Friday, August 29, 2008

workman

bill rappleye

building a case for President

Remember when Hillary Clinton was at RIC and delivered her memorable criticism of Barack Obama…“Celestial choirs will sing,the skies will open up…“  Mocking the soaring lyricism of her primary opponent.  You couldn’t say that about his speech tonight.  Instead, Barack Obama stepped out onto the stage wearing his tool belt.  Like a demoliton expert, he tore down, one by one, the criticisms that have been pinned on him by the Republicans.  Not patriotic.? He scolded McCain by name and said we all put this country first.  Weak on defense?  It was McCain who claimed he’d follow Bin Laden to the gates of Hell, but didn’t even have the wisdom to follow him to the cave where he lives.  Encouraging dependence on government?  Obama said it’s not Big Brother, but parents who have to turn off their children’s television and make them do homework.  This was not a night of lofty reach.  It was a gritty, methodical construction of a refutation of the charges that have been plastered on him.  A far different speech than the one he used during his victorious primary season.  He didn’t try to elevate, he stayed right on the ground.  And shied away from nothing.  He dove headfirst onto the three charged rails of American politics: abortion, guns, and gay marriage.  And displayed the secret of his politics by staking out the common ground that none of us can deny.  We all want to avoid unwanted pregnancy.  Even gun owners don’t approve of
AK47’s in the hands of urban thugs.  And who would deny a lifelong partner’s right to console a dying lover on their sickbed.  It was not ethereal; it was sturdy.