Barack Obama's speech - live
Hi everyone - I'm going to be blogging throughout Barack Obama's convention speech tonight, so please keep refreshing the site for new updates.
20:12: He strides out very purposefully, dressed very formally - presidentially, wearing a white shirt and a restrained red tie. The look is sober and that's important.
20:20: He's chosen to lead off on economic themes (which is no surprise) The way he phrases it is so important - he needs to hit home to individuals in mainstream America. I'm not sure he has Biden's touch.
20:29 By the way - it's a stunning evening here in Denver. I mention this because some fundamentalist Christians of a right-wing persuasion prayed for rain - proof that God is a Democrat?
20:35: Quite a brave line there on oil drilling. John McCain is proposing to open up America's coast for drilling, which has proved popular. Obama is sticking to his line that it's not a solution.
20.38: A good line on health. About how he watched his mother arguing on the phone with insurance companies as she lay in bed dying of cancer - an experience familiar to many Americans.
20:41: A very interesting choice of word there - on who would make the better Commander-in-Chief, he asked who had the better temperament. What could he mean?
20:43: Great Bin Laden line - "John McCain says he'd follow Osama Bin Laden to the gates of hell, but he won't even follow him to the cave where he lives."
20:47: A reprise of his very successful 2004 convention speech - there are no Red States or Blue States - only the United States. (Plus - the crowd are chanting USA-USA -usually only heard at Republican conventions).
20:50: Another good line: Don't tell me we can't uphold the second amendment AND keep AK-47s out of the hands of criminals".
Conclusion: This needed to be a serious speech and it was. I'm still not sure about the Doric columns, but he's managed to be convincing despite the overbearing backdrop. One of the features of the speech was the frequent reference to the future. He's not saying McCain's too old for the job - at least not in so many words. But the Obama camp know that Americans are worried about McCain's age and ever so subtly they are making an allusion to it.
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Wow, what a night! What a performance! Britney Spears’ set designer really did a great job for Obama. A Disney-like mix of something not-quite-Lincoln Memorial; not-quite-Whitehouse – and all Hollywood and Broadway lights and dazzle. Standing in front of this politics-as-entertainment (Politainment?) production Barrack Obama did his best quasi-impersonation of Martin Luther King to date. You hardly even noticed the tele-prompters. I kept scanning the stage looking for Forrest Gump up there. Sheryl Crow, Michael McDonald, were all just warm-up acts for the “Annointed One.” Obama is THE politainment rock star! But what about him as president? His running mate Joe Biden; his prison-orange-clad “friend” Hillary; and the rest of the leaders of the Democrat party – last year and even up to a few weeks ago, they all said many times Obama was not qualified to be president – were they just lying then, or are they only lying now? Obama did his best to cheer up the crowd. It had to be difficult, what with all the bad news reported today.: Peace is breaking out all over Iraq. The Surge has been working. Many fewer American servicemen are being killed. McCain’s selfless call for the surge and following Gen. Petraus’ plans have worked. Much to the chagrin of the Dems. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6968720.stm The Dems guffawed at McCain saying the US economy is fundamentally sound. Ooops Looks like today’s news shows McCain was right on this too. http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080828/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/wall_street Oh yes, and it looks like some more Obama skeletons are coming out of the closet now. Apparently Michelle Obama started a program at her hospital to move uninsured patients to other hospitals. Her hospital has not been treating enough uninsured patients to maintain its charitable status with the government some are reporting. http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1122691,CST-NWS-hosp23.article [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator] Yes Change! “Change will you do you good” like Sheryl Crow sang right? Right? Change to what? Who cares? We just hate Bush! It just feels good doesn’t it? I have warm fuzzies crawling all up and down my spine – no wait, that’s my pet ferret….and like my ferret’s claws, those warm fuzzies come at a painful price. But that’s all for later. Right now let’s just all hug and sing Kumbaya. In all seriousness though. This is a historic night. Let's all enjoy and celebrate it. But we owe it to every American who every sacrificed for this moment to happen to examine Obama and McCain equally closely. We owe it to them and to ourselves to make sure that every American president is "judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character," for that was the real dream. And that means going beyond more than just mere words and speeches and looking at candidates' histories and accomplishments.
