Tuesday, March 18, 2008
"A More Perfect Union"
There was much talk of politics this past week among those of us who were in Hot Springs together. I'd love to hear everyone's comments on Obama's speech. It's about nine pages, but worth the time, I thought. I was very impressed with his rhetoric, and apparently, he's getting good reviews so far, but what about the content? What do y'all think? Comments? Critique?
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Cody and I spent a while tonight reading reviews on National Review online, which was enlightening, to say the least. But I would like to hear what others have to say after they've read the speech for themselves and before they read reviews.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping Matthew and I can read it aloud tonight, as our homegroup has been cancelled for the week. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteRuthie and I just watched the speech on Youtube, and I thought that, as you say, it was rhetorically brilliant. If there was any way to take the Jeremiah Wright issue and actually work it to his advantage, I think Obama may have done it--obscuring the essential issue, which in my mind is this: Whether or not Obama agrees with Wright's views, and whether or not they are to a certain degree forgivable, does Obama's embrace of racially divisive leadership over the course of 20 years call into question his own ability (and maybe intent) to provide racially transcendent leadership? I think he deftly identified Wright's personal character with the good and bad of the black community was a whole, leading him to the implicit conclusion that to embrace Wright is to embrace all the problems and tensions, good and bad of the black community itself. But, of course, one can understand and forgive the bitternesses Wright feels, embracing the man, without following him as a leader. To say that you disagreed with him personally does not address the concern that you supported his leadership. I've not read reviews of it yet, but I could see the speech being highly effective. It seemed most analogous to me to a lawyer's closing statement, when he knows that he's doomed unless he can create a new paradigm or metaphor to alter the way the jury perceives a piece of damning evidence. I think Obama did it. It was fascinating. MDW
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