For those of you who were not able to catch Barack Obama's speech, here it is:
In my humble opinion, I found the speech effective and full of zingers. Everyone was waiting for Obama to finally take charge and give a few swings a long the way. Coupled with Biden, Obama should be able to hold his own through November. Considering the today was the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech," the symbolism was obvious. While some were hoping for MLK's speech to have a central theme in Obama's speech, I would argue he embodied MLK's dream. Obama acknowledged and celebrated the "young preacher from Georgia." The fact alone that Obama has captured the nomination represents MLK's dream of having his children walk with their heads held high with no fear of retribution because of their skin color. Obama represents a set of ideals which are universal in this country. His ideals are not just "Black," "Latino," "White," etc. They are ideals worthy of an American president. While some in this country cannot fathom a president who 'doesn't look like me,' the country is still reaching a milestone which will show the world the advances the United States has achieved.
With regards to the so-called "lack of unity," Obama's recognition of success during the Clinton years was what many Clintonistas needed to hear. Coupled with the Clintons' remarks this week, the Democrats will and are united!
While we would all hope the campaign would remain positive, we all know it is never the case because each campaign accuses the other of negativism (why be negative when you have third parties working the angle for you?) In a sense, Democrats are usually castrated because they tend to take the high road while Republicans (or their "independent expenditure groups") avoid the issues. Granted both parties tend to be negative, but the Republicans have mastered the art.
But for now, here are some of my favorite quotes from tonight's speech! Enjoy Amigos!
"Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough.""
"But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change."
"It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect."
"That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper."
"If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have."
" 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."
"The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America."
"America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess."
Enough Indeed!!
In my humble opinion, I found the speech effective and full of zingers. Everyone was waiting for Obama to finally take charge and give a few swings a long the way. Coupled with Biden, Obama should be able to hold his own through November. Considering the today was the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech," the symbolism was obvious. While some were hoping for MLK's speech to have a central theme in Obama's speech, I would argue he embodied MLK's dream. Obama acknowledged and celebrated the "young preacher from Georgia." The fact alone that Obama has captured the nomination represents MLK's dream of having his children walk with their heads held high with no fear of retribution because of their skin color. Obama represents a set of ideals which are universal in this country. His ideals are not just "Black," "Latino," "White," etc. They are ideals worthy of an American president. While some in this country cannot fathom a president who 'doesn't look like me,' the country is still reaching a milestone which will show the world the advances the United States has achieved.
With regards to the so-called "lack of unity," Obama's recognition of success during the Clinton years was what many Clintonistas needed to hear. Coupled with the Clintons' remarks this week, the Democrats will and are united!
While we would all hope the campaign would remain positive, we all know it is never the case because each campaign accuses the other of negativism (why be negative when you have third parties working the angle for you?) In a sense, Democrats are usually castrated because they tend to take the high road while Republicans (or their "independent expenditure groups") avoid the issues. Granted both parties tend to be negative, but the Republicans have mastered the art.
But for now, here are some of my favorite quotes from tonight's speech! Enjoy Amigos!
"Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough.""
"But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change."
"It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect."
"That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper."
"If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have."
" 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."
"The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America."
"America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess."
Enough Indeed!!
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