In Big Speech, Obama Begins Prepping Voters For Challenges Ahead
Barack Obama just wrapped up his speech on the economy in Toledo, Ohio, and it needs to be said that this was an exceptionally strong speech, and perhaps even a key moment in the campaign.
Notably, Obama -- who has been sounding optimistic tones about the crisis -- began prepping the electorate for the tough road we face ahead after he's elected president. The speech seemed to embody the notion that his victory is a foregone conclusion in a way that was a bit more direct in tone than in past speeches.
In so doing, Obama also tried to give voters a stake in electing him and a clear sense of how an Obama presidency would improve their lives, in keeping with the sense among Dem strategists that making an economic case with specificity is the way to win. He unveiled a new series of measures to bail out "Main Street," including a temporary tax credit for firms that create new American jobs over the next couple years and a 90-day foreclosure moratorium.
"If Congress does not act in the coming months, it will be one of the first things I do as President of the United States," Obama said. "This plan will help ease those anxieties, and along with the other economic policies I've proposed, it will begin to create new jobs, grow family incomes, and put us back on the path to prosperity."
Obama then rolled out an argument about what we face ahead. "I won't pretend this will be easy or come without cost," he said. "We'll have to set priorities as never before, and stick to them."
As many observers have noted, Obama faces a choice: Whether to strike optimistic tones about our future that might play well politically, or to address our future more realistically and hence make it easier to govern. Today Obama tacked towards the realistic, and used that to pivot on to another attack on Bush.
"George Bush has dug a deep hole for us. he said, in an ad-libbed line not in the prepared remarks. "It's gonna take a while for us to dig our way out."
In a particularly ambitious moment, Obama also promised to try for nothing less than a paradigm shift in the way we view our relationship to the economy, calling for "promoting a new ethic of responsibility" and for a serious bid to break our "cycle of debt."
"It's a serious challenge," he also said. "But we can do it if we act now, and if we act as one nation."
All in all, it was a very significant speech, and a very credible bid to close the deal with voters.
I love this man.
Watch him become the 21st century FDR. I think Americans are definitely scared enough now that we're safe - strange as that sounds.
I know back when I first started doing this, many years ago now, we used to kick around the idea that America wouldn't wake up out of this Repug-induced trance until the economy broke down.
Well here we are. I wish it hadn't come to this - with all my heart.
But I also worried for several years there that no leader was going to rise up and help us out of the mess I could see the Repugs were getting us into. By 2005, I was really almost in despair.
He may not be a Knight in Shining Armor, but Barack Obama is a fucking gift to us right now from the gods and goddesses.
He's a real, honest to god Leader.
October 13, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
^C^V Co-sign! He's not just the best we got though. He'd stand out in any crowd. Folks like him come about once a generation.
October 13, 2008 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Co-sign. I have every expectation that Obama will be a truly great president. His manner and a huge landslide will go a long way toward giving him the bully pulpit he will need to guide the nation, to bring the people along in accepting the hard road ahead, and getting everyone to contribute and sacrifice so all of us can take that road together.
I think he will not only be a great leader, but he will draw greatness from the American people. It is moving to watch him "move" into this vacuum of leadership as if he was born to it.
October 13, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
To draw greatness from his people is the defining feature of a leader, isn't it, Thera?
October 13, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of a True Leader, yes.
October 13, 2008 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I truly truly agree with you Tena. I feel that Amerca always produces the leader it needs in their darkest times and O is that leader. He will be up there with the greatest God willing.
October 13, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
An actual leader, appealing to the best in the American people? What's up with that? I had almost lost hope of it happening again, but I am optimistic about Obama.
October 13, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Like after Obama's big speech on race, prompted by the Wright bruhaha. John Stewart put it best on The Daily Show when, with sincere amazement, he said "here's a politician who talks to us like we're adults!"
