Wednesday, January 21, 2009
So how did Barack Obama do in his inaugural address? Can anyone really set a tone for a presidency in such a short speech? Both Kennedy and Reagan created a lot of buzz about their visions in one speech. Did Obama succeed? What do the pundits say? If he did not succeed, what reasons account for that?
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ReplyDeleteA speech is defined by Merriam-Webster as "the communication or expression of thoughts in spoken words", which on that account the President did a very good job in my opinion. He was able to eloquently deliver his thoughts, and affirm campaign promises, in a concise manner. But the true test of the speech comes when he must either put these thoughts to action, otherwise they will go down as just another empty promise by a politician. No matter what was said, Obama's place as the first black president creates an enormous amount of buzz. The approximately 1.5 million who showed up in frigged weather, along with the 37.8 Americans who watched on TV, can attest to that. I believe that he did as any good politician or orator would do, give the people what they want to here. Then again, as always, people will take away from this speech what they want to hear. As an example of how much Obama plays to all aspects of the American people his speech claims that the Country's strength comes from our "patchwork heritage" as we "are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers". Yet throughout the speech he reference the Bible, speaks of the God given right of equality and even says that "the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny." I have no qualm with the President, nor with many politicians. I simply cannot place any stock in what is said in front of voters. The President's actions will dictate the tone of his Presidency, not the words used to appease and energize a crowd.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this inauguration may not be remembered for the speech, the crowds, or the frigged weather but perhaps for the mis-spoken Oath of Office. Obama become the third president to have to retake the Oath, Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge being the other two.
I think Barack is an excellent orator, no doubt, but I feel that we are placing way too much hope and expectations on one man.
ReplyDeleteHis rhetoric is unnervingly similar to that of ol' Georgie's...Obama actually said similar things and presented parallel ideas that can be heard in some of Bush's past speeches.
This thought was later reinforced in my head by Jon Stewart.....
http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2009/01/jon-stewart-obama-and-bush-similarities.html
maybe we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves...I agree with Maerz....we should wait and see what Obama actually does.
Honestly, it might not have really mattered what Obama said in his speech. Over 1.5 million people came be witness to such a historic day. These people weren’t looking for proof that Obama would be good President, for they have already stuffed all their hopes and dreams into this one man. Obama’s action of becoming President was enough to set the tone for his presidency. The quote the reporters and my friends remember is the following: "We gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.” His supporters have already put this quote into action. They came out in hordes because they have hope and are united in this hope. Obama has already set the tone because his words have made the people act. We just have to hope that we do not put too much stock into just what Obama says, like Maerz and Sydney said, because in the end, words will just be words.
ReplyDeleteOne little fact about the inauguration that confuses me is how much money was spent on this production. During Bush’s last inauguration, people made a huge deal about the cost of everything. However, now that we are in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Obama’s ceremony is costing about $170 million, which makes it by far the most expensive inauguration. But did you hear anything about this in the news? I know I did not.
I dont believe there is any correlation between a speech and actual in-office performance. A speech is a marketing tool. The purpose of the speech was to give people confidence in an emotional way not in an intellectual way. This may set the tone for how he relates to his constituents but there is no correlation between speaking ability and governing ability. It was a great speech as usual but I will not speculate on what his presidency will be like from a speech. In fact I don't think its even a good idea to speculate in the supposedly defining first 100 days. That period is when the president initiates the plans he had before having any presidential experience. It may be safe to judge after the first year or two after the president figures out what he feels is the best way to execute his office. For sydney of course it sounded like Bush's. Every politicians essentially uses the same speech. For Bethany, yeah it was pretty expensive but the networks and news stations made so much money off the advertising it probably balanced out.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important things a White House can do is communicate effectively with the public. This is why there's so much man power devoted to simply "communications." A directer and associate directer, a bull-pen of writers, and a press secretary to name a few all spend something like 70 hours a week preparing the voice of the President.
ReplyDeleteSo, yes, I would say you can set the tone for a presidency with a speech, especially this speach. The inaugeration speech and the state of the unions are generally the only speeches the masses listen to, unless something terrible happens. This was Obama's first chance to really lay out his presidency. We all know the elections are full of garbage and empty promises. This is when he can really stand up for things.
I'd say he's off to a good start by the amount of energy and buzz created by his inaugeration and the festivities surrounding it. Not only has he energized our nation, he's also started laying down the law on lobbyists and the abomination that was guantanimo bay.
I don't think this speach was as aspiring as claiming to reach the moon or unleashing S.D.I., but I do feel Obama has declared war on the biggest enemy facing our country today. No, I'm not talking about cold men with funny accents yelling "yob tvoyu mat!" Our own apathy is killing us. It seems Obama's challenge is changing that. It's bing picked up by the media and even Starbucks. I really think we're about to see a better world for not just Americans, but the rest of humanity, as well.
While I agree that it would be quite irrational to begin our assessment of President Obama's adequacy as Commander in Chief by the content and delivery of a single short speech that precedes any action he will take in his new position, we must not discard this historic inauguration as inconsequential. Though the questioning of our new leader's experience and qualifications is by no means without grounds, Barack Obama displayed wonderfully in his speech one of his most legitmizing traits: a gift for inspiration, a personal appeal to each and every citizen in this nation. We often complain that the Presidency has digressed into a morbid form of pop celebrity, but I firmly believe that our new president has vast potential to revive hope in the nation at home and abroad through this unique ability.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the content of the inauguration speech is concerned, I was very impressed at President Obama's humility in addressing his status as the nation's first black president. He made it clear that he intends to serve every citizen through his elected office while still acknowledging the nationwide triumph that his inauguration symbolized. He spoke boldly about the multiplicity of challenges facing him, but with a humble awareness of their daunting nature.
Overall, I found President Obama's speech a great success, though I must say I would have been highly disappointed had it been anything short of spectacular. The entire scene was breathtakingly inspirational--from the sight of President Obama's hand laid on the same bible that Abraham Lincoln had taken oath on to the tears of joy on the faces of an audience which expressed an eternally hopeful sense that a new dawn is taking shape over our nation.
I believe we are in the depth of a depression that Prozac cannot fix. I believe Obama understands the situation even if he does or does not understand the solution. I believe he understands that hope thrives in trying times. He understands that a major sum of the population has nothing or will lose everything. If you had to write a speech to 300 million Americans whom you serve, how would you try to appease them after such a major economic loss? Write whatever you want. The American people have nothing to lose but fear itself, nothing to gain but everything, and nothing to cry over for nothing is left. America will hope in anything right now. Hope requires conflict to be needed, and America needs a speech that conveys hope. Did Obama’s speech succeeded? Sure, it’s not like he could have failed.
ReplyDeleteI think president Obama gave a fantastic speech Tuesday that could definitely be considered a success. In it he spoke of unity among parties and taking a new direction that would redefine and restore America for future generations. But most importantly, the speech was rousing. It was a clear call to action that I think will inspire America to support Obama in the coming months. Therein lies the victory. If Obama even hopes to fulfill his campaign promises he's going to need all the support he can get. So, yes, I do believe Obama has set the bar high for his presidency. Now what he actually does with it remains to be seen. Only time will tell whether he is a man of action or words.
ReplyDeleteWe will know in 4 years how good this speech was. However, he is the most eagerly anticipated president in my lifetime, and has a cult following. If he makes good on fifty percent of his promises, his semi-worshipful media following will glaze over any discrepancies and he will be judged a complete success. Additionally, barring unforeseen circumstances, he has eight years to work with, which should make his task easier.
ReplyDeleteThe speech doesn't always correlate with the actions. The sad fact is: he is a politician. They all say things they never do. Maybe he is the rare bird whose words match his actions--time will tell.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama seemed very honest in his inaugural address. I think he did a great job addressing the problems of America. He also brings great hope when he is talking about the fears and challenges of America and says "that they will be met." On Inauguration Day I heard many critics saying the same things about the problems addressed and the hope he promises. I really think Obama wants to pick up the country's morale in this speech. He communicates that the country is "we" and not "I." He wants everyone in this together. I pray that he is the change that we need right now.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I refused to watch the inauguration. I have heard so many speeches this past year, most with too many contradictions to count. Obama does have the gift of convincing speech but did he write it? Is he even going to follow what he says? He is a human before he is a president. As a human, he is going to fall short. I dont know what the next 4 years are going to be like based on a speech. All I know is that it isn't going to be ideal and perfect like some hope, I have to judge him as a human.
ReplyDeleteI think that President Obama did very well in his inaugural address. He is a great speaker and it always seems that he is speaking from his heart. I think that a tone for the presidency can be set in the speech, but whether or not he will do what he said he will do remains to be seen. He has already created a lot of buzz - enough to become the first African-American president. He created more with his hopes for this country, which were relayed in his speech. Even before the inauguration, there was a lot of excitement about this event, and this showed with the vastness of the crowd in D.C. for the inauguration.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is obviously not just his speech that makes his inauguration inspirational, President Obama's speech, as others have said, was just that. Americans need to have their morale boosted right now. In order for President Obama to accomplish what he wants to accomplish, he will need the support of his country to back him up, and he knows this full well. By delivering a speech that inspired the US citizens, the President did in fact have a successful inauguration (other than his botched swearing-in, of course ;) )
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Obama's actions, with in his first week in office he has already struck down a law that prevented U.S. tax money from being used to promote and pay for abortions abroad. This is obviously a subjective summery so you can read an article about it here
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/23/obama.abortion/index.html
Obama lived up to his reputation Tuesday as he delivered an energizing speech. After listening to him, I as well as the rest of America had hope for our country. A speech may be merely words; however, I feel that his speaking skills are priceless to America as it empowers and gives us hope.
ReplyDeleteObama addressed what I feel is our biggest issue as Americans: Lack of service. Americans today feel that their power and wealth should be handed over to them, unlike our forefathers who earned every penny they made. I'd like to know where did the idea behind a hard work ethic go? We are here today because of the service that our ancestors had towards their country. In order to "find meaning in something greater than themselves", Americans must first learn to unite together, Democrats and Republicans and try to harmoniously fix America's problems. It will be a hard and long process, but we as Americans should have to learn exactly what it means to show service towards our country.
I say all this to show that Obama's speech was good; However, everyone needs to cooperate with one another under Obama's leadership in order to make progress.
Woah, Honors students have a lot to say. I liked his speech, but I'm not too sure about what he's done since becoming the President.
ReplyDeleteHis speech was most definitely good, but being the cynic that I am when it comes to politics, I wonder what he will actually accomplish. To be quite frank, I have no interest in politics. I quite prefer the breakdown of the word into it's Latin root of poli, meaning many, and tics, being blood-sucking creatures (obviously this is a loose interpretation, but you get my point). Politics is about making promises and then not following through with them. I come in with this assumption and so if President Obama exceeds it, he has succeeded in my sight.
ReplyDeletePretty words do not a saint make.
ReplyDeleteObama’s address drew from other famous speeches/styles of previous leaders. Some parts were reminiscent of Civil Rights icon MLK and even some of Bush's addresses in the past eight years. I'm glad he didn't back down from alluding to some of the problems America faced during the Bush Administration, but I'm hesitant to put too much store into what he promises. It was an inspirational inauguration, and is helping to rally the American people. He has a lot of energy behind him, and has made himself easily accessible to the public (there’s a weekly address posted on youtube- I suggest subscribing to it- sort of like a FDR’s fireside chats, yeah?) and seems to be diving right in to the job. The press seems determined to find him faultless, brushing off facts like the dizzying expense of the inauguration, as well the apparent missile strike that took place just days ago? He didn’t write his own speech, as was mentioned before. But he has a genius for public speaking, though his address was a little mechanical.
Then again, Adolf Hitler is regarded as one of the best orators in recent history, so I'd be careful before We the People let ourselves get swept up by Obama's eloquence.
Poly-tics haha!!
ReplyDeleteWhile Obama hasn't really had a chance to put his words into action, I'm really excited to see what happens in the next four years. If he can get half of the things he has promised done, I'll be super impressed. Has anyone scene the weekly address? While the inauguration speech was very impressive and exciting, it didn't have very many solid goals or promises. I perceived the inauguration speech to be mostly about 1) Recognizing the challenges we face as a nation 2) Recognizing and appreciating our similarities and differences 3) Getting our nation excited about the "change" that's on it's way. Note that in those points, there was no concrete plan about how our country was going to address our challenges as a nation. The weekly address, however, gives a much more detailed plan (though it still doesn't give every detail). Let's just say I'm really excited about what Obama has brought to the table speech-wise. Let's pray that he can stand behind what he's said.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot that has been said, but since I waited so long I just read a whole lot and don't quite remember who to credit for first bringing out the thoughts but here is my reaction to both Obama's speech and everyone's comments...
ReplyDeleteFirst, true Obama is human and yes humans are faulty...we have been ever since Adam and Eve and we will continue to be that way. I too will not judge the "success" of Obama's speech for a year or two (possibly even the end of his term) because actions speak louder than words. Yes, he can speak of a hope and the plans he has for our country BUT until I see where he acts out (on a regular basis) his words I will remain a cynic.
I will never doubt that Obama has been blessed with a gift of rhetoric that most of us will NEVER have. Besides natural talent he has mastered several techniques that add to being a great speaker/orator. Some that were excellently displayed were "pause" and his use of crescendo and decrescendo of his voice. These help him draw his listeners in as he speaks. As someone mentioned earlier, he also makes you feel as tho he is speaking directly to you.
I know Lindsey already said Hitler was excellent orator but other phenomenal orators include Churchill, Castro, and Caesar. Just because all of these men could deliver amazing speeches does not mean they were great leaders as well. I am not saying Obama will be a bad leader I just think we take for granted the power we turn over to people because they are great orators.
Sorry Wade I guess I really am an Honors student and said more than may have been necessary but that is my bit. :)
In this particular election, I wasn't leaning in one direction or the other. I felt like we are in a time of crisis and there are a number of ways to work towards some sort of solution. Since Barack Obama has been selected as our President for this given term, I decided to be open minded and hear what he has to say. After hearing his inaugural address, I am moved by his words and ideas, and I appreciate his strong intentions for this country. Though he is full of language that points to change and the betterment of our nation, I think we are still in the premature stages and need to see how his loaded words play out. I am pleasantly surprised by his speech and yet still skeptical as to how his actions manifest.
ReplyDeleteBarack Obama, YES WE CAN? I sure hope so