I am not a woman of few words. I usually have a lot to say but for the past few months I’ve been silent uncharacteristically so I know.. well tonight I’m breaking my silence (I’ll reveal more of why I have been so silent in later posts) to say that earlier this evening, in Tucson Arizona President Barack Obama gave one of the best speeches of his entire presidency.
Obama’s speech didn’t just succeed because it eloquently articulated what most of us have been feeling about the tragedy in Arizona, it succeeded because it reminded us of why we fell in love and voted for him in the first place-it gave us HOPE. HOPE that tomorrow, our collective tomorrow, will be better that any individual yesterday. He made the six individuals that lost their lives whole again in our minds if only for a few minutes. And in that speech he did something that only a president, a great leader, can do he unified our hopes and aspirations and told us what the future can really look like if we gave the best of ourselves, even when we disagree on how to get there, in celebration of the lives that were so horrifically snatched away from us.
This tragedy doesn’t just hit close to home for me it comes pretty darn close to breaking my heart. You see, I live in Arizona. I too can remember going to my first political meeting as a little girl and I too was a member of my student council. Bushy tailed and bright eyed my love affair with politics has lasted ever since. I can also see members of my own family reflected in all the lives that were lost in Tucson just a few days ago. The grandmother, the leader, the communicator, the hero, the sweethearts. Leadership, compassion, love, warmth and dedication. The best of who we are as a state, a country, a people, a species was at that meeting last Saturday, January 8th, 2011 I hope that as nation, as we heal and the events of that day grow dim that we never forget that.
*UPDATE* Here’s a sample of what others are saying about Obama’s Tucson memorial speech.
Being candid doesn’t just apply to talk show hosts and average citizens.
The beloved characteristic can also apply to Presidents as well. And yes, I’ll agree it is a bit surprising when politicians are frank with us but I have to admit that some of them are actually capable of telling the truth-at times.
President Obama’s comment about West’s behavior was off the record but when you act like a jackass (include Serena Williams here too) you should be called out swiftly and without regard to race, sex, age, national origin, religion or culture and if a president wants to express his/her outrage with a person’s behavior he/she should be able too as well.
Thankfully President Obama had the guts to say what we’ve all been collectively expressing for the past few days and although it’s not the politest term in the world describing Kanye West as a ’jackass’, is the one word he can get away with calling him out loud!
I could think of quite a few other words to describe the big mouth, artist can’t you?
It would appear that President Obama wants to stay in the White House for eight years. He sent his main man, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs out today to let us know that he WOULDN’T BE raising taxes on middle class folks after all.
He probably didn’t get any sleep this weekend with all the problems Geithner and Summers caused him. No wonder the president looked so tired today his head must be throbbing.
No doubt, things are bad out there. Obama is trying his best but to be honest it doesn’t seem to be working.
But I don’t care how bad things are with me, I would have to be so damn desperate (dying of thirst and my legs shot off) and without any hope of reaching a lake or fresh water river before I drank MOP SODA.
I’m sure you’ve seen the smart mop ad. It’s the one where this guy, pitchman Anthony Sullivan, squeezes spilled soda from a mop into a glass as he explains how awesome this ‘smart mop’ is and tries to convince you that times are so tough we can’t afford to waste even one glass of spilt soda.
I don’t know where the marketing and advertising people came up with that concept but it sucks because most people I know, even the ones hurting for money, are not going to drink soda squeezed from a mop!
What were the ad people thinking? Using that as a reason to buy the smart mop is not smart-it’s simply disgusting.
ASU and Arizona officials are expecting 71, 000 people to attend ASU’s five hour long graduation ceremony some in the Arizona press have even begun to call the event ’a spectacle’. Hmm if John Mccain was president and he was giving the commencement address would the event still be called a spectacle?
Alice Cooper and the President of the United States on the same stage..I wonder if Obama will be able to resist the temptation to holdCooper’s snake? I just couldn’t resist sorry..lol
Barack Obama is doing his ’presidential thing’ today.
He’s out there selling himself, his party and his recovery and reinvestment plan. Remember it’s no longer the economic stimulus package. They’ve dropped that loser name for a more uplifting one-recovery and reinvestment sounds so much better and it kinda makes you feel good about the whole economy thing doesn’t it? ‘ Cause who doesn’t feel good a rescuing things? Go ahead roll your eyes and laugh out loud..
