Last night Democratic President Barack Obama accepted his party’s nomination for president. As expected, Obama’s speech was excellent, tying together themes of humility, accomplishment, and unfinished business. I don’t think anyone doubted President Obama’s speech would be good, but I was actually a little surprised at how effectively it touted the president’s accomplishments while acknowledging the work left unfinished.
Here’s President Obama’s speech in its entirety:
As I wrote, I think President Obama’s acceptance speech was well-written and well-delivered, but a few of my pro-labor friends had a few bones to pick with President Obama’s speech.
From ironworker Randy Bryce:
Mr. President. I’ll make you a deal. You’ll get my vote.
You have convinced me that you intend to stand up for Working People through your words in another well done speech. You just stated that you will get us back to work. You mentioned “unions” once that I caught. /minor sarcasm
Casting my vote (again) for you entitles me to certain things. I get a voice. My vote comes with the condition that you listen to me/us. I will support your policies that further what you told us in your speech.
I see a vote as a purchase. I’ll “buy” it for your last term, but, you’d best believe I’m going to kick the tires. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the only runnable car on the lot. (I can see the dynamite under the Rmoney-Ryan/Rolls-Royce ready to go off)
Enjoy your last term President Obama. This purchase “entitles” me to critique the purchase and give a review. I will do that.
If I don’t see DRAMATIC change, you can bet I’m not wasting any time going to a different lot next time. I’d even go so far as to scrape together whatever I can and help open up another lot – one that doesn’t sell lemons. One that takes pride in using Union mechanics.If Democrats want to make claim to be “the house that Labor built” – you need to leave the lights on. Otherwise, I know I can count on Motel 6 to do that, and, why do we need a house that we can’t get in to? (I have some personal experience being locked out of that house)
One more thing – tell Rahm to stop being such a prick.
And here’s reaction from Paul:
[I remain] unconvinced and slightly disgruntled. One use of the word “union” in a 40 minute speech is inadequate.
As for my thoughts? President Obama gave a good speech, but it was just that – a speech. Words are meaningless unless backed by action, and on the issues that matter most to me and mine, I’ve seen precious little action. I sincerely hope that when he’s reelected President Obama will finally show that “ramrod” spine that Vice President Joe Biden talked about last night, because on some issues President Obama’s spine seemed to be made of jelly rather than steel.
Paul and Randy, where is your leadership plan to let the American people know how important good labor is to the well being of this country? Where is the story on how you make workers more effective by training and peer consulting? Where is labor’s initiatives to colleges and universities to assure that new technologies are supplied with educated and trained workers? These are programs your leadership should be proposing and you should be supporting. Why are you saddling politicians with these tasks? They are in no position to know the details, or to be able to assure results.
Let me just say that I do not expect politicians to tell the story of labor or to do labor’s job in communicating with potential partners in the field of education. What I expect is for politicians to keep their word. In his campaign Obama promised to work for the Employee Free Choice Act and to stand on the picket line with striking workers. He did neither. He didn’t even try. He avoided both like the plague and doing so cost him my support. He is perfectly happy to ask labor unions to fund his campaign, to knock doors and bring out voters but he doesn’t want to keep his promises once he has what he wants and that is not acceptable.
One consolation was that Obama’s 38 minute speech was one of the shortest in recent history. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/09/07/how-president-obamas-acceptance-speech-stacked-up-in-1-chart/
And the NYT compared the acceptance speech to a contrite spouse trying to save the marriage. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/08/us/politics/obamas-acceptance-speech-tries-to-save-the-marriage-tv-watch.html
I maintain that if President McCain was making an acceptance speech the other night, GM would have been allowed to go bankrupt at the urging of Secretary of Labor Romney and Secretary of the Treasury Ryan. We’d still be in Iraq, doubling down in Afghanistan and preparing for an Iran War, all unpaid for. Even worse, we would continue to gasp in horror should, God forbid, that Vice-President Palin succeed President McCain at his untimely, natural demise. And on and on.
Truly an “Apocalypse Now” rather than a troubled marriage.
I think President Obama’s speech did what he needed it to do. He touted his accomplishments while maintaining humility about the slow economic recovery, and I think he laid out the case for what would happen if a Republican administration is elected.
I’m for OBama as he has the experience of four years that he didn’t have when he went in and he went into a mess. I was unsure at first but have really thought about it and he’s our man. I do believe he believe’s in God and without him he couldn’t do anything. I think he’s learned a lot in the last 4 yrs. and he is an American are he couldn’t be President and he will be President again because he is for our Country. If we don’t put Obama back in as President you don’t know what a mess is but you’ll surely find out. I really feel like he’s the man for our Country. God bless you Mr. Obama you and your family because you have a hard road yet to go and my prayers are for you all. Love in Christ, Grace Ilene Lawler.