Obama’s Last Lecture (w/ Video) - FDL

[WillyT]

Obama’s Last Lecture
By: David Dayen - FDL
Sunday July 17, 2011 3:00 pm

<snip>

One of the more constant critiques of this Presidency is that Barack Obama has failed to teach a generation of willing listeners a story about his beliefs and his values, something that will outlast his term in office and provide a blueprint for the future. This isn’t true. He’s teaching a fundamental lesson. It just may not be one that progressives value.

In March, Obama spoke to college students of a range of political beliefs – Democrats, Republicans and independents – after a speech in the Boston area. In this video, released by the White House this weekend and given prominent treatment, including a blast of the video to supporters by David Plouffe, Obama explains what I have to assume is his core belief about politics in America. It is that compromise is necessary in our democracy, even virtuous. You cannot get 100% of what you want at any time, no matter if you’re in the majority or the minority, Obama says, and all that we can expect is to move forward incrementally, believing that others will pick up the ball down the road and carry on.

This is Obama’s last lecture. It’s what he wants to impart to the next generation. He outright says that:

One of the challenges of this generation is I think to understand that the nature of our democracy and the nature of our politics is to marry principle to a political process that means you don’t get 100% of what you want. You don’t get it if you’re in the majority, you don’t get it if you’re in the minority.

You can be honorable in politics understanding you don’t always get what you want.

<snip>

Much More (w/ Video): http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/07/17/obamas-last-lecture/

:shrug:

[WillyT]

1. "Last Lecture" Refers To A Final Accounting Of One's Philosophy And Dreams...

It's based on this: http://www.thelastlecture.com/

:shrug:

[Tx4obama]

3. Yep.

And at first I thought the OP was going to be that some found an old video of Obama's last lecture he gave when he was a law professor in at the Chicago law college --- so I am disappointed ;(

[KoKo]

16. Willy T...It's interesting that Obama goes after the Huffington Post in this speech about Lincoln...

From the article by David Dayen:

Obama gives the example of Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation to underline his belief in compromise:

Abraham Lincoln. Here’s a guy who didn’t believe in slavery, but his first priority was keeping the union. I’ve got a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation in my office, and if you read through it, most of the document is those states and areas where emancipation doesn’t apply because those folks are allied with the union so they can keep their slaves.

Here’s a wartime President making a compromise around the greatest moral issue that the country ever faced, because he understood that his job was to win the war and maintain the union. Can you imagine how the Huffington Post would have reported on that? It would have been blistering. “Lincoln Sells Out Slaves.” There would be protests, and we’re going to run a third party guy.

This is the second time the Huffington Post, obviously a thorn in the side of the President, is mentioned in this video. The first time, he says that “if you read the Huffington Post, you’d think that I was some right-wing tool of Wall Street.” He is not the biggest fan of their business and political coverage, I gather.

I don’t think anyone would disagree that Obama deeply believes this in his core. The man who came to power on a message of hope is saying that there’s no real hope in implementing the full governing agenda in the American system. That’s true, apparently, even if you have a large majority in the House and 60 votes in the Senate, which Obama had for several months of his first term. That’s true, apparently, even if we’re talking about issues and policies where the President has full authority on his own, with HAMP being the best example.

[WillyT]

21. Yep... He Really, Really, Does Not Like Criticism From The Left...

No matter how warranted.

AMY GOODMAN: Have you let President Obama know your views? You have been with him.

HARRY BELAFONTE: Every opportunity I’ve had to put that before him, he has heard. I have not had a chance to put it to him as forcefully as I would like to, because he has not yet given us the accessibility to those places where this could be said in a more articulate way and not always on the fly.

But he once said something to me during his campaign for the presidency, and he says — he said, you know — I said, "I’ve heard you" — he was talking before businessmen on Wall Street here in — there in New York. And he said to me — I said, "Well, you know, I hope you bring the challenge more forcefully to the table." And he said, "Well, when are you and Cornel West going to cut me some slack?" And I got caught with that remark. And I said to him, in rebuttal, I said, "What makes you think we haven’t?" And the truth of the matter is that we were somewhat contained even at the extent to which we criticized him during the campaign, in the hopes that it would energize his capacity to get elected and that, once he was elected, that burden would be off his back and he would use this new platform to do things other than what we have been experiencing. And I think any further retreat from bringing truth to power and forcing him to hear the voice of the people would be a disservice to this country and all that it promises to be.