October 13, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Tena,
Have you seen the piece by Jeannie Moost (the Erma Bombeck of CNN) where the young woman is crying as she meets Obama? She keeps apologizing, trying to explain to him that she's been supporting him for so long that finally meeting him is just overwhelming. But we all know why she's really crying, don't we? It's because we know what Barack Obama represents for this country: the end of hell. Getting our decent, honorable, honest country back. No big thing--just everything worth caring about in the world of politics. The Bush nightmare is nearly over. Barack Obama will give us back our country.
October 13, 2008 9:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I watched the speech. It was on time and firmly puts Obama as the only indisputable Working Class people's champion, not some lame "I'm the fighter" rhetoric. I think this speech was in the schedule, except the details, which obviously changed due to the crisis.
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One unconnected story: I was a bit behind in finding this out, but my hero of the day is a little kid named Preston from Portland, OR, who is still trying to prevent his Obama sign from being stolen with a live stream device. CNN and WSJ covered this story. The clip can be accessed through CNN video link, "Dude, where is my Obama sign?" And Preston's Ustream address is: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/obama-sign-cctv-1
October 13, 2008 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
People are craving leadership, and the Big O may even be able to crave to the authoritarian types by offering actual, you know, leadership.
We haven't seen that in a while, have we?
October 13, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
A very very long time.
Not like this - Clinton had his moments, but Clinton's constant slide-slips and two-steps overcame his ability to lead us, IMO.
October 13, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill's disinterest in real change was not only expedient; it dampened the whole inspiration factor. With all branches behind him, at least for the first two years, Obama could get some things done if he acts quickly.
Eventually, he will get mired in lobby-driven detail, of course. But the mere fact of his election will boost the economy and our prestige abroad like nothing else could, at this point. Without him, the nation would curl up in a fetal position at this point (and then the hocket sticks would come out).
October 13, 2008 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
It feels nice to have a leader of this country that you can have faith in. That doesn't act out of self interest. Damn, it feels good. Almost forgot what it felt like.
While McCain is kicking around rocks, putting band-aids on broken arms, Obama is getting to work to get us back to good.
Think about it, a leader of the people, for the people. More than anything, more than any bailout, or rescue plan, we need a leader! Obama is it. If we pick McCain as a country, it says a whole lot about who we are. This election will be a tell tale sign of who we are and what we stand for as a whole.
Obama/Biden, please?!
October 13, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Closing the deal.
Sweet, sweet music to my ears.
October 13, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't understand why Obama would have to choose at this point in the election, three weeks out. Why now, why can't he run through the finish line and then pivot after he wins?
I guess it sends the message that he isn't playing politics with peoples lives and isn't selling them sunshine and rainbows in order to get elected. But if "sunshine and rainbows" would get him elected and if being straight with folks and telling them things they don't want to hear will hurt his chances, I say get elected first.
Of course Obama's whole campaign, even back in the primary season, has been equally worried about leading after the election as in getting elected. He didn't tear into Hillary (save the Pennsylvania "silly season") because he rightly realize that if he ever hoped to bring the Democratic Party together he would need to work with Sen. Clinton and her supporters.
Similarly, Obama is trying to run a clean (as reasonably possible)campaign against McCain, because he realizes that if he ran a strongly partisan trash and burn mud slinging gutter fest that he might still win, but he's face a Republican Party that would fight him at every turn from inauguration day.
So this "change in tone" is just more of this - he needs folks to believe him and believe in him, to trust him and believe he'll tell them the truth. Folks know they are struggling, and if he was trying to lead them in a rendition of "The Sun will come up tomorrow" from Annie, I think most folks are smart enough to see through that and would see him as just another politician willing to say whatever is necessary to get elected.
October 13, 2008 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sure, some of us still fret and worry that it's not in the bag for Obama. Others of us are convinced that McSame is toast.
Apparently BigO is confident enough that he's willing to forego a bit of electioneering in favor of the national interest. I see that as quite patriotic.
