"BAROCK N' ROLL" AT THE D.N.C.

The date was August 25th. People from all over flooded the Pepsi Center for the Democratic National Convention. The place was laced with energy and buzz over one man, Barack Obama. The occasion was in celebration of the last day of the Democratic National Convention. The experience of being there would have been like attending woodstock or an out-door Bob Marley concert. The only difference was that there was no mud, no recreational drugs (I think), a better sound system, and better music. On the flip side, the audience had to listen to politicians like Al Gore. Few experiences in life are perfect.

Barack Obama's speech, which lasted nearly an hour with applauds, was a curious blending of the old and the new. The Barack Obama who spoke about "hope" and "change" was still there but today the audience got the Hardcore "all-business" Barack.

He began his speech talking about the last eight years of republican presidency and how horrible it was. Barack Obama then painted the picture of unemployment, people being thrown out of their homes, and economic turmoil. Many victims were used as examples in the speech. There was the woman who was one illness away from disaster, the man packing up his factory equipment to be shipped to China, and the veterans sleeping in the streets. Basically he was saying that George Bush's America is really Hell on Earth.

Next Barack Obama, like most politicians, made an attack on McCain. He claimed that McCain and George Bush are the same. He also elaborated on how McCain is out of touch with the American People.

Next came His promises, Tax cuts for the middle class. Tax increases for the rich. Diplomacy rather than war, a huge program to get us off Middle East Oil, health care for all, and of course education for all. The problem is that many, if not most people, have grown rather cynical of the ability or even the desirability of government to deliver on such promises.

Finally, Barack Obama ended his speech with an exhilarating conclusion with references to Dr. King and staying strong with his usual popular message of hope and change.

OBAMA 08



CARRYING HIMSELF TO VICTORY

It is said that a man gains the respect of others by the way he carries himself. During The Democratic National Convention there was no doubt that Obama showed that he deserves that respect. When Obama delivers his speeches he doesn't just give fact after fact like most dull politicians (John McCain), instead he beefs up his sermon with exciting and uplifting words of hope and change. The staging of the event, energy in the audience and most importantly the visual impact of Barack and his family were like an elixir of political magic. How could anyone who watched the event not feel good about this man and his transcendent rise to the top of the Democrat ticket. The way Obama carries himself is revolutionary to presidential campaigns and change the way candidates run in the future.

Obama’s speech at the 2008 convention was simply a reminder that he stands alone when it comes to captivating an audience, giving them hope and inspiring them to believe in their dreams. The tears and the cheers in the packed stadium were evidence of the power and charisma in his words. He began The speech thanking all the people who helped him get to wear he is today and of course like a the gentleman he is, he thanked the love of his life; his wife. He also showed us real rhetorical skill by varying the heat of his delivery.  Too many politicians make the mistake of shouting all their lines as if everything were equally important.  Obama has different pitches and passion for different issues and subjects.  The speech had highs and lows, and that’s what a good orator does to hold our interest.

Obama also used his speech to go beyond laying out the main points of his campaign. In a move that even republicans would applaud, he called for Americans to show renewed individual and mutual responsibility. This showed that he is not bias and that he believes we have a responsibility to help others as well as ourselves.
Perhaps one reason why Obama is so good at these big events, when expectations are so high, is that he writes his own speeches. Of course when he recites his speeches he is saying them off a TelePrompTer, but because these are his words that he wrote after much preparation, it seems natural, almost conversational. Forceful without being forced. Obama closed with a homily to Martin Luther King, who 45 years earlier to the day delivered his famous "I have a Dream" speech, and an appeal to America to continue its journey towards equality.

His speech gave him an eight point boost over John McCain in the polls, further proving that his overall personality and the way he carries himself has changed this campaign. For years to come in the future do not be surprised if people take a page from "The obama book"