "cult".
Of course when a person goes further and starts calling Obama a "Black Messiah", they are also trying to evoke the notion that Obama is going to start a race war.
How important are these set-piece speeches, anyway? They've never worked on me except maybe as cheap entertainment; honestly, I kind of felt the way Chicounsel did, except that since I always expect such speeches to be mostly zero-calorie rhetoric the empty rhetoric doesn't bother me.
Maybe it's a generational thing. At 43, I haven't really formed any positive associations with "inspiration;" Reagan was my first exposure to this stuff. I liked Bill Clinton just fine, but that's because I always saw him as being transparently manipulative. Sometimes, I think I'd like Obama better if I didn't think he really believes his own speeches.
Or maybe I'm just temperamentally incapable of being inspired.
AlanC9, it's not a generational thing. You (and I) are just mostly out-of-step with what people want.
It's like someone who doesn't drink coffee: yes, you might not like it, but the rest of the world consumes gallons of the stuff.
At a certain point, I realized that I could support candidates who were not a reflection of who I was; instead, I was interested in candidates who supported what I wanted while at the same time picking up the pulse of the rest of the country, even if I was out of step.
Also, big speeches/rallies are fun parties.
"Maybe it's a generational thing. At 43, I haven't really formed any positive associations with "inspiration;" Reagan was my first exposure to this stuff."
Reagan inspired people to be greedy, hate-filled racist, ultra-nationalist brownshirts, so I didn't really get him either.
But, if you're 43, then you also should remember Mario Cuomo in 1984 and Jesse Jackson in 1988. At 46, one of the reasons I love Obama is his ability to be inspiring by appealing to the better angels of our nature, like Cuomo and Jackson before him. Unfortunately, we haven't had a candidate that could move people with words in my adult life. I'm glad to see that has changed, because inspiration matters.
Comments closed June 17, 2008.
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Heads in the Sand
He took the high road, so we dint have to. Does that make us micro-surrogates?
Posted by doug | June 3, 2008 10:47 PM