t r u t h o u t | Perspective
|
In Obama's closing argument, which he is delivering throughout Iowa this week, he argues that he can't wait another four years - that his moment is now.
He challenges those who argue that he doesn't have the experience, by tying his opponents to experience working in a system that is broken. He argues that as an organizer on the South Side of Chicago, and as a civil rights attorney, he learned what people really need from Washington.
Bill Clinton said a few weeks ago that a vote for Obama is "a roll of the dice." Obama counters by arguing that the real gamble is voting for candidates who will continue to operate in a system that is not working and expect different results.
Obama argues that he has not taken PAC money or corporate donations, so he will not be owned by the special interests in Washington. He went on to say that those special interests are worried and are joining the fight against him:
"And now, in four days, you have a chance once again to prove the cynics wrong. In four days, what was improbable has the chance to beat what Washington said was inevitable. And that's why in these last weeks, Washington is fighting back with everything it has - with attack ads and insults; with distractions and dishonesty; with millions of dollars from outside groups and undisclosed donors to try and block our path.
|
"Because I know that when the American people believe in something, it happens.
"If you believe, then we can tell the lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over."
Obama delivered his closing argument on the South Side of Des Moines Sunday night in front of a standing room only crowd that was diverse: young, old, children, senior citizens.
Mark Bradley, a Des Moines resident, said that he has never caucused before, but will this time: "I travel oversees and have watched our image in the world decline. Barack Obama can turn that around; his message rekindles my belief in America"
Others agreed that Obama's message of hope is timely. Sara Davis, who last voted for Ronald Reagan, said: "Obama is the first candidate in a long time that has inspired me." She went on to say that everyone she talks to is jaded; they don't recognize the America that we have become", but she believes Obama is genuine. She said, "He could have written his own check on Wall Street, or joined a high-powered law firm, but he instead he dedicated himself to improving people's lives."
|
"I've spoken to Americans in every corner of the state, patriots all, who wonder why we have allowed our standing in the world to decline so badly, so quickly. They know this has not made us safer. They know that we must never negotiate out of fear, but that we must never fear to negotiate with our enemies as well as our friends. They are ashamed of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo and warrantless wiretaps and ambiguity on torture. They love their country and want its cherished values and ideals restored."
Obama delivered these remarks on a day when the latest polls show the race for the Democratic Party nomination locked in a three-way dead heat.
The buzz around here is on the GOP side; it's about to get really ugly. Mike Huckabee spent most of Sunday recording an ad that was to attack Mitt Romney, who has been hitting Huckabee for weeks. In a surprise move today, Huckabee announced he would not run the ad and then promptly showed the ad to the media at a press conference. "Iowans have a right to know the truth about Mitt Romney's dishonest attacks on me and an American hero, John McCain," Huckabee said in the pulled ad. "If a man's dishonest to obtain a job he'll be dishonest on the job."
Later in the day, three people, including Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, were arrested in Huckabee's office while protesting the war.
The Bloomberg rumors have returned. The rumor is that he will decide on whether to launch a third-party campaign based on who the nominees are.
Hillary and Bill will ring in the New Year at a campaign party in Des Moines. None of the candidates will be taking New Year's Day off. They all will be touring Iowa, campaigning to the last minute.
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment