Ok guys, I watched Obama's speech again, paying attention this time

[BayouBengal07]

And it was better than I initially thought. No really memorable or quoteable phrases (I did like the thing about telling black children that holding up a book doesn't make them white), but it was really strong overall and concise and to the point. I like how he would back up everything with "that doesn't mean...", as to not throw it too idiologically in one direction. He calmed and reassured moderates when he said that we don't believe government is the solution for everything, or that we will cover for destructive behaviour.

Usually I shrug off speeches about hope- they're from politicians which usually means politics as usual. But he did a really good job at projecting hope. He took the usual eye-rolling sucess stories that politicians like to wheel out and really made something of them. I usually don't like to brag about my party, but when I saw him speaking about hope and optimism and change, and C-SPAN cut to the black woman with tears in her eyes, and the Seik Indian clapping and cheering, I couldn't help but giggle and quip "we rock!".

Let's hope he keeps up the good work!

[Justice]

1. Great Line - This is the United States of America

not white america or black america, conservative america or liberal america.

[BayouBengal07]

2. Well

my first reaction to that was "But Affirmative Action seperates us into black, white, latino, etc. America...", but in retrospect, it recognizes there IS a black, white, latino American, but only because THEY haven't integrated effectively. THEY created a divided America, but we don't want to let them.

There IS a divided America, but that is in part thanks to the Uniter-Not-Divider we have in the White House right now.

[Literate Tar Heel]

5. which goes along with Clinton's line last night:

"They need a divided America. But we don't!"

[WindRavenX]

3. He also touched a subject that few have: Religion

He directly challanged the Republican's cry that they are the party of morals because they are the "party of God". WTG Obama for saying that the Republicans do NOT have the right to claim they are the party of religion!

[BayouBengal07]

4. True

I'm an atheist, but it's great to see him steal some fire from the "moral majority".

[WindRavenX]

6. same here

I'm also an atheist, but NOTHING riles me up more than when I hear the Republicans and other holier-than-thou Bible thumpers scream and yell that the Democrats are goddless communists. BULLSHIT. It always killed me to see no one challenging this, but thank goodness he did!
AWESOME SPEECH. :bounce: