In The Blogs

Obama's Speech

| Tue Feb. 24, 2009 8:15 PM PST

I don't know how meaningful this is, but listening to Barack Obama's speech tonight it struck me that there were only two places where he specifically asked Congress to send him legislation. The first was a cap-and-trade plan to address global warming, and the second was the Hatch-Kennedy national service bill.

On healthcare, by contrast, he merely said he would be bringing stakeholders together "to begin work on this issue next week."

Maybe that's significant, maybe it's not. But I was at least a little surprised that his healthcare pitch wasn't a bit punchier.

A few miscellaneous observations. Overall, it was a good, adult speech. The beginning was like a punch in the gut to Republican fecklessness over the past eight years, but later on Obama somehow got plenty of bipartisan standing Os anyway, even in a few places where I wouldn't have expected it. There was some fine populist demagoguery aimed at Wall Street ("This time, CEOs won't be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks or buy fancy drapes or disappear on a private jet"), but it was mainly just a cover for an admission that he planned to keep shoveling money into banks. And he made it pretty clear that he would announce a withdrawal plan from Iraq within a few days.

That's all for now. Consider this an open speech thread.

Advertisement

Kevin Drum is a political blogger for Mother Jones. For more of his stories, click here.

Comments

As much as or more than

Submitted by Herb Mallette (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 8:22 PM PST.

As much as or more than anything else, I appreciated the various calls-to-action aimed at people outside the room. Obama understands that governance is about motivating people, that's for sure.

Why Has Obama Given Up the Inpirational Speaking?

Submitted by BJF (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 8:57 PM PST.

I assume it is all calculated, but what do you think is the reason that he has abandoned the inpirational style of speaking? Overall, the speech was fine. I think basically he thinks that he should strike quickly on all the government expansion he can achieve, and then depend on time before the next election for the economy to rebound.

Why was my comment moderated

Submitted by jerry (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 9:06 PM PST.

Why was my comment moderated out?

great speech

Submitted by JohnK (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 9:24 PM PST.

I think we have to remember that in talking to all Americans he is reaching out to a probable majority who are saturated with right wingnut radio all day long. What may have come across as demagoguery was probably necessary explanations to a lot of people who never hear anything positive (or true) about this administration unless he says it himself.

Agribiz subsidies?

Submitted by MobiusKlein (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 10:00 PM PST.

The line that stood out to me was Obama calling to stop wasteful agribusiness subsidies. I'm such a nerd that my jaw dropped. Does that mean stopping big corn & ethanol subsidies, and doing legit energy policy?

We can do ANYTHING!

Submitted by Bobby Jindal (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 10:00 PM PST.

I just want to say it's just SUPER that the President is a negro! Good for him! Did you notice he's a negro? Isn't that great! Super! But he's a meany. Don't let him tell you that we can't do something! Hah hah! We can do ANYTHING! Isn't that super! ANYTHING! The negro president (SUPER!) doesn't think Americans can do anything. But we Republicans know that Americans can do ANYTHING! Wow! We can do ANYTHING! Super duper! I personally drowned in Hurricane Katrina. And the Sherriff said "Congressman Bobby says you can arrest him too!" Isn't that SUPER! Hah hah! We can do ANYTHING! Wow! When the super duper negro President (SUPER!) has good plans that we real Americans agree with, we'll be his super duper best supporters! But when he says that Americans can't do anything, we real Americans have a responsibility to tell him it's just SUPER DUPER TERRIFIC that you're a negro President, but Americans can do ANYTHING! Think about that! Anything! Anything at ALL! WOW! Super! Isn't that great! His daddy is from Kenya! Can you say "Kenya"? Wow, you said that GREAT! Good job! Now can you say "India"? YOU CAN! YAY! That's where my daddy is from! Where is YOUR daddy from? Wow, really? That's a GREAT place for your daddy to be from! That's just SUPER! So my daddy is from India, and the negro President's super duper negro daddy is from Kenya! So the negro President (SUPER!) and I are just like two friendly little peas in a super duper cozy little pod! Isn't that great! Except for one little itty bitty thing, which is that he hates America! Do you hate America? No, of course you don't, that would be just silly! Hah hah hah! I don't hate America EITHER. And THAT'S why I know that Americans can do ANYTHING! Wow! Anything! We can do ANYTHING! We can do ANYTHING! SUPER DUPER! You did a GREAT job listening! GREAT! You deserve a cookie! Ask your mommy for a cookie, because you did a GREAT job! SUPER DUPER! Bye bye! Nighty-night! Sleep tight! Sweet dreams! Super duper! This message paid for by Halliburton

speech

Submitted by Mona (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 11:17 PM PST.

Who did they leave in a safe location? Last time Gates, but who this time? I saw the usual suspects.

speech

Submitted by Mona (not verified) on Tue Feb. 24, 2009 11:20 PM PST.

Who did they leave in a safe location? Last time Gates, but who this time? I saw the usual suspects.

I think Dick Cheney was in

Submitted by Fleen (not verified) on Wed Feb. 25, 2009 7:44 AM PST.

I think Dick Cheney was in the double secret hidey hole. After all, he is still in charge.

safe location

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed Feb. 25, 2009 12:07 AM PST.

I believe Eric Holder (Attorney General) was in an undisclosed location.

"Hatch-Kennedy national

Submitted by MaynardHandley on Wed Feb. 25, 2009 12:26 AM PST.

"Hatch-Kennedy national service " Don't tell me, let me guess. This bill will be heavily promoted by the same crowd that tell us that the only way to get CEOs to do a good job is to give them a kazillion dollars. Apparently this same philosophy regarding monetary incentives flies out the window when it comes to trying to get kids to work on the cheap. To quote Republican sponsor Orrin Hatch "Volunteer service is the lifeblood of our republic. It brings out the best in people and strengthens our communities. Throughout history, Americans have stepped forward and volunteered to meet every challenge." Please, Senator Hatch, why exactly is it that you expect penniless 20-something kids to volunteer to serve the republic but you've never made any similar request of billionaire CEOs??? (I've no idea what Kennedy's views on CEO pay are. It wouldn't surprise if he's as much in thrall to big money as the GOP and half the Dems.)

Sorry to be off topic, but

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed Feb. 25, 2009 3:34 AM PST.

Sorry to be off topic, but will Kevin's page ever be made to work again? I'm about to give up entirely on it. The only way I can see all his blogs are to click on one from the first page, then click on his name at the top of the page that brings up, then-- my computer freezes. IF I can go on after the freeze, then I do see the blogs but there are audio ads playing. This is NOT progress. Tech support ("contact us") does not reply... any folks with ideas out there? Kevin, you are gonna lose a lot of readers with this format. Thanks.

Kevin, what is really most

Submitted by Anon92107 (not verified) on Wed Feb. 25, 2009 4:28 AM PST.

Kevin, what is really most important about President Obama’s speech was that he dedicated his administration to restoring American Democracy in Washington to the values of our Founders, and he declared an end to the GOP CRAP* dictatorship by presidential secrecy that the republicans allowed Bush-Cheney to betray America with for the last eight years. * CRAP stands for the GOP party motto of their last eight years as the Communist Republican Anti-Democracy Party that continuously sold out the American Way of Life to communist China. Jindal’s jingoist response was one more outrageous attempt to perpetuate CRAP, hopefully the last.

Sobering and inspirational

Submitted by DanJoaquinOz on Wed Feb. 25, 2009 5:54 AM PST.

I thought it was a perfectly pitched speech for troubled times. It frankly addressed the magnitude of the crisis before outlining a boldly optimistic, unprecedented plan of action. I couldn't help but wonder how well a President Hillary Clinton (whose candidacy I supported) or a President McCain (whose election I dreaded) would have handled the same first month and the same necessity for a speech like this. The latter just made me shudder with relief - Jindal is bad, imagine McCain! - while I have to admit, for all her intellect and unrivalled wonkishness, Clinton has simply never had Obama's genius for oratory, for explanation or for inspiration. I've never been happier, even on election day, that Obama is President. My favourite passage (among many) : "History reminds us that at every moment of economic upheaval and transformation, this nation has responded with bold action and big ideas....We are a nation that has seen promise amid peril and claimed opportunity from ordeal. We must now be that nation again." From across the planet, in the distant antipodes, I and a group of dazzled Aussies cheered. I've always been leery of American exceptionalism (being an ex-pat will do that to you) but, when framed so eloquently by Obama it seems like a genuine beacon of hope.

Have faith=)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed Feb. 25, 2009 11:15 AM PST.

President Obama is by far the most charismatic president of all time. And Will without a doubt be one of the best. Despite the constant risk of an attempt to hurt him, the worst economic conditions in decades, and constant stream of hatred directed at him by every form of vilification and threat. With our Faith in a positive outcome, that is exactly what we shall experience. Keep the faith because without faith, function would be impossible. Obama used his God given ability to inspire us to look beyond our self projected problems, because beyond our own self doubt lies infinite potential=)