Preface to the Speech

Snow Pond, NH -

I don't normally like to be the mouthpiece for campaigns, but since the Obama team was nice enough to legitimize me with the full text of the speech he is giving today at Chicago's DePaul University* (home of the Blue Demons) to commemorate the anniversary of his initial anti-Iraq invasion speech I have decided to give it some play here at 3Q. It is a long one, so I am putting the first few paragraphs on the main blog interface and the remainder will go in the comments section since I lack the technological know-how to say "read more after the jump." So when you get to the bottom, just click on the comments part and read on if you wish.

There are actually a couple of other reasons for my inclusion of this speech. Number one, Obama delivers the best speeches on the 2008 campaign trail, hands down. I thought this was a good chance for my readers to get a little better idea of how they read.

Secondly, I find it absurd and bordering on the comical that today's electoral climate in the Presidential campaign has stagnated and floundered to the point where a reminder of one's initial opposition to Iraq A) can still be relevant this late in the game B) is even necessary to remind people and C) can potentially be a massive differentiating tool between the leading rivals in the race.

Finally, as resident Truth Seeker here on the campaign trail, I appreciate any and all references to "truth" by the candidates. But seriously, I have predicted for some time now that complacency toward Iraq on the part of the America citizens will potentially play a large role in the outcome of the race. I know that sounds obvious, but it is true. Complacency on Iraq is what allows Hillary Clinton to run her general election strategy during the primaries, and thus add to the prescribed air of inevitability. It also allows the GOP candidates to keep their foot in the door and frame the debate, which they otherwise would not be able to do if voters were better prepared to act upon their disapproval of the war. It also allows the three leading Democratic candidates to waver on an end date without significant fear of traction for the lower-tier chase pack.

Either that or conventional wisdom about the Dem takeover of congress having to do with Iraq is wrong, and everything I just said is a moot point. If that is the case, perhaps we have to submit to the analysis of Karl Rove who maintains that the 2006 elections were about scandal, not war. One shudders to think.



*Famous DePaul basketball alumni include "Hot" Rod Strickland, Terry Cummings, Bobby Simmons, George Mikan, Tyrone Corbin, Mark Aguirre, and Quentin Richardson. What a formidable squad!
PG - Strickland
SG - Simmons
SF - Aguirre
PF - Cummings
C - Mikan

Then Q as the 6th man and Corbin off the bench. That's at least a conference finals team right there.