Will this work? Can our celebrity presidentpersuade a skeptical and depressed public to endorse and support a plan that offers little or no guarantees?
If the numbers edge up slightly I will be surprised. Because, right now, it doesn’t appear as if anything can get the economy and markets moving again. And the events of the past six months have forced many of us to become even more pessimistic and fearful and this will probably continue until the average person can see tangible improvements in his/her daily life. People need to have more money in their pockets and they also need to see others spending money, at the mall, at the dealerships, at their local high end grocery store etc, etc in order to boost their confidence.
However, that leads us to this inevitable conundrum how do we improve the economy if attitudes about the economy remain uncertain and despondent? The market is a creature of the people and vice versa so if people are depressed and scared they don’t spend and we need to spend in order for businesses to invest in jobs, products and services.
President Obama is trying to convince us that government spending is our only option, i’m already convinced, but for a country built on choices and alternatives that is going to be a very bitter pill to swallow.
Rod Blagojevich is probably a criminal. He’s narcissistic and a bit crazy BUT I’m starting to think that the media is really, to use a British expression, ‘taking the mickey’ out of him.
And I know that this is probably what he wants but I can’t help it.
I know he’s the one that put himself out there nobody forced him to do these media tours. But there’s a part of me that is starting to cringe at ‘the abuse’ he’s taking.
You know he’s started to remind me of that stray street puppy, maybe it’s the hair, that keeps going up to people looking for love and instead of getting a few scraps of meat or a comforting pat on the head he just gets yelled at or kicked. And instead of running away from humans, the damn dog just keeps going back for more abuse day, after day, after day. He just wants you to like him.
That’s Blago in a sentence. He just wants America to like him. And America just wants him to go away and he wouldn’t. So it just keeps kicking him down hoping that eventually he’ll get the point. And the fact that he hasn’t and that he keeps showing up at the doorsteps of the media begging for a few scraps from their table is just plain pitiful.
If he did indeed withdraw his nomination willingly, he did the honorable thing. Good. And though this is a clear failure for the Obama administration and for Senator Daschle, remember it’s better ‘to fail with honor than succeed by fraud.’
Obama and his staff are hitting the ground running they aren’t playing no more secrecy, no more lobbyists and a pay freeze for his white house staff passivity be gone!
Doesn’t Obama’s first official day at the White House kinda remind you of your first day of school?
Well, it reminds me of my first day in Kindergarten ok he’s not going to be playing with crayons or learning the words to the wheels on the bus at least I don’t think so but you never know. Anyway, according to my parents the first day of school I jumped out of their arms and ran to the first bunch of kids I saw I didn’t even wave goodbye or look back at them and when they came to pick me up I asked ”Can I come again tomorrow?”
At least Obama doesn’t have to ask to come back tomorrow, I hope he and his staff have an awesome first day maybe one day I’ll know what it feels like to have a first day at the White House..maybe..
And the award for jackass of the year goes too..Kanye West
Being candid doesn’t just apply to talk show hosts and average citizens.
The beloved characteristic can also apply to Presidents as well. And yes, I’ll agree it is a bit surprising when politicians are frank with us but I have to admit that some of them are actually capable of telling the truth-at times.
President Obama’s comment about West’s behavior was off the record but when you act like a jackass (include Serena Williams here too) you should be called out swiftly and without regard to race, sex, age, national origin, religion or culture and if a president wants to express his/her outrage with a person’s behavior he/she should be able too as well.
Thankfully President Obama had the guts to say what we’ve all been collectively expressing for the past few days and although it’s not the politest term in the world describing Kanye West as a ’jackass’, is the one word he can get away with calling him out loud!
I could think of quite a few other words to describe the big mouth, artist can’t you?
2 comments | tags: 2009 jackass, Barack Obama, comments, jackass, jackass of the year, kanye west, kanye west disturbed, obama, president obama | posted in Barack Obama, business, current news analysis, democrats, just because, liberals, messed up stuff, music, Politics, Pop culture, popular people, The next four years.., the press, you gotta be kidding me..