If you haven't already, click on the MYBO link to hear Sen. Obama's speech at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Iowa on Saturday, Nov. 10. It's 20 minutes well spent.
This is the strongest I have heard Obama since he got into the race in February. Many of his ideas and values were stated clearly and forcefully. And he was able to draw some distinctions between himself and some of the other candidates without mentioning them by name and without appearing overly critical. Some of the great lines:
"I am running for president because I am sick and tired of Democrats thinking that the only way to look tough on national security by talking and acting and voting like George Bush Republicans."
"The era of Scooter Libby justice, Brownie incompetence, and Karl Rove politics will finally be over."
It also didn't hurt that the intro was with the Chicago Bulls intro music, even with Ray Clay (or at least a sound-alike) saying "AAAAAAND NOW..."
The media coverage has been pretty unanimous that his was the strongest speech of the night. It's just what the campaign needs right now. Here a comment from David Yepsen of the Des Moines Register:
“Five of them gave really good speeches,” Yepsen said. “Barack Obama’s was excellent. ... Obama was particularly impressive Saturday night. Should he win the Iowa caucuses, Saturday’s dinner will be remembered as one of the turning points in his campaign in here, a point where he laid down the marker and began closing on Clinton, the national frontrunner."
Now, if he and the other candidates would only start criticizing the Republican candidates more. Sure, it plays well to criticize Bush -- no one likes him anymore. But Obama (and ALL of the Democratic candidates) have to name names in showing why America must vote for the Democratic candidate and why voting for Guiliani, Romney or any of the others would be disastrous for the country. The material is there -- use it!
Comments are closed for this post.
