A Speech for Obama
What the heck....
My name is Barack Obama. Some of you are hearing it these days as Barack Hussein Obama, which is a whole 'nother issue. So let's talk about something important. For the record, I approve of this message, because it is what I whole-heartedly believe.
[THIS IS THE 'CENTRAL THEME.' NEITHER CANDIDATE SEEMS TO HAVE ONE.]
What you've been hearing on the news for the past several years is that Americans are growing ever more unhappy with the course our country is on. It's one of the oldest questions in the survey business about public attitudes: "Do you believe America is on the right course?" It's a yes or no question and there are years of tracking the results. It's never been this bad. As I'm sure you've heard, the "no" votes are building very rapidly. Lately 80%... eight out of every ten Americans... are saying "no."
My central goal, the very reason I am committed to becoming President of this great nation, is to get us back on the right path. That "right path" differs from person to person, but I want you to know what I mean when I say right path. I want you to decide whether you want to vote for me for the office of President based on what you know I believe and what my specific goals are for this country.
Here is a short description of the 'right path' I will fight to get us on again with all my soul.
The first and simplest goal will be to have most of you - 80% would be nice - to answer 'yes' to the question, "Do you believe America is on the right course?" Why? Here's the 'right path' that I believe in.
The American education system will give every American with the will to excel the fair chance to excel. We will again be the country with the best, most qualified work force in the world. We will have the best, highest paying jobs in the world. The financial safety nets will be back and they will be very effective.
Every American will have fair access to the best medical and health care in the world.
We will have the best infrastructure in the world. Highways, roads, bridges, power grids, high speed Internet and high speed trains, pipelines, efficient vehicles and homes, clean water sources, vibrant ecosystems with low pollution, safe air traffic control, and security against all threats. This infrastructure will support our industries and our environment equally. Building this world class infrastructure will become the work and the passion for millions of our citizens. It will be the best investment this country ever made.
We will be moving rapidly toward real, sustainable energy independence, and in the process of getting there, we will become the world leaders in renewable, sustainable, clean energy sources. We will provide practical solutions to the emission of greenhouse gases. The invention, manufacturing and exporting of these technologies will be the work and passion of many more millions of Americans. It will become the "brand" of American industry.
America will be on course again to be the world leader in sensible solutions to international problems and conflicts. We will tap the genius of our good will to find our real strengths in diplomacy. We will re-learn the art of working with our allies while at the same time encouraging our enemies toward the paths of peace and progress. And if diplomacy fails, we will have evolved from a special interest-oriented military to a lean, efficient, non-privatized military in the best traditions of our magnificent military history.
Most importantly, we will get back to the values that have defined America at its best. We will demonstrably stand and ACT for freedom and liberty and human rights and justice in the ways our system actually invented in many cases, and in all cases we have believed in at our core.
Somehow we will move toward stitching together and curing the wound that has opened in our country as we have been ripped apart by truly vicious political polarization. We will re-learn that we can have different ideas about how to govern our great country without seeing those who disagree as hateful and despicable. The incredible power of mutual respect will replace the sickness of mindless nastiness.
We can only set out to regain the acceptance and even the admiration of the world by being who we really believe we are.
To accomplish all or any part of this course correction will require leadership that is wholly committed to the goal. I give you my word and my oath before God that that is my commitment.
[The accompanying parts of the speech will change with the news every day, but the central message will stay the same. It will be the theme of the rest of the campaign.]
"Of course, it goes without saying that these goals - nor much of any other goal - can be accomplished until we solve this 1.) financial crisis; 2.) this terrible situation in Iraq; 3.) our deteriorating situation in Afghanistan; 4.) this decaying environment..." etc. [The pressing issue of the moment must have real solutions - that might actually work!]
[But always, the message goes back to the central theme of]
GETTING AMERICA BACK ON THE RIGHT COURSE.
So there.
(p.s. I was once a speechwriter for a fine Texas Congressperson, Ray Roberts of McKinney. So, piece of cake.)
My name is Barack Obama. Some of you are hearing it these days as Barack Hussein Obama, which is a whole 'nother issue. So let's talk about something important. For the record, I approve of this message, because it is what I whole-heartedly believe.
[THIS IS THE 'CENTRAL THEME.' NEITHER CANDIDATE SEEMS TO HAVE ONE.]
