he has good speech writers (I didn't suspect that he actually wrote the whole thing himself) but I'm impressed by any politician who has the balls to say what others are apparently afraid to say. I realize that the speech was motivated by "damage control" but, damn, it's a great speech.
I have not been at all impressed with Obama and never "got" his charisma thing. In fact, when I've heard/viewed him speak I have been left cold -- he doesn't come across to me as sincere (I get the same creepy feeling with Bobby Jindal). I read the Obama speech before I viewed him presenting it and found it much more powerful on the page. I think it may go down in history as a turning point; the first time a major American politician cogently addressed racial issues from both sides.
And no doubt, you're right, Rita. We have to see.
On a lighter note, I can't get out of my head that my mother first thought his name was Barack O'Bama. But she thought Franco Harris was Frank O'Harris.
Mr. Lake
New Orleans Past
