Political Punch

What is the value of words?

Sen. Barack Obama defended the value of words recently with a "line" given to him by Gov. Deval Patrick: “Don’t tell me words don’t matter. ‘I have a dream’—just words? ‘We the people hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’—just words? ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself’—just words? Just speeches?”

Sen. Obama often quotes great men, giants of humanity like Martin Luther King, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, men like our nation's founding fathers. Were their words, just words? Oh no, not hardly, these are the words of men, who risked their very lives for the ideals and principles their words represented. Men who faced down tyranny and hatred, faced down muskets and Japanese destroyers in the horror of bloody war and battle, faced down firehoses and billy clubs, with the courage and conviction to not only speak those words but heroically defend the principles they espoused, principles such as freedom and equality. Their words have value and meaning and resonance because of who they were, what they'd risked, what they sacrificed, what they'd achieved, and what they fought for. No those men, their words weren't merely eloquent and inspiring. They weren't merely words. Sen. Obama is correct about that. Those men's words were the embodiment of all that is fine and noble in the human species. Their words are as heavy and as solid the as freedom they represented.

When John F. Kennedy wrote Profiles In Courage, it wasn't fine merely because of the eloquence of the words, but because of the valor and sacrifices he'd made on behalf of the ideas his words embodied. When Dr. King made speeches, those speeches were anchored with the mighty weight of unflinching courage, in bold defiance of oppression and prejudice. The very speaking of these words subjected him to jeapordy, as did the founding fathers' words.

These men's words Sen. Obama quotes weren't vague or manipulative or self-serving or hollow, and quoting the words of great men, doesn't make one great, or right, or noble, or worthy by association. Those things must be earned, as they earned them.

So yes, words matter, but not merely the words themselves, but the men who speak them matter just as much. Perhaps one day Sen. Obama's words will have earned that stature, but not yet.

I don't know why this is such a big deal. Obama and Patrick are old friends. Heck, if my best friend used a joke I made up (original not repeated), I would feel flattered.

Now, if he had done this with someone he did not know, and did not give credit, then I would be miffed. Friends copy each other all the time. It demonstrates that they have things in common.

He could have qualified it with, "As my good friend from Mass. pointed out,..." and we wouldn't even be talking about it. Besides, legally plagiarism only applies if the originator of the intellectual property does not give permission, as Patrick obviously did.

ohhh i see so Obama thinks its no big deal to use Patricks words because he has been using them for years now...huh..
and his economic plan in which he lifted the 5 million green jobs from Hillary Clinton ? and his WI win speech last night in which he refd MLK and then riffed the we cannot afford to wait from the Letter from the Birmingham Jail, so basically his candidacy is based on his ability to lift useful ideas from other successful people..why not just elect an actual thinker, Clinton 08

Wait a minute. Are we really about to give Barack Hussein Obama access to nuclear weapons?

Obama is a Socialist and a Marxist. His Houston Office has a cuban flag with Che imposed on it. I think that should worry people even Democrats.

Obama was and is a social worker, who worked for the poorest and more important motivated others to do so. That is his energy, to motivate others to do something for the better. If you really read his record you would realize that he's a cool dude. Before Obama was on the scene nearly everybody was for Hillary.
To switch to Obama, you have to change your mind. The more education you have, the more you realize that you have to change your mind very often, because thats a major part in the learning process. So, you are more open to consider another path, but only after getting the facts.

Heck, Mike, I can't let that one pass. Most because working class stiffs like me know crap when we hear it. Sometimes its hard to pay the bills for people like me so we tend to look for substance over rhetoric because it affects us here in the real world. BTW I've been a fighter pilot on good nights at various watering holes. So I do recognize crap when I hear it as I've used it ofter enough.

Really, if I type they squeak so much, it's horrible. bye bye to may Hillabot counterimages. Oil Oil

I was an Edwards supporter first...lol

See ya Mike. I've got to go too. I like arguing politics so I'm glad someone was actually willing to do a little back and forth. You were a formidable foe. LOL I still think you need to put down the Obama Kool Aid but I can see thats not going to happen. LOL Later man.

