I feel sorry for whoever is going to speak after Obama

[malaise]

That is all

[malaise]

1. A standing ovation

Damn!!

[Skidmore]

2. Did you notice that Bush stood too for that ovation?

[darkangel218]

3. I didnt see Bush. Was he there?

The Clintons looked pretty emotional, especially Chelsea.

Awesome speach all around.

[Skidmore]

6. Yes, he's there.

The BBC showed him stand for the ovation for the President's speech and commented on it.

[monmouth3]

4. And Bill Clinton didn't...

[Cha]

7. really? Seems like a natural thing to do after

a rousing call to feed the poor speech and, a great tribute to Madiba!

[msanthrope]

18. I saw him stand then sit...he's not looking so hot. nt

[Cha]

20. Yeah, I was wondering if maybe

he wasn't feeling so good. All that traveling and everything. It would be another reason not to stand or for very long.

[msanthrope]

12. I saw him standing, then sitting down...he does not look well. nt

[Spider Jerusalem]

41. He doesn't look well, at all.

I saw him on TV last week, and he looks haggard and appears to have a skin lesion on his forehead that could be a carcinoma (I am not a doctor, but it does not look especially good): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25274133

[malaise]

5. Yep

That son of Africa introduction was also very moving because after all he is a son of Africa given his Kenyan dad.

[Skidmore]

8. Birthers are going to go nuts over the next few days.

And we should laugh at them.

[malaise]

14. It will start today

3...2...1

[awoke_in_2003]

31. Want to rile them up more?...

Remind them we are all children of Aftica.

[countryjake]

13. I loved when he said that Mandela made him want to be a better man!

Yes, much for all of us to learn from Nelson Mandela.

[malaise]

19. Very true

Sensible discussion on his role in armed struggle on CNN although it could wait -why have they stopped covering the rest of tributes - this is so low class and typical of the arrogance of Western media.

[lightcameron]

30. No good reason to avoid MK in a discussion of his life.

[malaise]

9. Did you see his handshake with Raoul Castro

Now that was significant. CNN is showing that.

[Skidmore]

10. I saw that.

It is time for the world to grow up a bit, especially the hangers on in the conservative wing of this nation. Just grow up.

[davidpdx]

21. I'm hoping to see a video of it later

First a phone call to the Iranian president, now a handshake with the Cuban president. What a year!

[malaise]

22. Let there be peace on earth

Nice way to end the year and don't forget the De-escalation of the Syrian civil war.

[BlueToTheBone]

45. Didn't you hear? Obama lied and the only

reason Syria opened to inspectors was because of Putin...Obama fail again! ? ODS?

[HipChick]

26. Cue the RW hand wringing..

in 3-2-1..

[madokie]

28. We have one awesome dude as our President

the whole world knows that too. Even our own pukes in congress know that but due to their ideology they can't accept it. Sad for them.

Our first family is deserving of all we can bestow on them too.
I'm proud when I wake up and Barack Obama is my President. I'm proud when I go to sleep that he is my President. I'm prouder of my three votes I gave to him as all the others put together. bar none!

[Auntie Bush]

37. +1000 Me Too!

[madokie]

38. Could you imagine where we could be as a country if the ideologies weren't so brazen as they are.

If they'd meet him half way, hell any way positive would be great. Rather they've tried with every waking breath to tear him down. Lucky for us Obama is a much better person then the whole lot of them.
America has a lot to be thankful for when it comes to our President and first family

[Auntie Bush]

40. I've always thought he could have been the greatest president ((((EVER!!!)))) if given 1/2 a chance!

It makes me sick the way ReTHUGS have treated him and spoken (lied) about him. I think they feared his success so badly they immediately set out to destroy him....plus they didn't want no black president to better those white presidents. I personally think that EVERY ReThug is deep down racist even though they claim they aren't. They say it's just ideology...bet it's far more than that. The propagandized hate email they send around is absolutely disgusting.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. BBC foreign editor said he thought it might be the best speech he's ever made

He said Obama is a speechmaker par excellence, but that was really special.

[malaise]

15. So much so that the commentators are not even paying attention or carrying

the Brazilian President

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. Yeah - same with the Chinese vice-president

They've decided not to show the simultaneous translation ones, it seems.

[malaise]

24. Apparently no one will even be covered after Obama

Either show the memorial or don't show it - this is vulgar.
I mean they have all day to dissect Obama's brilliant tribute/speech.
I wonder if they will even carry Zuma.

[Cha]

46. For you..

President Barack Obama and Brazilian president Dilma Roussef

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/12/10/rise-and-shine-tribute-to-nelson-mandela/

[Reformed Bully]

16. President Barack Obama Madiba memorial

http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-nelson-mandela-memorial-service-speech-full-text-2013-12

[malaise]

17. Thanks for this

Welcome to DU

[Gothmog]

25. President Obama was in great form

This was one of President Obama's best speeches and that is saying a great deal

[lightcameron]

27. That's his sole strength.

[factsarenotfair]

29. How do you rate previous Presidents?

Just curious.

[lightcameron]

32. In terms of what? Speeches?

How would I rate Bush? Terrible speaker, terrible president. How would I rate Clinton? Effective speaker, great president.

I used to be fascinated by political speeches. As a teen, I had a cassette of JFK and RFK speeches. Loved listening to it.

As I got older (I'm 42 now), I realized the danger in letting yourself be blown away by someone's ability to make a speech. I liken it to teen girls swooning over Justin Bieber. Some talking heads come damn close to that sometimes.

Speech-making means nothing to me now. Actions count. Words are virtually worthless.

[Cane4Dems]

33. Obama saved GM, got Osama, and gave us healthcare

what more do you want?

[Myrina]

36. +10 Brazillion

Thank you.

[nolabear]

44. I couldn't disagree more, on both counts.

First, President Obama has done an astounding amount to dig us out of an economic, political and social grave. Everything? No. But his humanity and desire to bring about change has been unwavering. His pragmatism rankles many, but not me. Not to work within the system that, like it or not, is in place, would be to fail at being a democratically elected leader in a two-party system.

As to words, they are what we leave, what we quote, what we attach to, what we reach out to one another with. They are the tools with which we try to understand one another, and to use them with wisdom, care, love, and some masterful (and I mean this in a positive sense) manipulation to convey exactly what we want to convey is a kind of intelligence that only some have.

I get that you probably mean that words that are dissociated from action have no value, but I no more believe this about President Obama than I do about any good and intelligent writer/orator. Most people who pay close attention to such things aren't dumb. Opinionated, feisty and prone to argue, but not dumb.

[darkangel218]

35. Oh wow, really??

Who did you vote for, out of curiosity.

[geek tragedy]

42. LMAO. haters gonna hate. nt

[Cha]

47. No, that isn't President Obama's "sole strength".. far from it.

And, Millions of People know it.

[Whisp]

48. sole strength, eh?

don't be so obvious

[mstinamotorcity2]

34. The President

gave a very compelling speech. As soon as he was finished the Hatred was up and running. Starting with Joe Scar this moe4ning. He is a piece of work. He and Tina Brown made me want to throw a shoe at the tv. Wondering who President Obama's DeKlerc was going to be????????WTF ???? They are all RIPs (Ridiculously Ignorant People)

[Gothmog]

39. I agree

That was one of President Obama's best speeches

[spanone]

43. k&r...