WP: In his closing stump, Obama is getting them 'fired up.' Neither Hillary nor Edwards can match it

[TeamJordan23]

Obama Finds His Address
By David Broder
December 23, 2007

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Barack Obama has become a one-trick pony. But what a trick it is!

The stump speech he has developed in the closing stages of the pre-Christmas campaign is a thing of beauty, a 40-minute oration delivered without notes that is powering his gains in the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3 and the first primary here in New Hampshire five days later.

Hillary Clinton has nothing to match it. John Edwards has periodic bursts of eloquence. But Obama has reached the point of being able to deliver the speech on demand, and to reach audiences with assured effect. It has become his security blanket.

The speech was introduced at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Des Moines more than a month ago, when Obama was still struggling for leverage against Clinton and Edwards in Iowa. It drew rave reviews from that big audience and from Des Moines Register columnist David Yepsen, and Obama knew he had a winner.

Then he touches the erogenous zones of various Democratic constituencies, promising labor to raise the minimum wage each and every year; promising teachers generous salaries; and promising college students new help in paying tuition.

And finally, comes the peroration, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. on the "fierce urgency of now," in explaining why he can't patiently wait his turn to run for president. It's a bit of a reach because he wants to draw another contrast with Hillary. Unlike others, he says, he has not planned to run for years and he does not regard the presidency as his entitlement.

The closing anecdote is based on an incident at a rally in Greenwood, S.C., where, on a miserable morning, with a meager crowd, a single black woman in the audience first revived Obama's spirit by shouting out encouragement, and then got everyone chanting, responsively, "Fired up!" "Ready to go!"

As he tells the familiar story, Obama segues from a conversational tone to a shout, and explains that the chant has now become his trademark and slogan. So, he tells his listeners, "I've got one thing to ask you. Are you FIRED UP? Are you READY TO GO? FIRED UP! READY TO GO!"

And then, as the shouting becomes almost too loud to bear, he adds the five words that capsulize his whole message and sends the voters scrambling back into their winter coats and streaming out the door: "Let's go change the world," Obama says. And it sounds as if he means it.

In every audience I have seen, there is a jolt of pure electric energy at those closing words. Tears stain some cheeks -- and some people look a little thunderstruck.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122101923.html

[DURHAM D]

1. Yep - that David Broder. What a sharpie. n/t

[Cha]

3. Yeah, be dismissive

..I hope hillary is just as dismissive as you.

[DURHAM D]

6. She will be- he is a fossil and stupid. n/t

[Cha]

12. Look who's calling who

who a "fossil and stupid".

[TwilightGardener]

2. The Big Mo is on Obama's side.

[Skip Intro]

4. Evlis!!!!!! ....... I mean, Obama!!!!!!!

:eyes:

[ClarkUSA]

5. Don't be jealous. How's your girl's "Likeability Tour" going?

:rofl:

[Skip Intro]

7. oh man, when do you get new material?

[ClarkUSA]

11. When you stop spamming Obama threads

;-)

[Skip Intro]

13. Kettle, is that you?

You don't have a problem with free speech, do you?

Are there certain threads where certain DUers are not allowed to post?

Who decides, you?

Are you a part of the admin now?


Please enighten me.


btw, I keep my criticism, for the most part, to the guy who is asking me to trust him to be my nation's leader, yep, he's under my microscope, and if he can't handle the scrutiny, then maybe he's not up to the job...

but I couldn't resist the Elvis line after reading that starry-eyed rockstar piece in the OP

[ClarkUSA]

18. I answered your question...

Don't knock me for it. And realize that you're not the only one who has a microscope.

You do know that the media and pundits used to liken Bill Clinton's effect on the campaign trail to that of Elvis, right?

[jefferson_dem]

14. ABC had a side-by-side of Obama and Hillary's closing arguments.

Obama had the crowd inspired and riveted with his "fired up" shout out to the crowd.

Hillary served up a sleepy message about "being prepared," delivered in a "bedtime story" cadence - intonation.

No contest.

[earthlover]

15. Hillary's campaign has been a yawner from the start--"in it to win" is not inspiring

At the centerpiece of Hillary's announcement was her desire to win. Never has the focus been more on the candidate's personal gain and less on their goals for the country.

[ClarkUSA]

21. Machiavellian types like it, though...

Is she still saying that crap? As if the other candidates are "in it to" lose? :shrug:

[earthlover]

23. I dunno....I think she is in the "likeable" phase....

She was in the inevitable phase, said there wasn't much difference between the others and her, implying of course that people may as well support her. She even said she would not attack other candidates.

Then there was the attack dog Hillary who was pouncing on Obama's every word...even in kindergarden.

Now it is MS Congeniality, showing how likeable she is.

I guess, it is hard to keep track of which incarnation she is following at any one point in time. But as to the "in it to win" thing....I haven't heard much of that lately. Now I hear that she never really expected to win Iowa, it is not a neighboring state, and it won't be so important if she doesn't win. So I guess she is now in it to move on to New Hampshire....

[ClarkUSA]

19. lol!

Your droll rendition has me in stitches imagining the split image. :toast:

[Benhurst]

8. David Broder!

:rofl:

I think Obama at his best can be inspiring.

But David Broder!

:rofl:

Whenever I find myself even remotely agreeing with David Broder, I re-examine my position, whatever it is.

David Broder!

:rofl:

The Dean of Wrong-headed Insider Capital Beltway Conventional Thinking.

[ClarkUSA]

10. It takes a lot to get an ol' Beltway insider (how old is he, anyway?) to sound so bemused.

Don't knock it.. ;-)

[aquart]

9. Reminds me of a televangelist.

My instincts make me shun people who sound like snake oil salesmen.

[Gloria]

16. I know what you mean....I've been sensing a lot of hot air for months now

Broder the insider pursuing the MSM meme of the moment...that alone should sound a warning bell, people.

[ClarkUSA]

20. Conspiracy theories abound...

How about the "insider" MSM meme surrounding Edwards this month with that Newsweek cover and two LONG interviews in one week on Hardball?

Should that "sound a warning bell" too?? :eyes:

[Gloria]

22. OH, they had to do something to make it appear that they were

actually covering a 3 way race...I guess Edwards little burst forced them to devote some space to cranking out a so-so article and make them appear "credible."

Overall, it's non-stop Billary-Obama and the RACE, not the issues. I have never been so sick of two candidates in my life....it's a matter of degree with them...neither of them have my trust.

[earthlover]

17. My instincts make me want to shun negative bashers

All you do is bash Obama. Why don't you say why Hillary is the one? Better yet, keep up your present course and tell all your Hillary buddies to do likewise!