2008 Listen to Barack Obama’s Iowa Speech
posted by on December 9 at 10:25 AM
Like I said yesterday, Oprah Winfrey gave a better speech than Barack Obama at their joint appearance in Des Moines, Iowa—which is saying something, since Obama is by far the best orator in the Democratic field this year.
But to his credit, Obama did have one of the best spontaneous jokes of the event. While he was talking, someone in the audience called out: “Oprah for Vice President!”
To which Obama replied:
You want Oprah as Vice President? But that would be a demotion, you realize that.
(Those keeping track of America’s various cultural hierarchies, please note that Michelle Obama also introduced Oprah yesterday as “the First Lady of Television”—a position apparently higher than almost any elected office in the land.)
It seems like Slog readers enjoyed the audio I posted yesterday of Oprah’s Des Moines speech, so today I’m going to post audio of Obama’s speech. If you’ve heard his stump speech before, this one will sound very similar but with a lot of Oprah references added. If you haven’t heard Obama speak this year, it’s definitely worth a listen.
Due to long-distance technical challenges, for the moment the place to go to hear my recording of Obama’s Des Moines speech is my personal blog. But in short order the Stranger tech wizards should be able to grab the audio file, just like last time, and host it on this site.
[Tech Rescue! Listen here for a blisteringly high-fidelity mp3 of Obama’s Iowa speech.]
Obama’s speech is longer than Oprah’s (about 30 minutes) and, like I said, not quite as good. But if you’re an Obama fanatic, or just someone who’s wondering what all the fuss is about, it’s really something you should check out.
1. thanks for audios, that's great, but isn't there any _news_ in Iowa right now, or do we have to wait for the print article this week?
2. tidbits from chicago trib article:
a. A Romney supporter went to the big double O event.
b. Of 10,000 attendees who were asked to volunteer/attend caucus training -- which involved giving up their e mail and phone no. -- 1400 said yes.
Hmmm .. if in the next round 20% go to the training/ volunteer and then of those, 30% go to the real caucus... that's 100 more caucus goers for Obama...hardly any impact at all if he already has like 35K people going for him.
So this could all be a big nothing.
c. Oprah said she has voted for Republicans and Democrats!
WTF!
If this is something beyond local alderman, I want to know.
I just can't shake the feeling that he would be business as usual.
Richardson, Kucinich and Edwards are still tops for me.
@2 -- Obama would be "business as usual?" What do you mean by that? Do you honestly think Obama--who opposed the war from the beginning--would make exactly the same moves as Bush, over the coming years? Do you believe he would have the same tax policy? The same approach to global warming?
Or do you think that if we elect him president (and we will), we'll all still conduct "business as usual" in our daily lives? If that's what you mean, you're probably right. You're life won't change a whole lot. You'll still have a job (or not have a job), that you have to go to (or not go to) and pay your bills (or not pay them). You're not going to wake up in a different world on January 20, 2008, regardless of who we elect. But you will certainly wake up with a better government. And that matters.
Barack's crack about how making Oprah VP would be "demoting" her, is actually a Michael Moore line. It's in "Dude, Where's My Country?".
This Slog, gushing on and on about Oprah and Bareback Osama, fills me with the urge to projectile vomit without ceasing.... GAH!
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