bobbymcgill
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- Aug 23, 2008
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[ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NFdfxlqG3wU]YouTube - Obama's Radio Address 11-15-08[/ame]
The first of President Elect Barack Obama's weekly addresses to the nation was full of subtle imagery, telling sounds and a precisely worded script that offers great insight into what we are to expect from our newly elected leader.
Some of you might think I am overstating the symbolism or the meaning of his words and that there is actually much less than meets the eye, but these are very clever people, so we are obliged to pay attention to the nuances.
Opening: The segment opens with the President Elect's exclusive website, Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team. Nothing subtle here, straight to the point: "We will change the government." So much for transition etiquette. And just in case you weren't aware, there is a handy, "DAYS UNTIL INAUGURATION" counter at the very top of every page on the site. Interesting use of a .gov domain, I'd say.
Cue Obama: As the President-Elect comes on we notice immediately that he is not positioned in the center of the screen but to the far right. For those of you out there on the political right, Obama's off center position is more than likely about the best you're going to get. Enjoy it.
And of course the American Flag is planted firmly on the left which is where it will remain for next four years.
The Script
OBAMA: "Today, the leaders of the G-20 countries -- a group that includes the world's largest economies -- are gathering in Washington to seek solutions to the ongoing turmoil in our financial markets."
The President-Elect's first line of the address is a nod to his base --the rest of the world. A world that adores him in much higher percentages than Americans do. And while none of them can vote, they certainly influence the minds of young voters who turned out en masse and worry over America's reputation abroad.
And the message to the international base is quite simple: The days of Bush unilateralism are over. We'll consult with you folks over tea and see if we can work things out. Fair enough.
From there he focuses on things here at home. And if you listen closely at about the one minute mark when he says, "millions of our fellow citizens lie awake each night wondering how they're going to pay their bills, stay in their homes, and save for retirement," you can plainly hear the sound of sirens in the background. It is probably coming from outside the building, but how does a media savvy group such as the Obama team let that slip past?
OBAMA: "Unemployment insurance claims rose to their highest levels since September 11, 2001. We've lost jobs for ten straight months -- nearly 1.2 million jobs this year, many of them in our struggling auto industry."
This is a clever way to work the monumental 9/11 date into the address. Why use that particular date as a demarcation for problems with unemployment? It is interesting that once the emotional marker is put in place Obama moves right into the auto-industry bailout. The message? We came together to help the victims of 9/11 we should come together to help the auto-industry and its thousands of workers. Never mind the fact that they are poorly run, produce inferior products and that they got themselves into this mess in the first place.
From here on it is cookie cutter Democratic social policy.
Obama speaks of "putting two million Americans to work rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, and schools," and pending "$150 billion to build an American green energy economy that will create five million new jobs." Wow, seven million jobs to replace the 1.2 million lost. Here's my wallet!
My favorite part is when Obama threatens the Democrat-controlled Congress, giving the impression that he isn't even in the same party. "If Congress does not pass an immediate plan that gives the economy the boost it needs, I will make it my first order of business as President."
Is this a subtle way to distance himself from what he anticipates will be an unpopular spend-happy Congress? The guy is no half-wit. Nothing wrong with planning ahead, right?
To wrap the whole thing up Obama summarizes the entirety of his three-minute address with the coup de grace. "Doing all this will require not just new policies, but a new spirit of service and sacrifice."
Nothing subtle there either. Translation: Look out for new taxes.
Bobby McGill
Idle Wordship
The first of President Elect Barack Obama's weekly addresses to the nation was full of subtle imagery, telling sounds and a precisely worded script that offers great insight into what we are to expect from our newly elected leader.
Some of you might think I am overstating the symbolism or the meaning of his words and that there is actually much less than meets the eye, but these are very clever people, so we are obliged to pay attention to the nuances.
Opening: The segment opens with the President Elect's exclusive website, Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team. Nothing subtle here, straight to the point: "We will change the government." So much for transition etiquette. And just in case you weren't aware, there is a handy, "DAYS UNTIL INAUGURATION" counter at the very top of every page on the site. Interesting use of a .gov domain, I'd say.
Cue Obama: As the President-Elect comes on we notice immediately that he is not positioned in the center of the screen but to the far right. For those of you out there on the political right, Obama's off center position is more than likely about the best you're going to get. Enjoy it.
And of course the American Flag is planted firmly on the left which is where it will remain for next four years.
The Script
OBAMA: "Today, the leaders of the G-20 countries -- a group that includes the world's largest economies -- are gathering in Washington to seek solutions to the ongoing turmoil in our financial markets."
The President-Elect's first line of the address is a nod to his base --the rest of the world. A world that adores him in much higher percentages than Americans do. And while none of them can vote, they certainly influence the minds of young voters who turned out en masse and worry over America's reputation abroad.
And the message to the international base is quite simple: The days of Bush unilateralism are over. We'll consult with you folks over tea and see if we can work things out. Fair enough.
From there he focuses on things here at home. And if you listen closely at about the one minute mark when he says, "millions of our fellow citizens lie awake each night wondering how they're going to pay their bills, stay in their homes, and save for retirement," you can plainly hear the sound of sirens in the background. It is probably coming from outside the building, but how does a media savvy group such as the Obama team let that slip past?
OBAMA: "Unemployment insurance claims rose to their highest levels since September 11, 2001. We've lost jobs for ten straight months -- nearly 1.2 million jobs this year, many of them in our struggling auto industry."
This is a clever way to work the monumental 9/11 date into the address. Why use that particular date as a demarcation for problems with unemployment? It is interesting that once the emotional marker is put in place Obama moves right into the auto-industry bailout. The message? We came together to help the victims of 9/11 we should come together to help the auto-industry and its thousands of workers. Never mind the fact that they are poorly run, produce inferior products and that they got themselves into this mess in the first place.
From here on it is cookie cutter Democratic social policy.
Obama speaks of "putting two million Americans to work rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, and schools," and pending "$150 billion to build an American green energy economy that will create five million new jobs." Wow, seven million jobs to replace the 1.2 million lost. Here's my wallet!
My favorite part is when Obama threatens the Democrat-controlled Congress, giving the impression that he isn't even in the same party. "If Congress does not pass an immediate plan that gives the economy the boost it needs, I will make it my first order of business as President."
Is this a subtle way to distance himself from what he anticipates will be an unpopular spend-happy Congress? The guy is no half-wit. Nothing wrong with planning ahead, right?
To wrap the whole thing up Obama summarizes the entirety of his three-minute address with the coup de grace. "Doing all this will require not just new policies, but a new spirit of service and sacrifice."
Nothing subtle there either. Translation: Look out for new taxes.
Bobby McGill
Idle Wordship
