Did Obama change any minds?
I just got a call from my business partner who asked me if I watched the Obama speech last night. I was quite surprised to hear her say she had watched it...and she thought it was GOOD!
I am surprised because she used to send me those crazy emails from birthers and Obama haters. I finally told her she'd better quit it or we wouldn't be business partners any more. We avoid talking politics because she falls for the "socialist" label - even though she doesn't know what that really means.
But she said she liked what Obama had to say last night. And she thought the Republican who yelled out, "you lie" was way out of line. I think she finally listened to Obama and could understand what his vision for health reform is. And she likes it - probably because she is self-employed and pays $1400 per month for health insurance for herself and her husband (which she says she can no longer afford). I think she finally sees how changes would help her, and it all sounds very reasonable.
So maybe there is hope that Americans will get behind change. If my anti-Obama colleague has changed her mind about healthcare reform, it's a very positive sign.
Well happy thoughts Med. Thank you for this little piece of good news.
I loved the speech, I love my President and I am optimistic where others on 'the left' are not so sure.
September 10, 2009 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amazing what can happen when people stop shouting and actually listen to understand rather than just to respond.
September 10, 2009 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
One of my Republican co-workers who "can't stomach" listening to Obama asked me so many questions about what he had said that I printed out the text for him --- and he *said* he'd read it. We'll see, but it felt like a tiny, tiny step ahead. One can hope....
September 10, 2009 11:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hope u keep us updated on your partner's progress!
Great news.
Appreciate. Rec'd.
September 11, 2009 12:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's a lot to ask for one speech to change anyone's mind. I like that Obama was very clear about a few things -- they were made to be sound-bitten and you can believe that they will be used ad naseum over the next 4 Sundays at least. (Most of them refutations over the inaccurate charges levied over the past few months.)
However, Joe Wilson probably did more to change minds than Obama did last night. As a bonus, and as I discussed yesterday, Wilson is pwned. Don't expect him to disappear (his district won't be going for a Dem any time soon) -- and that's a good thing if you are a Democrat.
The typical town hall footage will look different when reframed against the outburst from an audience member to an elected official. At some point you get the "aha" moment about the Emperor having no clothes -- and the teabaggers house of cards just crumbles away.
For all the complaints that people have about the MSM, they are driving this particular story as well... and it made Obama look so very damned good. Better, I believe, than if it didn't happen.
September 11, 2009 4:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey! I didn't appreciate this until you said it just now, CT .... Obama gave a strongly substantive speech that was "made to be sound-bitten!" I've always thought his woven, complex and structured explanations were marvelous and compelling ... but didn't particularly "sell" well to those (most, I fear) who want things conveyed 15 seconds or don't bother.
This is wonderful - a relatively new and very powerful tool in his arsenal. (Do you suppose they let Obama write the speech and then send it to some young, intense person who lives in a small, hidden office and is known as "The Sound-biter" - who rearranges the words and creates more lively emphasis points?)
PS to original poster -- I'm with Aunt Sam and would love to know how things proceed with your partner.
September 11, 2009 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama worked significantly on this speech himself and - I can personally assure you - he is good at sound-biting himself.
Sound bites have been around for a long, long time. Long before cable news, long before twitter. In fact, once upon a time, it was thought that cable news would kill the soundbite because they had so much airtime available. What they didn't realize is that people wouldn't listen any longer than they did to network news.
September 11, 2009 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink