"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union."

tjosan

<div class="IPBDescription">the Obama speech</div>This is the speech delivered by the US presidential candidate 18 March:

<a href="http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hisownwords" target="_blank">http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hisownwords</a>

Discuss.

Personally I find it interesting - and slightly scary - that this is actually the first speech written by a USA president or presidential candidate since 1969. And that was a speech delivered by Nixon. Of course it's my own belief that it can't be demanded by a prospective democratic leader to have passed through the system of education to be allowed to race for public office. Demanding that would seriously undermine any 'democracy' as it would restrict access to public office to the majority of the people, and the classes of people that they make up: the working class, the immigrants, and in many cases those without homes and property.

Still, this is cool.

locallyunscene

It's funny because most of the people I've talked to like the speech, but most of the articles I've read about it portray in negatively. It seems like the republican hate machine is really pushing hard on Obama. I see a lot of spammed one liner comments using the same exaggerated claims, he has no experience, he's part of a racist church, he threw his grandma under a bus(figurative expression but they're actually saying that verbatim in a lot of places). I haven't seen this much spin since the beginning of the Iraq war. It's really depressing. I hope people at least watch the speech instead of listening to talking heads blab one liners about it but I don't have much hope in that respect.

the_x5

<!--quoteo(post=1673742:date=Mar 20 2008, 02:06 PM:name=locallyunscene)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(locallyunscene @ Mar 20 2008, 02:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1673742"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's funny because most of the people I've talked to like the speech, but most of the articles I've read about it portray in negatively. It seems like the republican hate machine is really pushing hard on Obama. I see a lot of spammed one liner comments using the same exaggerated claims, he has no experience, he's part of a racist church, he threw his grandma under a bus(figurative expression but they're actually saying that verbatim in a lot of places). I haven't seen this much spin since the beginning of the Iraq war. It's really depressing. I hope people at least watch the speech instead of listening to talking heads blab one liners about it but I don't have much hope in that respect.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah you're right... Everybody I talked to not only liked it, they loved it. If we are really serious about setting up a 21st century "New Deal" / Square Deal" to tackle issues with the economy, health care, foreign policy, etc. then yeah we do need to unite. For most of my peers, race is pretty much null, but it is true for many older people and true to varying degrees (nobody is perfect). So I'm glad he addressed it in such a coherent and eloquent way nonetheless.

<!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->PS: Wait, I did hear one person who hated it, he usually comes on the Ventrilo channel I occupy. Apparently he was in the Navy and therefore knows everything about how the (n-word, plural) are taking over and how we need to stand up and castrate them all. I logged off because I chose not to listen to his racist ranting and fear mongering. Oh btw, follow up on the vent server's website says he's perma-banned now with reason = KKK. Good riddance!<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

Underwhelmed

<!--quoteo(post=1673742:date=Mar 20 2008, 11:06 AM:name=locallyunscene)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(locallyunscene @ Mar 20 2008, 11:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1673742"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I hope people at least watch the speech instead of listening to talking heads blab one liners about it but I don't have much hope in that respect.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sadly, I don't think this speech is going to have the impact it should have, because
1. People are dumb and have poor reading/listening comprehension - instead of reflecting upon his anecdotes thoughtfully (Like his grandmother as an example of the reality of race relations in the US), they will make idiotic comments like "OMG OBAMA THREW HIS GRANDMOTHER UNDER A BUS", while simultaneously ignoring that he didn't feed Jeremiah Wright to the wolves.
2. The speech is about a half-hour long, you could digest a hundred soundbites in that time!

My feelings towards the common American has surpassed contempt and is closely approaching disgust. If Obama does not receive the Democratic nomination, I will vote for him anyways.

the_x5

<!--quoteo(post=1673783:date=Mar 20 2008, 07:22 PM:name=Underwhelmed)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Underwhelmed @ Mar 20 2008, 07:22 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1673783"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Sadly, I don't think this speech is going to have the impact it should have, because
1. People are dumb and have poor reading/listening comprehension - instead of reflecting upon his anecdotes thoughtfully (Like his grandmother as an example of the reality of race relations in the US), they will make idiotic comments like "OMG OBAMA THREW HIS GRANDMOTHER UNDER A BUS", while simultaneously ignoring that he didn't feed Jeremiah Wright to the wolves.
2. The speech is about a half-hour long, you could digest a hundred soundbites in that time!