And he might not be giving up as much as you fear. This patriotic tack might play very well among swing voters.
October 13, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think he's becoming the leader we need him to be. And we're becoming the people he needs us to be. It's a beautiful thing to see!
October 13, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's our only hope.
October 13, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a zen saying that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. We could amend that to "When a nation is ready, it's leader appears."
Boy are we ready!
October 13, 2008 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama will have his work cut out for him unless the coward caucus is joined by some change agents.
October 13, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully, Al Franken will be one of those change agents. I think Democrats are in a very good position to pick up some new blood. There are a lot of good, progressive candidates out there this year. Let's do our best to get them elected.
October 13, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Congress is going to change radically.
Obama is going to win big which means Congress will want to cooperate with him.
October 13, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
ooooo, ride them coattails!
October 13, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama's administration will be complemented by a strong, functional Democratic majority without any need for Traitor Joe.
October 13, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly.
The Repugs may lose 10 senate seats. And Joe Biden is the tie-breaker, instead of Dick Cheney.
October 13, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agree. The Republicans left in Congress are gonna be scared shitless by the massive clobbering that's coming.
Some of 'em will still play the obstructionism-over-everything game, but I think many of them, especially in the Senate, will be thinking about the 2010 mid-terms. Many will want to drape themselves in the flag of bipartisanship, enough that some serious work is gonna get done.
October 13, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think so too.
Shit's too deep - the ones who play games in the next session will likely get their asses kicked out sooner rather than later.
October 13, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Leadership vs. campaign stunts and mudslinging. The choice is so incredibly clear.
October 13, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
In sports, I always worry about celebrating too early. But this isn't sports and Obama is not celebrating. Yes, his syntax -- "one of the first things I do as President" -- will be echoed in the new McCain line about measuring the drapes (and what a stupid metaphor that is.) And yes, it feels a little like tempting fate.
But I think more importantly, Obama's taking complete control of the economy not just as a campaign issue but as a set of policies.
One benefit to pivoting today is that Wednesday's debate will bring lots of questions about what Obama has to offer and what he meant on Monday. That will be the primary discussion on Wednesday evening: Obama's plans for the economy, Obama's plans for the first 100 days.
October 13, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mercer, he's been saying that more and more often since he was nominated. He said it in the first two debates and in the second one, he said it many more times: "When I am president, thus and so..."
October 13, 2008 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess what I mean to say is that McLame is only now saying something about it, now that he knows absolutely it's the truth.
In other words, all that is coming from McLame at this point is sour grapes and more evidence of what a nasty little man he is.
October 13, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh yeah, Tena, I'm in full agreement. I've noticed that Obama goes back and forth with the "if" and "when," and it is inevitable that McCain will jump on this b/c he's got nothing else. It will be interesting to see whether the media will play up the bullshit rather than go to the heart of the proposal.
Perhaps this deserves another thread, but here's a shorthand version of somehting I've been thinking about lately:
I've been fascinated with the complicated role that obama has had to play between being a candidate and being presidential. The bar has been so much higher for him as an African Americann, and he's had to work very hard to give voters enough time to imagine him as president without seeming presumptuous
Most of the time -- the trip overseas, the Berlin speech, the convention climax, the unflappable debating performance -- he's accomplished this perfectly. "Look, America," he seems to be saying, "with enough time, you could be comfortable with someone like me as your president." And he's been completely right.
The only time Obama's faltered (in my limited recollection) was the faux-presdential seal -- a piece of trivia that you know he had nothing to do with.
October 13, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Every candidate has been saying it since the first primary debate. All that "drapes" shit is only more code for "uppity", and allows McCain to build some nonsense about a comeback.
October 13, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
The "uppity" part of that got past me - yeah, it fits.
October 13, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
The person who literally made me run my fist into their mug because of the "presumptuous" crap was David Gregory. He was OBSESSED with the idea that Obama was being ahead of himself. What a hack he is.