Harley, maybe some of these votes would have been Edwards.

See ya Will! Keep the Obamabots on their toes!

Actually I have to get some oil to grease my joints.

Obamabots need oil.

Michigan could be settled by giving Obama the 300,000 undecided voters that voted that way because Obama didn't want to put his name on the ballet to avoid it looking like a loose.

Muzza, Harley, Wil : Why do the better educated voters go more for Obama ? Are they also "empty suits" ?

Sorry, Harley, Mike, I have to get moving. Talk to you all later.

But yeah I agree that there should be some kinda solution so the delegates are seated. I think Hillary wins the state in a PRIMARY re-do but in caucuses, I think all the college students with no jobs that have been winning caucus states for Obama shouldn't speak for a whole state. I hope Hillary goes to all the caucus states conventions and steals delegates away from Obama like he stole the caucuses with his non working supporters. And don't say thats not what they did. It's a fact that it was all young voters for Obama in those states.

I wouldn't mind a public election, but you can't vote for that, whoever the REAL candidate is. And in MI only Hill and Kucinic were on the Ballot, and thats really a bit unfair.

Harley, you are indeed a man of principle. I share your feelings.

Sorry Will....I can't vote for Obama. If he's the nominee I'm looking for a Bloomberg or gambling on McCain to get back on the real Straight Talk Express. I just can't vote for an empty suit.

Agreed, Harley!

So much propoganda and deception coming from the Obama campaign that I can't believe a word they say. The thinking members of society have not been fooled by their shameless efforts to seduce unthinking voters. I hope they pay the price for this by LOSING. Vote for sane politics - Hillary Clinton.

I don't disagree with a re-do but I don't think it should be a caucus. It has to be a full primary or nothing at all. If not. Count them as is. The reason she wants them to count is because this race is so close. If you counted those two states since they did have record turnouts it would give some space to the REAL candidate.

Mike, are we coming together on something? Who said different camps cannot talk with each other? I appreciate this. No swearing, no stupidity, no useless trashing of the other side, just a polite give and take. Maybe there is hope for us democrats yet.

If FL and MI should count there must be a a campaign and new votes.

Mike, you do have a point with FL and Mich. Here is my concern: Will democrats from both states remember the harsh/kind words we all seem to recklessly use against or for them? After all it was a republican administration down in FL who moved the voting dates causing dems to turn on each other. In a democracy, which I believe in, I honestly see no alternative but counting them in if democrats honestly want to win the White House. I'm positive we disagree in this, but I refuse to cede a single state to republicans if I can do something to prevent this from happening in November. For me no single democrat, Hillary or Obama, is bigger than the hopes and dreams of the party itself. I would hope if Obama had won those states I would say the same.

I think Obamabuts is funnier, but too rude, and Hillbuts maybe too sexist.
But also there definitely are Hillabots too.

Wil, she says she has more than words, but also she is using her buzzwords and gestures and so forth, Obama is just more authentic. For me, it is scandalous, that Hillary wants to count Mich, and Florida.
She is ( again ) bending a party law.
And really look in their records. Omama has more experience(8 yrs.) as a senator than Hillary 6 years, and he worked hard in Illinois.
She was first lady for 8 years , OK, but does that give here more experience? Maybe the board of Walmart?

Of course not, Harley. Remember we talked about this in 2004?

or is it plagiarized if I say I got it from a good friend? LOL

Another Obamabot. (plagiarized by will)

Thats the difference. She told people he said it. Obama only told those words weren't his when called on it. I think you are REACHING now.

Nice spin Rachel but it appears you did not address Obama's uses of someone else's words. You did address Clinton's word usage now how about using your own logic you used here to address Obama's?

shelgirl, she said NOW I am really proud of America, which implies she wasn't before. Personally, I think it's again a ridiculous fishing in the accuracy of ones language.
But I am still not completely proud. Too much pride makes one lazy. And it will be hard work to give good reason to be proud again after 8 years of Bush fires.

