Obama Fan Robinson: Key Passage Didn’t ‘Pop’ Like Obama Wanted

FinkelBlog ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Q. How do you know the Obama inaugural speech was a bit of a flop?

A. When even an unreconstructed Obama fan like Eugene Robinson pans perhaps its key passage.

The Washington Post columnist participated in the post-inaugural kibitz session on MSNBC. Before moving to his remarks, lets’s consider the lineup the network chose for the segment: Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow, the aforementioned Robinson, and as cherry on top . . . Keith Olbermann. Now that’s what I call fair-and-balanced coverage!

Olbermann suggested that a certain passage was the heart of the speech. Robinson agreed, but then proceeded to politely give it a thumbs-down . . .

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Even Obama fan Gene Robinson didn’t like speech much ping to Today show list.

[Dr. Ursus]

The first affirmative action inaugural address.

[RobRoy]

It starts...

[ontap]

I found the speech to be uninspiring and a bore! I was really expecting a lot more out of the great orator!

[Right Wing Assault]

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

It's hard for a 68-word sentence to 'pop.'

[anniegetyourgun]

You mean it wasn't brilliant?

[KarlInOhio]

What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

Trying to fancy up and hide its original form "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country" along with a little "not because they are easy, but because they are hard".

[Cowboy Bob]

I found the speech to be uninspiring and a bore! I was really expecting a lot more out of the great orator!

I guess school children for the next several generations won't be reciting the speech after all. The MSM spent the last 4 days telling us how brilliant it will be...

[autumnraine]

Now that the orgasm is over, will all the young 20 somethings really enjoy all that mandatory “volunteering” they will be required to do?

[ontap]

I would guess it to be one of, if not the shortest address ever. With nothing I would call memorable. Really lame!!

[Army Air Corps]

My response to Obama is this

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Great point. Brevity soul of wit.

[LeonardFMason]

For inspiring check out Reagan’s first innaugral speech. BTW, Obama couldn’t shine Reagan’ shoes as a speechmaker. On second thought.......

[Roses0508]

Possibly they are not pleased over the whole “responsibility” thing. Maybe Obama has learned a few sobering truths in the last weeks.

[Army Air Corps]

That was a great speech. I watched it as a young lad. Might I also recommend this.

[tophat9000]

Obama as Soros Muppet?

[xkaydet65]

I can accept his borrowing from JFK, FDR and even his attempt at being Ronald Wilson Reagan, but when he ends his address with a clear ripoff of Winston Churchill’s “their Finest Hour”, I draw the line.
And I agree with most here. It was a poorly delivered speech from a man who has a truly undeserved reputation as a great orator. At the very least he needs to learn voice modulation.

[Tanniker Smith]

I was waiting for a good quote that I could put on the wall and point to when my students remind me for the umpteenth time, "the president's a black man".

I've already told them, "Obama will get you into school. You have to do the rest by yourself." (Actually, it didn't take Obama to get them into this school, but just saying the O-word got them listening. Oddly, or maybe not, they didn't know how to respond to that.)

[Enchante]

"there is nothing sothan giving our all to a difficult task."

OOPS, considering that Obambi is a Columbia U. and Harvard Law grad, and that he has a horde of professional speechwriters, it's BAD that none of them caught this mistake.

You say "nothing so satisfying AS....."

or you say "nothing MORE satisfying THAN......"

But you don't say "nothing SO satisfying THAN......"

Considering that this is supposed to be one of the "money shots" of the speech, that's poor drafting (unless Obambi simply mis-read what was in his prepared text.... then it's all on him).