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As for the drowning comment
The mayor of New Orleans and the Governor there were all Democrats....
Oh that's right. They get a free pass.
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As for voting with with Bush 90% of the time. That's a cheap shot as Obama does not have much of a voting record in the Senate.
Obama could only have voted against Bush 50% of the time maximum. But the number of votes he cast against Bush is actually much smaller because Obama has missed so many votes as a freshman Senator. He's been too busy making speeches.
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Obama lambasted Lobbyists -- but one of the biggest Lobbies is the NEA -- the teachers' unions. Many numbers of whom are not teaching their students this week but are there in Denver.
Many experts blame these teachers' unions in large part for preventing and slowing the improvement of education in the US.
It's the old "People in Glass Houses" thing...
The Democrats certainly don't have the integrity market cornered when it comes to dealing with lobbies and political action committees.
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Obama is telling a lot of heart wrenching stories tonight...
But when it comes to cutting costs on wasteful government programs -- why is it he does not have a story about that to tell?
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Michelle looks hot.
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We were promised more of a conversation tonight. Where was it?
Obama's, I think is one of the least detailed acceptance speeches, in modern US political history.
So many platitudes. So little details or specifics.
I find it insulting , and a bit scary.
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1 Boring
2 Boring
3 Boring
4 Boring
5 Boring
6 Snark snark
7 Boring
Mike, lighten up. You are being awful tedious.
Respectful Sam
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Obama said:
" When you don't have a record to run on" it's easier to paint a scary picture of the other guy -- or something like that.
Who exactly was Obama talking about?
Was this an Obama gaffe? Did he skip a line somewhere?
Seemed very very odd.
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8:55 pm Mountain Time and Obama is in full MLK channeling mode.
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Michelle is missing the Jackie O. pillbox hat.
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Mike,
You are monologing. Very dull.
Sad Sam
P.S. Awesome speech
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Wow!!!!!
what a speech.
I'm no McCain supporter,
but McCain may win this thing.
Is Barack really as ignorant as his speeches?
Almost everything he says about economics and history is just flat out wrong or inaccurate.
It's scary how silly he is.
And people clap.
God Bless America.
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My wife fell asleep ten minutes into the speech.
Guess he did not connect with at least one beautiful, mature, white suburban catholic stay-at-home mom in the Chicago area.
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His speech about everyone being a patriot, regardless of their political views, was a good one..and blunts or should blunt any parry or thrust....as everyone fights and/or protects the flag.
Lots of coreogrpahy, but not a bad speech. Not an historic one, but i suspect better than McC's will be...
Is it enough for the swingers (and im not talking about swapping car keys)...only time will tell.
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Matt Frei called the Obamas and Bidens -- The two "first couples".
Does Matt know they have not been elected yet?
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Definitely a great speech. I wonder how it plays abroad. There is going to be a lot of Greatness of America lines coming from both camps this year, some people would call it arrogance I think it's ok to call it Confidence.
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From an old American song "The Dodger"
Oh, the candidate's a dodger, yes, a well-known dodger,
Oh, the candidate's a dodger, yes, and I'm a dodger too.
He'll meet you and treat you and ask you for your vote,
But look out, boys, he's a-dodgin' for a note.
We're all a-dodgin',
Dodgin', dodgin', dodgin',
Oh, we're all a-dodgin' out the way through the world.
Oh, the lawyer, he's a dodger, yes, a well-known dodger,
Oh, the lawyer, he's a dodger, yes, and I'm a dodger, too.
He'll plead your case and claim you for a friend,
But look out, boys, he's easy for to bend.
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Sammy wrote:
"Mike,
You are monologing. Very dull.
Sad Sam
P.S. Awesome speech
I was just following Justin's lead ; )
My first post here was composed much better than it appears. The mods here smooshed everything together and all those questions marks I never put in there...
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Yes he can!
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Obama told a story about his mother dying of cancer and having to talk to insurance companies on the phone.
And government-run healthcare is supposed to be any better?
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Mike II has already established himself as a RNC poster.
Is the shop that desperate?
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The columns weren't really visible on the tube during the speeches.
Any GOP pols who complain about the columns ought to take a look next time they climb the capital steps or drive by the White House.
Besides, Bush used columns in 2004, something the DNC was happy to remind us about today with a photo and a release. Heh.