My feelings towards the common American has surpassed contempt and is closely approaching disgust. If Obama does not receive the Democratic nomination, I will vote for him anyways.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, people generally do have poor listening comprehension it seems... heck it even shows up on these forums from time to time. Speaking of the speech being in the media, I wrote an e-mail to NPR simply asking why they didn't have a link to the text of the full speech on their site. I was hoping to get a printed copy of it when I got off work from "All Things Considered" (I usually listen to the radio at the job I'm talking about), but alas it wasn't there. *disappointed*

PS: What city are you in Underwhelmed? I'm in Louisville, KY (yeah, we go last in the primary... woohoo Kentucky...)

measles

The possibilty of Obama making metamorphosis into a 'Hitler' type President is high. Once given power he will merely find a scape-goat and put the American economy 'OUT of ORDER'. A vote for Obama is suicide!

Thansal

<!--quoteo(post=1673794:date=Mar 20 2008, 09:46 PM:name=measles)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(measles @ Mar 20 2008, 09:46 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1673794"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The possibilty of Obama making metamorphosis into a 'Hitler' type President is high. Once given power he will merely find a scape-goat and put the American economy 'OUT of ORDER'. A vote for Obama is suicide!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Wow, just wow.

I am simply going to ignore the first time I have ever ACTUALLY seen Godwin's law come into play and ask you what you actually mean.

What exactly does putting the economy 'out of order' MEAN? A scape goat for WHAT?

I have yet to see some one actually virulently opposed to Obama and I would like to know why you are.

Insane

<!--quoteo(post=1673794:date=Mar 21 2008, 01:46 AM:name=measles)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(measles @ Mar 21 2008, 01:46 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1673794"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The possibilty of Obama making metamorphosis into a 'Hitler' type President is high. Once given power he will merely find a scape-goat and put the American economy 'OUT of ORDER'. A vote for Obama is suicide!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


C'mon. You need to offer up a little more than that. This forum is not exactly the place for Godwinning and broad, unsupported statements. If you want your position to be taken seriously you need to state:

- What exactly you mean by a "'Hitler' type President". That he's going to invade Poland?

- What evidence you have to suggest that this change is going to take place and why it's significant.

- A scape-goat for what? Why will he do this?

- How exactly does one "put the American economy 'OUT of ORDER'" and why will he be so keen to do that?

- Again, <b>evidence</b> for all of this!

It's nice to know you have a strong opinion, but unless you can back any of your claims up with reasonable evidence, I doubt many people in this forum will take you seriously.

lolfighter

I doubt he'll even be back, or that he WANTED to be taken seriously. Continue the discussion, nothing to see here.

puzl

I saw a lot of second-hand commentary on this before I made the time to listen to the entire speech, and I have to say I a lot more impressed than I expected to be. Obama says a lot of things that get me excited, particularly his stance on Net Neutrality and other matters that have far reaching consequences outside of the US, but this speech struck me as a very brave attempt to cut through political correctness and reach out to what most people understand to be the common experience of racial issues. I think, the fact that he didn't 'parse' his speech into a sequence of non-offensive sound bytes is to be applauded. I can see several quotes taken out of context and repeated in a negative way, but I can only assume the guy is hoping that the strength of his general message will more than compensate for this.

the_x5

<!--quoteo(post=1673898:date=Mar 21 2008, 09:17 PM:name=puzl)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(puzl @ Mar 21 2008, 09:17 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1673898"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I saw a lot of second-hand commentary on this before I made the time to listen to the entire speech, and I have to say I a lot more impressed than I expected to be. Obama says a lot of things that get me excited, particularly his stance on Net Neutrality and other matters that have far reaching consequences outside of the US, but this speech struck me as a very brave attempt to cut through political correctness and reach out to what most people understand to be the common experience of racial issues. I think, the fact that he didn't 'parse' his speech into a sequence of non-offensive sound bytes is to be applauded. I can see several quotes taken out of context and repeated in a negative way, but I can only assume the guy is hoping that the strength of his general message will more than compensate for this.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yep, that's one of the reasons I personally think he makes a strong canidate for executive leadership. If you can't persuade people to add, remove, or edit policy then by many definitions your are an ineffective leader; to do this well this sometimes means going against the grain or confronting the difficult which take more courage than what the majority of politicians exhibit.