Obama's Gettysburg

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright August 29, 2008
All Rights Reserved.                    

           Delivering his Gettysburg Address, Sen. Barack Obama (D-il.) exceeded all expectations, etching himself into the annals of classic American oratory, mesmerizing 85,000 emotionally-drained fans at Denver’s Mile High Stadium.  Whether you agree or disagree with Barack’s politics, you can’t question his brilliant oratory, hitting high notes commemorating the 45th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr’s "I have a dream" speech..  Instead of taking only the “high road,” Obama delivered a scathing indictment of his GOP rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and President George W. Bush.  McCain stunned the political world Aug. 29 picking little-known, 44-year-old Alaska Gov. Sarah Falin.  No one was more shocked than the Obama campaign, handing out an early Christmas gift.  McCain’s gamble could easily backfire, blowing his first major decision as would-be commander-in-chief.

            Trying to steal Barack’s thunder, McCain changed the conversation from Barack’s inspiring speech.  In front of 85,000, Barack methodically presented his case for change.  “John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time,” said Barack, adding, “I’m not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change,” arguing a vote for McCain was a vote for Bush.  Barack blasted McCain for abandoning his promise to keep lobbyists out of elections.  No where has McCain flip-flopped more than on abortion, suddenly born again as a “right-to-lifer.”  When McCain and Barack met teleevangelist Rick Warren Aug. 20 in Lake Forest, Calif., he stated he would run a pro-life presidency.  Ten days later he chose a pro-life VP, hoping to capture Bush’s elusive evangelical base.  McCain’s team concluded they couldn’t win in November without capturing woman and evangelicals.

            Obama’s speech rejected the GOP monopoly on patriotism.  “I’ve got news for you John McCain, we all put our country first,” calling it patriotic to oppose the status quo when it subverts the Constitution and engages in reckless war-making.  Barack methodically rejected the Iraq war, where the nation’s military and resources were diverted from the real war on terror in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Barack said McCain would “follow Bin Laden to the gates of hell” but wouldn’t “follow him into his own cave.”  Barack’s speech questioned the wisdom of a unilateral foreign policy that weakened alliances with key allies, while, at the same time, harming U.S. national security by damaging the economy to the point that the Pentagon faces tight budgets.  Bush promised better national security despite allowing al-Qaida to regroup and plan new terrorist attacks.  

            Barack delivered his speech with such mastery and poise it prompted even his worst critics to acknowledge his brilliance.  Conservative pundit Pat Buchanan called it “the greatest convention speech ever,” despite disagreeing with Barack’s attempt to end Washington’s gridlock.  Republicans are still stuck on Reagan’s promise to curb the influence of the federal establishment.  Barack will be branded a “tax-and-spend” liberal while the White House spends $10-12 billion a month on a war with no national security significance.  “I will cut taxes—cut taxes—for 95% of all working families.  Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should d is raise taxes on the middle-class,” upending GOP talking points that he plans on across-the-board tax hikes.  Since March 20, 2003, the Iraq war has caused nearly 4,200 deaths and drained nearly $1 trillion from the U.S. treasury.

            Promising to invest $150 billion in the next 10 years on renewable energy, Obama committed to reducing U.S. dependence on Mideast oil, developing alternative fuel technology and working toward an a less polluted future.  “Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution.  Not even close,” challenging McCain’s promise to drill more oil wells offshore and in Alaska.  Now that Palin joined McCain’s ticket, much will be made of her attempts to open up the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, a source of potentially 6-16 billion barrels of oil.  Before Obama makes good on his promise of developing alternative fuels, he must confront the oil industry’s stranglehold on the U.S. economy.  No economy can survive inflated energy prices without serious consequences to virtually every business and consumer.

            Barack’s overwhelming message involved reminding voters that the country could do a lot better.  “We meet at one of those defining moments—a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more,” Barack told the Mile High Stadium audience, that on Bush’s watch the county has become worse off.  Voters will ultimately decide whether they can go in the same direction for another four years.  Even evangelicals know there’s more at stake in this election that reversing Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling giving women the right to abortion.  Without ending the Iraq war—and preventing new ones—the U.S. economy has a slim chance of recovering, robbing millions from gainful employment, Barack’s speech reminded voters they have a real choice heading into November.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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