Friday, August 29, 2008

Obama: an electrifying speech

With this kind of speech, Obama's chances of a landslide have just increased multiple times. Now let battle commence... is that the smell of Republican fear that seems to linger in the air?

On John McCain:

ObamaNow let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.

But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90% 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 90% of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a 10% chance on change.

The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on healthcare and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisers - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners".

A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.

Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle class as someone making under $5m a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100 million Americans? How else could he offer a healthcare plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatise social security and gamble your retirement?

It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.

For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the ownership society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No healthcare? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.

Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.


Short analysis by
Jonathan Freedland, with video.

5 Comments:

At 4:07 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

He's a brilliant orator. Know of any other?

 
At 5:54 PM, Blogger Gert said...

Not sure what you're implying here.

Clarify and I'll respond...

 
At 3:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Being able to make a good speech or two; clearly state your goals and ideals is one thing. To actively follow through with these once you're elected is another.

That's one way you can interpret what I wrote. Another is that a certain Austrian by the name of Adolf made some grandiose speeches himself. 'Bama is no Hitler but he he's pretty close with some men who remind me of him.

 
At 12:37 PM, Blogger Gert said...

Eitan:

It's quite interesting that you pull away from the brink and try and avoid making a direct connection and comparison between Barack Obama and Adolf Hitler, this time on the grounds that both were good orators (you've got a solid case there, you know? LOL) You should make the case on your own blog, with swastikas included, I'm pretty sure it would be quite a popular post...

Lemmesee, first they started calling him a Muslim, then he wasn't American enough, then not patriotic enough, then it was said he was pulling the race card, then it was alleged he was a child killer and according to Madze his main rival (Clinton) a feminazi... Now you try and connect him to the personification of evil. Can you stoop any lower is the burning question...

Does the Far Right slime machine ever sleep? More importantly, does it have any real arguments?

Man, you've gotta luv the Righteous, they really provide so much amusement in this sometimes rather bleak world...

And it pains me to say this but your political views have become increasingly far fetched, self-contradictory, confused and phantasmagorical. But that's just my two cents, don't take it personally...

 
At 11:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nah, why would I take it personally if I don't even agree with that;)

My argument, however wasn't consistent. I first stated that both Obama and Hitler were/are great speech-makers, thus comparing them, and then fell short of saying what I meant (and implied).

 

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