Obama tells N.H. graduates everything isn't about them

[Colobo]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2007/05/19/obama_tells_nh_graduates_everything_isnt_about_them/

"There's often an assumption on days like today that growing up is purely a function of age; that becoming an adult is an inevitable progression that can be measured by a series of milestones -- college graduation or your first job or the first time you throw a party where you also serve food," Obama said.

"And yet, maturity does not come from any one occasion. It emerges as a quality of character. Because the fact is, I know a whole lot of 30- and 40- and 50-year olds who have not yet put away childish things, who continually struggle to rise above the selfish or the petty or the small."

Obama never mentioned the unpopular war in Iraq, which former Sen. John Edwards made the centerpiece of his commencement address a week earlier at New England College. Obama only mentioned his presidential campaign twice -- once as a punchline, another to recognize a campaign volunteer who was graduating that day -- although the remarks at time echoed the biographical section of his stump speech.

"I ended up paying for my first law degree for years and years, so for all of you with visions of law school, I'd consider running for president and waiting for a commencement invite instead because it's much cheaper to get your degree this way," Obama joked.

But throughout the address, Obama called on the 1,000 graduates and 7,700-person crowd to take action and take responsibility -- a theme echoed on the campaign trail.

"You will be tested by the challenges of this new century, and at times you will fail," Obama said. "But know that you have it within your power to try, that generations who have come before you faced these same fears and uncertainties in their own time, and that if we're willing to shoulder each other's burdens, to take great risks and to persevere through trial, America will continue its journey towards that distant horizon and a better day."

He said the fear of failure should not paralyze them.

"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not," Obama said.

The day brought other moments of levity.

"Sen., I, too, was told that the campus of Southern New Hampshire University may just not be ready to elect a president with a funny name like Okendo and the tinge of the skin like my own" said Okendo Lewis-Gayle, president of the Student Government Association. "Don't let them stop you, senator. Don't let them stop you, senator."

[TwilightGardener]

1. Loved this--showing it to my husband! Thanks!

[Adelante]

2. I like that

Very important points he made.

[Colobo]

3. He gave these graduates a great message

Life is not only about "ME", but also about "THEM".

[Ethelk2044]

4. This is one of the

best lessons for young adults.

[illinoisprogressive]

5. wonderful.

[w4rma]

6. So Obama's speech was basically non-informational filler. He said zip about any important issue.

Yeah, I'm liking this Obama guy even less now.

Lower your expectations, students! The jobs are all being shipped overseas (although he won't mention the second part).

[TwilightGardener]

7. It was a commencement address. He correctly didn't use it to campaign.

He addressed the students and their graduation and their futures--he didn't make it about issues and politics. He did exactly the right thing--he knows what's appropriate, which is why I have such faith in his judgment.

[w4rma]

8. His campaign speeches are non-informational filler, also. This speech could have easily been one of

his normal campaign speeches.

I'm not ready to drink the Obama kool-aid. No thanks.

[TwilightGardener]

9. Uh, taking that with a grain of salt, coming from an Edwards supporter.

[w4rma]

10. Uh, taking that with a grain of salt, coming from an Obama supporter.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Mexican standoff! :)

[Dawgs]

20. Yeah, as an Edwards supporter I'm sure you read or view his speeches.

If you have to attack the other candidates to make yours look better, maybe you need to find a better candidate.

[Colobo]

12. Whatever Obama is doing

is proving way more effective than what some other candidate is doing...

[w4rma]

13. It helps (during the primary) that big media Republicans want the Democratic nominee to be

either Hillary or Obama.

Because they are both either easy targets or neo-liberals.

Don't get cocky over that type of primary election advantage.

[Colobo]

14. I'm not cocky, just responding to your attack at Obama

It looks like Hillary is in a great moment now, because the supporters of Edwards and Obama are going at each other, at least here in DU.

[w4rma]

15. Hillary concerns me the most. (nt)

[beaconess]

19. I would have been royally pissed if a presidential candidate were my commencement speaker and s/he

used the forum to launch a political stump speech.

Obama did what he was supposed to do and, as usual, handled himself with grace and tact.

Everything doesn't have to be a political diatribe, you know.

[flpoljunkie]

16. Closing paragraphs of Obama's commencement speech today in NH...

A lot is riding on the decisions that are made and the leadership that is provided by this generation. We are counting on you to help fix a health care system that’s leaving too many Americans sick or bankrupt or both. We are counting on you to bring this planet back from the brink by solving this crisis of global climate change. We are counting on you to help stop a genocide in Darfur that’s taking the lives of innocents as we speak here today. And we’re counting on you to restore the image of America around the world that has led so many like Richard Komi to find liberty, and opportunity, and hope on our doorstep.

There are some who are betting against you – who say that you don’t pay attention, that you don’t show up to vote, that you’re too concerned with your own lives and your own problems.

Well that’s not what I believe and it’s not what I’ve seen. Instead I’ve seen rallies filled with crowds that stretch far into the horizon; thousands upon thousands signing up to organize online; scores who are coming to the very first political event of their lifetime. And just a few hours before this commencement, I got the opportunity to send off hundreds of people who have chosen to take time out of their busy lives and spend an entire Saturday knocking on doors here in New Hampshire. Because they’re not content to sit back and watch anymore. Because they believe they can help this country grow.

And whenever the doubt creeps in and I find myself wondering if change is really possible, I end up thinking about the young Americans – teenagers and college kids not much older than you – who watched the Civil Rights Movement unfold before them on television sets all across the country.

I imagine that they would’ve seen the marchers and heard the speeches, but they also probably saw the dogs and the fire hoses, or the footage of innocent people being beaten within an inch of their lives; or heard the news the day those four little girls died when someone threw a bomb into their church.

Instinctively, they knew that it was safer and smarter to stay at home; to watch the movement from afar. But they also understood that these people in Georgia and Alabama and Mississippi were their brothers and sisters; that what was happening was wrong; and that they had an obligation to make it right. When the buses pulled up for a Freedom Ride down South, they got on. They took a risk. And they changed the world.

Now it’s your turn. You will be tested by the challenges of this new century, and at times you will fail. But know that you have it within your power to try. That generations who have come before you faced these same fears and uncertainties in their own time. And that if we’re willing to shoulder each other’s burdens, to take great risks, and to persevere through trial, America will continue its journey towards that distant horizon, and a better day.

Thank you, and congratulations on your graduation.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post_group/ObamaHQ/CrBT

[Cameron27]

17. A very nice speech

that's quite appropriate for a commencement address.

[Ethelk2044]

18. It is a beautiful Speech

[Cameron27]

22. I agree, beautiful.

:-)

[Dawgs]

21. GREAT SPEECH!!

Only a desperate Edwards supporter would find a reason to attack a great DEMOCRAT like Obama.

Oh yeah, Edwards is ALSO A GREAT DEMOCRAT.