nimh wrote:I still havent seen Obama's speech from last night yet myself, will do once I can - Stasia's asleep so I'm being quiet now. I'm betting that I'll like it - he does great speeches, and I read that this one was his best yet. But I share some of Thomas's sensitivities as well, so I guess I might also well 'get' what he's talking about when I watch it.
Finally got around to seeing it. I did, as expected, like it - I liked it a lot. Very, very strong speech. Halfway through I said to Anastasia that it was much better than Hillary's speech in Nashville last night, but she disagreed - not better, "just different". But by the end she was moved too - especially by the bit about the woman who had sent Obama a cheque for $3,01.
I've had the kind of hesitant feeling the others have described about Obama before - and particular, by the Obama fans' reaction
to Obama. But I had no such reservations listening to this speech - I thought it was just good.
I didnt so much like all the emphasis on how it's wrong to describe America as divided, that you're all facing the same things together and having the same hopes - I think thats just not true, and I think that the deeply entrenched social, economic, and also racial divisions are for real and should be addressed as such, not kind of smoothed away in a feel-good "united nation" appeal. But then, I'm not running for President, and he is, and I understand that if he is to win, he needs to take another approach, with a can-do, united, message of hope.
And he does do so very convincingly. I dont think there's been a candidate with such a powerfully appealing message about being a country that battles times of depression with the power of hope since.. Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" stuff I guess.
Again, personally I feel sceptical when he calls for universal healthcare, for a stop to targeting tax cuts to the richest and for aiming them at struggling middle class families instead, only to pivot to how this "is not about rich versus poor". Well, it is: the corporations and top earners have their lobbyists in DC working to get those tax cuts aimed at them rather than Joe Sixpack, so it
is about fighting them and sticking up for the other side instead. But I understand, I understand - thats not how you win elections, thats not how you can make Americans feel good about themselves and good about joining your cause for change.
And he articulates that cause very powerfully - and compared to Edwards' (in my eyes more honest) narrative of fighting the powers to be, in a much more widely appealing way.
Not that anybody gives a fig, but compared to earlier this month when I felt there was really no difference much anymore between Hillary or Obama in terms of what they would do and would be able to do once in office, I'm off the fence again now. Mostly because how low and lame Hillary's campaign has gone - the stuff about Florida now just takes the cake. But a speech like this doesnt hurt of course.
I wish a guy like Edwards could become President in America... but thats just not feasible, I guess. Obama's certainly the next best.
What?
Or that I was the only one who read them, and that the subsequent comments had nothing to do with them? Whatever. The conversation was inane the first time around. I'm not repeating it just because you're feeling frisky.
