Obama in Connecticut

I received this tonight in my work e-mail and figured I'd share a little piece of it - seems like the beginning of an award-winning speech to me!


THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release October 23, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT SENATOR DODD FUNDRAISING DINNER

Stamford Hilton
Stamford, Connecticut

5:47 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Connecticut! (Applause.) Hello, Stamford! (Applause.) It is good to be back in Connecticut. Thank you so much. Everybody, please have a seat -- have a seat. Relax for a second. I'm just warming up here. (Laughter.)

I'm going to talk a little bit about this guy in a second. Let me begin by just acknowledging some wonderful public servants who have just been serving their constituencies with great distinction for, in some cases, a lot of years.

First of all, Congressman John Larson is in the house. Where's John? There he is, John Larson. (Applause.) Congressman Chris Murphy. Chris. (Applause.) Congressman Jim Himes. (Applause.) Yes, sir. This is Jim's district, so he's got the home court advantage. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. (Applause.) And Mayor of Stamford, Dannel Malloy is in the house. (Applause.)

I can see this is a feisty crowd. (Applause.) What are you guys eating? (Laughter.) You don't know yet, huh? It's a surprise? All right.

Obama's speech to students

President Barack Obama on Tuesday spoke to school-age children across the nation. His speech was about encouraging kids to work hard and to stay in school.

But for some reason, it all turned political - not the speech, just the reactions to it. Parents were in an uproar over the president trying to instill Communist propaganda, and some school districts chose not to show the speech at all. Others made the speech available afterward, or came up with alternative activities for the children whose parents wouldn't let them see it.

Perhaps it hasn't been understood in the rest of the world, but America is being very tough on its new president. Of course, Obama entered office at a very tough time - thousands of soldiers shipped off to various countries, the U.S. dollar is worth less than it ever has and people are losing their homes and jobs on a daily basis. The mood is negative, pessimistic. The hope the new president instilled during his election campaign seems to have fizzled out amongst the people.

Of course, Republicans have always been loud-mouths. Perhaps they are just bored. They constantly complain that Obama hasn't produced any miracles yet - some even call for his removal from office, and he hasn't even served for a year!

To me, the best part about Obama is that even though he is a Democrat, he is willing to see things from all angles. During a graduation speech in May or June, he brought up the topic of abortion. This was at a Catholic school, and some were very scared of what he would say. His thought? People can be for it or against it, but there are ways we can all come together to help make sure nobody has to make that decision in the first place. Nobody really WANTS to have an abortion, so let's get to the bottom of the problem instead of arguing over the Band-Aid solution.

It amazes me that parents could be so stupid that they actually keep their kids out of school because they think the president may brainwash them with his words. The good news, though, is that at least their kids may actually listen. That's at least something.

But I hate to think of the brainwashing that goes on in those children's homes.

And we have a new president!

Finally.

I will quote what a Swedish author wrote on her blog yesterday:

"Today, a law professor will become the president of the United States of America. Not an old cowboy actor, not a rich spoiled brat who likes to kiss Saudi oil princes, but a well-educated history buff from the middle class, who is also a lawyer and a teacher."

I think that pretty much sums it up. Watching the inauguration ceremony this morning (yesterday morning, I guess I should say), it was amazing how Barack Obama managed to tie everything together. He reached out to faraway lands and spoke to the whole world when he said that from now on, America will be different.

Of course, it was awesome to hear him throw in a hint or two towards the former Bush administration and the reasons for why this country has been going downhill. We all know it; it was just nice to hear someone say it so bluntly, someone who was standing merely five feet away from George W. Bush. And Bush could do nothing, but smile, wave and depart on Trooper 1.

Bye, bye, Bush. May Obama never do what you did to this country.

Great moments, and now they're gone

In honor of the new president, who will take office in less than two days, I am posting a link to a compilation of David Letterman's "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" that I found on YouTube. (Please watch it to the end - you will not regret it)

Why Obama is a great guy

The reasons for liking Barack Obama seem to be piling up. In an interview on "60 Minutes" Sunday night, Obama said he plans to shut down Guantanamo prison and wants the U.S. to stop holding prisoners for no reason.

(He claims to have said it before, but it was the first I've heard of it. Perhaps it got lost during his many other campaign points).

The way America has treated foreign prisoners in the years since George W. Bush took office is one reason the world has turned a cold shoulder to this great nation. People have been held but never charged, hidden from the public's eye, away from lawyers and court systems. And American leaders have defended this because it's "the only way to fight terror" in the world.

Obama will prove them wrong. He will show that by treating other countries with respect, he can gain the world's trust back. Then nations can join together and be strong.

United, we will fight terrorism. And together, we will win.