If you think you using the race card makes me back down from anything your crazy. I was making a joke about Oprah. I'll put you in your place. Who's racist in America? I think the black vote is 90-10 for Obama and about 50-50 with white voters. Can you honestly say that 90 percent of African Americans are voting for Obama based on the issues. I think not.

There is a HUGE difference in what Obama did and what the other campaigns have done. He used a huge section of a speech and she used 2 words. Also Hillary isn't really running on the power of words like Obama is. Also like I said, when he borrows words it doesn't matter and when his wife uses horrible words we should just let that pass. I think that's the definition of a hypocrite

Thanks afroza.

Well, first to H...If Oprah si so scarey because she has white females under her spell; why are they the reason Hillary is still around.

Second, I am a Black American female and I know exactly what Michelle Obama meant when she said she felt really proud of America because I felt that same way..proud of being an American...not a Black American, for the first time in my life. Unfortunately, reading many of you here, listening to the media and of course to Hillary who made this all OKAY again, has brought be back to my senses. OR SHOULD I SAY MY PLACE.

Wil, one word answer, no two word answer: Surveillance, Guantanamo.

Obama didn't copy a speech, he just made one argument also a friend has used. The question is more: Can one stand behind his statements? The answer is of course Yes (w)he can!
I wonder how many phrases, arguments and buzzwords Hillary did subconsciously copy from Bill?

Or McCain, who copied from Bush senior: "Read my lips." Or is this one maybe from Clint Eastwood? Or King Richard I ?

Don't mean to be so hard on you, Mike, but your postings appear as if you're developing somewhat of a stutter. Calm down. Do some deep breathing. Now, the American human rights record is as good as any in the world. BTW, who are you comparing us against via human rights? Maybe if you were to give me your facts I could respond.

The Biden thing was alot worse. Still I think it should be a huge factor in deciding who the President is going to be. Oh and go and Search Larry Sinclair. If he's telling the truth. The republicans are going to tear him apart!

because present means you are OK with it, but some details you don't like.
No, means no way, I am against it. Good laws have to be forged properly, and Obama is a specialis on constitution.

I just LOVE the fact that I hear the news in the background here talking about Obama's plagiarism and Michelle's unpatriotic statements. Music to my ear!!

.... and in may last posting I am not proud of my grammar.

Then if the bill is not good enough why not just vote NO? Present means you have no opinion. Nevertheless, nice bit of spin there, Mike. I think I need you to talk with my wife when I mess up from time to time. Between the two of us we could mess her up.

Will, I posted that before already. Japanese and Europeans are overtaking us in economy - I am not proud of that fact. I am not proud of the war, I am not proud of our human write situation and social system, sorry.

Everybody must be so proud, but why are we on place 36 on the WHO ranking regarding health care? This makes you proud ? Or the auto industry, is it making you proud? To be proud all the time is like going to an art gallery with a blindfold and admire all the exhibits, and it makes you uncritical.

So it's time to get really proud again.

You know what really scares me about Obama? Oprah. She's already got every white woman in America under her spell. What happens when she's in Obama's ear? LOL I hate Oprah.

Obama is a lier on top of being a plagarist. Sound like Bush redu.
Yikes!

I think bring up the sharing up "riffs" or whatever you want to call them is an issue here. Let's face it, perhaps Obama's biggest draw is his inspiring oratory. I'm a fairly young voter, but i haven't heard anything like it. I'm inspired by it. However, how much of it is Axelrod, and how much is Obama. I realize Obama probably writes little of the content of his speeches. Now that we're inspired, give us the substance Obama, or Clinton, speech writers, then we can elect our next president. Looking forward to more head on debates to hash out differences in the issues to make an educated choice. Thanks.

Man you have bought Obama's spin hook line and sinker. I feel sorry for you. Really.

Lingo is needed to be precise, get an education. If you vote for Obama, you may get some evening classes sponsored.

...and present means to reject a bill because its not good enough, so it has to be presented to the experts again. Whats wrong with that.

So, Mike, knowing how prepared you are, what did Michelle mean when she said, "For the first time in my adult life I'm proud of my country." Just wondered on your spin on this baby.

