I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.Some thought the acceptance speech too long, but I thought it was just right. The president said what needed to be said, no more, no less.
Update from The Book of Common Prayer:
Help us, O Lord, to finish the good work here begun.Thanks to Mark in the comments.
Strengthen our efforts to blot out ignorance and prejudice,
and to abolish poverty and crime. And hasten the day when
all our people, with many voices in one united chorus, will
glorify your holy Name. Amen.
It's a very fine thing to say but I suspect a good many Tea Party types will not pay very much attention. :(
ReplyDeleteThe Tea Partiers will not pay attention, but perhaps saner heads on the Republican side will after the loss. The country is moving on and leaving them behind.
DeleteSo what chance he will abandon the panting after compromise which led to disaster in the 2010 midterms and could so easily, had the Republicans not nominated a 1950's doofus survival as their standardbearer in this election, have led to even greater disaster?
ReplyDeleteLapin, in the latter part of the first term, Obama seemed to firm up in pushing through legislation which he thought needed to be done. I don't think he has illusions that the Republicans will cooperate unless their backs are against the wall, and he will try to position them there as often as possible.
DeletePart of Obama's way of governing is because he's the person he is, and that part is not likely to change. For all the times I've been disappointed in him, looking back over the 4 years, Obama accomplished quite a lot. Republicans will not dial back to DADT, no matter what. The longer Obamacare is in effect, the harder it will be to reverse the plan, plus I believe Obamacare will grow incrementally to encompass greater numbers of people. The more people who are covered, the harder it will be to take away the benefits.
Thanks, Mimi. I missed the speech, hope to catch excerpts on the News Hour. Stayed up til 1:15 but couldn't do more!
ReplyDeleteTobias, The Washington Post website has the transcript and the video.
DeleteYou need to move to Pacific Time, Tobias. ;-/
DeleteIt was a VERY good speech. Much better than his Convention speech (this year), IMO. And the look on his face when he said we needed to fix the voting lines problem was PRICELESS! *LOL*
I'd be lying, however, if I said I didn't have some worries about what compromises he might make. As someone who's been poor&un-/underemployed my whole life, the idea of raising the Social Security/Medicare recipient ages *terrify* me: I'm afraid a "Grand Bargain" might contain those... :-(
JCF, I understand your concern. Obama plays a stronger hand now, and I hope he will not over-compromise. We shall see.
DeleteI agree with you, Mimi, the speech was just right - in length, tone, and content. One of his best (though overstating, as politicians always do, the magical equation of hard work = success; more often, hard work = just getting by).
ReplyDeleteBut there's no accounting for taste: a contemporary reporter described the Gettysburg Address as "silly, flat and dishwatery"!
The economy s still weak, and I think Obama said those words to try to lift the spirits of the people of the country and give them hope, although they are not literally true for a number of people. Obama is a very good politician, and, at his best, an excellent speaker.
DeleteFrom the BCP:
ReplyDeleteHelp us, O Lord, to finish the good work here begun.
Strengthen our efforts to blot out ignorance and prejudice,
and to abolish poverty and crime. And hasten the day when
all our people, with many voices in one united chorus, will
glorify your holy Name. Amen.
Amen. I added the prayer in an update, Mark.
Delete