Meanwhile, as those 75,000-plus people leave the stadium, it look like McCain will need to bus in people to help fill the 9,500-seat ballpark in Dayton tomorrow. Does anyone really believe that McCain would dare move his acceptance speech to the stadium in Minneapolis?
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He didn't really say anything about health care...just that their premiums will be cheaper....I'm sure the Clintonites will be disappointed..as will many others hoping for more...
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I wish Obama would talk faster.
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Mike clearly your wife fell asleep as a result of you conversing with her...
Fantastic speech and has locked in my support for him.
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mable, I just wish you'd talk sense.
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XIE...
I'm no member of the GOP.
I supported Allan Keyes against Obama in Illinois in the Senate race in 2004 and actually tend to be and vote a Libertarian -- but not this year.
I'm no big fan of McCain. But Obama has been part of my political reality here in Illinois for almost ten years.
I know the emperor has no clothes.
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24, kecsmar.
Yes, I caught that about premiums being cheaper. He made a comment sometime ago, never to be repeated, which sounded very anti-pharmaceutical company.
In some of my old comments I said I was not in favor of expanding a health insurance program which involved profit-taking middlemen, rigged drug prices, fraud and corruption.
The only way he can lower health-insurance costs is to restructure the system. He has said nothing about that. I am hoping.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Wow sounds like there are a lot of whiners on this blog, at least that is what your man McCain would call you. If you thought the speech was boring then you have no business voting and if you can justify McCain supporting Bush 90 percent of the time, then you too have no need to vote. Like Obama said, change doesn't come from Washington it comes to Washington, no more same old, same old that hasen't worked the past eight years. If your biggest argument is a lack of experience it is weak at best. Do your homework, compare the candidates. It's really simple though, if you have liked the past eight years vote McCain, if not vote Obama.
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All in all, a very good performance -
he used the word Democrat a few too many
times, as if he was still running for the nomination, but he ironed out a few
wrinkles and connected with the common
man.
Sort of a Jacksonian "we are going to
kick out the rich and the powerful" message.
I wonder how the Republicans are going
to hit back - hopefully for them, Bush and
Cheney will be speaking at 3:00 am.
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Looks like the conservatives stayed up late tonight.
I can't help but agree with them on some points, but when it is said that tonight's speech lacked substance, I have to wonder if they were watching the same convention. Obama gave 29 separate examples of specific policy. How does someone miss ten to twenty minutes of speech? I wonder if people just hear what they want to hear.
That aside, I am excited about seeing the RNC next week. It should be an interesting contrast.
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29 AMM
Yes, sadly lacking on the real issue and to solve it. That is where Clinton was stronger, for sure.
It needs a total revamp, not an alter ego of the same...which is ostensibly his message about everything...so why not health care too?
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WOW!
I am in Denver right now and the energy here is incredible. That young man took a hammer and nailed the issues one by one!
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"My wife fell asleep ten minutes into the speech."
She's faking it.
P.S. Do you get paid by the post or something?
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34, kecsmar.
All I ever heard from her until I stopped listening was that she would make health available to all.
Did she ever talk about going after the drug companies, for instance? Did she ever talk about restructuring? Because without any of this, all we have is empty talk.
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Sounds like the RNC has released the hounds on this blog. I guess the dark side is sending its minions to do their smear campaign online already.
Anyway, like always, Obama gave a compelling and articulate speech; the difference is this time he didn't hold back and countered every single attack McCain and the RNC had thrown at him so far, and he did it without resorting to the pathetic smear tactics the Republicans constantly use. I don't see how after this speech anyone can still claim Obama is "all talk." He clearly stated what he means when he uses the words "hope" and "change." The RNC will have to follow one heck of a show.
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#19. MikeIL "all those questions marks I never put in there" - that's because you typed quotation marks in a word processor and then copied and pasted the text to the "Post a comment" box.
#14 - Since you had been busy typing 45 minutes earlier, couldn't you have given her a shake? The speech wasn't that boring - a lot of it and many promises, but not boring.
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37 AMM
True on both accounts. I suppose the difference between HRC and BO was that she gave the impression that whole sale change would occur which would lead to an end result that health care would be available to all.....but as you say, she never really spelt out how this was going to be achieved. Nor what the end cost would be for all too...
