Thursday, January 13, 2011
Come On, Admit It ...
Even the very conservative Wall Street Journal editorial page liked Obama's speech last night in Tuscon, adding that "he spoke to the better angels of our democracy." So, too, did conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer. Why do some on the right find it so hard to concede that it was a very good moment for the president?
I think Obama did exactly what he needed to. He elevated the debate, tried to calm the nation and steered clear of any partisan score-settling — all with an eloquence appropriate for the occasion. Who could possibly disagree with any of it?
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Terry I agree, and Obama is an excellent speaker although I was never inspired to the point where I felt that I could possibly faint. The clips that I saw of his speech were very good.
ReplyDeleteLooking for holes in his rhetoric is just part of the game, and should be encouraged, because many times they say things that sounds good until they’re analyzed, and some of the political analysts are very sharp, and they pick up on stuff that many people miss. Rush Limbaugh is one of those guys, even though at times he likes to generate a diabolical intent to their reasons that probably aren’t as valid as he tries to make it seem, so you have to analyze what he says as well.
Also there are many conservatives that act as though Sarah Palin can do no wrong. Personally, I love her, maybe not as a president, but definitely as a role model. However the speech that she gave in response to the Arizona incident left me flat, she came off as someone that might be using this tragedy to bolster her political image. She should have kept it short and sweet, extend her condolences to the victims families, and rebut the accusations that were leveled against her, but instead she went on and on, and it kind of turned me off. Some of the conservatives are saying that the speech was so well written, and Sarah Palin was so presidential as she was giving the speech Bla Bla Bla.
I think it hurts us as conservatives, because it shows the world that we can be just as biased as the left.
I think that President Obama set the bar high by putting aside partisan politics while appropriately leading a grieving nation through this senseless act of inhumanity committed by a disturbed individual.
ReplyDeleteAttempts have been made to blame rhetoric for the actions of this apparently mentally ill young man. But, who's to know? Perhaps the FBI and Secret Service's investigation will find something. Perhaps not. Suffice it to say, extremist rhetoric does have power. History is replete with examples.
We should endeavor to debate respectfully. I would maintain that the partisan debates within this country have been less than respectful, especially in recent years.
And this, is unfortunately, a sad commentary on America today.
Terry,
ReplyDeleteI don't disapprove of the president's words or his tone. It's very hard to disagree with any of what he said.
I think what puzzled me more than anything was the raucous cheering from the crowd, especially when Obama first stood up. I thought memorial services were solemn occasions. While I can understand clapping at certain points, there were times I felt like I was watching a rock concert.
One more point: I think the media shoulders much of the blame for all the vitriol in the wake of this incident, and not just the talking heads. The Associated Press lead on Saturday declared the shootings had "Americans questioning whether divisive politics pushed the suspect over the edge."
Yet there was nothing in the body of the story to support this contention, aside from the sheriff's comments. And the reporter apparently didn't feel the need to ask him for any evidence to support his claims. Most of what I've read since suggests the gunman is mentally unbalanced and didn't necessarily come unhinged from listening to Rush Limbaugh.
I would hope we could heed the president's call to be more civil in our political discourse and more respectful of other viewpoints. On the other hand, I won't hold my breath.
News alert! VR, BIlly and I all agree on something!
ReplyDeleteSteve, I had the same feeling while watching the speech. The audience reaction was like nothing I've ever seen before at a memorial service and made me feel a little uncomfortable.
And the media coverage, in some cases, seems to be little more than a search for a killer's motive that doesn't exist. In that sense, I hope this is not a template for the coverage of future tragedies.
Good comments. I agree with just about everything said here, including about the setting for the speech. It did feel to me like a political rally, despite people saying polotics would be kept out of it. As Michael Deaver, et al image makers know, it's not just about the words, but the stage on which they're said, and the size of the audience. Still, it was very positive and hopeful. Maybe in a more intimate setting it would have been less so.
ReplyDeleteTerry, it's simple: this is the first speech he's given where he didn't talk about himself -- first time he's spoken as as the President and not the majority-party leader...
ReplyDeleteLeave it to JP to cut through the periphery and get to the heart of the matter. I think you make good point.
ReplyDeleteMany of Obama's speeches are indeed focused on himself and building his cult of personality. This was wasn't -- at least in its content. But as Steve pointed out, the reaction of the crowd was similar to what you'd see in a campaign speech.
I guess we can't blame Obama for that, however.
I thought the T-shirts were a particularly nice touch.
ReplyDelete