"Obama and Edwards At The DNC Fall Meeting"

MyDD:

What with the hostage situation (hmm, that seems odd to write) and the wealth of polling released on Friday, we managed to pretty well ignore the DNC fall meeting, so I just wanted to feature some of the coverage out there. You can actually watch the speeches in full HERE and Adam has some pictures up HERE.

First Read's Abby Livingston was there and was most impressed by Obama's speech.

The morning was a good barometer on base support. The Democratic audience received Richardson's speech much like a college lecture. Polite, listening, clapping, and interest despite toe tapping from young Obama supporters standing against the wall. Following Richardson, it was at times difficult to hear Edwards due to the cheering from his section of supporters. Although they had coveted seats in the overflowing room, they stood for most of his speech and waved Edwards 2008 placards.

But Obama's speech stood out. When he spoke, the room was akin to a high school pep rally on the eve of a rival game. One Obama supporter went so far as to apologize to this transcribing reporter for the pandemonium. During one of his introductory lines, Obama said, "The question to ask yourselves when you vote is, 'What is next for America?'" To which a female supporter stood up and screamed, "Barack Obama!"

Kate Sheppard of Tapped was impressed as well, more specifically because she feels Obama is finally starting to connect on the judgment issue.

Barack Obama's speech actually started to do something he should be doing much more often: Pushing hard on the "I was always against the war" line.

A key challenge for Obama was how to criticize his principle rival, perhaps one of the most beloved figures to the rank and file Democratic base, in other words, the very people he was speaking to. Sheppard gives us a hint as to how he went about it.

Without naming Clinton, his speech emphasized that as his advantage if he gets to the general election. "I'm running for president because I'm tired of Democrats who think they can win by acting like George Bush," he said. "My opponents can never say I supported the war in Iraq."

Abby Livingston suggests that not only were his veiled references to Clinton not lost on anyone who saw his speech, but that perhaps it was another example of Obama telling an audience not what they want to hear, but what they need to hear:

Today at the DNC fall meeting, again, he did not mention her name. He did not have to. The audience comprised of the party insiders, candidate supporters and political junkies, caught each and every one of his Hillary allusions. [...]

People fidgeted when he used the word "triangulation." And gasps were audible when Obama said, "I'm running for president because I'm sick and tired of Democrats thinking that the only way to look tough on national security is by talking and acting and voting like George Bush Republicans."

As for John Edwards, there seemed to be a consensus as to what aspect of his speech stood out. He hit on the themes of returning power to the people and reforming Washington but this time using a new rhetorical formulation.

There's a wall around Washington and we need to take it down. The American people are on the outside. And on the other side, on the inside, are the powerful, the well-connected and the very wealthy. [...]

That wall around Washington, it protects a system that's rigged and guess who struggles as a result? Every single day, working men and women see that wall when they have to split their bills into two piles pay-now and pay-later; when they watch the factory door shut for the last time; when they see the disappointment on their son or daughter's face when there's no money to pay for college. Every single day they see that wall when they have to use the emergency room as a doctor's office for their son because they can't afford to pay for health care. This is not okay. That wall has to come down. [...]

That's why America needs a fighter, Democrats. We need one to break down that wall so that we can see Our America--imagine Our America--and build one America.

As I said early Friday, any time Edwards starts to get back to the two Americas/working toward one America theme, it's a good thing; people are reminded of the optimistic Edwards as opposed to the more recent "no more Mr. Nice Guy" Edwards; I think he is still working on striking the right balance between toughness and optimism.

While he was probably toughest on the status quo of Washington (read: Hillary) he got some good shots in at the Republicans for good measure, something he likes to do when speaking to Democratic audiences.

From Kate Sheppard:

"That wall around Washington, it protects a system that's rigged." But for some reason, his speech quickly devolved (and went well past the 10-minutes each candidate was alloted) into a comparison of the Democrats as a whole to the Republican candidates. "If you want to (go to war with Iran, stay in Iraq, live without health care) .... then you should vote for the Republicans. If you want (universal health care, troops of out Iraq, a living wage) ... the you vote for us."

I have to say, I'm always a sucker for this sort of combative partisanship, I just wish the Democrats would break it out more often. Sheppard thinks it seemed out of place at this event, however, like he was preaching to the choir.

It's an odd message here at the DNC meeting; who does he think he's selling on those points?

Fair point, but I think Edwards's larger message was one of Democratic backbone but interestingly, here, it wasn't just weak-kneed politicians he was calling to be brave, it was the voters themselves.

From Samantha Mehrotra:

The presidential hopeful reminded Democrats to make a conscientious choice this election and to elect a candidate with fervor: "Every single day, you have a choice in this election....We can settle for baby steps, half-measures, incremental change...Or we can have some backbone, courage and strength....'"

Barack Obama