Obama's speeches are just so darned inspiring...

by Jen P
(Seattle, WA)

Now that we’re really getting into the thick of the presidential campaign, I am beginning to understand why pundits and potential voters are complaining about his lack of substance. Like these folks, I really want Obama to get specific about what he plans to do about health care, energy policy, global warming, etc. and stop just going on about how he opposed the Iraq war from the beginning.

All that said, I still really like watching him speak. The man has charisma. He also knows all the right keywords and phrases and how to use them to pump up the crowd. And he sounds classy doing it! The man just has a presidential voice, there’s no getting around it.

Mind you, I wasn’t alive at the time, but the only thing I can think to compare it to are JFK’s speeches. Obama’s “we are the people we’ve been waiting for” theme isn’t too far off from JFK’s “ask not what your country can do for you”. I don’t say this to directly compare Obama to JFK – I don’t know enough about either of them to be able to say that. I’m just trying to say that Obama knows how to be iconic.

I know that while some of this has to be a natural gift, a lot of it is campaign spin and carefully crafted wordplay that keys into all our subconscious cues for greatness.

That said…he is just so darned inspiring.

I get that happy heart lifting feeling when I listen to his speeches, even though I know that most of it could be hot air. Whatever else you want to say about Obama, he knows how to make a good speech.