It was, by nearly universal acclamation of liberals and conservatives alike, brilliant. The pep-rally-like crowd reaction was inappropriate and jarring at times, but Obama cut through that with a speech that was simply pitch-perfect.
Notably, two of its key lines — announcing that Rep. Giffords opened her eyes today, and the phrase “–it did not–” interjected into a discussion of whether “a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy” — were not in the prepared text.
And then there was this part, about the 9-year-old victim, Christina Taylor Green:
Imagine: here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that someday she too might play a part in shaping her nation’s future. She had been elected to her student council; she saw public service as something exciting, something hopeful. She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model. She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted.
I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. All of us – we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children’s expectations.
As both Becky and Andrew Sullivan noted, “one senses palpably that Obama’s own love for his own daughters is behind this message.” He seemed on the verge of choking up at one point.
As is my habit going back well into Dubya’s first term, I did not listen to this presidential speech — preferring instead to read the text and form my opinions hence (I might add: Obama’s unique style of dramatic pauses, and chin-in-the-air delivery, tends to grate me — probably similar to how many on the Left found Dubya’s mangled, folksy Texas twang grating). And I wholeheartedly agree, the president was very presidential, struck the perfect tone, and said the right things, brilliantly. This, we knew Obama was capable of, and it brings a sigh of relief to see him fully tap his capabilities — something we haven’t seen him do (with his oratory or otherwise) since his campaign. I don’t think this was an Oklahoma City moment, let alone a 9/11, and I doubt he had quite as much of the national audience captive as some might have hoped, but nevertheless, this was a public moment, and hopefully one that will positively influence the national discourse at least among our national leadership. One could hope.
Agree, he gave a very good speech.