History calls on Obama to uncork a great speech

[babylonsister]

History calls on Obama to uncork a great speech

By CALVIN WOODWARD and MATT FORD
Associated Press Writers


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The pressure's on for Barack Obama, orator.

History wants something for the ages in his Jan. 20 inaugural speech. Not just pretty words that melt like gumdrops but something that will settle in the nation's soul and be worth making schoolchildren memorize 100 years from now.

Americans want something for the dispiriting times they live in. They have their first extraordinary speaker in decades taking the oath of office. They know how good he's been. Time for great.

How tall is the order?

"The great task of Barack Obama is to be a John F. Kennedy or to be a Ronald Reagan - truly inspire the American people and in a few succinct, memorable lines, lay out for the country your new vision for America," says American University political historian Allan J. Lichtman.

Gulp.

At least that does not call upon Obama to be another Abraham Lincoln, the unsurpassed cosmic communicator whose words and deeds the president-elect often cites, and probably will again from the stage of the Capitol.

Obama can be expected to hit upon all lodestar themes from the canon of inaugural speeches. Some of them are unity, hope, change, continuity, security and God. (Prosperity, another biggie, may have to wait.)

The historic ascension of a black man to the White House begs for eloquent acknowledgment. Students of inaugural speeches expect that in brief. Just seeing Obama take the oath may say more on that subject than his rhetoric could.

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[nevergiveup]

1. I agree

that "Just seeing Obama take the oath may say more on that subject than his rhetoric could". He will give a good speech. Whether it is great or not will depend more on history than what the media says at the moment. Obama has shown the ability to reach down inside himself and pull out a wonderful speech when he needed it. The nation is waiting and there is no reason to believe he won't do it again.

[babylonsister]

2. I get goosebumps thinking about the speech Obama will give.

It's going to be one for the history books, because he surely can give a speech.