While Obama was giving a landmark speech in Philadelphia on race in America, Hillary Clinton was posing for a photo-op with Philadelphia Mayor Joe Nutter, former ambassador Joe Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame and fielding questions from the media. They asked her the obvious question ... what did she think of Obama's speech?
"I did not have the chance to see or to read yet Senator Obama's speech,” said Clinton. “But I am very glad he gave it. It's an important topic. Issues of race and gender in America have been complicated throughout our history and they are complicated in this primary campaign,” continued Clinton. “There have been detours and pitfalls along the way.”
With that pithy summation of the issue of race in America, she moved on, hoping to discuss the economy, the Bear-Stearns bailout and the war in Iraq, but those pesky reporters kept harking back to The Speech. This is my favorite passage from Cosaro's article:
Clinton appeared to entertain the idea of making her own speech on these issues, but repeated that she would not agree to make a similar speech until she had viewed the one he made today, also in Philadelphia. “I’ll take a look at it,” Clinton assured members of the press.
Just read that over and over again and think about it.
There's a lot I could say about Obama's speech in Philadelphia, but it's been said already by better political minds than mine. What I will say is that, if I were running against Barack Obama, I'd sure as hell be paying attention to what he's saying. How do you get too busy for that?? When she gets around to watching it on YouTube, I hope it will be painfully obvious that it hardly needs the "me, too!" candidate to "make a similar speech" even if she could. It's not as if she's going to improve on it, any more than she improved on the borrowed "Yes, We Can!" slogan by changing it to "Yes, We Will!"
This is the woman who is running for the Presidency of the United States, and she wants to study the front-runner's speech so she can "make a similar one" of her own. Now there's some leadership for you.
And I just love "I'll take a look at it." Like she took a look at the intelligence reports before voting to invade Iraq? Don't do us any favors at this late date.
Kwach
4 comments:
That was some impressive speech by Obama. I actually watched the entire thirty-seven minutes of it (despite a busy day of working and spending time with my five-year-old grandson) and I just kept getting more and more amazed. Didn't anyone ever tell this guy that politicians aren't supposed to talk openly about what's real?
It's hard for me to believe I wasn't looking at the next president...
Jessie
I read an interesting commentary about the speech today, saying his biggest gamble is believing that Americans are adults and really want honesty instead of "Drudgeish sewage." One thing I know for sure, if he doesn't get elected it's because this country doesn't deserve him.
I think you can be pretty sure that Hillary knows exactly what was in the speech. What's she going to say about it though? "It was great! He's awesome! I agree completely!" Well, she can't say that. She also can't say anything negative about it, so the only real option is to downplay its importance and hope she can come up with something to outshine it.
If I was Clinton, I'd respond by saying, "I withdraw my nomination. Vote for Obama!" Fat chance tho, huh? Robin
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