Obama and Palin, A Tale of Two Speeches.- Micheal Shear, NYTimes

[Stuart G]

New York Times
Michael Shear 7:35 am ,1/13/11
The Caucus

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/obama-and-palin-a-tale-of-two-speeches/?src=mv&ref=homepage

Wednesday was bookended by two remarkable — and remarkably different — political performances that demonstrated the vast expanse of America’s political landscape.

The day began at 5 a.m. when Sarah Palin posted a seven-and-a-half minute video statement that captured with precision the bubbling anger and resentment that is an undercurrent of the national conversation about our public discourse.


Sarah Palin issued a forceful denunciation of her critics in a video statement posted to her Facebook page.It ended with President Obama, whose plea for civility, love and compassion — for us to all be not just better citizens but better people — exposed for the first time the emotions of a leader who has spent two years staying cool and controlled for a nation beset by difficult times.

The tone of the two speeches could not have been more different. The venues were a world apart — the smallness of a rectangular video on a computer screen and the vastness of an echo-filled basketball arena.

And they both served as a reminder of the political clash to come when the 2012 presidential campaign gets underway in earnest next year.

Whether Ms. Palin chooses to challenge Mr. Obama or not, her video reflected the urgent feelings of her supporters. And Mr. Obama’s speech, delivered amid sorrow, offered a fresh glimpse of the candidate who used hope as an inspirational tool.

Ms. Palin’s decision to post the video on the Internet Wednesday morning all but invited comparisons to the president’s previously announced appearance at the memorial service for those slain in Arizona.

And her choice of words — most notably the accusation that her critics were guilty of “blood libel” for the things they have said about her — made it impossible to ignore the video as merely another statement from a politician.

[The Wielding Truth]

1. Excellent! It was so obviously a little woman who spoke from a little place.

[bettyellen]

4. yeah.... Youtube and Facebook. Pathetic

[1776Forever]

2. "The tone of the two speeches could not have been more different." (As are the two people) n/t

[Doctor_J]

3. Sounds like this hack liked both speeches

He must be in love with Palin to compare these two