John, re: "For me this Obama speech is absolutely remarkable."
He is a remarkable writer/speechmaker. The big picture grasp he displays is spectacular and the depth of his feelings is apparent. I have a hard time 100% believing Edwards but Obama is, I hope, the real deal.
What he doesn't do well is to engage in the small picture debate. He misses so many opportunities to effectively counter attacks or to highlight the weakness of his opponents that it makes me cringe.
That might be part of his staying power but right now he has just a few opportunities to make good first impressions and convince people that he's a competent, viable candidate and he has to capitalize on every one of them.
As an example; Hillary Clinton keeps trumpeting her experience and the charge that he's not "ready."
He's letting her equate "experience" with "readiness," thus setting the parameters of the debate. That's a mistake.
She has more "experience" than he does. She's older, she's been in politics longer and at a higher level, and she's been a partner in the Clinton presidency.
So stop fighting on that ground and change the question to one that's more precise, and one that he CAN win. Here's how I'd suggest doing it;
"On January 20th, 2009, the president's not going to be an economist doing expert analysis and offering effective plans to get this country back on track for jobs and a renewal of the American middle class. The president's not going to be doing nuts and bolts strategic military and global political planning. The president's not going to be learning to speak farsi and preparing to go out on espionage missions.
We all know that the president's not going to be doing any of those things.
What the president is, however, going to be doing is extremely demanding. The president will pull together the best economists, the best strategists and the best intelligence analysts, and the president is going to weigh their often differing opinions, consult with the best minds this country has to offer, and then the president is going to do something that's unique to the office...the president is going to exercise his, or her, judgement to try to select the best path forward for America and for Americans.
That's what George Bush and Dick Cheney have done for 7 years and their judgement has proven abysmal.
Most of us understand that while experience is a factor in judgement, it is but one of many critical factors...factors like intellect, objectivity, humility, vision and and the ability to clearly weigh risks and benefits.So when you hear "experience," think "judgement" because many who possess profound experience nonetheless lack profound judgement."
Once Obama has reframed the question he can argue that:
"So that's the question we need to answer; to whose judgement shall we trust the critical decisions that will need to be made over the 4 years encompassing the 2009-2012 American presidency?
To put it bluntly, what kind of judgement will Hillary Clinton likely possess on "Day 1?"
Let's look back at the judgement she exercised on the most critical question that can face one of our nation's leaders...that is whether to send our sons and daughters to fight, kill and die for our country.
Will her judgement be better in 2008 than it was in 2003 when she authorized George Bush to go to war in Iraq? ...03, when, before she voted she failed to personally read the intelligence reports on the existence of the alleged Iraqi WMDs that George Bush was so anxious to have us fear and instead concluded that the case for war had been made based on "briefings" to ?
Will her judgement be better in 08 than it was in 04 and 05 when, as one of the most important voices in the Democratic Party, she refused to oppose, and instead tacitly supported, the continued war in Iraq?
Will her judgement be better in 08 than it was in 07 when she voted "yes" on a resolution that declared an official branch of the Iranian Army a "terrorist organization?" ...this at a time when the Bush Administration claimed, and still claims the right to strike at terrorist organizations at any time, any where?
In 08 will she still be actively fighting the bitter partisan wars that have helped divide our great nation for more than two decades?
In 08 will her view then still reflect yesterday's realities?"
I think it's apparent that if Obama can get voters to look at the "day one ready" question from that "judgement" perspective he'll be strong and she'll be weak because, hey, partisanship, lack of objectivity, the hawkish position on Iraq and Iran and her failure to push through health care are her biggest problems and each one of them calls into question the soundness of her judgement. Ed |
