Comments for President Obama's speech at the National Archives.

President Obama's speech at the National Archives.

Thu, 21 May 2009 08:11:28 -0600

As prepared for delivery.Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for DeliveryProtecting Our Security and Our ValuesNational Archives MuseumWashington, D.C.May 21, 2009These are extraordinary times for our country. We are confronting an historic economic crisis. We are fighting two wars. We face a range of challenges that will define the way that Americans will live in the 21st century. There is no shortage of work to be done, or responsibilities to bear. And we have begun to make progress. Just this week, we have taken steps to protect American consumers and homeowners, and to reform our system of government...

Comment from Argent on 2009-05-22

Fri, 22 May 2009 20:47:51 -0600

Where did great come from?

Comment from ry on 2009-05-22

Fri, 22 May 2009 12:10:17 -0600

Well, I'll admit, Argent, that this is something that an academic is going to like. It reads like we were taught to write.

But great? I dunno. It's kinda mediocre in my view. He rehashes some ideas(like non-proliferation treaties for one) that have failed to make the world safer for a generation. If those rehased ideas actually worked DPRK wouldn't be a problem at all. This speech is a dilenation of a 'singel stand' strategy. I'd rather have a dual track. work the NPT stuff but also do the real work necessary to make ballistic missiles useless while making it apparent that, yes, indeed, you'll kill scientists and technicians to stop the work since talk has not worked. Obama ain't owning up to that one though he'll use the black hand option when forced to.

So I disagree about the greatness. IT's okay in my view. It isn't entirely honest, and that's what's necessary for a great speech.

Comment from Argent on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 22:46:33 -0600

fdcol63; Bah Hilter Nazi words. Godwin's law is it? How does using Bushhitlerism confer advantage?

This is a very good speech. I wonder who wrote it. Either way when I read this I see much trouble for the GOP. Obama knows and targets the bulk of America. He's not that interested in your righties or even the lefties. He has firmly set his sights on the people who matter most and the people who will ultimately vote him back next time.

The speech is quite powerful. It's clear. It gives the actions not just the ideas and hopeychanginess. It dropped the 'I' chest-beating and is instead inclusive of America's desires and needs. It even slapped around some of the Bush administration's decisions and gave them very little wiggle room.

It does have a weaknesses to me;

Already, we have taken several steps to achieve that goal. For the first time since 2002, we are providing the necessary resources and strategic direction to take the fight to the extremists who attacked us on 9/11 in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We are investing in the 21st century military and intelligence capabilities that will allow us to stay one step ahead of a nimble enemy. We have re-energized a global non-proliferation regime to deny the world’s most dangerous people access to the world’s deadliest weapons, and launched an effort to secure all loose nuclear materials within four years. We are better protecting our border, and increasing our preparedness for any future attack or natural disaster. We are building new partnerships around the world to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates. And we have renewed American diplomacy so that we once again have the strength and standing to truly lead the world.

I will grant Obama has the edge on diplomacy but to be fair more of this is to the credit of Bush and his administration than Obama and his.

As an extension of that, I also felt this speech was too lacking in praise for both the previous administration for those things for which Obama has no reason to deny and also for the military who have to carry out all this stuff no matter how brilliant or deranged the orders are. This kind of thing is how you build bridges across partisanship.

Now Obama has his ideas and is taking action on them we need to see the results. Which paint the overall success or failure of the ideas and how well they were implemented.

Comment from Grumpy on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 21:21:27 -0600

@Armorer, just stirring the pot? You just thought you could get away with it. *Hey, don't stop, that's part of the fun!*

Hey, I hope y'all have a GREAT holiday after respects to the fallen.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:25:44 -0600

And... Eric tosses a superball into the crowded room!

Comment from eric on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 18:15:17 -0600

did you know hitler had a dog! and guess what obama brings with him? yep, there you go. you are doomed america, doomed i tell you!!!

PS: thanks for the speech.

Comment from Grumpy on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 18:13:54 -0600

@fdcol63 RE: 21 May 2009, 3.10PM, Yes, I took the 10+minutes to watch the video, but in the context of this thread and history, I must walk this path carefully and with respect to both.

I come from a family that has been here since the early 1700's. On both sides of my family, we were never considered, "favorites of the King". They had a system of passwords to get into the secret meetings, one password was a riddle. It went like this, "Can you tell me, is it, the King is Law *or* is it, the Law is King?" To get in, your answer is as you well know, "The Law is King over all of us."

You wisely write, "We ignore history at our own peril." I *totally agree!* Problem, How do we study history by only looking forward?

You mention the NAZIS, out of respect to John, the Armorer, you and the other commenters, I am just going to leave that "dead horse buried".

Comment from fdcol63 on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 15:10:55 -0600

Well, socialists and fascists are on the same side of the political spectrum .... authoritarianism ... as opposed to republicanism. Watch this video:

http://www.wimp.com/thegovernment/

Nazis = National Socialists

We ignore history at our peril.

Comment from Brandon on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 14:23:05 -0600

everyone always throws out the "hitler was a great speaker too!" card but come on, seriously? There are countless phenomenal orators who inspired audiences, why automatically associate him with Hitler? If anything he's socialist, hardly a fascist. Scaremongering if you ask me. I look at it this way, the Neocons had their way for six years unchecked, then with two years of a minority congress, and their way didn't work, so it is the liberal's turn to try their plans, and if they don't work we vote em out next election! That is the way it is supposed to be!

Comment from fdcol63 on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:32:33 -0600

Hitler was a great speaker who enjoyed massive popular support, too.

Just as with Obama, people glossed over the content of his speeches and focused on how "great" he made them feel.

Comment from John (not the armorer) on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:27:12 -0600

I find is nearly impossible to believe anything this man says, no moatter how much conviction and credibility he puts into it.

He is doing irreparable harm to our country. I hope those who voted for his changes are happy. I am not.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-05-21

Thu, 21 May 2009 10:38:01 -0600

Now that I've had a chance to read it, well, heh. Let's see how it plays out in the event. Deeds not words.

The President is nothing if not gifted with words. It's too early to tell yet if his deeds and their outcomes will match the rhetoric.

He's certainly speaking to the mushy middle. I suspect the extremes of both sides will not be happy, but the Left will be slightly happier than the Right.

Let's see how it reads 4 years from now.