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The Spectacle Blog
Anybody willing to look up the archives on this very site will see that I am an outspoken critic of Barack Obama. So if anybody dares respond to what I’m about to write by suggesting that I’m a “squish” or some other nonsense, well…. go crawl under a rock.
I had an engagement tonight and had to miss Obama’s speech. But I just now read the text, helpfully posted below by Phil Klein. I found it gracious, thoughtful, good-hearted, substantive, and eloquent. I thought it was the best speech I have ever heard Barack Obama give. By far. In its actual words was nothing, not a single thing, objectionable. If any conservative had given that same speech, we would have all been singing hosannas in praise of the speech and the speaker.
Many of the comments here, though, in response to the speech, were atrocious. There is nothing wrong with not liking the speech. There is nothing wrong with not liking the man. There is everything wrong with acknowledging that the speech was well worded and then blasting Obama anyway for supposedly being insincere, or for having read what somebody else wrote, or any number of other charges and insults. This is not an occasion to greet decency with nasty language, even if the decency comes from somebody you otherwise think indecent. These are tough times for this country. This was tragedy. This was a solemn memorial. And Obama is this nation’s president — a president who did NOT use this occasion to take any obvously political advantages from the situation. There was no self-aggrandizement; there were no attacks on his political adversaries or their motives; there was nothing but a wonderful tribute to the victims, to their families, and t the goodness of this nation. We should give credit where it’s due; and if we don’t think it is due, we should at least avoid giving offense where the offense has not, in this instance, been earned.
I wish this man were not our president. I would feel good if he decided tomorrow to step aside. But he will not step aside, and he is our president, and he did not say anything tonight that merited vitriol — and, in my reading, he DID say a lot tonight that was right on target. We should accept his grace notes, and move on. There will be plenty of time in the weeks ahead to oppose Obama’s agenda. Now is not the occasion to tear down the man.
View all comments (52) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
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Wesley Mouch| 1.12.11 @ 10:48PM
For you to write this in the midst of all this rancor gives me a new appreciation for this website. Thank you.
LiveFreeOrDie| 1.13.11 @ 11:17AM
He never should have been there in the first place. Entirely inappropriate.
After the "Blame right-wingers" plan fell through and the public opinion was measured, the O swoops in and agrees, mostly.
Quinn you admit you didn't watch the speech, only read the transcript which was written by a highly-talented and well-paid writer. Obama didn't write this speech, he read it. Giving credit because the President can read? Credit for not being total scum, one time? Sell your B.S. somewhere else. We aren't buying!
Greta| 1.12.11 @ 10:49PM
Kind of like reading the debate between Nixon and Kennedy would have said Nixon won the debate while those watching said Kennedy. Obama did a great job, but I was turned off by the fact that they picked a college campus for what was supposed to be a memorial service for the families and turned it into a campaign rally with all the cheering for each of the democrats there. Shirts were given out all day and it was far from a memorial service of any that I have seen in my lifetime. And yes it was a good speech for that venue and yes it was effective in winning back some of those who know little about politics or pay much attention. They do not pay that much attention to actions over the sweet sounding words which is what got Barry elected. He will continue to be a left leaning socialist and continue to try to do things which weaken our country. He will use this new found love of the common folk to try to beat down any opposition. His ratings will go up and the media will take to task anyone who does not live up to the new dialouge of friendship and non division if they present any dissent to the Barry mantra. It is important for the Republicans to stay focused now more than ever.
Zombyboy | 1.12.11 @ 10:51PM
Absolutely right, Quin.
Brian Mueller| 1.12.11 @ 10:53PM
If you only read the speech, you missed the throngs of cheering college girls making the whole thing sound like a campaign rally. At times the President seemed to revert to that mode (which may be understandable, given how familiar that mindset may be for him).
The speech? Yes, it was good - very good.
We can be the loyal opposition again in the morning, but tonight, you are right: he did very well.
Eric Cartman| 1.13.11 @ 9:16AM
Obama gave a wonderful speech and ignored the boorish Democrats like Robert Altman call to use the speech as a political hammer. But the opening Indian prayer was nonsensical and the screams of joy from the crowd was unabashed Democrat politicking. These are the people that make up the Socialist Democrat party - just remember that.
Granite Sentry | 1.12.11 @ 10:53PM
I acknowledge all you say, but I think you're underestimating the subtlety of his technique. By playing the good cop and calling for civility he furthers the implicit notion that the shootings were caused by an out-of-control political climate. Given that Conservatives are more closely associated (rightly) with calling for drastic change, the effect is to undercut our position. Got some of the real Left vindictiveness posted at www.granitesentry.com. Hope folks will add their favorites.
