2008 Quick Thoughts on the Speeches
posted by on June 3 at 20:14 PM
I didn’t hear McCain, since I was still signing off on my section. He obviously doesn’t respect hard-working white West Coast residents. (Just kidding.)
I don’t at all take offense at Hillary Clinton’s decision to defer rather than concede—and note, it wasn’t a defiant refusal to concede, just a deferral. Her audience was obviously not ready to cheer for Obama, and I think it would have been more damaging to the presumptive nominee (aside: yesssss!) to hear her supporters booing him than it was to watch her try to soothe their hurt and ask them to sit pretty for a few days. It was graceful, and it was distinct enough from her normal stump speech that no one should be confused about her intentions. I don’t believe she’s taking this to the convention.
Obama is an electrifying speaker. I liked the references to science and education, the robust patriotism, the smart McCain takedowns (he didn’t directly accuse McCain of wanting to keep troops in Iraq for 100 years, he just demolished the idea). And I loved this paragraph:
The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you don’t deserve is another election that’s governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. What you won’t hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon – that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.
This election is all about defining the majority ahead of time, not measuring it after the chips have fallen. I’m not positive it will work, but I think it can, and it will position Obama on a moral high ground that McCain can’t afford to seize.
Agreed, absolutely. Best paragraph of the speech, and something I hope he continues to hit on throughout the campaign—because ultimately I don't think most religious people want to think of their faith as a wedge, and most (or at least many) people who use patriotism as a wedge know exactly what they're doing, and if called out on it might stand down. And we ARE Americans first, we are patriots first.
I think you're right. It's clear that she's not going to be the nominee; she needs a way of bringing her supporters along. Deferring may be the best way to do that.
I supported Clinton through the whole campaign, but I really hope that she isn't the VP nominee. She could do a whole lot more in the Senate.
Empty rhetorics and uninspiring; things all the politicians say they would do when they want to grab power. All i can say he's a good actor.
A fantastic speech. I was almost in tears at points. I watched half at the group home I work at, then drove past St Paul where he was giving it listening to the rest on my way home. Rhetoric, ideals aside, if he accomplished ten percent of the ideas he spoke of, that would be volumes more than McCain would even pretend to care about accomplishing. Progressiveness is a true virtue, and articulation is beautiful too. After the last 8 years, I am not surprised people don't believe the words they hear, but its damn fine to hear them. And it all can be done. I may have to take away some PFLAG volunteer time for Obama. Odrama were you inspired by McCain's speech? Now that's scary. Who ya gonna vote for people? This shit is gonna be a landslide.
"that uses religion as a wedge"
If he feels so strongly then he should stay with his church and not weasel out like he did.
"and that is a debate I look forward to.."
You can't do debate Obama. You can only read fr. teleprompter and cue cards. Well neither can McCain so that'll be a snooze fest. At least Hillary can debate much better.
I went and read some pro-Clinton - well, really mostly anti-Obama - blogs go on about how the Democratic Party is evil and hates women and how they stole the nomination from Hillary and how they're going to become independents and how they'll gladly watch McCain win and how Hillary is beloved and shits solid gold and won the popular vote if you count it JUST THIS ONE WAY that is of course the ONLY RIGHT WAY to count it and HOW DARE THEY GIVE THE NOMINATION TO THIS INADEQUATE BLACK MALE WHO WON MORE DELEGATES AND HUSSEIN HUSSEIN DID I MENTION HUSSEIN?!?! ...
and then I went and gave cash to Obama. It felt good.
i think mccain secretly wants obama to win.
I think HRC should hold out for an innevitable open Supreme Court spot.
Call me cynical but GW Bush wanted to a uniter also and guess where that got us.
@10: Bush won the election, that's where it got us. Liberal skeptics need to recognize, once and for all, that Obama's campaign rhetoric is canny, not naive. Does the word "unity" mean he going to roll over and play dead for the Republicans? Absolutely not. Read the speech. He's perfectly capable of being vicious about Republican ideas, if not Republican citizens, and that approach is exactly what's needed to win the debate and the presidency.
Obama has already vanquished his toughest opponenet in this race.
Lovely post, Ms. Wagner--your analysis is spot-on (as per usual). Unity is now the name of the game. This is one Senator Clinton supporter who will pound the pavement for Senator Obama. No longer a resident of the Cloud-cuckoo-land of Seattle, I have my work cut out for me here in Antebellum Savannah. Fortunately Chatham County is a little speck of Blue in the Red ocean of Georgia; you folks up in the PNW have no idea just how much some people down here hate the Man from Illinois.
i love the woman who filmed his speech with a camcorder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzOXxxLX9Jw
@14 - you mean Lincoln, right?
Good post.
@3,
Gee, I can't help but think that B-movie actor Ronald Reagan (or as my grandma always called him - "that sonofabitch Reegan") was probably one of your biggest political idols (well, at least after actor/model/groper/ Ah-nold S. or Charles "Moses" Heston). Nevertheless, actors in America clearly can't succeed in politics.
How much is the RNC paying you to troll here, anyway?
Back on topic, Obama is the best orator we Dems have had since Cuomo, and possibly even better - which is really saying something.
@6 - Obama seems like he's still adaptable and self-aware enough that he actually benefit from debate coaching and improve his performance significantly (not that McCain is any great shakes, but if the ABC debacle is any indication, he'll be better prepared to have to debate both the official Rethug candidate and the two corporate proxies who will ostensibly be moderating the event).
All in all, a great day!
Annie:
perceptiosn differe, don't they?
Sen. Clinton praised Obama at the start of her speech -- wow, I thought, tha'ts a nice tip of the hat.
Her crowd clapped and appluded for Obama like crazy.
barack many not be demonizing his opponent, but i sure as fuck have no issue with demonizing a demon.
fuck the GOP.
@12 has it right. Clinton is a much smarter and tougher, better organized and better funded politician than McCain. I think the general is going to be easier for Obama than winning the Democratic nomination.
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