What you've been hearing on the news for the past several years is that Americans are growing ever more unhappy with the course our country is on. It's one of the oldest questions in the survey business about public attitudes: "Do you believe America is on the right course?" It's a yes or no question and there are years of tracking the results. It's never been this bad. As I'm sure you've heard, the "no" votes are building very rapidly. Lately 80%... eight out of every ten Americans... are saying "no."
My central goal, the very reason I am committed to becoming President of this great nation, is to get us back on the right path. That "right path" differs from person to person, but I want you to know what I mean when I say right path. I want you to decide whether you want to vote for me for the office of President based on what you know I believe and what my specific goals are for this country.
Here is a short description of the 'right path' I will fight to get us on again with all my soul.
The first and simplest goal will be to have most of you - 80% would be nice - to answer 'yes' to the question, "Do you believe America is on the right course?" Why? Here's the 'right path' that I believe in.
The American education system will give every American with the will to excel the fair chance to excel. We will again be the country with the best, most qualified work force in the world. We will have the best, highest paying jobs in the world. The financial safety nets will be back and they will be very effective.
Every American will have fair access to the best medical and health care in the world.
We will have the best infrastructure in the world. Highways, roads, bridges, power grids, high speed Internet and high speed trains, pipelines, efficient vehicles and homes, clean water sources, vibrant ecosystems with low pollution, safe air traffic control, and security against all threats. This infrastructure will support our industries and our environment equally. Building this world class infrastructure will become the work and the passion for millions of our citizens. It will be the best investment this country ever made.
We will be moving rapidly toward real, sustainable energy independence, and in the process of getting there, we will become the world leaders in renewable, sustainable, clean energy sources. We will provide practical solutions to the emission of greenhouse gases. The invention, manufacturing and exporting of these technologies will be the work and passion of many more millions of Americans. It will become the "brand" of American industry.
America will be on course again to be the world leader in sensible solutions to international problems and conflicts. We will tap the genius of our good will to find our real strengths in diplomacy. We will re-learn the art of working with our allies while at the same time encouraging our enemies toward the paths of peace and progress. And if diplomacy fails, we will have evolved from a special interest-oriented military to a lean, efficient, non-privatized military in the best traditions of our magnificent military history.
Most importantly, we will get back to the values that have defined America at its best. We will demonstrably stand and ACT for freedom and liberty and human rights and justice in the ways our system actually invented in many cases, and in all cases we have believed in at our core.
Somehow we will move toward stitching together and curing the wound that has opened in our country as we have been ripped apart by truly vicious political polarization. We will re-learn that we can have different ideas about how to govern our great country without seeing those who disagree as hateful and despicable. The incredible power of mutual respect will replace the sickness of mindless nastiness.
We can only set out to regain the acceptance and even the admiration of the world by being who we really believe we are.
To accomplish all or any part of this course correction will require leadership that is wholly committed to the goal. I give you my word and my oath before God that that is my commitment.
[The accompanying parts of the speech will change with the news every day, but the central message will stay the same. It will be the theme of the rest of the campaign.]
"Of course, it goes without saying that these goals - nor much of any other goal - can be accomplished until we solve this 1.) financial crisis; 2.) this terrible situation in Iraq; 3.) our deteriorating situation in Afghanistan; 4.) this decaying environment..." etc. [The pressing issue of the moment must have real solutions - that might actually work!]
[But always, the message goes back to the central theme of]
GETTING AMERICA BACK ON THE RIGHT COURSE.
So there.
(p.s. I was once a speechwriter for a fine Texas Congressperson, Ray Roberts of McKinney. So, piece of cake.)
Comments
You've always had a way with words. Just like 'The Messiah' you aspire to lofty goals to which few could disagree. But just like 'The Messiah' the 'how to's' are missing. Let me help you. Maybe the simple answer is -- let's just nationalize everything and get cozy with socialism. After all, we're 'entitled' aren't we? Let's hand over our pocket books and let Obama & Co. spend on our behalf. I wonder if those steps would get the 80% who now think we're headed in the wrong direction to increase to 95%? For me, less government, please -- not more! If Democrats want to vote for a democrat, McCain is their man. Obama is the socialist candidate. We Republicans don't have a conservative candidate in the race (that's our fault).
Your Pal,
Billy