DNC Convention....

[astrid]

Let me just say that IMHO, Ted Kennedy and Michelle Obama both hit homers out of the park tonight. Remarkable speeches.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow night!

 

astrid

[Slartibartfast]

They did do very well. I really enjoyed both of those speeches. :)

[Pammy]

I wasn't very impressed with either one, esp. Caroline's. You could tell she was reading from the prompter.

[astrid]

I wasn't very impressed with either one, esp. Caroline's. You could tell she was reading from the prompter.

 

Just playing devil's advocate--- neither woman touts herself, nor makes a living giving public speeches.

 

Still, I thought they were wonderful. And I didn't realize until after the broadcast that Ken Burns directed the short bio film about Teddy.

 

Astrid

[Karenciavo]

Michelle Obama has a law degree from Harvard, I'm sure she was taught a thing or two about public speaking. I thought she expressed herself well. If she were able to take the reins off and speak from her heart and gut she could blow people away, but she might also hurt her husband's chances.

[qanda]

Let me just say that IMHO, Ted Kennedy and Michelle Obama both hit homers out of the park tonight. Remarkable speeches.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow night!

 

astrid

 

I had to get my tissue when Michelle began to talk about Barack trying to be the father, to his daughters, that he never had. I thought Michelle was just marvelous.

[astrid]

Michelle Obama has a law degree from Harvard, I'm sure she was taught a thing or two about public speaking. I thought she expressed herself well. If she were able to take the reins off and speak from her heart and gut she could blow people away, but she might also hurt her husband's chances.

 

I"m well aware of her background. I never said she DIDN"T know about public speaking, I said that previously, it has not been her bread and butter. SHE isn't the one giving speeches. HE is. And Caroline is a writer and editor. I was just cutting both of them a little slack, not dissing either one in any way, shape or form.

 

Astrid

[astrid]

I had to get my tissue when Michelle began to talk about Barack trying to be the father, to his daughters, that he never had. I thought Michelle was just marvelous.

 

My dh was tearing up when she was talking about Barack driving she and her newborn home from the hospital........he did the very same thing, as I'm sure all first-time fathers have!

 

Astrid

[5kidsforME]

Let me just say that IMHO, Ted Kennedy and Michelle Obama both hit homers out of the park tonight. Remarkable speeches.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow night!

 

astrid

 

Although I will not be voting for Barack Obama I will be watching the DNC all week.

 

I thought Michelle did very well and loooooved seeing their girls! I thought they were adorable talking to their dad on the big screen. too cute!

[PameliaSue]

I think I'm just way to cynical... all I heard was a speech intended to get me all emotional. I barely made it through Michelle's speech because of the emotional angle.

It came across as scripted.

I am not an emotionally motivated person for the most part and so I just can't get into that stuff no matter what political party it is.

Give me logic any day!.....Some may call me emotionally constipated...:D

[SFP]

Speaking as an INTP (there's emotionally constipated for you!), why wouldn't it be scripted? Doesn't seem logical to expect anything else.

 

I loved listening to Caroline and Ted and Michelle. I loved Jimmy's Katrina film.

 

I'm not going to get much reading done this week.

[Spy Car]

I missed seeing Ted Kennedy, but what a great speech by Michelle Obama.

 

I'd love to see her as our First Lady. See and barack seem like wonderful parents, and exemplify what I'd call "family values."

 

Bill

[PameliaSue]

why wouldn't it be scripted? Doesn't seem logical to expect anything else.

 

Of course they are scripted, every speech this week will be, and next week will be the same for the Republican convention.

 

You guys are funny... I never said I was surprised that they were scripted or that it was unusual or not the norm. Sometimes though, a speaker can engage you enough that you forget about the scripting and that didn't happen for me.

[Crissy]

You guys are funny... I never said I was surprised that they were scripted or that it was unusual or not the norm. Sometimes though, a speaker can engage you enough that you forget about the scripting and that didn't happen for me.

 

On that note, I think I'll have a tough time watching the RNC. I think Senator McCain is a terrible speaker when he's working from a script. He does well in a debate, or answering questions off the cuff, but his speeches are stiff and...well, awful.

 

What happens to some people when they have the words in front of them?!

[PameliaSue]

Yeah McCain definitely isn't as good at scripted speeches.

He's been working hard to not come across as grumpy too:tongue_smilie:.

[Melissa in FL]

I had to get my tissue when Michelle began to talk about Barack trying to be the father, to his daughters, that he never had. I thought Michelle was just marvelous.

 

 

That's the part I didn't like! It seemed like she tried to stress that he was from a single family home, raised by a single mother. She mentioned it several times.

 

From like 3-10 Barack lived with a step-father who took him everywhere with him and treated him as his own son (even giving Barack his last name). I grew up with a step-mom, and although I didn't really like her at the time and never really treated her well. Now as an adult I can look back and see how much she helped shape who I am today. She may not have been my mom, but I can see her influence in my own parenting and she was a mother figure in my life.

 

Then Barack moved back to Hawaii, lived I think less than a year with his mom and younger sister, then moved in with his Grandparents. When he moved back to Hawaii his grandparents paid for him to go to the best school on the islands (so it was NOT typical single-parent household). Once he moved in with his grandparents they seem to have been very involved with his life. The fact that Michelle dismisses the role model his grandfather had was really irritated me. My dh grew up with a very stereotypical single-mom household (the things he remembers scares me at times) His father was out of the picture, but thankfully he had two grandfathers who really took up the reins in helping dh become a man. I am so thankful to them for providing good role models which I appreciate daily when I watch dh provide for us!

 

So, it irritated me that Michelle seemed to dismiss the male role models Barack had in his early life to focus on the "single-mom" issue, and trying to make it sound like Barack had to pull himself up from there.

 

Anyway, I did like her speech, although I didn't think she said as much as she could have. I did come away from it liking her more than I did at the start of the speech, so I think it worked.

Melissa

[PameliaSue]

That's the part I didn't like! It seemed like she tried to stress that he was from a single family home, raised by a single mother. She mentioned it several times.

 

Then Barack moved back to Hawaii.... his grandparents paid for him to go to the best school on the islands (so it was NOT typical single-parent household). Once he moved in with his grandparents they seem to have been very involved with his life. The fact that Michelle dismisses the role model his grandfather had was really irritated me.

 

So, it irritated me that Michelle seemed to dismiss the male role models Barack had in his early life to focus on the "single-mom" issue, and trying to make it sound like Barack had to pull himself up from there.

 

:iagree: The "single-mom" spin was very hard for me to swallow to.

And I felt like it certainly didn't honor his grandparents and all they did for her to dismiss it by describing his childhood the way she did.

[5kidsforME]

I for one have a hard time listening to most political speak. Across the board. I will say that she did lavish praise on his grandparents though. So I don't understand your comment above.

 

I will honestly admit it is easier for me to listen to Republicans because I am one of them and agree on a lot of what they are putting out there, even if they don't always follow thru.

 

I am trying to listen objectively to both sides this time around, because I am supposedto be mature, heh heh, ;).

 

Sooo, I thought Michelle did good. There were times I rolled my eyes, but I am sure I will be rolling my eyes next week too.

[PameliaSue]

I for one have a hard time listening to most political speak. Across the board. I will say that she did lavish praise on his grandparents though. So I don't understand your comment above..

Yeah she did. I guess to me it was like how many millions of boys grow to manhood w/o their fathers or grandparents present. The focus and emphasis on his single-mom childhood cheapened any praise she gave for his grandparents IMO.

 

Sooo, I thought Michelle did good. There were times I rolled my eyes, but I am sure I will be rolling my eyes next week too.

 

:iagree: I'm sure I will be right there with you rolling my eyes. I really just hate the emotional manipulation feeling all around.... some history for you.... my mom did that to me ALL.the.time. so I just have a hard time tolerating it.