I'm lucky that i came form a country where that is not an issue and i now reside in a country where cost of health care isn't really a problem too, as insurance is basically dirt cheap and one isn't penalised for using it...the premiums remain the same.
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A great end to a positive event for the Democrats.They've taken the chance to remind people what the issues are really about - and the choices the voters really have in front of them.
I liked the section of the speech that answered the Republican's non-patriotic chimes - it's about time that people remembered that being patriotic crosses party boundaries (seemed like we remembered that after 911, but soon forgot it).
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#37. allmymarbles Re Hillary: "All I ever heard from her until I stopped listening was that she would make health available to all." Unlike Mr Obama who has just said that he will make insurance premiums easier or "more affordable". That's not the "universal health care" that Mrs Clinton was describing; she was talking of restructuring it to make it available to *all* Americans. From tonight's speech it wouldn't appear that she would be called upon to lead a healthcare revolution since their approach is so different.
I hope that tomorrow, when the McCain VP is announced, there will be some lively comments on that, in addition to the Obama-bashing that is inevitable, especially from "the usual suspects".
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I listened to half the speech in my car driving home -the last half at home on TV
.
I actually thought the speech was more compelling listening to it on Public Radio as opposed to the distractions of the camera pans and Mega Screen shots.
There was a great deal of content wonder if those watching caught it .
Tax reform renewal of capital gains taxes for high income earners
windfall profits tax?
Review and reform of new bankrupcy law
Insurance regulation and accoutablity
close the tax benefits to american companies who outsoursce employment
timeline for Iraq
Health care reform
Enough to scare the plad pants off the country club set
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I don't understand this talk of "columns" and supposed Las Vegas style. I watched it, and it was tasteful and worked well for its intended purpose of putting on a show for a huge crowd and a television audience. Of course it was a highly produced show; that's what conventions have become. But picking on details of the set strikes me as merely jealousy over the ability of the normal disfunctional Democrats to get their act together this year.
It's almost time for the Republican show. I'll be watching that, too, and not to see if their set is in better or worse taste, but to hear whether they have anything substantive to say.
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Although I am voting for Obama I can't get excited about a carefully scripted speech. Not his, or anyone's. They are too obviously calculated.
He is not an orator. He lacks dash and can't stir up emotions. And the longer he campaigns the more careful, and duller, he becomes. He was probably told that charm and humor were immature, so he gave up his two most valuable gifts.
My hasband went to bed after the first five minutes. I hung around to see if he said anything substantive. The only glimmer I got was about his lowering health-insurance premiums. How was he going to do that? Unfortunately he did not tell us.
There was a lot of hugging and screaming and I learned nothing new. Next comes the republican convention, another ballyhoo, another load of predictable speeches, all of them too long.
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In response to #1
Granted, the set was a little much, but "quasi-impersonation"? Your opening criticism of the man is weak. Who cares who he reminds you of (and MLK is not a bad person to be reminded of)? The question is "what is he saying?" Also, "politainment" reflects a cynical response to showbiz, but politics has always been in bed with showbiz and always will be (how did you feel about "mission accomplished"?). Relatively speaking, I thought all of the major speeches of this convention were well above the mark, and that the message is clear: "roll up your sleeves America and get to work, because there's a heck of a lot that's been broken by 30 years of republican dominance."
Criticizing Clinton's choice of dress? Not very mature. Suggesting she dressed that way in protest? Clutching at straws. I would argue that the "Obama is not qualified" attack has been the only one available to his opponents, so it's not surprising to have heard it ad nauseam. It's a lame attack, based in fear-mongering.
Re: "bad news" for the democrats. Whether or not the surge is working, the fact is that the whole war was sold on false advertising. It's great that casualties are at their lowest level since the surge began, but that says nothing about the fundamental error in judgment that put us there in the first place!
Re: the new on the economy. I have a question for the economists. When it is reported that GDP "rose at an annual rate of 3.3 percent for the April-June period," doesn't that just mean they are extrapolating the growth rate during those two months over a fictional year? Also, don't these numbers reflect the movement of the dollar rather than the so-called "fundamentals" of the economy?
As for the "skeletons" You're not (big surprise) telling the full story. The program is aimed at stemming the glut of uninsured patients clogging the ER, and building community health programs. Whether it's working or not, you paint a biased picture.
Most of the rest is classically juvenile republican ranting. Change what, you ask? For starters, how about changing how we measure economic progress, changing the way we think about government and service, changing the way we exercise foreign policy, changing the way we go about healthcare, changing the way we fund education, changing the way we respond to the environmental crisis... Guess what! This stuff is real, and the current political mindset is not capable of dealing with it!
As for your closing remarks, I judge honesty to be the most important aspect of anyone's character. McCain has compromised all of his past accomplishments by selling out to the far-right. Obama has stayed committed to his theme of service and making politics personal for everyone. On the other hand, if we're going to look at histories and accomplishments, let's keep in mind the last three republican presidents and where they've taken us.
Anyone who can't hear the value in what Obama is saying, isn't amazed at the change he's already brought to the Democratic party, and isn't completely fed up with the current republican party needs to have his head checked.
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42, David.
The only way to profitably restructure the health-care system is to limit the greed of everybody in the middle. That would mean going up against lobbyists and special interest goups and I can't see a Clinton doing that.
So it would seem that she was as unspecific as Obama. Ain't politics grand!
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I did actually like his line about "fixing
the bankruptcy laws," etc, but of course
his VP candidate was the primary author
of those new bankruptcy laws.
I hope that this doesn't mean that Obama
intends to engineer a prison break with
the help of the guards.
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"If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from."
-- Barrack Obama, Aug. 29, 2008 Acceptance speech.
JUSTIN:
THIS IS THE BIGGEST LONG TERM POSSIBLE PROBLEM FOR OBAMA IN HIS OWN SPEECH.
Obama has essentially tied his own hands in a politically rhetorical way.
In the event Obama or anyone in his camp should get ugly. Obama's image saying these words will come back to haunt him.
Here is a bit greater context so you can see what I mean.
Obama said:
"I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
You make a big election about small things.
And you know what — it's worked before."
Obama has essentially promised to play square with McCain with no painting McCain as something ugly.
What are the odds that will happen?
As soon as someone with any rank in his camp goes personally negative on McCain -- suddenly Obama has some serous credibility issues.
Because if Obama can not keep his own people on task to keep his promise of changing how America politics -- how will he ever bring greater change to the country?
On McCain's side, they can attack away at inexperience, lack of wisdom, judgement, character -- those are all legitimate issues.
Obama though will just have to smile and take it or be faced with the consequence of seeing his own words used against -- again.
It was subtle -- but it is also very obvious, and for Obama could prove very damaging.
Here is a link to the transcript:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94087570
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Barack Obama has delivered. All my doubts about him are off the window. He has shown he can fight for me and that is very important for a president. We have not had that for the last 8 years.
I'll get on board and support this guy. If it was just inspiration I'd still support him. His message of hope is resonating and this guy has got it right.
Skeptics will always be there. And I can see they are jamming the blog. Waste no time responding to them. Instead gear up and go out there and help bring forth change. Barack can use an extra hand. I'll get out and rally fellow Americans. I'll give my money and knock on doors.
It will not be easy for I know there are a few who are not objected to new ideas and change.
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I wouldn't say that a president doesn't have a strong influence on the way the government runs, but both candidates speak as though there were no Congress. "I want, therefore I get." Certainly the present democratic congress is disappointing. Maybe with a boost behind them, preferably from a steel-tipped boot, the new one will do better.
The only area in the president has real power is in foreign affairs. We have seen the worst effects of that in the last eight years.
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McCain's Temperament questioned. Read in full:
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1836909,00.html
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#47. allmymarbles - I very much doubt if she'll be given the opportunity to fashion a healthcare plan, not only are his and hers different, but once bitten, twice shy. However, isn't middle-man greed (or profit) the American way? As you suggest, the pharmaceutical industry is of little help since it is beholden to shareholders and the bottom line is what counts. I have no solution and my guess is that it will muddle along very similarly to what we have now. There will need to be a direct comparison between the Obama and McCain plans to make any sense of what can or should be done.
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"I wish Obama would talk faster."
He'd get giddy and fall down. All that head movement is going from one teleprompter to the other, don't think there was one in the middle.
