Rate Obama's Speech: Was The One's Speech a ten or a one?

[Nym90]

A-. Very powerful, inspiring, hard hitting on the attacks but not too many of them, still a positive message.

He did a good job laying down the contrast between the candidates and the parties. Republicans must blur these distinctions in order to win this year; as long as voters see a clear stark contrast, they are going to go with the not Bush candidate.

Short on specifics, of course, but all good political speeches are.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

B

His 2004 keynote speech and his Iowa one were the best of his career. But since he uses the same platitudes in each speech, it loses its effect.

[TomC]

It wasn't his best, but it was good. Less exalted but more specifics, which he needed. A-/B+.

Hillary's was the best of the convention.

[Vsanto5]

Great speech, I thought it was one of his best, A+.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

he just used parts of his old speeches and just made a home run.

[Lunar]

Another thought since my neighbor's noise is keeping me up and I'm waiting for the melatonin to kick in:

If Barack Obama can successfully cast himself as the "DEMOCRATIC" candidate and can successfully force McCain to be the "REPUBLICAN" candidate, does he have an increased chance of winning?

I see all this talk on CNN (mostly CNN, they love this story) about how one third of Hillary voters do not support Obama right now.  To me, it seems like that number can only improve for Obama unless he makes sexist remarks or something.  It seems that everyone who is bitter about the primaries has already disaffected and is available to win back while few of the bitter pUMAs are supporting Obama waiting to jump ship to McCain.  That isn't real analysis, that is just guesswork, but it seems fitting.

Put more simply:

Obama wants to make himself the same as any white Democratic candidate (while not hiding from race)
Oama wants to make McCain the same as Bush

[Eraserhead]

A+

I don't see how I can give it any other grade.

It was probably the best speech he's ever given and one of the greatest political speechs I've ever seen.

It was far superior to his 2004 speech, by the way. The only speech of his that I think can really hang with it was the one after Iowa.

I'm actually surprised by how (relatively) lukewarm the reaction seems to be here. You people have become too jaded.

[NDN]

It was far superior to his 2004 speech, by the way. The only speech of his that I think can really hang with it was the one after Iowa.

Frankly I thought this was better than that. His primary speeches were all a little generic and didn't have much red meat. This one for the most part did actually specify what he was going to do (even if he's too smart into buy half of it).

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

He did what he needed to do tonight - and did it well.

He delivered a strong attack on  McCain without attacking HIM - He defended the principles of the Progressive movement while showing the dangers of the Republican economic ideology "you're on your own".

He linked up HIS principles and values with his atypical American upbringing.

It was a powerful speech, and I think it will change things.

[MODU]

I think Obama may have intentionally removed MLK references out of his speech in order to undercut McCain's 'congratulations' ad!.  The news media hasn't really covered the fact that today is the anniversary of the MLK "I have a dream" speech THAT much, and I just saw the third 'Congrats' ad which vaguely compliments Obama for "this most historic of days."

I do not think swing voters will get that reference.

I think he left out much of the references to MLK just so it didn't come across as a black pride rally in the minds of those who are sitting on the "racial fence."

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

A-......excellent speech.

During parts he sounded like a black man ready to rumble.....I've been waiting for it and I liked that! 

[J. J.]

Does anyone remember Obama actually asking anyone to vote for him?  It's not in the transcripts.

I think he asked for America to join him or something like that.

Ah, the candidate generally asks the American people for their vote.  JFK did, in the "New Frontier" Speech.  "Give me your help, your hand, your voice, your vote."


http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/jwb/ap/DBQdocs/JFKfrontier.htm

If we want to be technical, saying "Give me...your vote" isn't asking for it.

If you want arrogance, there it is.

[Democratic Hawk]

I give it a solid A. Obama is no effete elitist

Meanwhile, here's what Americans thought of it:

Obama Acceptance Speech Gets High Marks from Public [30 August, 2008]

Overall reaction to Denver convention is typical, but doesn't match 1992

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109948/Obama-Acceptance-Speech-Gets-High-Marks-From-Public.aspx

Overall: 35% Excellent / 23% Good

Among Democrats: 62% Excellent / 21% Good
Among Independents: 27% Excellent / 25% Good
Among Republicans: 12% Excellent / 25% Good

The impact of the convention is that 43% are more likely to vote for Obama, while 29%are less likely. It made no difference to 19%, while 8% have no opinion

Meanwhile, 28% of Americans watched a great deal of the convention and 32% watched some of it

USA Today/Gallup poll Aug. 29

Dave

[Ronnie]

The reason I think his speech was so popular was the way he delivered it.  If you read it on paper, it sounds like absolute demagoguery.