New York Times Refuses To Believe Obama Will Draft His Own Inaugural Address»

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/25/obama-speech/

New York Times Refuses To Believe Obama Will Draft His Own Inaugural Address»



In an article about the upcoming White House transition, the New York Times’ Peter Baker and Jackie Calmes note that John Podesta “has been preparing for the task at the research organization he runs, the Center for American Progress.” The article proceeds to offer this sensational claim: “Mr. Podesta has been mapping out the transition so systematically that he has already written a draft Inaugural Address for Mr. Obama, which he published this summer in a book called ‘The Power of Progress.’”

While this claim makes for an interesting story, it’s not true. A couple key facts:

– The book, which was in the works for over a year and was written with the help of CAP’s in-house progressive historian John Halpin, traces the history and successes of progressive politics in the 20th Century, draws lessons from that history, and then applies those lessons to the big challenges facing the country — the global economy, global warming, and global security. At the end, there is a sample inaugural address written not “for Mr. Obama,” but rather, clearly offered as a literary device to summarize the main arguments in the book.

– The inaugural address was written and submitted to the publisher in March 2008, during a time when Podesta was supporting Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Podesta re-did the introduction to the book — but not the inaugural address — in June when it became clear that Obama would emerge as the nominee.

Apparently, Baker and Calmes have a hard time believing that Sen. Obama, who has authored two best-selling autobiographies, could manage to draft his own Inaugural Address if he is elected President.

Baker and Calmes should know better. Obama has been intimately involved in writing many of the most important speeches over the course of his career:

– Prior to his 2004 Democratic Convention speech, Obama “made it clear to his staff that he wanted to create this speech on his own.”

– Obama’s address on race in America in March of this year “wasn’t a speech by committee…Obama wrote the speech himself, working on it for two days and nights,” and staying up until 2 am the night before to finish it.

– For his 2008 Democratic convention speech, Obama also “wrote much of the speech himself,” staying alone in a hotel room “for 20 hours, until past midnight each day” to draft it.

And yet, despite the record, the New York Times would have the public believe that Obama has already outsourced the most important speech of his career.

[BlooInBloo]

1. (shrug) They're stupid, then.

[vaberella]

5. I concur. n/t

[La Lioness Priyanka]

19. not really. i think the blog writer need to get a life.

[babylonsister]

23. Except that now McBush is using this 'fact' in his speeches; maybe

that's why ThinkProgress is making such a big deal about this.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. can you really blame a writer who very vaguely alluded to something

if a candidate will lie about it?

also mccain has been arguing for a while now that obama is already sort of sure that he will win. i have heard him say this for atleast a month now.

i am not saying that we should give people a pass when they lie about obama, but blaming writers and journalists when they are just doing their job, because mccain is a liar, seems counterproductive to me.

[yardwork]

2. Black guy can't possibly write his own speeches....

Sometimes I actually despair of this country, the stupidity and racism runs so deep.

[ananda]

4. I think they're just so used to rampant stupidity in the WH.

nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. i really think thats a huge stretch for a newspaper that just endorsed obama

and commented many times on his intellectual prowess

[ananda]

3. They're not used to candidates intelligent and thoughtful..

.. and charismatic enough to draft and
make their own speeches... like Obama.

[tekisui]

6. I don't really give a shit who writes it, as long as President Elect Obama

is delivering it.

[EFerrari]

13. You said it. He can read "Green Eggs and Ham" for all I care.

Good grief, another day of stupid at the NYTs.

[pnwmom]

16. Or "The Places You'll Go!" -- also by Seuss. n/t

[Triana]

7. I don't want to even HEAR a speech Obama didn't write himself...

..I've been blown away by the ones I have heard. It was his March speech on race that won me over to Obama. Heck, the man has written TWO best-selling books for chrissakes.

I'm sure he will INSIST that his inauguration speech not be ghostwritten and that he will write it himself.

Those guys at CAP are dreaming.

EDIT: And I've listened to his nomination acceptance speech at LEAST 5 times. It's a piece of history that will never be forgotten.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. do you have a link to this article? Did obama at any point promise to write this speech himself?

just the other day the nytimes strongly endorsed obama

[babylonsister]

15. Yes, here. Seems like they're assuming since Podesta wrote a book

with an inaugural address in it, that's what Obama would be using. I can't imagine Obama delivering someone else's speech on so important an occasion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/us/politics/25transition.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. another much about ado about nothing combined with a slight amount of intellectual dishonesty

there is one thing being suspicious of the media, but the NY times is hardly a right wing rag. In a 2 page article one paragraph barely suggests that podesta wrote a draft inaugural speech. says no where that obama has agreed to use it.

"Mr. Podesta has been mapping out the transition so systematically that he has already written a draft Inaugural Address for Mr. Obama, which he published this summer in a book called “The Power of Progress.” The speech calls for rebuilding a “grand alliance” with the rest of the world, bringing troops home from Iraq, recommitting to the war in Afghanistan, cutting poverty in half in 10 years and reducing greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2050."

As i said, much to do over nothing. Whomever runs the blog, should find something more substantial to rant about.

[billyoc]

10. This is what's become of the McCain campaign; arguing about who's writing Obama's inaugural address

:rofl:

[Jennicut]

11. Yup. McInsane has imploded and its getting a bit too late for him.

[WinkyDink]

12. I've heard those Harvard grads have a difficult time composing essays.

[Faygo Kid]

14. Lincoln wrote his own stuff. But even he shared it with people like Stanton.

Nobody writes all their own stuff.

The difference is, Obama lays it all out. W. has it written for him. In crayon, of course.

[cynatnite]

17. I didn't get that impression at all from this article...

besides a draft is just that...a draft.

[nc4bo]

20. John Mccain just said at his rally that Obama already has his IA completed

said he read it in a newspaper......:wtf:

Hope he chokes on his tongue.

[K Gardner]

25. And no one, NO ONE, will call him on this blatant lie.

[Jacobin]

21. He was the editor of the fricking Harvard Law Review

This guy is exceedingly well equipped to write.

Why would anyone doubt his writing and speaking abilities.

He's one of the best in a generation or more

[cosmicsheep]

22. McSame is already using this, and I bet he will on MTP tomorrow as well

Wonder if Brokaw will call him on it.

On second thought, no I don't, Brokaw will probably have pom poms at the ready for him tomorrow.