This wasn't a speech by committee... Obama wrote the speech himself, working on it for two days and nights.... and showed it to only a few of his top advisers.
« Rhetoric! | Main | No Michigan Re-Vote? » Speechwriter Of One18 Mar 2008 12:03 pm Comments (46)
What strikes me most about his speech is that its comes from Barack's core. He didn't poll-test it, and he won't have trouble hewing to its message in the future. It is his personal, honest view borne of turning these issues over in his own mind for decades. The contrast with Romney's speech on faith is obvious. But a more relevant contrast is: can you imagine Hillary Clinton giving a 5000-word speech about gender and showing it to just two advisers? 
I don't think I'd believe this were it any other politician.
Since he is trying to win the votes of independents who are disinclined to vote for him because of the Wright relationship - perhaps he should have run it by a few of those folks?
Reason # 101 to support Obama.
I like Obama, and I am actively supporting him, but I gotta ask, how is it that you know this is the case?
Yeah, lets electe another wimpy politician. This is one of the bravest speeches I have ever seen or heard and this man has the moral strength to be our next president. We don't need any more poll driven fingers to the wind "leaders."
Yeah, lets electe another wimpy politician. This is one of the bravest speeches I have ever seen or heard and this man has the moral strength to be our next president. We don't need any more poll driven fingers to the wind "leaders."
His words. His bravery. His brilliance. Can anyone not see that this is the man for our time?
Bravo. Barack.
I have followed his career since 2003 and read both his books -- I was not surprised at all by the speech and fully expected that he wrote it pretty much himself. He is one of the most authentically inspiring and aspiring people in politics ever, I think. His desire to be honest with himself and his audience is touching in its sincerity...
An open and honest speech, how refreshing. Obama wants to do this, he does it--thank god Axelrod is his advisor and not Penn. No poll-testing here! The man is who he is, unlike his rival who changes her strategy/persona depending on what Penn's polls tell her to do and be. People will continue to disagree with, dislike, and not vote for Obama but you've gotta give the man his due for speaking openly and honestly.
Obama is drawing a new American map ... we will never see ourselves in the same way ... ever.
how is it that you know this is the case? Even without the campaign sources that Marc undoubtedly got this from, it would be a fair surmise. Previous articles about Obama's speechwriting team discussed how it was assembled primarily to cope with the pace of the campaign. With the reduced pace in the crawl to PA, he had the time and the inclination to write this one himself.
Who is politics does this anymore? Amazing, and independents like me aren't impressed by politicians easily.
He could have written and given the greatest speech in modern times and it will still be used to beat him down. When you have a combination of the media plus the Clinton people digging and searching each and every word, how can this speech help him.
oh my god...maybe a verbal phrase...some three-word slogans...oh jesus who knows I was just imagining what kind of speech George W. Bush could write in two nights.
oh my god...maybe a verbal phrase...some three-word slogans...oh jesus who knows I was just imagining what kind of speech George W. Bush could write in two nights.
I hope people will be thankful that such a man has come to the American people to work with all of us to unite and work to bring jobs,end the invasion of Iraq,and would have the knowledge and judgement to appoint people in an administration that would be qualified for each job that keeps us safe and solve all problems. Oh, how the people have waited so long for a uniter. And be real one man cannot do all these things alone.Like he said ,it will need all of us!!!!! God Bless America!!! As a 73 year old I finally have hope for our young people at last. Young people are so wise and want to at least be united.
Hey guys, Barry O'Bama here. Yeah, I wrote it myself, and let me tell you writing it was the easy part. Delivering it with this terrible St. Patty's day hangover was the tough part!
He could have written and given the greatest speech in modern times... Perhaps he did.
We need something more than a Candidate Obama... We need a President Obama! Guaranteed we will be a "more perfect union" if our next President is Obama.
Obama did not take the easy way out. He wrote a speech of literacy and nuance that might not play well in our sound-bite, short-attention-span society, but will hopefully be remembered as one of the best political speeches in American history. Our media abhors complexity, yet he didn't shy away from it. An empty suit relying on borrowed words? I think not. He's light years ahead of his competition.
