David Gergen - Speech Not For The Ages, But The Here and Now

[Median Democrat]

I am not sure if this is a criticism or a compliment. I personally loved Obama's speech, because I thought he resisted the urge to try to speak to the ages, rather than focus on the very real challenges we are facing today. Instead, Obama put the challenges we face into historical context.

In contrast, David Gergen almost sounds let down that Obama did not deliver his trademark soaring speeches where you kind of ride a wave of emotion. I do think that Gergen has a point that this was not a typical "Yes we can" rally speech. However, I do think that it shows Obama is not a one trick pony.

So, I personally thought it was more appropriate to give a speech that is rooted in the here and now, and that in time, this will be remembered as a great speech for the ages, because it spoke to the challenges we face today.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/01/gergen-says-spe.html

[Cha]

1. Our country and the world needed the

speech Obama gave.

[hedgehog]

2. I watched it and then read it on the BBC web site. I don't think there are

any spectacular soundbites, but taken as a whole it is very inspiring.

[FrenchieCat]

3. David Gergen = wanted a soundbyte!

[jillan]

4. And Toobin just said that the speech didn't have one memorable line.

You are right Toobin - you ahole - the speech had not one memorable line - but numerous memorable lineS.

[Median Democrat]

9. I Think Obama's Speech Was Meant To Be Heard - Tells A Story

I think the commentators are right that Obama did not provide a trademark phrase. However, with climate change, war and the economy, it may have come off as trite to try to come up with a catch-phrase that addreses all of these issues. To be blunt, Bush really screwed things up on multiple fronts, and we would need numerous soundbites to adequately cover the s%$t we are in.

I think Obama's speech was short enough that it was meant to be heard in its entirety. It really made the listener feel connected to history; to the idea that we are part of a history and story that is bigger than any one of us, and that we are not alone historically. Our nation has overcome such challenges in the past, and it is up to each us to meet our end of this historical bargain between generations.

This is what I got from the speech, and it really can't be distilled into a catch phrase without putting our situation into context.

[zipplewrath]

12. The first reviews miss most "memorable lines"

Go back and look at the immediate reveiws of many speaches. They miss most of the "memorable" lines. "Ask not..." was missed by many, if not most. The reviews of the Gettysburg address were almost "bad".

The immediate line I heard that I liked was about:

"...and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.".


Rather "progressive" line I'd say.

[Jennicut]

16. I thought it had many and now one is my sig line!

[Sebass1271]

5. Gergen, is an asshole.. he was looking for a soundbite...

the entire speech to me was a soundbite. We need to all of what Obama said.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. It was a roll up your sleeves and get to work speech n/t

[Kutjara]

7. Lincoln himself thought the Gettysburg Address was crap.

It was pretty weakly received by the press, too, who were used to interminable, bombastic speeches. But it is the very simplicity, immediacy and honesty of the Address that has kept it alive when most of what was said back then has been forgotten.

[FrenchieCat]

8. The pundits also thought McCain and Palin won debates!

:rofl:

[SpartanDem]

14. Sorry

,but I tend to think Gergen is right, you know just becuase someone thinks that something Obama did isn't the best ever doesn't make them an asshole. I don't think 40 years from we will be quoting this speech like JFK's, but that's ok we didn't need a speech for the ages, we needed one to lay out the very difficult reality we face.

[Median Democrat]

15. I Thought There Were A Lot Of Memorable Lines, But They Were Overwhelmed...

By the overall story that Obama told. I was very moved by the speech as a whole, rather than any particular line. I think there was some nice phrases, but my take is that the "problem" is that there is not one good line, but several good ones.

Let me put it this way. Remember Obama's speech on election night? It was great. People were crying, and feeling uplifted, and a part of the victory. However, do you remember one good line? Probably not. Rather, you remember that the entire speech was good.

In other words, the metric of "one catchy sentence" unduly trivializes the speech, and ignores the fact that speeches are meant to be heard, and at 20 minutes, there is no reason why it can't be listened to, rather than paraphrased.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. The "ask not" kind of stuff is once in a lifetime. Gergen hasn't much to say.

[AlCzervik]

11. i thought it was very good and i think the barking heads should really give a few weeks.

this is why i do not watch cable "opinion" shows.

oh mediawhoresonline, i miss you so much.

[Think82]

13. I loved the part when he said "the tools are new, but... these principles are old."

Or something to that effect.

[Think82]

18. I'm referring to Obam, not Gergen, fyi

[jberryhill]

17. It seemed to be structured to avoid reduction to a single sentence

Standout lines for me were the message to foreign leaders - your people will judge you by what you can build and not what you can destroy; and we will reach out our hand if you unclench your fist.

[ecstatic]

19. We won't know whether its "for the ages" until at least 50 years from now

:eyes:

[ErinBerin84]

20. sound bytes are over-rated

I think it was quite good, and his convention/race speeches were also said to have no singular "standout lines", but had several good ones. Not sure what Gergen was expecting.

[monmouth]

21. Pat Buchanan loved it, that's good enough for me. I thought it was masterful....n/t