Cometh the time. Cometh the man.
I didn’t see him deliver it but I’ve just read it and it is a thing of beauty. Balanced, potent, humble but strong, honest in that he positions America’s future from a point in time where the nation is in crisis. He speaks simply but uncompromisingly. (Essentially he is saying you are with us or against us. The subtext is ‘God help you if you are the latter.”)
Al Gore will be proud. He puts the climate centre stage.
He talks brilliantly about policy in a hugely Democratic way without actually uttering a word of rhetoric or specifying any particular bill. His critics might say this is vague. I see it as vision-setting and principled.
He talks about the ‘truth’ of America. America the brand. As an adman I buy into that full square. His vision is not of warmongering arrogance and doled out retribution for wrongdoings against the Bald Eagle. It’s about work – hard work – community, opportunity, reward and democracy.
In short this was a wonderful, humble, dignified moment in time, setting out his stall as a strong man of reason and very great intelligence.
Not one single word was difficult to understand, contrived, showy or jargony.
That is no mean feat.
So I say, Obama…Yes you can. (And he didn’t say that.)
I sincerely, truly hope and pray that I will not be eating these words a year from now, but I sincerely believe that I will not.
And why? Because Obama does not politicise, he engages and reasons.
Not a single word of overpromise was in his speech but its intent was crystal clear.
gibberish 
It was really quite an amazing speech.
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Yeah..and his speech writer is only 26. Bet he’s a smug so and so this morning.
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I only hope it’s not like the morning of May 2nd 1997 when the excitement of the “did you stay up to see Portillo?” moment and the belief that it was going to be truly better was gradually diminished to be replaced over time by the same old same old. Please say this will be different.
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It will be different – there, said it.
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Thank you
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It will be the same. Don’t kid yourselves.
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“Essentially he is saying you are with us or gainst us. The subtext is ‘God help you if you are the latter.”)”
I am no fan of the man but when the last president said this outright, folks like the Obama-maniacs could say nothing good about it. Better yet, when he actually did something, you foamed at the mouth fiercely. Now it’s “your guy” and all you can do is drool stupidly.
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No, I don’t agree with that Swiplash.
Bush just piled in like a fucking asshole Making up reasons to blow the fuck out of places.
Everything about Obama’s speech said ‘we are (now) reasonable people but mess with us (and the subtext was ‘unreasonably’ as opposed to ‘at all’) and you will suffer. That’s a reasonable POV for a powerful state.
Bush was not like that at all. His POV was bomb the fuckers then see how they feel.
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Jon
The Portillo moment was a classic but Bliar was always a bullshit merchant. Had I a blog in 1997 I’d safely point you to a post that said that. Unfortunately they weren’t invented then.
I think (hope really) that this is different.
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I’ve now SEEN the speech, and it was better on paper than on screen.
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Obamas speech was contrived and boring. Same political garbage…he is a genuine pussy.
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It was just truly inspirational. Delivered perfectly. Me n’ the missus sat there in the car home from work and waited til he was finished before going into the nursery for the wee man – we were so lost in his beautiful voice and delivery. You could hear a pin drop between his breaths, everyone in attendance was so captivated (I’m sure the silence was deafening for Bush 1 and 2). I was even texting folk “you listening?” – Everything he said had us nodding.
My mum watched BBC coverage online and said the plonkers couldn’t stop themselves commentating when, for once they shoulda just “let it roll”. A historic moment it most certainly was.
Folks have to put the cynicism to one side for one fucking minute and recognise this for what it was. Just admit that this was as historically important as the Kennedy ‘I Believe in an America Where the Separation of Church and State is Absolute’ speech.
Oratory/rhetoric – blah blah blah – like I said in your 60watt post, carping from the sidelines! It makes me laugh. Whenever they say “let’s wait and see before we decide” I feel like saying “no, you mean let’s give him a chance before we decide, knucklehead”. Of course we don’t know how it’ll pan out. Folk say he’s been given the worst handover ever. Sure, but to me he’s got it easy coz look at what they’ll compare him to! He didn’t fuck the economy. It’s been fucked for years but disguised by numbers and words on paper.
“You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you” – phew, when he said that I was relieved – should appease the blood-thirsty rednecks.
I agree with you and hope he nails it for the entire world’s sake. He’s started well – “Mr Obama has already ordered last-minute regulations signed by his predecessor, George W Bush, to be put on hold.”
A shame for the Palestinians that this was on the 21st Jan and not the 1st Jan.
“Hey, Dubya, we got some missiles gathering dust. Audit time matey! If your boys want some signatures on another order for this year we gotta use ’em up”
“Sure, buddy, have one last party on his. Give it all you got.”
News said
“After the 22-day offensive, troops have started withdrawing.”
???
Why were they advancing? Why did they stop?
As for Guantanamo – well he obviously reads my blog ;0)
http://blipfoto.com/view.php?id=182468&month=8&year=2008
I like what you say with “Because Obama does not politicise, he engages and reasons.”
Like Chris Rock said – “LISTEN! – Let it swirl around your head for a bit…THEN form your opinion”
Simple really.
(Was that too brief? – lol)
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come on man you could have said something of substance… It’s longer than my fucking post you greedy bastard.
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