Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The Speech: It Flew But Didn't Soar

A new dawn has broken, has it not? It was quite a spectacle, but I switch off my TV feeling a tad underwhelmed. Obama fluffed his lines, and then gave a speech which did not live up to expectations. It had a few of the rhetorical flourishes we have got used to. It may have flown, but it failed to soar. Less than twenty minutes after Obama sat down, I find myself finding it difficult to remember a single thing he said. Perhaps it was meant to be. Perhaps it was an attempt to reduce expectations, but I suspect not. But as Ed Vaizey just said on his Twitter feed, it was an historic moment and a privilege to watch.

We should all wish him all the luck in the world as he embarks on the most momentous four years if his life. Apart possibly fron the ensuing four...

74 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. How many times will the BBC show those fluffed lines?

    How many times did the show Bush's fluffed lines?


    If you watched very carefully, you could just see Hugh Edwards' big toes hanging out of the new President's posterior

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  3. I think expectations were way too high and indeed this may be the problem throughout his presidency. I hope not.

    An aside - I can't believe how Aretha mangled 'My Country 'Tis of Thee' - it was painful/

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  4. @Oliver Drew
    -whilst your in this mood, I've got some very interesting bank related investments that you may like to buy.....

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  5. The line fluff was caused by the Chief Justice making a verbal error first - he said "President TO the United States" - Obama then paused for him to correct it, and Mr Chief Justice fluffed again - putting the word "faithfully" in the wrong place.

    One cannot help wonder if this wasn't some posh white boy attempt to throw an uppity black man off his stroke.

    Michelle looked pretty fed up with Mr Chief Justice.

    I thought it was a very good speech, serious, clear, uplifting but not cheap and positive but not unfactually sentimental. There were many good and clever hints and references in it and it did not patronise.

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  6. I have never listened to a speech of his before and I found it typically American; long on bullshit, monotonal short on
    humour and dull . All that messianic biblical stuff does not translate but then I did not do the Diana thing either. I may be warped

    'I have this thought to offer on this day of our journey my fellow Britannicans . As we pursue our dream and the dream that made our forefathers get out of bed amd scratch their areses , arses the like of which we can scarcely imagine , let us commit ourselves to the golden tomorrow in which no British Leader shall ever do a cheesy impression of Charlton Heston except Neil Kinnock
    May god Bless Winnie The Pooh and all other fictional talking animals of whatever species

    Amen

    ( What he say ?)

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  7. You'll know when the BBC's New man is starting to disappoint - when they start to describe him as "mixed race" rather than Black.

    You'll know when their man has done wrong when they start describing him as being "half white"

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  8. Obama started his speech well (after fluffed oath), then got a bit boring, and finally ended with a bit about 60 years ago he might not have got served in a restaurant, which rallied the crowd. (Who was that next to Michelle Obama, who was chewing gum and yawning during the speech?)
    Speech Ok-ish. Did the business.
    Aretha was great. The poetess and the would-be poet pastor at the end ("Let Brown stay around" - no thanks) were rubbish.
    Private Eye's E.J. Thribb would have done a better job.

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  9. DespairingLiberal is correct, Obama paused for Chief Justice Roberts to correct himself.

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  10. Despairing Liberal said:

    'One cannot help wonder if this wasn't some posh white boy attempt to throw an uppity black man off his stroke.'

    You are kidding, right?

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  11. Overhyped speech and thus inevitably disappointing. Funny when he fluffed his swearing-in lines, though.

    Still, a vastly more cogent delivery than Dubya could ever have managed so that's definitely something!

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  12. It was crap full stop. Very disappointing.

    My word verification is a fitting dross

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  13. PS The poetess was called Wendy Alexander. Nice to see that she's had a perm and made a new career for herself after that Scottish Parliament business. She's still crap though.

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  14. Good luck to BO, but I hope he didn't plan the inauguration.
    Windbag preachers out!
    Aretha Franklin - shades of Gladys Knight and the Pips.
    The classical group ignored and talked over by the presenters.
    Who was the old black guy? Barrack's dad? We weren't told.
    Various commentators told us this wasn't about being black and in charge, but vox pop interviews told us otherwise.
    Hopefully, we'll all settle down and we will hear about the Presidents views and actions, with no reference to race.

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  15. Lady F - only half joking. The CJ was appointed by GW Bush, so is hardly likely to be a big Obama fan. I thought he approached it rather lacksadaisically, almost as though he had no respect for the new appointee.

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  16. Is it me or has everyone gone insane today? The BBC has been on an all day Obama multiple orgasm, as if he really was the Messiah. Interviewing morons talking about how they are holding parties to celebrate, and taking the day off so they could watch everything live on tv to tell their Grandchildren "They were there." What do they think this man is going to do? Pull out of Iran? No. not yet. Pull out of Afghanistan? Absolutely not, in fact he wants to intensify the fighting there and even get the Germans lending a hand. Close down the American Car Industry to help Global Warming? I dont think so. The fact is we must all hope he does well and succedds, but he`s the President of the United States and i fail to see what difference its going to make to me. His speech, apart from the moving testimony that 60 years ago he wouldn`t have been able to go into a restaurant but know he was leading the nation, it could have been made by John Mcain if he`d been elected, or anyione else. Lets celebrate the first Black American President but a sense of proportion as well please.

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  17. I was totally underwhelmed.

    Obama's speech was more downbeat than inspirational. It didn't seem to flow and sounded a bit disjointed in parts.

    I am not particularly enthralled at the prospect of an Obama Presidency though. I get the feeling that he's very inward looking and protectionist. There have been rumours along these lines, such as him looking at the possibility of raising tarriffs on foriegn goods to allow American products to more easily compete. That will do enormous harm to the world ecomony, and smacks of decades old protectionism.

    I think George Bush will turn out to have been a far better friend to Britain and Europe than Obama ever will.

    Also, was I the only one disgusted to see that Evangelical Christian and his "prayer" at the inauguration? Given that America is a country of many faiths and indeed no faiths, and that religion is and should be a deeply personal thing, just what the hell does it have to do with politics and the running of the country? Keep religion and that oaf out of politics and away from the state! I really thought that was distasteful.

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  18. BBC correspondents wearing Obama hats! It was a BBC and Sky love in. Wait until the wheels come off, as sadly they will,and the unemployed find they are still without a job, those without a home are still without a home and the American Motor Industry discovers what ours discovered- you cannot beat the Japanese for quality these days - and the greater threat from India.

    Whilst I do wish Obama well, I read his speech as WE are in one hell of a mess- WE are in it together- SO dont blame me!

    Brown will try and tell us he has been saying the same thing for years!

    Lady Finchley, you obviously did not witness Martha and the Vandellas on Jules Holland's New Years Eve show. Absolutely awful.

    It is wrong to bring 'artists' who had been massive some thirty years before to perform without checking out if they still had a voice! The same today -although it was cold!

    Mind you I am still struggling with that POEM !

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  19. Hey Strapworld, you should've watched it on Fox. You could have choked on the cognitive dissonance.... 'he's a democrat and he's black and he's liberal so we hate him'...'but he's the President and the office commands our respect, as do the voters and the electoral proces'... *pop* (as their heads explode).

    Great fun, best entertainment since I sat up late, stoned off my gourd watching the O'Reilly Factor (seriously - watch it trolleyed and its really really funny!).

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  20. Oh Dear- the first disappointment

    It was poor, overhyped, too long and dwelling far too much on race.

    But still better than the Cameron/Brown/Clegg droning on without a clue

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  21. Disagree. I thought it was one of the best political speeches I've heard in many years. I have heard nothing like that come from any politician in the UK, for instance.

    I expected a speech which was full of flowery rubbish. I got one which had quite a bit of substance and took the right tone given the dark days we're in right now.

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  22. Chief justice Roberts fluffed his lines and Obama fluffed his lines too. It was also nice to see an youngish Chief justice, 53 old Roberts.
    But that aside, interesting to see these two men meeting again. First when in 2005, Bush put forward the Conservative Roberts to senate confirmation as the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, a senator from Illinois while agreeing that the Harvard Law School graduate Roberts was indeed qualified to the office, but objected to his judgments while he was Washington DC circuit judge which mostly favoured the rich and powerful and hence voted against his confirmation. That senator was Barak Obama. Judge Roberts was confirmed on the majority votes of Republican senators.

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  23. "The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works"

    A touch of the old Blairite "third way" here.

    Oh dear!

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  24. Could Obama be a one trick pony ?

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  25. Human Feces (also faeces — see spelling differences), also known as stools, is the waste product of the human digestive system and varies significantly in appearance, depending on the state of the whole digestive system, influenced by diet and health. Normally stools are semisolid, with a mucus coating. Small pieces of harder, less moist feces can sometimes be seen impacted on the distal (leading) end. This is a normal occurrence when a prior bowel movement is incomplete; and feces are returned from the rectum to the intestine, where water is absorbed.

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  26. I didn't mention the dreadful poem earlier, but that was because it was unmentionable.

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  27. I've been surfing the internet for a few hours to get people's take in his speech and some have been moved to the brink of crying, others like you aren't really inspired. I guess it depends what your hopes are of this new president.

    http://mylifeiscrap.com

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  28. Not impressed at all.

    Obama rocked at the Gore convention a few years back, but this, the biggest of big moments? Nah, I thought Bush the Younger's was better by far. Seriously, go listen to them.

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  29. Senator Edward Kennedy is said to have collapsed at the Senate luncheon.

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  30. Senator Edward Kennedy is said to have collapsed at the Senate luncheon.

    Rumours that his last words before collapsing were 'What do you mean its not a free bar?' are, of course, speculative

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  31. Despairing Liberal - puh-leeze!

    Strapworld - I did see Martha and the Vandellas on Jools and it was almost as bad - it shouldn't be allowed! All I can say is that Charlotte Corday is living in a parallel universe!

    Andanotherthing - hear hear! I want Obama to succeed but he is not the messiah - 'just a naughty, naughty boy'!

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  32. Shaun - that was brilliant! Ted Kennedy is just a bloated old soak and he shouldn't be revered just because he has cancer.

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  33. Have to disagree with the consensus here - I thought the speech was excellent, avoiding soaring rhetoric while setting out clearly the principles by which he plans to govern.

    As before during the campaign, his tone was pitch perfect, before the rest of us had worked out what the pitch was supposed to be.

    Still, I guess the British audience came fairly low down his list of target listeners.

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  34. Can I recommend that for a little light relief, visit http://uk.youtube.com/user/ToryTruth

    Yet another risible attempt by Mr Draper to pretend that he 'found' something online. Guess that's less awkward then spontaneous contribution...

    I just can't understand how he thinks that putting potty-mouth and pathetic words in Mr Obama's mouth is either big or clever.

    Didn't people used to rate him as intelligent?? Perhaps all that pop-psychology has made him soft in the head.

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  35. Why an historic moment? Just another POTUS being sworn in. There have been a few before. The fact that he is of mixed race is irrelevant. There was never any doubt that today a mixed race or black man or woman could become US President, especially when he used his race to gain votes (in fact had he not been black he would probably have lost). OK it would not have been possible 40 years ago, but Barack Obama cannot calim credit for that cahnge. In fact he has been involved in racially-divisive organisations throughout his political career.

    Non-whites have held all the major political and public offices in the USA. The fact that one

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  36. Quite frankly - today Barack Obama didn't need to say anything at all. The world said it for him. The American people are delighted with their investment in Barack Obama. It's the best investment they'll ever make.

    "Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met."

    That's all you need to know.

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  37. Sorry folks but I did not see it and hope to avoid it if at all possible. My usual tactis, as when my wife puts on Eastenders is to leave the room.

    But I have to say that 'Newmania' has led a very sheltered life if he thinks that 'monotonal' is typically American. But nhey any excuse for the usual anti-Americanism.

    "Senator Edward Kennedy is said to have collapsed at the Senate luncheon." --- had he been on the telephone to Brown?

    Plato - Dolly Draper is a cautionary illustration that we should all chose our therapists with great care.
    And if you are a GM TV presenter chose your husband when sober.

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  38. Canvas wet her panties! Watch out
    Michelle!

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  39. lady finch, hystercial and intelligent comment, as always.

    I suppose we now know why Barack Obama is an elected politician and Iain Dale isn't.

    :)

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  40. By the way, where the hell was Sarah Palin today? I saw John McCain was there to see Obama become president, but she was not. Anyone know why?

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  41. "Anyone know why?"

    Yes, because Palin is of little importance or relevance to anyone.

