Obama's very tough speech
Posted: Thursday, August 28, 2008 11:29 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Democrats
From NBC's Mark Murray
No doubt Obama discussed specifics about his economic policies. And he talked plenty about change and bringing Americans today. But what Obama's acceptance speech will be remembered for were the strong words he delivered at McCain.
This is on the conservative side, but I counted at least eight tough lines directed at McCain, according to the prepared remarks. So much for that Monday-night criticism from some pundits that the Dem convention wasn't tough enough against McCain and the Republicans...
1) TIES TO BUSH. "John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change."
2) PHIL GRAMM. "He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisors - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners."
3) DOESN'T GET IT. "It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it."
4) TEMPERMENT: "If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have."
5) BIN LADEN. "John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives."
6) IRAQ. "And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war."
7) MORE BUSH. "If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice - but it is not the change we need."
8) WE ALL PUT COUNTRY FIRST. "So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first."
