The Obama Speech

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/a_more_perfect_union.html

If, for whatever silly reason, you harbored any doubts about Obama's intellectual capabilities, please dismiss them immediately. These were the words of an intellectual heavyweight. I don't think we're going to see a speech like this for a fairly long time.

He managed to tread very lightly over the issue of race, all while being quite frank about things and saying things that needed to be said. He also managed to answer the silly charge about him being a Muslim, without ever addressing it. If nothing else, his description of Trinity Church proves that he is not a Muslim.

He also didn't attempt to dodge his past. He embraced it. He said to the world, "This is who I am. If you don't want to vote for me, then don't," but more elegantly than that. I admire that, and I also think it was the best option for him, even if it doesn't pan out.

But MOST impressive? He managed to weave the speech into his populist campaign narrative. Mitt Romney did not do that with his religion speech, I don't think. Obama did. He brought in that story about "Ashley" (which was mostly unrelated), and he spoke of how corporations are to blame for people's problems, rather than . Obama managed to incorporate the themes of his campaign into a powerful speech.

Ultimately, it is that campaign narrative which continues to turn me away from Obama; I simply disagree with his beliefs on corporate greed as the culprit for what ails America.

He remains an impressive figure, though, and one whose words are worth studying. Someday, if Barack Obama becomes president, this will be his Checkers speech. It may well go down as one of the more important speeches of the 21st century.

More importantly, though, what will it matter? Will people read this? I doubt it, sadly.

My opinion: this was a powerful effort. It would have been better if he weren't running for president and could simply speak freely rather than having to weave it back to that ugly narrative. But for what it was, it was well done. If it doesn't affect his campaign and he loses to Hillary Clinton, I will still admire him for making the speech.