December 27, 2007
Obama's Big Pitch
DES MOINES, IA -- Rooting his run for the presidency in what he said is his hope for a better America born from his own personal story, Barack Obama said today he has "the right kind of experience" to be president.
"The truth is, you can have the right kind of experience and the wrong kind of experience. Mine is rooted in the real lives of real people, and it will bring real results -- if we have the courage to change. I believe deeply in those words. But they are not mine. They were Bill Clinton's in 1992, when Washington insiders questioned his readiness to lead," Obama told the crowd to laughs and cheers.
Saying that the change he provides is what "Washington needs now," Obama ran through a litany of attacks on why he should be chosen to be the next president of the United States over Sens. John Edwards and Hillary Clinton.
Turning Clinton's words from the Jefferson Jackson Dinner against her, Obama said, "There's no shortage of anger and bluster and bitter partisanship out there. We don't need more heat. We need more light."
Obama also criticized Edwards for not acting to reduce the power of lobbyists and special interest influence while he was a senator in Washington -- or the impact of 527s on the campaign.
"There are others in this race who say that this kind of change sounds good, but that I'm not angry or confrontational enough to get it done," he said. "…I'm the only candidate in this race who hasn't just talked about taking power away from lobbyists, I've actually done it. So if you want to know what kind of choices we'll make as President, you should take a look at the choices we made when we had the chance to bring about change that wasn't easy or convenient."
Returning to an argument raised by Democrats in the 2004 election against President Bush, Obama also implied that his fellow Democrats with using Republican scare tactics to prevent them from voting for him.
"We can't afford the same politics of fear that tells Democrats that the only way to look tough on national security is to talk, act, and vote like George Bush Republicans; that invokes 9/11 as a way to scare up votes instead of a challenge that should unite all Americans to defeat our real enemies," he said.
The speech was billed as Obama's final argument, but for the journalists who follow him on a daily basis there was little new to his pitch or his attacks. What he did do seven days before the Iowa caucuses was to clearly outline his case to be president, addressing both what he deems his strengths and perceived weaknesses -- and casting a message of hope.
(NBC/NJ's ASWINI ANBURAJAN)
Posted at 12:54 PM
Comments
"Obama also criticized Edwards for not acting to reduce the power of lobbyists and special interest influence while he was a senator in Washington -- or the impact of 527s on the campaign."
Because, you know, a first term Senator in the minority -- especially given the evenhanded way the Republicans ran the Senate -- can get a lot of stuff done.
What a ridiculous attack.
NaR | 12.27.07 05:45 PM
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Nar, I beg to differ. Obama has been in elected office for 11 years. Edwards had been for 6.
Edwards did not rack up much good will nor did much of note.
So, coming into office with a chip on his shoulder would not exactly make him in the spot to effect change.
As for Obama's speech, I don't think it was billed as being new so much as being a fine tuning of his points he has made all year.
vwcat | 12.27.07 11:35 PM
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