GeronL| 1.12.11 @ 10:59PM
I have only seen the criticism of the pep rally surrounding his speech.
Bert| 1.12.11 @ 11:00PM
I see Axelrod has unleashed the reelection troll machine.A phony radical leftist uses a memorial service to kick off 2012 campaign complete with chanting and Tshirts supplied by the reelection team. disguting Wellstone 2 Dem party complete with biased in union Obama chanters.
Unreal disgusting radical leftists exploiting
a random shooter for a reelection kick off.
Jackie| 1.12.11 @ 11:22PM
Did Team Obama really hand out t-shirts at the memorial? That makes me ill.
DRed| 1.12.11 @ 11:30PM
The shirts read 'Together we Thrive'. Seems tacky to me, but I don't read that a partisan sentiment.
Jackie| 1.12.11 @ 11:42PM
Did Team Obama hand them out? And is a memorial for the injured and dead the proper place and time to be handing out t-shirts?
Sounds more like the kick-off to Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.
DRed| 1.12.11 @ 11:42PM
Of course, that could be a campaign slogan, given how banal those usually are. If it is, then those shirts had no place at a memorial. Just want to be fair and balanced.
Jackie| 1.12.11 @ 11:45PM
I'm sorry, I just think that's creepy beyond words.
Tim| 1.13.11 @ 9:56AM
The "United We Thrive" shirts were handed out by the event organizers from the University of Arizona, as reported by CNN. They were not re-election t-shirts.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:00PM
Quin, you need to watch this memorial before you call it solemn. The screaming and cheering for Obama just turned me off. It wasn't supposed to be about him.
Joshua| 1.12.11 @ 11:01PM
It wasn't solemn. There was cheering, and a handshake line at the end.
Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 1:47AM
The crowd also openly booed Governor Brewer. Now, that's what I call a solemn memorial.
Mike| 1.12.11 @ 11:04PM
Thank you, Quin.
Jerseyite| 1.12.11 @ 11:05PM
I give Obama an A+ for timing. Let your friends libel your critics for 4 days and then come in as healer in chief. How do his critics get their good names back after being falsely accused for days? Does his speech erase the accusations?
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 11:17PM
Classic case of good cop, bad cop.
Bert| 1.12.11 @ 11:17PM
Team Obama coordinated nice smear on Palin and the GOP. But the Pep rally and t shirts and
Obama healing the sick line and the all about me speech from the most. Partisan / divisive President EVER and the Axelrod trolls swarming here gives away the Obama reelection productions sadly obvious.
GeronL| 1.13.11 @ 1:29AM
Rep Giffords has been opening her eyes and responding to simple commands for days.
They told an out and out lie.
John - TMF| 1.12.11 @ 11:36PM
Didn't watch it, never saw "Iron Man" before, it was better and actually gave the audience something to think about.
One observation, though....
The trouble with giving Satan his due, is that he really doesn't care what you think, and will still take your soul anyway that he can.
So The One proves that he can feed us a line from a teleprompter screen.
Peace be unto the souls of the dearly departed. May they rest in His arms. Nothing more need be said.
John - TMF
Red Phillips | 1.12.11 @ 11:41PM
Quin, the problem was not what he said. The problem was having such a large public memorial attended by the President. This can not help but come off as opportunistic grandstanding, much like the funeral that turned into a pep rally after Paul Wellstone passed away. The President should have stayed away and the families should have had small private memorial. Any large public memorial should be nothing but somber.
victor| 1.13.11 @ 1:25AM
Some footage of that memorial:
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/173566-1
Some footage of another great speech giver:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5pb0-bjPGA
JPM| 1.13.11 @ 12:07AM
I won't call you a squish, but I won't agree either. Obama's speech, apart from the inappropriate personal remarks about people he didn't know, was a grand non sequitur. It consisted of this pitiful excuse for an argument: People suffered terribly here, therefore we should be nice to each other which means that finger pointing is bad and so is saying mean things about me. This was a campaign rally, pure and simple. The speech was an effort to maneuver conservatives into unilateral rhetorical disarmament. Where was the unambiguous statement that blaming anyone for the shootings other than the shooter is beyond the pale of civilized discourse? Instead we get an abstract scolding about finger pointing and yet another tiresome effort to use the Tucson atrocity to stifle the conservative critique of Obama's radicalism. There is absolutely nothing to praise here.