I wouldn't call cutting and pasting prepared. I would call that you being an Obamabot doing your masters bidding.... Oh and I watch a lot of news. Lingo just sticks. Get over it.

Right, Mike, and not a very good con man at that. I know it's hard to look up at God and say who did you steal that line from this time? After all this is only "Just Words Part 2".

Harley, do you know, what present means?

I can't leave after reading that you are a Republican. That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Why would a republican vote for the most liberal Senator in the Senate?? That makes no sense to me? And if you say its because you think he's going to work with republicans to "get things done" you've got to be smoking something. We elect people to go to washington to fight for the policies and the principles that matter to us as Democrats and Republicans. We don't send them there to play Cum Ba Ya with the other party! And from you statements about what you care about I would have to say you are the worst Republican I've ever heard of.

Talk to you later, Harley. Well, Obamabots, let's get it on.

See ya Will. Glad to meet someone else that's impervious to the charms of Obama. I've got to go but keep the Obamabot down their going. He'll finally run out of things to cut and paste eventually. LOL

... and where did I get the Clinton record ?

Harley, Chine has a growth rate of 20%, but aren't there where we are. They need steel, energy, wood, ... that increase the prices on the world markets. The real points are poverty, security, freedom of speech, infrastructure, variety of products. So for example wealth in Europe is much more even distributed under the people.

Mike, good job with Obama record. BTW, did you get that information from Obama's web site? It looks suspiciously like you did, word for word even. Boy, you are indeed an Obamabot.

Sorry rob. Mike is the staffer. LOL These boxes are confusing.

Hillary got all those world changing bills passed in order to test out all her economic and health care theories in the State of NY. She's a fraud. Solutions? Please.

Rob is an Obama staffer. I think that he should leave the discussion. Either that or stop taking up all that room on the site.

And he voted present 130 times to keep his record crystal clean. No matter what you list here I'm not converting to the church of Obama.

Chris, are you sure you wanna talk about plagiarized? Well, you do have a point. No one does it better than Obama. No one. He wins.

No China's done there. Why do you think the price of oil is what it is? The Chinese are taking every drop they can get their hands on. I think they are a bigger problem than Europe as far as National Security goes.

and Harley, for your eyes especially:

During the first eight years of Senator Obama’s elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced:

233 regarding healthcare reform,
125 on poverty and public assistance,
112 crime fighting bills,
97 economic bills,
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,
21 ethics reform bills,
15 gun control,
6 veterans affairs and many others.
His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included:
- the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law),
- The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law),
- The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate,
- The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law),
- The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee)

God I would hate to see all the things Hillary has done listed like that. It would probably crash the site. LOL Oh and you writing all that down, just shows you are a Obamabot. Sad

he inspires me and gives me hope.

That's all I need. Hillary is old and busted, and I'd bet she'd vote for Obama if she wasn't on her Celebrity Senator Tour.

No Harley, Europe and Japan, China will come soon.

I find it somewhat interesting, if not downright suspicious, that virtually every time there is a story about Obama that has the slightest bit of criticism in it, the first response from a reader is a lengthy critique of him that is virtually verbatim from the Clinton camp's talking points for the day. Given how sophisticated modern campaigns are, it's not surprising that there is someone at the campaign with the express job of responding to stories in the media in an attempt to influence people's perceptions of how a story is playing. It's just ironic that the responses are themselves in effect plagiarized from the campaign's talking points - no credit is given, and they are being passed off as their own thoughts.

