All 9,000 Iowa Democrats who showed up for the party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner in Des Moines. Given that the number of caucus voters in the state is likely to be in the 100,000 -125,000 people, that means that a significant percentage of them were there to see six of the Democratic candidates. (Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich were not invited, because the state party deems them not to be actively campaigning in Iowa.)
David Yepson, of the Des Moines Register, the dean of Iowa political reporters, concluded that five of the Democrats "gave really good speeches. Barack Obama's was excellent." According to Yepsen, Obama's performance should help him close the gap with Hillary Clinton, who leads by a significantly insignificant percentage over Obama and John Edwards.
I did not see Clinton's or Obama's speeches live on Saturday night. They were last on the speakers' list (drawn by lot) and when they started introducing Sen. Tom Harken (D-IA) at 11:30, I gave up and went to bed, knowing that I'd be awake at 5:30 the next morning. (Don't get me wrong; I like Tom Harken. I worked for him when the ran for president in '92.)
Fortunately for those of us who could not stay up late enough, or who did something else on Saturday night, most of the campaigns have posted the speeches on the 'net. I've put Edwards' Clinton's (as much as I could find of it) and Obama's below. If you haven't made up your mind, or even if you have, take a look at them.
David Yepson, of the Des Moines Register, the dean of Iowa political reporters, concluded that five of the Democrats "gave really good speeches. Barack Obama's was excellent." According to Yepsen, Obama's performance should help him close the gap with Hillary Clinton, who leads by a significantly insignificant percentage over Obama and John Edwards.
I did not see Clinton's or Obama's speeches live on Saturday night. They were last on the speakers' list (drawn by lot) and when they started introducing Sen. Tom Harken (D-IA) at 11:30, I gave up and went to bed, knowing that I'd be awake at 5:30 the next morning. (Don't get me wrong; I like Tom Harken. I worked for him when the ran for president in '92.)
Fortunately for those of us who could not stay up late enough, or who did something else on Saturday night, most of the campaigns have posted the speeches on the 'net. I've put Edwards' Clinton's (as much as I could find of it) and Obama's below. If you haven't made up your mind, or even if you have, take a look at them.
John Edwards, who started off the evening, gave a fiery address.
Chris Dodd gave a good speech; I'm not pasting it in here, because I'm afraid that he's got no chance, but if you want to see it, look here.
The Clinton campaign posted only a 55-second clip of Hillary's peroration:
I really urge you to take a few minutes to watch Obama's speech. I think he hit a home run--not just in his words and tone, but in fitting the speech to the moment. As the Iowa campaign heads into the stretch run, he responded with a top-level performance. In politics and governing, as in sports, rising to the occasion is an invaluable talent. Hear and see for yourself:
3 comments:
Well, he certainly showed some fire for those who weren't sure he had it in him.
No notes, I didn't see evidence of a prompter. He is an orator.
He sounds like a statesman.
Let's cheer him on.
I saw something last week that said that Obama, who tends to do speeches off the cuff, had spent two weeks memorizing that one
They did have "close-captions" with the TV images of the candidates above the stage. I assumed these were from a teleprompter, but maybe not. And maybe all the candidates left their notes at home.
Let's face it, all the Democrats are better than any of the GOPhers.
Your comment that you "saw something last week that "said" Obama, who tends to do speeches off the cuff, had spent two weeks memorizing that one" doesn't diminish for me the power of his message.
It demonstrates even another talent; the ability to internalize his message so genuinely that he has little problem remembering the words and phrases which articulate and communicate that message so well that he doesn't have to read it.
The GOPhers love to reincarnate Reagan as their messiah. He had many talents and attributes, one of which was the ability to communicate, and from which he drew on his talent as an actor.
Also, he was attractive physically and personably; perhaps the attributes and qualities essential to being construed as charismatic by the masses.
Now and then,as was the case for JFK, and I hope is the case for Barack, those who look to a leader for guidance based on image, hopefully genuine, join up with those of us who intuit an honesty and genuineness of purpose beyond image.
Not since JFK have I found myself attracted to a politician to the extent that I have been ready and willing to believe in one's ability to lead in such a way as to honor and manifest by example the principles of our Constitution as set forth by our Founders.
What I just wrote is a gilded image of leaders, and as such should be sufficiently discounted.
But, if it has any value,it is in its contrast to the Cheney/Bush surreptitious manipulations of the rule of law as established, in the form of universal principles, in our Constitution.
Once again, as has happened so many times in the course of history, those who feel they are destined to rule, not govern, have emerged in positions of power.
As just one Voice Crying in the Wilderness, I hold out hope that our election process will actually result in selecting leaders who bring to their office commitments to the values and principles, embodies and endowed in our Constitution.
Anything less will only grease the skids of our slide down the path to yet another society, the individuals of which give up their freedom of choice and visions of what they might accomplish, to those who promise them protection and security against those whose beliefs, practices, and cultures are sufficiently different as to be easily described as adverse and threatening.
I also know that you are trying to be objective, as is your nature, and mine.
Those of us who have lived for three score years and perhaps more, have seen most of what humans can and do to each r.
In the poem Desiderata, we can read, "No doubt the Universe is unfolding as it should".
There are times when I have to go back to that admonition in order that I not get too worked up about what is going on today. It does provide some comfort to be reminded how insignificant is our time and our being within the vastness of time and space.
But, just about when I begin to let it all go, my ninth grandchild is born, as happened yesterday.
Need I say more?
And, not just by the way, many thanks for your friendly response.
Thanks also for who you are, and what you contribute to the discussion of the dilemma of life.
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Post a Comment