I've never donated to a candidate, and I did this morning. I feel like I've had the opportunity to witness something that people will be talking about for the next 221 years. Hopefully his presidency will be the same. Everyone I know, which is mostly smart compsci silivalley snarkingtons, was talking about how they teared up reading it (we're text based). If he can inspire commitment in a bunch of world-weary blackhats, well, the country will be a better place with him in charge.
Marc, Where you standing there as he wrote it? By the comments above, Obama is the second coming. How could I have ever doubted.....
I listened to Kennedy. I listened to King. And now I'm listening to Obama with renewed hope that a real leader exists who is willing to endure the cynicism and distrust of our times, willing to reflect to us the truth of who we have been, who we are, and who we can yet become. The healing we need is not only related to racism, which is definitely an elephant in the living room pervading nearly every other issue, but relates to all forms of discrimination, unfairness, and avarice that currently infects the very marrow of our country. Only through humility and truth, a willingness to name what's wrong and take action to fix it can the United States truly realize its full potential. Obama has shown us how it's done. He's begun an honest conversation. Many currently in power, seeking power, or affiliated with pseudo "news" or "analysis" media will criticize and nit-pick, and ensure the political conversation will be not on the difficult issues that need solving, but on the entertainment value distractions which will ensure the if-nothing-changes-nothing-changes slope we are currently sliding down. Those of us who believe a better USA is possible must work to keep conversations on the issues, and get Obama elected! I am sending the text of his inspiring speech to my entire email address book and encouraging them to read it, think about it, then do the same. A small act, but if it touches one "undecided" voter, or changes one voter's mind it's worth it. And my conscious demands it.
This is the type of leader that is needed in the 21 st century for the economic perils that we are facing as a nation. Clinton, please take notes and learn how a true leader behaves: with honnesty, integrity, and class. He could have lied and said: I did not have racist relations with that pastor..." Sounds familiar? But he didn't. He spoke the truth about the realities of this country and the real problems we need to overcome. Obama has EARNED my vote through sound judgement.
I don't believe it. My first comment after hearing it was that it sounded like it was written by a committee! I could almost hear the splices. If he wrote it, he SHOULD have given it to an editor. It was a very important speech with a lot of threads to be picked up on and repeated later, but it did not soar oratorically...He has an "I have a dream"/ "Ask not what your country can do for you.."/"We have nothing to fear but..." speech in him, and we as a country need to hear it, but this one wasn't it. All that said...it was a good speech. I sure hope he wins.
"it did not soar oratorically" That's not what it was for. Note that the pundits aren't dismissing this one with "yeah, he's great at giving speeches". It was all about content, not style. And it wasn't about inspiring people -- although many people have been inspired by the fact that he gave this speech. It was a matter of talking seriously about the truths we are most uncomfortable with.
one person allowing his humanity to rise to the occasion....and doing the right thing.... and telling all.... Americans and the World... questioning...inspiring...leading...and above all hoping...the sleepers will awake to take charge of their future.....
That any Godlike being could enlighten the lot of us..and that we all could subscribe to a common good that has no material penalty or evidence of condemnation...remains unanswered...it seems we touch all around it with our greatest words and attempt to conquer it with deeds that remain unclear..the most normal behavior is a simple one that has become somewhat taboo..to acknowledge one another and share the common respect of space and being and guardianship of our world and future...and this future seems bleak when we know we cannot save all those from the greed and corrupt ideas of those who we empower...)
one person allowing his humanity to rise to the occasion....and doing the right thing.... and telling all.... Americans and the World... questioning...inspiring...leading...and above all hoping...the sleepers will awake to take charge of their future.....
That any Godlike being could enlighten the lot of us..and that we all could subscribe to a common good that has no material penalty or evidence of condemnation...remains unanswered...it seems we touch all around it with our greatest words and attempt to conquer it with deeds that remain unclear..the most normal behavior is a simple one that has become somewhat taboo..to acknowledge one another and share the common respect of space and being and guardianship of our world and future...and this future seems bleak when we know we cannot save all those from the greed and corrupt ideas of those who we empower...)
This speech is the reason I supported his campaign for Illinois state senate in the 1990s, why I supported his U.S. Senate bid against Alan Keyes, and why I supported him early on for the Presidency. Few politicians could have given this speech, and even fewer have given it so well.
THAT IS FALSE.