So ethics reform was not pushed through by Obama at the Illinois state senate level? Single-mothers in Illinois did not get a break on public transportation and their kids do not ride for free? He has pushed through no healthcare or childcare initiatives while serving as a state senator? He has worked with no Republicans on bi-partisan legislation at the state or U.S. level? He has not pushed through legislation that would require the use of cameras when interrogating suspects of capital crimes and did not receive a commendation for his efforts by the police force? He did not put forth an extraordinary effort with bipartisan support to gain and protect resources for the rebuilding efforts of Hurricane Katrina and to prevent no-bid contracts like Halliburton from occurring like in Iraq under Hillary's watch and non-opposition? He did not produce the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate as quoted by other media sources? He did not work on legislation to deal with the issues of Darfur? And all media agrees he was consistent on being against the Iraq war eventhough Bill continues to lie about it over and over again despite the media pointing out that he's wrong.Hillary has been First Lady most of her adult life and served has 7 years as an elected official versus Obama's 11 total years as an elected offical (4 in the U.S. Senate this year), exactly what hard core pieces of legislation has she brought to the table besides SCHIP? I'll be waiting for a substantive response. How much of her experience is Bill's and how much is actually hers? Besides, do you really want to continue handing the country back and forth between the Clinton's and Bill's second newfound family the Bush's? Jeb Bush will likely be running in 8 more years and win too, because he's actually supposed to be the smart one. The best thing to do is to end this senseless familial dynasty stuff now or pay for it for the next 12-16 years. Real change starts with proof of change.

I agree that our economy is crap and China and Japan are taking us over. I just believe that we should put someone in the White House that knows what the hell they are doing. Is that too much to ask?

Mike, tell me you didn't steal human WRITE from the Obama campaign.

So I guess this is the end of the dream for the Barack/Hilary dream ticket?

What is funny about Obama supporters is when they ask them why they are voting for him they always say "well, he inspires me and he's all about hope." Then the next question is "Name me something he's done." ......SILENCE.

Harley, it's not about crying, get a reality check. The Japanese and Europeans are overtaking us in economy. I am not proud of the war, I am not proud of our human write situation and social system, sorry.

It's not that he used apart of someones speech that knew he was going to use it. Its that his whole campaign is based around his speaking ability and how he inspires people. When his originality goes out the window so does his credibility. And with no record and this is all he has then he's just an empty suit. HE IS A PHONY!

I just hope that if Obama becomes President , his power on making people faint does not affect his cabinet. It would be dangerous if he spoke in the United Nations and people started fainting.

Harley, Obamabots fit the creepy crowd to a tee. Garbage in, garbage out.

Of course you would pick out the bad things in this country to cry about. I can think of alot of things that I've been proud of in my adult life. If you can't then you might want to invest in a plane ticket. You are the worst kind of Democrat and people like you are why we get a bad wrap.

Harley has a point. All women, all near the stage, Obama says the same things, somebody next to her convieniently has a bottle of water. It's part of this organizer/cult leader methodology he is using.

I believe that Obama has been getting people to fake faint at his rallies. How do 5 people faint at 5 different events and them all be in the front row for him to see. I think thats crap. Oh and I really like the term "Obamabots" do you care if I plagiarize friend? LOL

The American people at this moment in time, at this time in history,need a change. I say to the American people, at this time in our history, at this moment in time, elect a 'tape recorder' full of well spoken rhetorical borrowed speeches and install it in the White House.Oprah can play the tape to her liking and run the daily Oprah show from the Oval office.Rejoice American people as Oprah's free gifts will be coming your way soon.

TO Harley, it is an unwritten law, that you must not say anything bad about America. Actually thats hypocritical, and close to fascistic. Everybody must be sooo proud, but why are we on place 36 on the WHO ranking regarding health care? This makes you proud ? Or the auto industry, is it making you proud? To be proud all the time is like going to an art gallery with a blindfold and admire all the exhibits, and it makes you uncritical.

It's not so much that Obama failed to credit Patrick, its that what we thought was his core message isn't really his own---isn't unique. The magic that was Obama was premised on his unique ability to transcend politics.That he is parroting another politicians lines about wordsn and more importantly about our aspirations, renders him ordinary; brings him back down to earth. Patrick said those same things and said them well and he has had a very rocky start in Massachusetts. Why does anyone think Obama will fare any better in facing the reality of governing? I don't buy it. This farse is on a collision course with reality. Let's hope it happens before he secures the nomination...

Hillary rips stuff off from Bill and Edwards AND OBAMA all the time. Where's the outrage over that? Obama used a rhetorical device once without giving attribution to his buddy who suggested he use it to defend himself aga