October 13, 2008 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
He surrounds himself with the most brilliant mimds on Economy, FP, and almost every key issue.
Leader
October 13, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Paul Krugman for Treasury Sec'y!
October 13, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Krugman has not been a fan of Obama. Remember when he was spreading the "cult" meme back in February.
October 13, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
He doesn't have to be a fan to be a part of the team. Obama's the type of guy who looks for great minds, not sycophants.
October 13, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is true, and I have problems with Krugman because of it. However, Obama is very likely to contact Krugman for his perspective and advice - even knowing Krugman was critical of him.
That's the way Obama works. How many conservatives that he's worked with in the past have said he calls them from time to time to hear what they think about an issue (especially true of conservative law scholars). I have the utmost respect for anyone who WANTS to hear opposing viewpoints. It's one of the reasons I want him as president.
October 13, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Krugman hasn't always gotten everything right.
I remember him arguing against the notion that speculators were largely responsible for the sky-high price of oil. He may have been right about that (or not), but he did say the price reflected the state of balance between producers and consumers. Well, it seems not so much.
But there's one thing he's not, and that's an ideologue. I really don't expect him to give much weight to the overexuberance of so many of BigO's supporters, compared to how Obama reasons through policy implications. That and, as they say, facts on the ground.
October 13, 2008 5:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kash THAT also comforts me. When the crisis hit Obama called 3 former Treasure secretaries, 2 Federal reserve chairman, Warren Buffet, and President Clinton. Come on man, if that doesn't make you feel confident I don't know what does.
October 13, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not just about closing the deal, but setting his agenda for the debate coming up Wednesday.
October 13, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clearly so. He's marking his territory and I'll bet that it's a place where McCain dreads to venture. If he can maintain this as the theme of the evening, McCain will have no way to return fire.
October 13, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
NOOOOO!!!
First rule of holes: When you find yourself in one, stop digging!
October 13, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, we need to climb our way out...
October 13, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well maybe we are going to dig up?
October 13, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe we'll have to tunnel sideways for awhile before we can actually dig our way out.
October 13, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or tunnel on a slight incline...
October 13, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like the sound of that!
October 13, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe we'll have to slowly dig a carefully graded slope upward on our way out.
October 13, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Darrel Waltrip once said "You fall in a hole. You crawl out...". Don't recall who told him, but that's true...
October 13, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of holes, I really like this short poem by Portia Nels. It's been on my web site for a very long time.
October 13, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't wait for Wednesday. What McCain will we see? Somber? Angry? Vitriolic? Full of contempt?
October 13, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Scared.
October 13, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Confused.
October 13, 2008 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Befudled
October 13, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Erratic.
October 13, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Got that right. Scared, my friends, scared. And well he should be.
October 13, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
O is not the type to pander, I remember Bill Clinton said recently that Obama had called him during the economic meltdown for advice and he said that Obama didn't ask for something politically correct, he asked for what would actually help and "once we figure what would work we can figure out how to sell it after." He will be real with the american people but he won't be down, he can have an optomistic outlook while being frank and telling people exactly how it is, being gifted with words allows one to do that.
October 13, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can y'all imagine how pathetic it's going to be if McLame just goes on the attack tomorrow night?
October 13, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
the question is: does McInsane have any choice?
October 13, 2008 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hell if I know.
I have no idea what McLame will do 5 minutes from now.
October 13, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's really fucked either way.
If he does go on the attack, he'll look even more out of touch and desperate than he currently does. If he doesn't, he'll come off as a coward to his supporters.
Good job painting yourself into a corner, McCain...
October 13, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
yep.
October 13, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
(Wednesday night)
October 13, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Assuming you were talking about the debate of course. I wonder if Bob Schieffer will bring up Ayers so McCain doesn't have to. However the fact that Obama basically double dog dared McCain, you have to believe he's got an answer no matter who brings up the question.