    Obama hosted a dinner for John McCain last night and they will be working closely together.

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  42. No sweetie - you're the hysterical one - one big quivering orgasm about Obama - pathetic.

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  44. Sure, Finch - I mean what's all the fuss about anyway?

    Think about it - No more George Bush, no more neo-cons destroying our world. A new beginning with the most popular politician ever in history? The prospect of renewal and recovery... it's sooo pathetic. I just can't understand the excitement myself. hahaha.

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  45. "Lady Finchley"

    Sad old woman.

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  46. How old are you Canvas, 12? Or just one big quivering jelly of naivite? Repeat, after me, 'Obama is not the messiah, Obama is not the messiah'. Now take your medicine. That's a good girl.

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  47. Nigel - why don't you and Canvas go wet your pants together?

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  48. Is it my imagination or did the musical group play The Floral Dance?

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  49. Lady Finchley: You say I am living in a parallel universe? Do you mean to say that you actually liked the ghastly poem? I've heard better things out of a Christmas cracker.

    If you are having a go at Aretha, she is a legend. So are Martha and the Vandellas. Yes, I watched Jools Holland on New Year's Eve and all I can say is that Martha was a damn sight better than the bloody Ting-Tings.

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  50. Sorry LF, I suspect you are rather closer to incontinence than either of us.

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  51. I was struck by one of the introductory remarks (can't remember who said this) to the effect that a signifier of freedom and democracy is the ability of the people to freely choose their leader - anyone care to compare and contrast with what we have?

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  52. Lady Finchley - you seem to be going into overdrive this evening. Perhaps this is all a little too much for you. Can I suggest you take a leaf out of Shaun's book, get a drink, turn on Fox, sooth yourself with all those calming lies and drivel and drift off into a Murdoch-inspired trance. Then stay in that state for the next 8 years.

    Seriously though, I wonder what Murdoch is going to do now? There are plenty in the new majority in Congress, not to mention the new President, who have good reason to loath Fox and have no love for the rabid Ozzie. Could it be that there will soon be a media bill restricting ownership or some such? And preventing obvious bias in the televised media? Watch this space.

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  53. No, CC, not the poem, Aretha. Nobody loves Aretha more than I do as well as the Motown artists and yes, on their bad days they are worth 10,000 Ting Tings but get real. Aretha murdered 'My Country Tis of Thee' - one of the easiest songs on earth - I could quite understand if she messed up 'The Star Spangled Banner' but it was painful. I cringed and wanted to weep for what she once was. As for Martha - I had heard that Berry Gordy used other better singers in the studio under the known artist's name and while I never bought it, I kind of do now.

    Aretha was also trying to do that annoying vibrato type strangled noise that all the so called r & b singers affect nowadays - they always sound like they are gargling.

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  54. Despairing Liberal - your name says it all - no further comment.

    Nigel - you haven't a clue. Off you go, little man.

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  55. there's a classy new website too. check it out. beautiful.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/

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  56. where the hell was Sarah Palin today?

    Up in Juneau, Alaska, doing her job as Governor, a job that gives her more relevant experience than anyone else on the slate last November.

    As for A new beginning with the most popular politician ever in history? ; really ?

    Of those who voted last November, approx 47% did NOT vote for Obama, many because he was the most untested, inexperienced, unvetted candidate ever to get that far. As someone said upthread, if he were white he wouldn't've got a second look in the primaries.

    So much puerile hype, reality will soon strike.

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  57. The oath was fluffed, but not by the President...

    NY Times

    This version is probably more worrying!

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  58. Tee hee John. Perhaps they will do a rerun, but this time with a new Chief Justice who can string a sentence together in public!

    Just listening to dubya's claptrap final speech. What a complete tit basically.

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  59. Is Lady Finchley now channeling the much loved and sorely missed (not) Ver**ity?

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  60. Perhaps he fluffed the oath so he could later claim he never really took it. Ever since Richard Nixon they've made them hold their hands out where everyone can see them so they can't cross their fingers during the oath.

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  61. Did someone describe Obama as "the most popular politician ever in history"? The man who barely scraped a victory despite the dramatic recession, the deep unpopularity of Bush, almost all the media being on his side (and in the event refusing to report his failings and his shady contacts, making Obama look good at every opportunity and reporting really unpleasant lies and distortions about his opponents) and despite 90% of black Americans voting for him because of his race and despite knowing almost nothing about him.