Link: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/16/sing_your_song_harry_belafonte_on

:shrug:

:hi:

[KoKo]

25. Thanks for that quote from Belafonte.

Maybe he criticizes the Left who criticize him because he has a conscience that bothers him? There would be some hope for him if that was true. But, it's not good to cut off people who supported you while pandering to Repugs. That's the puzzle with him.

I know some say that give him a second term and he will suddenly have power he didn't have with the first term. Still, turning off many who worked hard to get you elected is demoralizing to the troops you need fighting for you. He's a puzzle...there are many missing pieces to him, imho.

[Historic NY]

24. So whats your point the Huffington post is a hack blog sold out to the RW

Those that say their on his side aren't.. Lincoln would have had the same problem....once all the ponies were sold off.

[Jefferson23]

2. !00%? No one was expecting that, and he knows it. I know now I was wrong

to expect it would be much better than this.

K&R

[WillyT]

5. Yeah... Imagine If That Had Been His 2008 Campaign Slogan...

"You Can't Always Get What You Want!"

At least the Rolling Stones could have played at his concession speech party.

:shrug:

[blue neen]

4. This is inappropriate.

Randy Pausch died of pancreatic cancer on July 25, 2008 at the age of 47. He gave his "Last Lecture" shortly after he received his diagnosis in 2007.

IMHO, I feel the reference to the "Last Lecture" to make a political statement is disrespectful to Dr. Pausch's memory and to his family.

"Be good at something. It makes you valuable. Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome."
— Randy Pausch

[CakeGrrl]

6. More FDL PsyOps?

'(President Obama's) just not that into you.'

'He thinks you're idiots.'

'He thinks you're children.'

'Everything he does is a slap in the face to Progressives.'

Yes, the message coming from Repub shill Hamsher is clear: Don't focus on the policies, get people to hate the MAN. Make it personal. Make it seem like he hates you, talks down to you, wants to see you suffer.

Too bad so many are suckered by her shtick.

[dionysus]

7. you forgot "obama supporters are the dumbest motherfuckers on the planet"

[CakeGrrl]

22. Of course.

Once the mouth-foaming hatred for the President has been built up, amp up the contempt for people who don't share the level of anger that's been fostered.

Nasty stuff. She's going to create a contingent of very angry people on the fringe by playing to their fears and anxieties.

[Bobbie Jo]

8. Why dump this FDL trash here?

Unrec. Pfffft. :eyes:

Hamsher is the dumbest motherfucking GOP shill on earth.

[WillyT]

9. I Can Dump Whatever Trash I Want Bobbie Jo

Plus... it was the White House who put this out this weekend for all to see.

You wouldn't want to be critical of the White House, now would you?

:shrug:

[dionysus]

11. admitting it's trash is a good first step. thank you.

:P

[Bobbie Jo]

19. !

...and THAT, as they say, is that. :rofl:

[blue neen]

12. I didn't see anywhere that the White House was referring to this video as "The Last Lecture".

:shrug:

[dionysus]

10. [phone]

[DJ13]

13. We really needed another FDR

Instead, we got another Gandhi who will reach out to the other side until they finish ruining our country.

[WillyT]

14. I'm Thinking More... Neville Chamberlain...

And I actually believed after Bush, we WERE getting a modern day FDR... was I wrong.



:shrug:

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DJ13]

17. Sadly, that fits even better

[Angry Dragon]

18. .....................

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[Overseas]

20. My first thought was-- I'd be happy with 47% of what we thought we'd get.

Didn't realize we were supposed to jump on FDL again.

[neverforget]

23. I don't expect 100% but 50% is a good compromise.

[mmonk]

26. Depends on one's definition of honor and who's wants one is sacrificing.