Jon Stewart did an interesting comparison last night. Stewart's main means of humor expression uses the words of politicians. The job of politicians is to lead, represent, deliberate, decide and deliver words expressing all the above. Sometimes though, the process of bullshitting creates smell.
The new President's speech fell below expectations. It was a well delivered address. But the problem with the expectations of the masses, it lacked the rousing quality. They wanted Lincoln, they got a Focus.
Abraham Lincoln was one of the world's greatest orators from Illinois. While Obama may have been a Senator from Illinois, in all rights he is a Hawaiian nurtured. A woman stud for sure, I can't actually see Obama splitting rails although he has been trying to portray that.
Another problem with oratory. It is often rather a great response loaded with relevant answers to timely great issues crafted in a short window of preparation. John Fitzgerald Kennedy's inaugural speech is still regarded one of the greatest ever because it defined change, outlined change, initiated a time of change and articulated that change. Obama's speech did none of that.
While everyone got all worked up about Lincoln and Martin Luther King, few cited Kennedy. Real change in America began with the Kennedy-Johnson years. Why did the Obama Democrats forget the contributions of Kennedy?
Lincoln is long dead for one. Lincoln only freed the slaves. He did not have the lifetime to begin the racist attitudes. Both Kennedy and Lincoln were assassinated because they lived on the edge of courage. King lived on the edge of courage with little personal protection. They made enemies. They defeated enemies. The only recourse that the enemies had was assassination. The enemies took their lives but could not quiet the power of their oratory to change the course of events.
The US and the world needs a President with the courage to live on the edge. Bush wanted to live on the edge but lacked the intellectual scope to do change. He started things with the right intentioned he claimed. But he lacked the planning to finish those tasks.
Obama appears to have the grey matter. But he does not appear to have the courage to live on the edge. In the US, great change such as international matters, economic and health issues now need someone to live on the edge.
Stewart compared the rousing parts of the Obama speech with clips of speeches from the outgoing President George W. Bush. The words of Obama appeared as reworked components of the Bush oratory. Everyone laughed but the skill of Stewart's writers ripped of a shell of Obama's protection to expose a troubling aspect. As Texan's say, that Obama speech ... was all hat.
My prediction. Obama may be a one term President. Why? The campaign speech making is over. The feet hit the mat. Obama has an Oscar, not an Olympic medal.
1 comment:
You must have watched a different Inauguration speech from the one I watched. I was riveted. I'm also old enough and confident enough in myself to admit I cried, quite heartily, a few times.
It helped that many of President Obama's words and ideas echoed my own thoughts and words over these past many years.
Our U.S. cousins can be crude, vicious, infuriating and just plain wrong-headed sometimes. Then again, they can be intelligent, courageous, enlightened and civilized.
In my opinion, in this case, I sincerely believe they exhibited the latter characteristics.
I wish Obama well --- for all our sakes. He's going to take a hell of a beating when he has to start making and implementing difficult and unpopular decisions in the months and years ahead.
No matter. I suspect he's going to do the right thing in most instances and if he makes some mistakes I, at least, intend to allow him some leeway.
Canada also has such leaders but unfortunately, we seem incapable of electing anyone with any hint of character or charisma.
Just watch and you'll see the difference when Obama comes to Canada on his first foreign trip next month.
Post a Comment