    How is Obama so popular yet he still managed only to poll 53% against an opponent who was disliked by a large section of his own party, and is known as a RINO by many?

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  62. Obama takes office with record popularity ratings both in the US and in the world as a whole.

    read the polls - but if you didn't already know this fact then you must be a hermit.

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  63. No 4x4 - just injecting a bit of reality into the situation. If you read my first post you would know that I of course want the president of the country where I was born to succeed - no matter who he is and how I voted. However I am old enough to know (though not as old as Nigel thinks I am) to be pragmatic and not to invest wild hopes into any one politician - too much of a burden for him(her) and too much of a let down for us. Joking aside, Canvas really does think Obama is the messiah and she really needs to get a grip - if only for herself. I cannot understand how adults could get so carried away.

    I am also sick and tired of people telling me that I can now be proud of my country because the Messiah has been elected. Well, let me tell you something - I am ALWAYS proud of my country - actually both countries. I am patriotic to the core even though that word is sniggered at in this country. Although I am aware of the mistakes and shortcomings and fearful of what this wretched government in the UK wll do next - both the US and the UK are beacons of liberty. In many other countries blogs like this wouldn't even be possible. Think about it.

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  64. An opinion based on little or no facts is known as a prejudice.

    We know very little about Obama and his background.

    Much of the praise for him would appear to be based around the fact he is not white.

    Is that not a prejudice masquerading as hope?

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  65. "Obama takes office with record popularity ratings both in the US and in the world as a whole."

    Check back in a few months with those poll figures, will you? I'm betting they'll tell a different story...

    "Canvas really does think Obama is the messiah and she really needs to get a grip - if only for herself. I cannot understand how adults could get so carried away."

    Well, as House of Dumb points out, there are parallels:

    "On the plus side, this does mean the week after the death of Princess Di is no longer the stupidest moment in modern pop culture."

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  66. molesworth1 - that transcript contains errors. Check out the use of the word faithfully with the video clips and compare with the transcript. The transcript you linked to makes the original mistake Obama's, but it wasn't in the live version.

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  67. JuliaM, Ron B & others. I don't know where you get this impression that Obama is an unknown - it sounds like Rove-inspired spin to me. He has several of the best selling poliical books of all time out, which explain his views at length. He has been involved in many key Senate issues and has frequently appeared on US TV as a Senator. He has just been through a very long election scrutiny in which he met a great many people, gave a great many speeches and conducted a great many interviews.

    I wonder for how many years of his office we are going to get the "inexperienced" line from the crestfallen Right?

    Anyway, this is a foolish route to take even for those opposed to Obama - he is obviously a decisive, savvy political operator with a very strong base and a majority in both Houses and they won't oppose him well by simple slag-offs. He is already making decisions and the Right will need to catch up. Good luck!

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  68. "JuliaM, Ron B & others. I don't know where you get this impression that Obama is an unknown.."

    Not aware that I've ever said he's an 'unknown'.

    A 'do nothing', yes. But not an 'unknown'.

    "...it sounds like Rove-inspired spin to me."

    I expect everything you don't like to read about your new Messiah sounds like this, doesn't it..?

    "He has been involved in many key Senate issues and has frequently appeared on US TV as a Senator."

    Didn't realise appearing on TV was a major part of their job description, and what they wee elected for. I thought it was voting one way or the other on issues of government.

    But looking at Obama's voting record, I can see why you wouldn't want to mention that...

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  69. Why are so many happy to disparage Obama and the huge wave of support he seems to have in the US. Yes, things will calm down a bit now, and poll ratings will adjust but at least the US has been given the opportunity to hope that there is a way out of the current mess. Where is our beacon of hope? We are stuck with an unelected delusional misfit thrashing around in the hope his futile actions will be mistaken for leadership.

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  70. Every line hs speaks sounds like Morgan Freeman in the movie "Deep Impact"

    "Cities fall but they are rebuilt. Heroes die but they are remembered."

    "Tomorrow the waters will recede and we will rebuild."

    etc.

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  71. Does everyone still remember where they were and what they were doing when Obama was sworn in?

    I've forgotten already!

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