Considering it's a Domestic Policy debate with no FP questions (unless the rules were chanced since they talked economics at the first debate), McCain will not be able to find a comfort zone from where to launch his attacks.
October 13, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dang. Sorry - I got ahead of myself cause I'd just as soon it was tomorrow night.
October 13, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought it was Wed night.
October 13, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
It seems to me that striking "optimistic tones" is exactly the wrong message. People have pretty much figured out that we're in a mess. The right tone is that it will be tough, but we can do it.
October 13, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
This was Eleanor Roosevelt on Oct 27th, 1960 about JFK;
"Now these are all things that we have to think about, we have to plan for, but we have to be led. And we have to be led by someone who has the ability to make us feel that we are needed. We never would have pulled ourselves out of our economic difficulties in the Depression if the people hadn't regained confidence in themselves and felt that they could do the things that were asked. And I think we are facing times, both at home and abroad, which require this confidence all over again. And I hope very much that when you go to the polls on November the 8th, you will think of the value of youthful leadership, of leadership that has energy and force and drive."
October 13, 2008 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love that woman. She should've been our first female president. She was brilliant.
October 13, 2008 4:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is largely off-topic, but too rich not to share with folks on this site. Right now on RedState.com, the first diary on the page is titled "Viable Options." The essential thrust of the post is that the Republicans are going to lose badly this year, so GOP activists should begin targetting a select list of house and senate races which are still salvageable.
I think that we should take their advice to heart and all start targeting those same races with our own funds and volunteer efforts. For convenience, I list them below. Let's get out there and hit them so hard they don't know which way is up on November 5.
October 13, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Al Franken thanks you for your support, Missouri Voter.
October 13, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Franken had me at "run for senate against Norm Coleman." Coleman is not the most execrable Republican in the senate, but he is plenty bad enough for me to want to see him go down. For the seat of the great Sen Wellstone to have gone to a stooge like Coleman is a tragedy that needs to be righted, and Franken is the man to do that righting.
October 13, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
It will be interesting to see how the RNC handles their finances. There has to come a point very soon where they are foced to cut their losses with McCain, more or less, and pour money into close congessional races.
October 13, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has there been any movement towards Rice in Oklahoma? We really have send that hack Inhofe packing.
October 13, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would really love to know how we pay for this 60 billion. I really dislike deficit spending, and although balancing the budget isn't something I think should be in a priority in the next 4 or maybe even 8 years I do think deficit spending is something we need to get out of doing.
October 13, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
hard to say if it would apply in our current situation but defecit spending is actually a proven way to get OUT of a recession. sounds weird, but it's true.
October 13, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not weird at all. Recessions are caused by people hoarding money (i.e. not spending) because they're afraid they won't have enough to live on. Deficit spending effectively puts more money in circulation, making people less afraid to spend what they have. Paul Krugman explains it beautifully in the "babysitting coop" story:
http://www.slate.com/id/2202165/
October 13, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Then the more money that is in circulation, the easier it should be to get credit.
October 13, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Essentially, yes. The current credit crunch is very similar to the babysitting coop story - banks are hoarding money for fear that they will go bankrupt. Ergo, no one is lending - not even to other banks. The basic principle behind having governments buy equity stakes in banks is to inject cash into the system, so credit will start to flow again.
October 13, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps the greatest single thing about the Obama campaign is that from the day he announced, it was designed not just to win, but to win in a way that will enable him to succeed in office. Everything about his rhetoric of unity and hope, his refusal to get down in the gutter with his opponents, his creation of the most impressive field operation in U.S. electoral history (which will morph into a grassroots force on behalf of his agenda) and now, his real straight talk on the challenges ahead, make clear how well he is laying the groundwork for being a great president.
October 13, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep.
I remember, way back in Iowa before a single ballot was cast, he said I'm running not because I want to win, but because I want to govern.
October 13, 2008 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a concept!
October 13, 2008 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink