You Tube - Obama Speech: 'A More Perfect Union'<br><br>I have not watched the speech, but I read the prepared transcript (here) about an hour ago. What makes the speech interesting is the sort of 'all cards out' approach that Sen. Obama is taking. He does not leave any issue off the table and draws everything back into the narrative of his campaign. As a political speech from a political candidate, it's amazingly comprehensive, open, and argumentative. As the speech of a statesman, the jury may well be out but the fact that he sounds so 'presidential' is great.<br><br>It really highlights why I am so supportive of his candidacy. He is making an argument for his politics. How long has it been since someone did that? In Illinois, you would have to go back to Paul Simon.<br><br>-- Cee Bee Double-U<br><br>EDIT: changed the text link from Tribune blog to Tribune proper<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by newkojak on 03/18/08 02:19 PM (server time).</EM></FONT></P>

I read this review, I think it says much of what I feel to. I hope Globalrolf reads this.<br><br><br><br>Andrew Sullivan from his blog on Obama's speech:<br><br>"Alas, I cannot give a more considered response right now as I have to get on the road. But I do want to say that this searing, nuanced, gut-wrenching, loyal, and deeply, deeply Christian speech is the most honest speech on race in America in my adult lifetime. It is a speech we have all been waiting for for a generation. Its ability to embrace both the legitimate fears and resentments of whites and the understandable anger and dashed hopes of many blacks was, in my view, unique in recent American history.<br><br>And it was a reflection of faith - deep, hopeful, transcending faith in the promises of the Gospels. And it was about America - its unique promise, its historic purpose, and our duty to take up the burden to perfect this union - today, in our time, in our way.<br><br>I have never felt more convinced that this man's candidacy - not this man, his candidacy - and what he can bring us to achieve - is an historic opportunity. This was a testing; and he did not merely pass it by uttering safe bromides. He addressed the intimate, painful love he has for an imperfect and sometimes embittered man. And how that love enables him to see that man's faults and pain as well as his promise. This is what my faith is about. It is what the Gospels are about. This is a candidate who does not merely speak as a Christian. He acts like a Christian.<br><br>Bill Clinton once said that everything bad in America can be rectified by what is good in America. He was right - and Obama takes that to a new level. And does it with the deepest darkest wound in this country's history.<br><br>I love this country. I don't remember loving it or hoping more from it than today."<br><br><br><br><br>

that's not Obama . . . i was lead to believe that he only speaks in that preacher sing songy manner. <br><br>

A very very strong speech.<br><br>[color:red]&#63743;</font color=red> [color:orange]&#63743;</font color=orange> [color:yellow]&#63743;</font color=yellow> [color:green]&#63743;</font color=green> [color:blue]&#63743;</font color=blue> [color:purple]&#63743;</font color=purple>

I just spent 40 minutes listening to Obama's speech when I should be writing a grant but I couldn't stop. That was an amazing speech. He left no stone unturned and he turned each one so well. <br><br>Thank you Fox News for repeating Wright's 10 second sound bite until Senator Obama had to give this speech today. For anyone who is offended at "Goddamn America" please do one thing. Watch this speech to the end. Do it for Ashley. Watch it and you'll know what I mean.<br><br>We can all do it for Ashley. Yes we can.<br><br>Senator Obama will not suddenly give health care to the sick, or jobs to the jobless, or education to our children. But it is where we start. He is talking about those things in a very honest and open way. Amazing. <br><br><br><br>

The recognition of both (or rather all the myriad of) perspectives on the way that race works/fails to work in America is just so incredibly refreshing that it leaves me speechless.<br><br>[color:red]&#63743;</font color=red> [color:orange]&#63743;</font color=orange> [color:yellow]&#63743;</font color=yellow> [color:green]&#63743;</font color=green> [color:blue]&#63743;</font color=blue> [color:purple]&#63743;</font color=purple>

You could sustain an entire semester course on race relations by just studying this speech. Can we as a people actually listen to it? Can we all take 37 minutes and 39 seconds out of our lives to listen to it and actually hear?<br><br>Someone's got to come up with a better copy. This CNN crawl with a sentence by Obama being typed in every few minutes as if this is a good way to comprehend. Are we this wedded to visuals we have to have this obnoxious screen clutter?<br><br>

<a href="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MjI3MWMyOGFkNmQ2MGFjNzRhYzYwMGVhZWJhMjcyOGM=">from the national review</a><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>Have I missed the competition? [Charles Murray]<br><br>I read the various posts here on "The Corner," mostly pretty ho-hum or critical about Obama's speech. Then I figured I'd better read the text (I tried to find a video of it, but couldn't). I've just finished. Has any other major American politician ever made a speech on race that comes even close to this one? As far as I'm concerned, it is just plain flat out brilliant—rhetorically, but also in capturing a lot of nuance about race in America. It is so far above the standard we're used to from our pols.... But you know me. Starry-eyed Obama groupie.<p><hr></blockquote><p>who is Charles Murray . . . wikipedia says:<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>Charles Alan Murray (born 1943) is employed at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington, DC. He is perhaps best known for his book The Bell Curve, co-authored with the late Richard Herrnstein, which discusses the role of IQ in American society. "The Bell Curve" generated substantial controversy for its statements about race and IQ.<p><hr></blockquote><p>guess that's a pretty good speech . . . presidential, you might say. <br><br>

Even at barackobama.com the only video available is the same bad CNN copy.<br><br>[color:red]&#63743;</font color=red> [color:orange]&#63743;</font color=orange> [color:yellow]&#63743;</font color=yellow> [color:green]&#63743;</font color=green> [color:blue]&#63743;</font color=blue> [color:purple]&#63743;</font color=purple>

I'd be disappointed with anything less than full body orgasms by some supporters after that speech.<br><br>