Ok, the McCain camp has had a pretty rough week so I won't take any pleasure in rubbing salt into their wounds (oh hell, who I am kidding-let's go for it. They deserve it after all they have put us through)...
So here goes- let's start by reflecting on the all-important lesson that we learned this week:
The AMERICAN PEOPLE run this country, not the government. This is a democracy.
Legistlation will not pass without the people backing it. It seems that some people may have forgotten that but they got a rude awakening this week.
Whether you were for the $700B bill or against it is irrelevant- the fact is that the bill did not pass because the American people stood up against it.
So what does this have to do with Obama and "big speeches?" you may ask.
A heckuva lot. Follow me after the fold...
Let's take a look at what what has been thrown at us repeatedly this campaign season:
- Obama gives good speeches but...(some explanation of why that doesn't matter)
- Sure, Obama moves people, motivates them to take action, but...(see above)
- Obamamaniacs drank his kool-aid, they think he is God / the Messiah, he has them hypnotized...
- Yeah, he's inspirational, so what?
I could list a dozen more easily but you have heard them all over and over again so there is no need for me to repeat them here. But I would like to make one very important point here:
Obama's critics have gone on endlessly about his ability to move people in big speeches like it is a bad thing, yet that is exactly what is needed to get things done!
If Bush had that ability he would not have the problems he is facing now in trying to get this bailout / rescue plan- whatever you want to call it-passed.
And while we all understand that Obama is limited at present in how much he can say either for or against this plan, I think we all know deep down that when he is President if we are in a crisis like this he has the ability to get the American people behind the legislation and get it passed.
Speeches do matter. The ability to move people to action matters. The ability to inspire matters. The ability to reassure and give hope matters.
All these things we have been criticized for this season matter. The repubs now have to admit that, because they can see it in black and white. The bill FAILED because we have a President that doesn't have the ability to move the American people like Obama does.
You know it. They know. We all know it. And it's time to call them all for all their BS about how things like hope, inspiring, and big speeches don't matter.