Disappointed with the Speech

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-21-2008
Disappointed with the Speech
281
Tue, 01-20-2009 - 12:53pm
I was actually a little bit excited about the inauguration ceremony today and anxious to hear our new president's speech. It could have been so good. It could have been inspiring. Instead I thought it was a downer. It seemed like President Obama is still in "campaign mode". He needs a new speech writer. President Clinton would have understood that the nation, so excited by this historic day, would want to hear an inspirational speech on a day like this. I think he blew a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am a little sad instead of excited after hearing it.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-09-2009
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 4:58pm
Because there's a LOT of stupid people out there who are easily swayed by empty rhetoric and believe slogans like "hope and change" and "yes we can" actually mean something.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:00pm
Oops....Sorry, you're right. I confused that quote with the 15th century poet, John Lydgate who was the inspiration for Lincoln's quote. Lincoln said "You can fool some of the people etc...." John Lydgate was the one who originally said "You can please some of the people....etc..."

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-09-2009
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:01pm

>>> Obama has always been a centrist. He leaned to the far left during the campaign, because he had to. Later in the campaign, he returned to his usual centrist stance.

So you're saying that he was a fraud and lied to his supporters?

>>> I have said he was a centrist since the very beginning. Some conservatives tried to paint him as being from the far left, but it wasn't true...not in the IL senate, and not in Washington. He has never had a far left agenda. That was more right wing propaganda, trying to discredit him.

I guess he got to be the most liberal guy in the Senate by being "centrist." LOL!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:02pm
Any different than countless other American presidents who have been tested in the past. It comes with the territory unfortunately.

*edtied to say that this post was in response to Chilly.


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:07pm

I don't understand why he would say something like that. In what way was he "acting like a white guy"...and is it really in peoples' best interests to reinforce racial stereotypes?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:08pm

Yes....I think you might have to explain it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2008
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:27pm
No, it seems like you don't understand, and there is probably nothing anybody can say to make you to understand. If you want to confront to my dad, have at it. Good luck.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2008
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:31pm
That's where you're wrong. I don't have to explain anything, and it wouldn't matter if I did. You are the one who would be "personally offended" if much was made about the historic significance of the day. That says enough to me to know that I have better things to do.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2009
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:35pm

I have some idea if what your dad might mean. Would he have been happier had Obama

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 5:40pm

Well I suppose she may be in a minority position around here. She's conservative and for the time being anyway, it appears that liberals outnumber conservatives on the board (it changes back and forth over time, depending on what's going on politically).

;o)

I don't know, but it appears you have me pegged as someone who does not realize the significance of Obama's win for people of colour. Believe me, I am over the moon with happiness about it and have been very emotional many times since he started running in the primaries.

I suppose I'm basically an understated person (and I think...so is Obama - Is that necessarily a "white" trait?). I find that one can get their point across more effectively and with more gravitas to more people by making what you say count and letting your actions speak for themselves. Obama, may not have said a lot on the issue in this particular speech, but he has very effectively and eloquently in the past and he made gestures (like following Lincoln's train route, sharing the story of his conversation with his daughters about being the first black president, specifically getting Lincoln's bible out of storage for the swearing in, having events scheduled yesterday on MLK Day and even in his choice of entertainment for the inaugural ball and other events).

I was disgusted with a lot of the rhetoric on this board (and other places) prior to the election where people said his appeal and popularity was simply due to the fact that he is a black man and African American's were blindly supporting him ONLY for that reason as were white Liberal "moonbats" only doing so to soothe their "white guilt". There is a lot more to him than simply his race (and I've never considered race to have anything to do with a person's abilities). He is a remarkable human being and the right person at the right time. His appeal transcends race.

In his acceptance speech he said "I will be your president too...." and that means everybody's. For the purposes of the inauguration, I felt it was fitting that he speak to "everybody". I expect and hope that there will be plenty of opportunities for him to speak about and advance the cause of racial equality throughout his presidency (and opportunities for Michelle as well)....In fact, I am greatly looking forward to it. There is nothing I would like better than to see America make a lot of progress in solving some of these racial divides that do nothing but hold people back. I would love to see minorities and people of colour who don't feel this way, have hope for their future and their place in the great nation of yours. By extension, I hope that it carries over into other countries for people in that same situation.

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