Barack Obama knows how to deliver a speech well. But, in all seriousness, a good delivery doesn’t make the message delivered any more true than if it is poorly delivered. And the very worst liars are often enough the very best talkers.
According to FactCheck.org, Obama “stuck to the facts except when he stretched them.” I would argue that he stretched them beyond the point of ridiculous on a number of occasions.
At the macro level, one serious criticism is that Obama fundamentally contradicted himself. He spent the first third of the speech engaging in classic old-style politics, delivering several unfair and frankly over-the-top attacks. Then he spent the last third talking about new politics, rising above attacks, coming together, and having the grace to build bridges. You can’t start off delivering an old-style attack, and then claim that you represent a new style.
Also at the macro level, Barack Obama, whose campaign theme has been “change we can believe in,” promised to “spell out exactly what that change would mean” and deliver a “workmanlike” speech. But, as two Associated Press articles report, Obama too often only “touched on major issues quickly and lightly,” and when he actually offered specifics, the vision he presented “collided with reality.”
For the links to the AP stories, and for more analysis of Obama’s speech, continue reading. (more…)
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