Ezra Klein: The Speech President Obama Should Be Giving...

[YvonneCa]

...http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2011/01/if_you_read_only_one_john_kerr.html

If you read only one John Kerry speech today ...By Ezra Klein

Sen. John Kerry appeared at the Center for American Progress today to give a speech on "gridlock and globalization." The address should've been a snooze, but it's not. It's an ambitious and plausible diagnosis of our country's economic problems as partly political in nature, and it's a sensible and complete vision for how we could move forward. Frankly, it's the speech President Obama should be giving.

[northoftheborder]

1. Excellent, deeply thought-out speech. If only..............

[YvonneCa]

15. ...

...:)

[snagglepuss]

2. To read later.

[karynnj]

3. This was an absolutely incredible speech*

Here is the archived video from CSPAN - http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SGlobalL

* Yeah I know I have said this about probably 2 dozen Kerry speeches, but they ALL were very good - and this one is incredible in its vision and focus - and he makes a strong case of what we need to work together to do. I hope that Obama will listen and make this part of his agenda. (yes, it did make my heart hurt that this brilliant, inspiring man never became President.)

[Inuca]

4. Yes, what you said

:hug: :-)

[YvonneCa]

5. Thanks for posting the link, karynnj. I had it...

...included in the first thread...the one that sank fastest. :7

[YvonneCa]

6. Hey, karynnj...

...my new governor is 72 years old. ;) There's always hope... :7

[karynnj]

13. Hmmm, don't think it at all likely, but...

Senator Kerry is a very fit 67 year old and sharp as a tack.

[YvonneCa]

14. True. And, if anyone would have told me...

...that Jerry Brown would not only RUN AGAIN for governor, but be elected overwhelmingly, I would never have believed it. I think he stepped up because California needed his experience. Who knows what the country will need by 2016? :hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. bkmrkng to read later. thanks for posting.

[YvonneCa]

11. There's video at C-Span.org...

...here: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SGlobalL

[Arkana]

8. Yeah, and had it not been for a massive hatchet job and a complete

disavowal of John Kerry in 2004 by so-called "liberals", President Kerry WOULD be giving that speech right now.

[YvonneCa]

12. As it seems...

...he is. ;)

[karynnj]

16. It is amazing that he came so close given how stacked against him everything was

He really was seen unfiltered only at his convention and the three debates. This speech shows why - his speech linking economic opportunity with green technology and national security was more upbeat than this - because we had not wasted the last 7 years yet - 7 years in which other countries are getting in before us. The Republican focus group guy, Luntz, saw that it tested higher than anything else - by anyone - by a huge margin. Imagine if the media actually gave him as much coverage as any other major candidate routinely got.

[YvonneCa]

18. And imagine if the media had actually reported...

...on the Ohio recount. ;)

[rurallib]

9. Kick.

we need to have Obama read this.
Or at least Hartmann and Schultz read it on the air.

[YvonneCa]

10. Pretty sure this is Obama's vision...

...too. :)

[politicasista]

19. Obama will, but some (not all) of his supporters will disrespect

Kerry anyway. A lot of them are former Dean/Clark supporters who never got over 2004.

[politicasista]

17. Kick

Wonder if he knew or raised money for the Congresswoman. Not that it's important or anything right now.

[JamesA1102]

20. Great speech but not the right time for it

It's too political for the President to be giving tomorrow night.

[politicasista]

21. Sounds like Pros and Cons both ways,

but Obama could switch it up if he wanted to, but he has to be careful about politicizing a tragic event as this. :(

[YvonneCa]

24. I think tonight he will be 'Mourner In Chief'. Later...

...he can set a new tone/vision going forward. I hope.

[politicasista]

25. Well said

He did a nice job mixing humor and emotion together. :hi:

[YvonneCa]

26. It was perfect. I think he really connected...

...with Arizonans and the families. :)

[politicasista]

27. He did

A+ all the way. :)

[karynnj]

22. I agree that it would be wrong for tommorow's speech, which has to be on healing

and public service.

I assume what Klein was speaking of was not with respect to Az, but in terms of moving forward with the new Congress. Kerry's speech started by speaking of Az, because to not do so would be unthinkable. However, this was a speech planned in advance and I think Klein is speaking of the two main themes - getting past partisanship and a call to revitalize the economy by rebuilding and modernizing the infrastructure and funding research. Kerry has been speaking of the latter for months - making the point that just cutting spending can not grow an economy that needs to grow. If it doesn't, people will still not have jobs and we will fall behind many countries.

I actually think that Obama likely agrees with most of what Kerry is saying here. He gave a speech back in December that used the same "Sputnik moment" phrase - as has Energy Secretary Chu. As to moving beyond partisanship, Obama (like Kerry) has spoken of this for years - it was a main 2008 theme.

[YvonneCa]

23. Not tonight. But for the SOTU...

...it's time for a vision we can come together on. :patriot: