What Obama Did Say

January 21, 2009 by Jerry

The anticipation leading up to Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address yesterday was as emotionally loaded as awaiting the outcome of a lottery drawing, and as covered in print as much as the Super Bowl. Experts of every type from historians to speechwriters, and from journalists to speech coaches (full disclosure), offered their expectations of what Obama would say. In most cases, opinions focused in two general areas: themes and inspirations. It would be wise to allow the gold dust to settle a bit before commenting on the grand themes of this momentous occasion, so let me focus only on the sources of Obama’s inspiration.

Given the many characteristics that Barack Obama shares with Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, most writers forecast (full disclosure, again) that there would be echoes of, if not direct references to the classic words of those two presidents. There were indeed echoes, but they were very faint. Most of Obama’s words were very much in the here and now; about the challenges facing the nation and what we must do to confront and resolve them. And he couched those issues and actions in his very own words and his very own rhetorical tropes, rather than draw upon others.

Only when he neared the end of his speech did he cite a source directly, and it was George Washington. Quoting from the First President’s First Inaugural, Obama intoned, “Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

It should come as no surprise that Obama looks so deeply into our nation’s roots. One has only to look at his own breakthrough speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, when he quoted the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights;” and in his March, 2008 speech on race, when he quoted the Constitution, “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union.” It was not until his victory speech last November that he quoted Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural, “We are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”

Given to force and power of yesterday’s speech, I’d say President Obama doesn’t need any help.

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One Response to “What Obama Did Say”

mdesilets on January 21st, 2009 12:53 pm

At a time when hope is perhaps the intangible the country needs most, on several levels, Obama is poised to deliver, instill and provide that hope. Great post!!!

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