Monday, March 24, 2008

I CERTAINLY WAS ASTONISHED, HUMBLED, AND THRILLED BY OBAMA'S SPEECH ON RACE

AND I THINK its unabashed intelligence and its signal that he is unwilling to play the game of predatory politicking is one of the reasons I am so bloggingly open about my support for his candidacy.

BUT I MUST CONFESS, this was a very smart, compassionately wonky, and meaningful speech for Clinton to give today. And she lays claim to the economy as an issue, which it undoubtedly is to those of us who are not latte sipping bazillionaires.

OBAMA IS EQUALLY WONKY, but unless I've missed something, he's been very shy recently about offering this kind of meat-and-potatoes policy-meal to Democrats who need more than just inspiration. I wish he had taken the lead on this one.

AND PERHAPS IT'S ALL EXPECTATION MANAGEMENT, but I don't like to hear David Plouffe giving up on PA at the end of this AP story. I don't think it's wise to cede Clinton this state and the important, if symbolic, victory she'd take with it if she trounces him.

AND SURE, I'M ALL FOR THE NEW POLITICS, but seriously--why isn't the sideshow media jumping all over this plain lie?

OK. That is all I wanted to say....

That is all.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

He may have lost the nomination with that speech, if the polls are to be trusted.
But, I can tell you that my Easter Sunday spent around a table with my wife's African-American family, was evidence of the speech's ultimate win.
We all spoke openly about race, from mouths of both colors, with an honesty I had never experienced.
In the long run, the economy talk may get Clinton elected.
Yet, Obama did his part to drag racism out to die in the light of exposure. Which is more important?

Unknown said...

He hasn't been too nuts and boltsy in his speeches, but there is this.

but john hodgman the wider point that he needs to command public attention with these sorts of details is well taken.

awryone, i'd be really careful about reading too much into those polls at this point. not only has this primary season shown us that polls are wildly untrustworthy in general, in this particular case, it's too soon to have real results. and there are positive counter indications (gallup bump, cbs poll of people who watched the speech).

Unknown said...

sorry, context: during ohio, he was really pushing the plan i linked to, encouraging people to download it or ask for a copy by mail. i haven't heard him doing that lately. although--shameful admission--i have not yet heard/read the other two major speeches he gave last week. one of them was on iraq, wasn't the other on the economy?

K said...

I believe Sen. Obama is taking a well-deserved few days off in some sunny beach like place near an ocean. Seems to me he has earned it seeing as how he had a similar, only better, plan for combating the housing crisis a YEAR ago.

Tim said...

I don't know about the "sideshow" media, but Olbermann covered Clinton's Bosnia fabrications tonight.

The Curiously Dull Mint said...

i wish i had a dime for each time i was dismissed as "a comedian" - pshaw! wait - sinbad's a comedian? since when?

but seriously, folks... i don't think obama can afford to rest on his laurels too long - yes the race speech was amazing and exactly what this country needs, but it's not going to get him elected, especially since the "mainstream" media has jumped all over him for not severing his ties with pastor wright earlier and now the speech has taken on an urban legend status. obama needs to take it up a few notches and stay away from the race issue for a bit - i fear that now more than ever, all people will see is a man of color whose only agenda is dealing with race issues - we americans love a good soundbyte and a quick summary. besides, everyone's already forgotten about ferraro... so seriously, sinbad's a comedian??

Roderick said...

You and Mike Daisey are running parallel blogs.

invisible_hand said...

first off, obama did take the lead on this, in that a year ago, he made the same proposal...

second off, HRC wants to bring in alan greenspan for his magic calming powers, even though she admits she doesn't understand him.
this is a silly move to begin with, since he had a lot do with why the market is as it is.
thankfully, obama has real economists on his team and not just policy advisors.