Free Republic

A lot of disappointment across the board about Obama’s speech at the Democrat’s Convention, even from the liberal left. But was he ever a great orator or was it all a myth generated by a compliant media that almost everyone else was afraid to confront?

President Obama took to the podium today to talk to Americans about the White House’s initiatives to help veterans get back into the work force and what the government is doing to encourage a health economy. But before he dove into the details, the President stood at his podium for a good minute or so in silence, interrupting only to let the audience know that he was “just waiting, here.” The President didn’t quite specify what he was waiting for as he stared out into the audience for the minute, though a number of things could have been delaying his...

"The trouble with you is," she continued steadily, "you think people should stay in their own sealed packages. You don't believe in opening up. You don't believe in trading back and forth." "I certainly don't," Macon said, buttoning his shirt front. Anne Tyler, "The Accidental Tourist" If politics were literature, Bill Clinton would be Tom Buchanan in "The Great Gatsby," casually smashing lives around him while remaining untouched by the chaos he creates. Barack Obama is more like Macon Leary in "The Accidental Tourist," the author of tour guides who hates travel. "He was happiest with a regular scheme of...

Things fall apart for Obama at an accelerating pace. Now he can't even keep a high school student sitting behind him awake as he delivers a commencement address. From WOOD-TV Grand Rapids: One of the Kalamazoo Central students -- who was seated behind keynote speaker President Barack Obama during Monday night's commencement ceremony -- fell asleep. The student, who earned such a prime seat by singing in the choir, was captured on video due to his proximity to the president. He also was a hot topic on Twitter and the subject of several recently created Facebook pages. Having claimed...

The Left continues to turn on Obama. The Guardian is reporting the "world's greatest orator" was full of "umms," and "uhhs" after G-20. http://twitter.com/IlGOPAssembly http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/03/g20-barack-obama-nick-robinson-question

Barack Obama, the World's Greatest Orator (™all news organisations), didn't exactly cover himself in glory when the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson asked him a question about who was to blame for the financial crisis. Normally word perfect, Obama ummed, ahed and waffled for the best part of two and a half minutes. Here, John Crace decodes what he was really thinking ...

There once was a man running for public office. He started out as a common ordinary fellow from humble beginnings. With difficulty, he climbed the ladder of success working as a community organizer, Working tirelessly, Working faithfully, Speaking out against oppression and demanding fairness for all. Early in life, he wrote a book about his experiences and his ideas. He was a fantastic orator. Indeed, there were none better. His speeches were said to hold an almost hypnotic effect upon people. Thousands gathered together to hear him speak because he had a way of connecting with them Of sensing their...

I actually heard someone say the other day, that they were voting for Obama because he is such a good speaker. People, perhaps many people, are voting for Obama because they like not necessarily what he has to say, but how he says it. Is this not frightening? Does it not concern you that this man could be elected because there are enough people who would vote for him based solely on his oratory? There is a difference between someone who speaks well, and someone who leads well, they are not indicators of the other, they do not lead to...

Tiger Woods says he has been impressed with Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama and believes he is an inspiration to many in the United States. Asked for his views on the senator from Illinois, who like himself has an African-American father, ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic, Woods replied: "I've seen him speak. He's extremely articulate, very thoughtful. "I'm just impressed at how well, basically all politicians really do, how well they think on their feet. Especially those debates. It's pretty phenomenal to see them get their point across. "But I just think that he's really inspired a bunch...

Howdy. Today, the DC Chapter met to celebrate 6 years of activism. The honor roll included Kristinn, Angelwood and husband, tgsltakoma, bufordp, staytrue, billf, hellinahandcart, trueblackman, rabidralph, sauropod and relatives, and gunsareok. We celebrated our successes over the past years and recounted narrow escapes, including BufordP and the Red Lobster story. Forthwith, here are some pics of today's event. BufordP, TGSLTakoma, Trueblackman BufordP the GrillMaster Kristinn and BillF GunsareOK and BillF DC Chapter Anniversary Cake Hellinahandcart, Gunsareok, and TGSLTakoma as photographer RabidRalph Trueblackman holds forth. Staytrue covers his ears.

Sign and Forward Petition to GOP: Support & Fully Fund Keyes Campaign! Fellow FReepers, One of our active members in the Illinois chapter, Unspun, has created an e-petition calling on Republican leaders on both the state and national level to immediately fully fund and support the U.S. Senate campaign of Dr. Alan L. Keyes. I'm posting this on FR because all freepers across America are welcomed and encouraged to sign. And after you do, please forward it to others you know: Unspun Petition Page A re-elected President George W. Bush and our nation NEED Alan Keyes to assume Peter...

THE OTHER JESSE. . .AND IT'S NOT JJ J. Grant Swank, Jr. POB l984, Windham ME 04062 Pastor, New Hope Church, Windham ME Jesse Jackson is getting older and more and more irrelevant. His days were “once,” but not now. In his gut, he knows it. (But there are those within his following who champion Jackson The Man when it comes to social, religious and particularly political insight.) Sad, but such happens from time to time to those who enjoy applause for a season but then at some point are prodded by circumstance and reason gracefully to lay down the...