Of all the humongous-crowds speeches that Obama gave during the campaign, this is the one that cemented my already-onboard support for him, and why I've never looked back. A DU'er quietly posted this in 2008. It's an intimate talk with his Chicago campaign staff that Obama gave to them in June 2008 shortly after he'd clinched the nomination.
I would bet dollars to doughnuts that Obama is right now also kicking this up a notch and giving the same kind of talk to Dems who are wavering on HCR. It's close to 14 minutes long and really is worth watching. Since I always hope there's a transcript when I click into a video post, I've transcribed his remarks below. The bolded words are the part that really struck me about his speech, and watching this again, I can't help but feel that he feels exactly the same about passing HCR.
Barack Speaks To HQ Staff & Volunteers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnhmByYxEIo You know the last time we did one of these it was in August… we were thirty points down in the national polls… everybody had written us off and we had gone through about a month straight of depressing press, and I don’t know how many of you remember the conversation we had. But I want to repeat it, because it’s worth repeating.
When I started this campaign, I wasn’t sure that I was going to be the best of candidates. But what I was absolutely positive of, was that there was the possibility of creating the best organization - because I’m a big believer that the way great things happen is when people are willing to submerge their own egos and… just focus on bringing their particular gifts and passion and energy and vision to a common task, then great things can be accomplished. That’s my old organizing mindset. It’s not just a gimmick, it’s not just a schtick, I actually believe in it.
And so, in August, what I told you guys was …you know your candidate, he’s making some mistakes, and he’s tripped and stumbled and made some gaffes, and we’re going up against a very formidable set of opponents, and we’re confronting a lot of skepticism and cynicism out there, but if you guys stick with it, if you guys remain invested in it, if you are willing to lift me up, and pull me across the finish line, then this thing could happen.
And what is amazing is that you guys did. You stuck to it. You worked hard. You lifted each other up. You covered for each other, you made up for each other’s mistakes, you didn’t blame each other when things went wrong there was just, just a good mood, a good heart to this campaign. And that’s what I’m most proud of. Even if we had lost, I would still be proud of what we’ve built, ‘cause nobody thought we could build it! And everybody thought that at some point, this thing was all going to be a flash-in-the-pan. And collectively, you, all of you, most of whom are… I’m not even sure of drinking age, you’ve created the best political organization in America and probably the best political organization that we’ve seen in the last 30, 40 years. That’s a pretty big deal. That’s pretty remarkable and so I hope that all of you understand your achievement. I’ve often said in speeches that this is not about me and I know sometimes it may come off as just a line, but I really mean it. This campaign has been about you and you guys discovering your collective ability to make history and just move an entire nation in a new direction. And that is a remarkable feat. It is just an astonishing feat and everybody’s marveling at it. And so, I hope this weekend, when you guys are hopefully getting a little time to savor it, you really think about what you’ve done and understand that it’s not because of the candidate, it’s because of you, and so I owe thanks to you, and I’m grateful to you, and you’ve inspired me… and what you’ve done is something that continually restores my faith in people, in America, in the world, in what’s possible… and that is a great gift that you’ve given to me.
Now - we also have more work to do, and I know that had this not been so difficult a task - this primary - that it would have been nice to have a couple weeks off, or even a week off, and just get a break, and I know how tired you guys are, and some of you are feeling burnt out, and if at some point some of you feel burnt out, just let us know and we’ll understand… you know, I can - I feel you. But we’re going to have to turn around and work even harder now. Because the truth is that… you know people were asking, a lot of the reporters were asking…how come you never seem more exuberant? - you know, it’s astonishing how just that little fist-bump got so much play, because that was like… our celebration. You know, what I’ve told the reporters is that it’s because as I’ve traveled over the course of 15, 16, 17 months, and I’ve met people who are struggling - I meet single moms who don’t have health insurance for their kids or I meet guys who’ve been laid off of their job, or entire towns that are basically dying because they’ve lost their factory you know when you see those things, you really do get an enormous sense of obligation.
We don’t have an option now. When we were at the beginning of this thing in Iowa, if I’d lost Iowa, it would have been okay. One of the other Democrats would have emerged and they would have carried the banner and we would have joined their campaign and we would have moved forward and the country would move in a better direction. But, because we’ve won. We now have no choice. WE HAVE TO WIN. We have to win.
So, I want everybody to catch your breath, take some time this weekend or next weekend, or wherever it is that your department says you can take it, do what you do to get your “ya-ya’s” out that’s an old 60’s expression.
And then understand that coming back, we’re going to have to work twice as hard as we’ve been working. We are going to have to be smarter, we’re going to have to be tougher, our game is going to have to be tighter... we are going to be attacked more viciously, we’re going to have to respond more rapidly, we are going to have to raise more money, I am going to have to be a better candidate, each and every one of you, whatever it is that you do, you are going to have to do it better, longer and probably without break between now and Nov. 4th.
And we don’t have a choice. We don’t have a choice, because, now, if we screw this up, all those people that I’ve met, who really need help, they’re not going to get help. And those of you who are concerned about global warming, I don’t care what John McCain says, he is not going to push that agenda hard. All those concerned about Darfur, I guarantee you, they’re not going to spend any political capital on that. Those of you who are concerned about education, there’ll be a bunch of lip service, and then it’ll be more of the same. Those of you who are concerned about making sure there’s a sense of fairness in our economy, it will be less fair. So, now everybody’s counting on you, not just me. And I know that’s a heavy weight, but also, what a magnificent position to find yourselves in, where the whole country is counting on you to change it for the better. Those moments don’t come around very often, and here you are, five months away from having transformed the country, and made history, and changed the world. So, we’ve got to seize it. So… rest up a little bit, but come back, ready to go. And fired up. I love you guys – let’s go win the election!
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