Ever seen him try and be spontaneous without one of those things ? Disaster !
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53, David.
I agree with you. All I can see is our premiums going up. Your system in England, whatever its faults, is much better and more equable.
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54, Stan.
He used to be spontaneous. That is before they told him he couldn't do the charm and humor bit.
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Obama's was an inspiration to all today, his message of hope and committment to change is what the US needs in 2009.
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57, dinalw.
He didn't say anything today that he didn't say before. Why was what he said so special today?
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57,dinalw
I have been inspired to vote for McCain with the hope that I will have most of my pay check to still call my own in 2009. I feel very commited to this cause because of Obama.
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Ms Marbles,
Considering your (much earlier) remarks about hearing the truth in the early part of a campaign, this is an observation of consistency.I reckon he done good! (But I would, wouldn't I?)
;-)
ed
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Only one logical choice!
Two main issues America faces: Iraq War
which "John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell," "but he won't even go to the cave where he lives."
And Economy
Which McCain says he knows nothing about so he hired an economic advisor, Phil Gramm, who has self appointed himself as Dr. Phil and has diagnosed the American people as suffering from a "Mental Recession." And calls folks who are hurting " a bunch of whiners."
Obama gets it! McCain doesn’t!
There are forces that are trying to divide you America! It is the oldest trick in the book. Divide and conquer! It is a new era, you must fight back America! Do not become divided! Unite and fight! No more fear mongering! Be on the right side of history!
Judgment 08
America Unite 08
Jobama 08
Canada your dear neighbor and the world knows you can do it!
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Bararck is the person this United States of America needs now and in the future to bring her back on track and keep her there.
Obama has a deep deep hole to bring us out of over the past 8 years. But what I saw and listen to last night, he can do the JOB with the help of fellow Americans and World
citizens like you and me.
God speed President Obama to be.
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#21
Yes. Try it.
#27
I remember a couple of guys in the ancient world who used to quote lyrics:
Bill: [approaching Socrates] How's it going? I'm Bill, this is Ted. We're from the future.
Socrates: Socrates.
Ted: [whispering to Bill] Now what?
Bill: I dunno. Philosophize with him!
Ted: [clears his throat, to Socrates] "All we are is dust in the wind," dude.
[Socrates gives them a blank stare]
Bill: [scoops up a pile of dust from the basin before them and lets it run out of his hand] Dust.
[he blows the remainder away]
Bill: Wind.
Ted: [points at Socrates] Dude.
[Socrates gasps]
Anyone can do it, it's not that clever.
Salvete!
Sam
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Yes swdeva I concur with you.
Obama is our best hope.
(and God help us if McCain wins)
.......................................................
Will any of the mystically religious see it as a sign that a hurricane will hit Louisiana when the Republican Party has its convention?
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#44 (Gary_A_Hill):
The right can't afford to bring up issues of substance so they jabber on about irrelevant things like stage decor.
This probably scores points with their dwindling crew of previously brainwashed supporters. But it soon becomes apparent to anyone with a functioning brain that the GOP is driving the train to disaster.
The GOP has betrayed the country. The GOP has shamed the country. The GOP has transferred wealth from the poor and the middle class to the elite both here and abroad. The GOP has catered to the dogmatic whims of a religiously fevered minority that has turned its back on democracy and the Constitution. The GOP has sacrificed the lives of thousands of Americans and millions of others for no legitimate purpose. McCain lies about all this, about his past record and about his past positions.
In other words, the GOP can't afford to tell the truth and it can't afford to address the real issues.
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#65
I must say that I have never been brainwashed. I think for myself, thank you very much. Although, when I voted for Bush, I thought I was voting for Bush, not President Cheney.
My ideology is aligned with the traditional bearings of the GOP - and, if you would put partisanship aside, you would realize that there are attributes to conservative thinking. It is not all evil.
Obama is right. It is not that McCain is not a patriot - he (and the entire party for that matter) just does not know better. They have not modernized and woken up to the calls of the 21st century. The GOP has been hijacked by neo-cons and the religious right and, so, therefore cannot comprehend the changes that must be made.
It will be interesting to see who McCain selects as veep. His language is softening over pro-life ...
Oh, and have you anything to say about Suzie Eisenhower's address? She was certainly whining and spewing out GOP dross ...
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Palin?
Now, it is going to get interesting.
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Regarding the choice of the word "temperament," I would say this:
One of Obama's primary foci tonight was to paint John McCain as an out-of-touch member of the elite, and himself as one of the people.
Unlike most personal qualities we'd like to see in a President, such as knowledge, political experience, or leadership, "temperament" is something that everyone can have and that everyone can perceive in others.
As such, it gives all Americans the sense that they can understand and judge the qualities that make good Presidents, and leads them to judge Obama favorably.
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8 sam your so polite , how do you do it?
Your who thinks marcus ILL is a bigot.
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#14
Mike,
Was she listening to the speech, or you droning on about it?
Inquisitive Sam
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Boring, so very bad of a speech, I went to the neighbors house, (he's an american black) to get his opinion as he was an NObama supporter. He was outside on the four wheeler. 'Got no time for bs, we'll be better of with McCain.'
so much for that
glad to see him follow Hillary
bye bye
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71. At 8:36pm on 29 Aug 2008, DougTexan wrote:
Boring, so very bad of a speech, I went to the neighbors house, (he's an american black) to get his opinion as he was an NObama supporter. He was outside on the four wheeler. 'Got no time for bs, we'll be better of with McCain.'
so much for that
glad to see him follow Hillary"
Not wishing to burst your bubble but can you say why your neighbour's colour is such an issue to you?
Do you think all black people think the same way? Vote the same way?
You will find some mongolian people at the democractic convention. Why not pop down to your nearest school and ask one of the Korean etc kids there what they think.
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#72
The "ain't got time for BS" was directed to Doug.
It was Doug who assumed (as with so much else) that it applied to his indoctrinated viewpoint.
Yes, part of the mentality is the categorization of and attitude toward blacks.
Doug, who is receiving unemployment and having trouble meeting the deductible on his medical insurance, etc.
is unable to say why he supports the Republican Party.
His case is an interesting one, for it illustrates the effects of indoctrination and the media.
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For those who read, the New York Review of Books addresses this problem in the article "What's the Matter With Arkansas".
There, people are losing their farms, jobs and hope and still vote for those who exploit them (as they have been indoctrinated to do).
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74, Xie.
You got it, Xie. We are empty vessels just waiting to filled up. You on the other hand think independently, and are immune to indoctrination.
If that is so, then I am a rubber ducky.
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#75
A vessel can be so filled that it overflows and cannot receive new items.
Or adjust to "facts" that change with the decades.
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76, Xie.
It must be wonderful to live without doubts, to have answers for all the ills of mankind. You must have a manual. I wish I did, then I wouldn't have to spend so much time using my brain.
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Some interesting word selection from Justin Web's blog of the speech:
"very purposefully
presidentially
sober
brave
good
very interesting
great
very successful
good
serious
convincing"
I'm looking forward to read a similarly benevolent analysis of John McCain's speech next week.
Just in the interest of balance, you understand.
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78 won't work if Big chip is drunk as a skunk. Breathalysers at the podium.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
"78. At 01:28am on 31 Aug 2008, funnythat wrote:
Some interesting word selection from Justin Web's blog of the speech:
"very purposefully
presidentially
sober
brave
good
very interesting
great
very successful
good
serious
convincing"
I'm looking forward to read a similarly benevolent analysis of John McCain's speech next week.
Just in the interest of balance, you understand."
So you think John McCain's speech should be lauded, no matter what he says, or how he says it, because B Obamas was?
You expect Stalin's speeches to be presented in a favourable light because Churchill's was?
Wow I suppose a rapist should be listened to as much as his victim in the interests of balance?
Stupid naivity, grow up.
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81 - who exactly is "stupidly naive" here?
Using the Stalin-Churchill analogy frankly smacks of debating desperation...
Like for all democratic politicians, Obama's views can be praised or deprecated - the media are full of one and the other.
I would expect a journalist working for a public broadcaster to express rather more rounded views than what I read in this blog.
However, it might just be that Mr. Webb is simply very well disposed towards all sides of the democratic argument and naturally gives everybody the benefit of the doubt.
We will then see his effusive nature in his comments on McCain's speech...
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Justin:
I hope that the speech went off great!
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