Obama’s Nomination Speech – The Stakes
Timothy Egan explains it very well:
When Barack Obama goes before 70,000 people at Invesco Field on Thursday night, he will try to be the voice for those who also feel forgotten in the age of the global economy, among the nearly 80 percent of voters who say the nation is on the wrong track. But he’s fighting the headwinds of history. Obama is now clearly the underdog, as the weight of just how unusual his candidacy is becomes clear to voters, who truly only focus as summer ends.
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Obama himself spent much of his life trying to fit into his identity…
The dissonance that Obama felt growing up is now shared by many voters. Where does he fit in their lives?
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Two months from now, people may remember Teddy Kennedy’s heroic effort to hold onto life long enough for one last speech, and Hillary Clinton’s tangerine pantsuit. If her supporters vote for McCain they were never Democrats anyway, or they’re clueless, like the former Clinton supporter in the Republican ad who mistakenly thought McCain was pro-choice on abortion.
Those vignettes, all part of convention drama and filling cable television’s vacuum, will last no longer than a Rocky Mountain thunderstorm.
What people will remember is whether the stranger in the stadium sounded like someone who could lead them to a better day.
I have a feeling he is up to the task and will deliver an exceptional speech tonight that takes him to the next level.
Oh, and Tom Tomorrow spreads the rumour that Springsteen’s going to perform after Obama’s speech.