Torrential rains are falling upon Texas this morning. They are the tears of thousands of Iraqi mothers and they will not be forgotten for a millenia. A crime of a lifetime can only be redeemed by the president of a lifetime. Yes We Can
The speech was brilliant,elegant,beautiful; and Barack was cool, collected,presidential. The delivery gave me goose bumps and sent chills down my spine. Even his enemies are confessing now that the guy is brilliant. He is what his name Barack means:blessed
The speech was brilliant,elegant,beautiful; and Barack was cool, collected,presidential. The delivery gave me goose bumps and sent chills down my spine. Even his enemies are confessing now that the guy is brilliant. He is what his name Barack means:blessed
The speech was brilliant,elegant,beautiful; and Barack was cool, collected,presidential. The delivery gave me goose bumps and sent chills down my spine. Even his enemies are confessing now that the guy is brilliant. He is what his name Barack means:blessed
"Hussein Osama": Focus groups? Advisors? No, you're thinking of what Billary's campaign does: depend entirely on Mark Penn and his poll-tested soundbites.
Barack Rocks! A true statesman and legistlature, finally, is what we need for the new direction we need follow. American's greatest strength is our ability to re-invent ourselves as the World evolves. The course is clear, the direction is apparent and the leader is among us.
Barack Rocks! A true statesman and legistlature, finally, is what we need for the new direction we need follow. American's greatest strength is our ability to re-invent ourselves as the World evolves. The course is clear, the direction is apparent and the leader is among us.
Here's a link to an equally forthright and elegant speech by Obama on religion: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid353515028?bctid=416343938 I heard it some time ago and afterwards knew I had to vote for the guy. Can you imagine any other politician in America giving either of these speeches? I can't.
Wow. How many politicians actually write their own speeches nowadays? Not many. He is a brilliant person.
Just another load of BS from the empty suit that is Barack Obama. First he says he never heard these allegations. Then he says he heard them once or twice. Now he says he's known for a while, but gee... Rev Wright is such a nice guy he had to let them slide. Why did Imus not get this free r=pass from Obama? Imus has said thoughtful things before. Imus donates and works with charities. A sound byute is all Obama needed to call for Imus' head - but now a sound byte cannot fully explain the wonderfully complex man that is Rev Wright. We see a similar response on Rezko. He only raaised $60,000 for me. Okay, maybe it was a $150,000. Would you believe $250,000? Oprah had the good sense to leave this church and it's hateful pastor. Why didn't Obama have that good sense? Rev WRights comments reflect his wife's own writings and commets. I see a pattern. Why has it taken so long for Obama to get properly vetted? I read of these comments last June. The same can be said of Ron Paul's associations. Any reporter with half a brain and a computer should have known about this months ago - and it should have been addressed instead of swept under the rug while we all sang cumbaya and hailed Obama. Wake up. Read up. Heads up.
can anyone PROVE he wrote it himself? the source for this assertion (and its all over the internet now) seems to be Mr. Ambinder
Mr. Ambinder is one of the most prominent Obama promoters in the media today, and I for one have learned to distrrust half of everything he says on the political race we're having. This speech was clearly a "clip and paste" splicing of two entirely different subjects, with a cynical and entirely political goal in mind. And Jon Favreau's tone and voice and rhetoric are all over it. Mr. Favreau will never tell us just how much of Obama's "brilliance" and "soaring oratory" have been in fact, creations of his and not the Senator's. And of all sources to get the truth about the inner workings of this campagin, Mr. Ambinder is the least objective source I know.
Why do Hillary supporters have to resort to such tactics? Are you asking for similar proof from Hillary every time she opens her mouth? With the proof that we do have, we have come to know that she's a liar. One word: NAFTA. Her recently-released records show that she was actually campaigning *for* NAFTA; and now she claims she's been against it. Here's proof that she *IS* a liar. You want to talk about Rezko? OK, how about Norman Hsu, Peter Paul, Aaron Tonken, Denise/Marc Rich, Sant S. Chatwal, Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie, John Huang, James Riady, Johnny Chung, Roger Tamraz, John K.H. Lee, Pauline Kanchanalak, Ng Lap Seng, Abdul Rehman Jinnah, Mehmet Celebi, etc. ?
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Who told you that? He should have known it was coming for over a year.
Posted by yarrr | March 18, 2008 12:15 PM