History in the Making

Pretty much since my years on my high school and college forensics teams I've had an interest in speeches. I rather enjoy listening to them. The cadance of a message. The energy of delivery. The passion in the message.

I heard a commentator tonight talk about Al Gore. His opinion was that Al Gore has a clear passion for speaking about the environment but when he's talking typical Democratic rhetoric you can tell he's merely toeing the party line. I didn't see his speech so I can't comment however you surely can agree that those who listen intently to anyone speaking can easily spot a faker. Or maybe just as easily identify passion.

I watched Senator Obama's speech tonight. I watched because of the historical significance, which I really don't take lightly, despite my annoyance with the minute-by-minute journalistic reminders that THIS is significant.

I also watched because, even though I've voted Republican in every election that I've been able to vote in, I'm not quite sure what to do with my vote this year. I do believe some more thoughtful consideration is needed. And while it's easy to toe the line, I'm not buying into the idea that just because you are a candidate from a specific party that that's precisely why you should vote for them. That's just MY thing. That's what makes this country great. I'm also not saying that I'm turning over a new leaf (so rest assured Jerry you don't need to show me the error of my ways...yet)

His speech tonight was good. He had a casual delivery and yet powerpunched his points. He was human and didn't talk over my head. The eight is enough joke was a little lame but really, on the whole, it was good.

The speech reminded me of the movie Dave. Particularly when he said he was going to go line by line and remove the programs from our government that just aren't working. Can't you see him and Charles Grodin eating Bratwurst and doing this very same thing in the Oval Office?

I dread the next ten weeks. The debates and the bashing of all of the candidates with sound bites of "supposed substance" but this almost unrealistic optimism that cutting taxes and ending wars and finding fuel will all be fixed magically within 4 or 8 or 10 years.

Not just on the national level either. The bashing between Norm Coleman and Al Franken makes me nuts even more.

In the end, you have to hold on to the hope that your vote matters and decide where to cast it.

If I was just going on this one speech, perhaps Senator Obama might get my vote. I wasn't passionately swayed to jump off my couch and shout AMEN, however who can argue with the idea that we need to invest in our future, to care more about our brother than ourselves, to keep jobs in the US and support a life that balances family and work? Education is important. I'd love to get a raise and not pay so many taxes. I'd love it if my cousin Brian or our my friend's son Josh didn't have to be deployed. We need to set up our country to care for the elderly and figure out a way that people without full coverage of insurance don't have to choose what sort of care they can afford to recieve.

Kind of hard to argue with all of that. However I just didn't hear enough to cast my vote yet.