Pellligrino| 1.13.11 @ 1:57AM
JPM,
Thank you. You are (I want to say completely 'on target' but I guess I can't) 100% correct.
A decent president would not have been mugging (FLOTUS too) for personal camera/cell phone camera shots at the end. People may want to take them, the president can easily signal, "No, not tonight."
More to the point of what galled me. Perhaps Ms. Quin Hillyer needs to see/hear the speech to understand because I only saw/heard it. I am not going to read it -- as the president may have departed (I think he did) several times from his prepared text (At what hour on Saturday night did the speechwriting team commence? Cannot let an opportunity go to waste).
He spent way too much time at the end on the 9-year-old girl. He wanted the tear-jerker moments. He pushed for them.
When he talked about the 9-year-old girl's thoughts, hopes & dreams for her future in America....
He told me that I am responsible for making sure 9 year old girls have that American Dream in their futures.
Okay; I'll agree. I am.
But are you, Mr. President also accountable? If so, how?
He sure does not act like it. He's gone far to do all he can to bankrupt 9-year old girls' (and boys') futures.
Has he not?
(and to steal the liberies of her own life decisions like the many health care decisions that await all of us)
He cannot fool; he is not that good at acting.
Occam's Tool| 1.13.11 @ 1:57AM
Quin,
His speech was only good because his standards are so low. It was pedestrian. Apparently, the delivery left a lot to be desired if the atmosphere was a pep rally. Creepy.
Warrior | 1.13.11 @ 10:47AM
JPM, you hit the bullseye. The setting and crowds response would have better served a Bruce Springsteen performance than a solemn memorial.
Ellie Light| 1.13.11 @ 12:25AM
Obamao's speech had all the sincerity of Elmer Gantry. Worse contrast his behavior here and compare it to Ft Hood.
Something you step in on a hot summer's day, very smelly, and very difficult to clean off, inspires me more.
Clint| 1.13.11 @ 12:29AM
We Are Smack In The Middle Of A Tea Party Rebellion, where Obama's Surrogates once again smeared, slandered, and attempted to marginalize The Tea Party, One of It's Kingmakers, It's Media Allies.
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.
Lead, Follow Or Get The Hell Outta The Way.
Carpe Diem.
bmatkin| 1.13.11 @ 1:10AM
This wasn't a memorial, it was an Obama rally.
It was staged for him and there was not a lot of
talk about the victims, but about politics.
When have any of you gone to a funeral (which is kinda what it is) and had clapping and cheering for a guest. Who cares about the speakers, we are there to remember the dead. It was undignified and usury. I was totally disgusted.
It sounded like cheering for a football game.
Pelligrino| 1.13.11 @ 2:18AM
Agreed, bmatkin. The author of the foundational article here, Ms. Quin Hillyer, needs to see the video of the speech.
It did have much too much of the tenor of what the president loved in 2008 & much of year 2009, stops at universities where he is guaranteed whoops and shouts and a bit of hollerin' (Like his stop at the Univ. of Maryland in mid-2009)
While I quietly applaud the many in that Tuscon Arena seem to want to show unity, collective compassion, and resolve to show all of us how this has made them stronger (I think it has, and I salute those people in Tuscon who have this kind of great character), I think the many, many politicos in the arena and hovering around in Arizona now....their motives are fully suspect.
Folks, our narciscism/ego problem within our society is FAR GREATER than just our president. Example: Eric Holder needed to be there to read a passage from the Bible that he clearly does not believe?
I think that the US Justice Dept. under his time as AG have attacked the Christian faith many times over these past two years.
Even the doctor who has done -- we're told -- great work at the Univ. of Arizona Medical Center was there. Okay, but I think I'd be using every free moment to catch some rest. Maybe he doesn't need that?
But why's he at the rally up front wearing his white doctor's coat? (and looking to be recognized....as you watch him) The white coat? There?
We've got real problems when lots of people are (aren't they?) trying in many different ways to capitalize on these things.
MANY many in the media included.
The stellar people are the ones who aren't interested in credit.
God knows what we all do or don't do. And what is truly on our hearts.
GeronL| 1.13.11 @ 1:27AM
This was a campaign stop.
The cheering.
White House handing out t-shirts.
They even boo'd Brewer.
Obama2012 gets kicked off at a funeral.
How classy.
Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 1:41AM
It's sick and they don't even realize it. Man, we're in trouble.
Kitty| 1.13.11 @ 6:28AM
So Obama can give a speech. Big deal. Look how far the bar has to be lowered in order to "give Obama some credit."
I give him nothing, absolutely nothing, because he SHOULD have stepped up when the first accusations were being hurled at conservatives, but he didn't. He kept his yap shut for days while his cronies were endangering the lives of innocent people.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.13.11 @ 6:34AM
Here's what I printed under Phil Klein's comment. And Quin's comment is just as ridiculous:
It was a clever speech but you'll have to forgive the skeptical, which would include me.
Frankly, what else could he have stated? That we should turn on each other? And if you believe his statement that we should not be polarized then that leads us to a question of who had polarized the nation over the last year?
Who referred to the public that was against illegal immigration as the "enemy?" Who referred to the troops as traitors and killers? Who stated she saw "swastikas" at a health care protest?
It was the leadership of the Democratic Party and now after one speech from a tragedy we are all supposed to believe that somehow the wounds are healed and everything is forgiven.
Mr. Klein you don't understand the Democrats. They will practicing Alinsky tactics long after you and I are gone.
Rahm Emmanuel stated that you can't let a tragedy go to waste and that's precisely what's happening here.
The media set the right up as patsies and it also allows Obama to appear magnanimous.
Here's my prediction. Before two weeks goes by you'll see the Democrats and their allies in the state run media back up to their old tricks.
The media will continue to pound Sarah Palin, Rush Limabaugh, Glen Beck and Sean Hannity while the President stands by and continues his plan to shut them down.
What you heard last night was a direct assault on Free Speech by the President.
If you think it was anything else you're a fool.
Kitty| 1.13.11 @ 7:01AM
OMG, if this is true:
Team Obama Hands Out T-Shirts at Pep Rally Memorial
http://gatewaypundit.rightnetw.....-memorial/
Roger Fortier | 1.13.11 @ 7:14AM
It was a pep rally. Obama's words mean nothing. You don't understand what you're dealing with.
mejamom| 1.13.11 @ 8:06AM
And Sarah Palin's public comment was also very nice. I missed it on this site but saw it on Huff Post. It was printed without any pre anti conservative bs. Some of the comments however, were ugly. And there were also some opinion pieces like yours asking the readers to refrain from judging Palin herself. I am glad to have my own opinion backed up that American Spectator is not all inclusive anti anything Obama. Thank you, Mr. Hillyer for adding your opinions about Obama's speech in an objective fashion.
martin j smith| 1.13.11 @ 8:23AM
No my position is this Obama has a lot to answer for in his own right. That he behaved himself and acted as if he was the President -well bully for him he is the President he is supposed to. And, its a bit late in the --he should ahve interevened days ago not spend 4 days in rehearsal mode. Sorry,I do not buy your way of thinking. But, here is the good news--when Obama stops with the class warfare,treats his adversaries with respect, listens to the voters who disagrees with him-which are the majority by the way--Then and only then will I give him credit. The jury is out on this.
jcp370| 1.13.11 @ 8:23AM
So you're saying that having the White House brand the event with a purpose-designed logo "Tuscon & America: Together We Thrive" for the funeral including giveaway Tshirts doesn't represent trying to take any political advantage from the situation? Even though this is the Obama MO and was wholly inappropriate for a memorial service? Or choosing his usual "pep rally" venue of a college campus?
And even knowing the whole thing was coordinated though it was coordinated with Pelosi's office (and perphaps other members of the DNC)? From Pelosi's web page: “Tonight the University of Arizona community joins with Tucson, the state of Arizona, and indeed the entire nation to acknowledge together Saturday’s tragedy. Appropriately, this remembrance is called ‘Together we thrive: Tucson and America.’ ‘Together we thrive: Tucson and America’ will be an opportunity to grieve, and it will be a demonstration of our strength, a strength in community—a strength in community that was demonstrated last Saturday, a strength in community there that is ongoing." http://pelosi.house.gov/news/p.....y-to.shtml
And you don't think he could have asked the wild, cheering crowd to hold their cheering & applause and reminded them of the solemnity of the crowd? Or stopped pausing every few seconds to allow for copious amounts of applause
But we're the ones that are cynical? And you're chastizing us? Personally I was devastated by the event and just hope that the mourners were too insulated by their grief to notice what a circus had been planned by Dear Leader.
Michael L. Hauschild| 1.13.11 @ 8:40AM
I will not actually intimate that you are being stupid for placing in print the phrase “Give Obama some credit,” but I will remind you of the Fornicator in Chief’s moment the day after Oklahoma City. Be prepared to set the type “Lest We Forget” as a title for your next piece. Remember there is a point in time when naïve becomes “Don’t give Quinn any credit.”
alex| 1.13.11 @ 9:09AM
Just goes to show; when we don't like someone we'll "crucify" him/her for anything whether it deserves it or not.
Which is why SOME liberals tried to blame the conservative media's passionate comments (on the state of our country) for the Tucson shootings. I said SOME because there were/are many liberal postings that showed they aren't all that way.
Quin, I appreciated your view.
Nick| 1.14.11 @ 12:01PM
Alex,
Do you not see the irony of using the word crucify?
That violent and vitriolic rhetoric has no place in civil discorse. Didn't you hear President Dither?
Cuffs| 1.13.11 @ 9:22AM
Obama was in pure campaign mode.
Could the crowd attendance have been
managed? Who is God's name in Arizona
would applaud Holder?
Stan Redmond| 1.13.11 @ 9:47AM
"And Obama is this nation's president -- a president who did NOT use this occasion to take any obvously political advantages from the situation."
I ALMOST could agree with you but I 100% can not agree with you on this.
Handing out T-shirts, filling the crowd with hand selected attendees, and chearing? COME ON. How much more devious can you get. If it had not been for those nice purple t-shirts (interesting color choice) laid out so nicely and the cheering crowds I might have believed MAYBE for one blessed moment the chosen won could have set aside his narcissism. With Obama one need only read the story of the frog and the scorpion.
Obama giving a "healing" and "unifying" speech to supporters in Obama T-shirts handed out at a memorial service raises the bile in my gullet.
Pete| 1.13.11 @ 9:55AM
Personally, I won't watch the clown. As many have noted above, he doesn't lead, he schemes. I don't find it fun to be lied to straight to my face, and that is what Osama is best at. No president has ever done so much to divide the country along race and class lines and it is extremely disingenuous to pretend to unify at an event such as last night's. Never let a crisis go to waste.
Derek Leaberry| 1.13.11 @ 11:01AM
Why did President Obama bring up politics at all at yesterday's memorial since Jared Loughner's killing spree was not politically motivated? That Barack Obama did was a political act, a two prong attempt by Obama to 1) present himself as a moderate as he prepares to run for re-election and 2) to silence and marginalize his conservative enemies. President Obama used the Tuscon memorial service as a political attack on his foes, nothing more. Conservatives are foolish and craven to think otherwise.
Red Phillips | 1.13.11 @ 1:22PM
The problem was not so much what he did or didn't say. He could have said things that were completely appropriate and benign in another context. The problem was that he was there at all and that he said anything at all. It can't help but come off as tacky opportunistic grandstanding. Would Obama have gone to Gifford's (or the judge's) memorial had she died of a heart attack? He would probably have issued a statement and sent a representative from the Cabinet or something. Maybe Biden.
But like Philip Klein observed, after the initial reaction of the press, the well has been poisoned. Nothing afterwards can be seen outside of the political context. (The fault for this lies entirely on the liberal media and their liberal mouthpieces.)
But I will grant that Obama was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. An equal or greater number would probably decry his insensitivity if he had declined to attend and speak. This is evidence of a certain cultural sickness in this country. A lot of people are like perpetual children who need to hear from the President as if he is everybody's metaphorical daddy. "It will be alright, Honey. Pat, pat, pat." (Like the need for the President to swoop in whenever there is a natural disaster and reassure everybody that the national nanny is here to take care of them.) We seem to invest our Presidents with a mystical quality that citizens of monarchies don't even invest in the King. This strikes me as a sign of a culture that lacks self-confidence and is in decline.
Oldefarte| 1.13.11 @ 3:34PM
With all due respect, I must disagree with Quin on this one. El Chosen One and his liberalistic deciple Democrats, their sleazy, scumbag political manipulative brainwashing facilitated by the MSM for the last two years in slandering conservatives and their political positions, does not warrant providing them kudos for this one time event. Since their 11/2/10 political knockout, he/they have thereafter been attempting to Clintonly repaint themselves as just ordinary folks. We all were fools to believe their/his lies and provarications pre 11/08, and to now make the same mistake is assigning any simblance of normalacy to their disguised radicalness would be another victory for the left!!!!!!!!!!!!