Memory Lane: My favorite Obama speeches

Some of my favorite speeches:

• Obama's DNC Keynote 2004: "There's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America."
• Launching the presidential campaign: "By ourselves, this change will not happen. Divided, we are bound to fail. But the life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible. He tells us that there is power in words. He tells us that there is power in conviction. That beneath all the differences of race and region, faith and station, we are one people. He tells us that there is power in hope."
• Yes We Can: " But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. For when we have faced down impossible odds; when we've been told that we're not ready, or that we shouldn't try, or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people. Yes we can." (The video that was inspired by this speech)
  
• Just Words: "Don't tell me that words don't matter. I have a dream. Just words. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. Just words. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Just words... Don't tell me words don't matter, don't tell me ideals and inspiration don't matter, don't tell me hope doesn't matter. It's fascinating to me to see my campaign criticized because I talk about hope too much. 'He's talkin' about hope again, he's so naive, he's so idealistic, his head's in the clouds, he's a hope-monger...Nothing in this country worthwhile has ever happened except that someone was willing to hope. That's how this country was founded..."
  
• "A More Perfect Union" Speech on Racism: "I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together - unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes."
• Speech in Berlin: "People of the world – look at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one."
• DNC Acceptance 2008: "What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me; it's about you."

• 

  Obama's Closing Argument: From Canton, Ohio "I knew that the size of our challenges had outgrown the smallness of our politics. I believed that Democrats and Republicans and Americans of every political stripe were hungry for new ideas, new leadership, and a new kind of politics – one that favors common sense over ideology; one that focuses on those values and ideals we hold in common as Americans. Most of all, I believed in your ability to make change happen. I knew that the American people were a decent, generous people who are willing to work hard and sacrifice for future generations. And I was convinced that when we come together, our voices are more powerful than the most entrenched lobbyists, or the most vicious political attacks, or the full force of a status quo in Washington that wants to keep things just the way they are. Twenty-one months later, my faith in the American people has been vindicated. That's how we've come so far and so close – because of you. That's how we'll change this country – with your help. And that's why we can't afford to slow down, sit back, or let up for one day, one minute, or one second in this last week. Not now. Not when so much is at stake."

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ONE WEEK TO GO !!!!

7 DAYS to the election!

Tomorrow, October 29, is official Happy Fun Day:

• Barack campaigns in Florida with Bill Clinton.
• He will also air his half hour of prime address-the-nation time at 8 pm local time. It appears from our DirecTV guide, that the speech will air on the West Coast at 8 pm PT on NBC and CBS (though oddly, not on ABC), and a half hour later at 8:30pm PT on Fox (delayed by the World Series Game 6), however, those of us on the West Coast can watch it at 5 pm PT on BET if you have cable. Woo-hoo!
• And extra bonus: Obama will be on Jon Stewart's Daily Show that night !!!! Double Woo-Hoo!!! (Stewart has a page on his site: What should Jon ask Barack....?)