Oliver has a whole thread of it for you.
I realized last night watching his speech that all political tactics arguments (and I have many) aside, I do admire the man as a writer. His speeches sing. He understands cadence and callback and repetition and all the things I love in oratory.
A.
Really *good* oratory has been sadly lacking in American politics for much too long.
Maybe it doesn’t make for good sound-bites, or perhaps politicians (and the electorate?) just think its pretentious.
Whatever the reason, it’s nice to see the trend turn around.
True that, when he speaks, people HEAR him.
Any candidate able to string more than two words together so they make sense and are rational are a very welcome relief from the present occupant of the White House. It is almost shocking to realize that people able to compete for that office can actually speak our language.
What I found most incredible bout Obama’s victory speech, compared to the others is that it is NOT about him. It is first and foremost about our country, the United States of America.
Obama’s message has been consistent and clear from the start.
We are at a critical point in our history as a nation, and we desperately need to CHANGE course.
What is so striking in watching this video compared to the others is that most of the time the crowd is NOT should “Obama, Obama.” The are shouting USA, USA. I think we, as a people, so much want and need to feel proud of our country again and proud to be Americans. Barack taps into this deep need to care for and love our country. It is an extraordinary country.
He speaks about lifting our country up. This gives us great hope for the future and goes directly to our frustration with how bad things have turned over the last 7 years. Obama wants to believe in America again and so do we.
He also drives home the importance of reuniting our country as one nation. His theme of UNITY is powerful and I think resonates with the American people who are so sick and tired of all the fighting and battles and slash and burn politics and divisiveness. He calls on us to come together for the sake of our nation.
I think what else is so extraordinary about this speech is his call to the American people to join him in this effort. His message is Stand Up for Change. This is directed to the American people. We as a people need to take a stand and join him in what is a true social movement to address the problems we have at home and abroad. I think the American people want to be involved in turning things around and yet, all President Bush has asked of them is to go shopping. Obama tells us that it will be hard and that it will require courage but together ordinary people can do extraordinary things. We all want to believe that together we can take back our country: of the people, by the people, for the people.
His speech is insprirational. The crowd is ecstatic at the prospect of a better future for themselves and their children. Barack Obama gets us truly excited about the prospect of a better America, something we yearn for desperately.
Obama offers a new vision of America.
And in the process, he always comes back to HOPE. He offers Hope as an antidote to the fear that the Administration has been peddling since 9/11. Unity over division. Change is coming to America and we can be part of it.
We have not seen a leader like this in a long time. He has inspired the youth of America to engage in the political process. He has inspired Independents to come back to the Democratic party. He has even inspired Republicans, who find no good options in their party, to cross over and unite for change.
And the world is watching and excited. Yesterday I was in Vietnam and spent the day with people from Sweden and Britain and Australia and Canada and Isreal and Germany and Vietnam. There were amazed and so encouraged by the news that Obama had won the primary in Iowa. Obama’s picture and victory is the lead story in China and Vietnam and in the Daily Herald, which the expats living abroad read every day. The excitement among all of these people is palpable. They believe that if America can change for the better, it will be better not only for them, but for the planet. The whole world is watching with anticipation and hope that Obama becomes the next President for the United States.
To all those of you who have not joined the Obama campaign, I ask you to take another look. Please join us. Obama’s campaign is an open tent. You will be welcomed with open arms and you will feel the exhilaration of being part of something very important for the future of our nation and our world.
With a big victory in Iowa, the train is just leaving the station. Next stop is New Hampshire. All aboard!
obama is a moron who doesnt deserve anythign given to him, take him away from u hid him in a deep hole somewhere so we cant see him plz.