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Obama Rebuts Clinton’s Argument by Using Historical Speeches

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February 17, 2008 7:02 AM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Summoning up famous quotes within historical speeches from the Declaration of Independence, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King – Sen. Barack Obama made the case that speeches, and words matter in politics.

Obama was rebutting a direct criticism from Democratic presidential rival, Sen Hillary Clinton, who said that it's solutions, not speeches, that change America.

"Don't tell me words don't matter! 'I have a dream', just words? 'We hold these truths to be self evident that all me are created equal' - just words? 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself?' - just words. Just speeches." Obama preached, using the famous phrases to question the notion that words and speeches do not make a difference.

"It's true that speeches don't solve all problems, but what is also true is if we cannot inspire the country to believe again then it doesn't matter how many policies and plans we have," Obama said in front of the Wisconsin Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson dinner, "That is why we just won eight elections straight, because the American people want to believe in change again. Don't tell me words don't matter!"

Obama has been pushing back against Clinton's criticism of his speechifying strongly while campaigning in Wisconsin this week. He recently admitted to a crowd in OshKosh, "I give a good speech. What can I do?"

The Senator caused a dust up on the campaign trail once before when using Martin Luther King’s name when rebutting another Clinton argument against his hope message - that he needs a reality check. Obama fired back questioning if Martin Luther King told crowds gathered on the Lincoln Memorial to just go home, instead of hoping for change.

The line also made a resurgence at Wisconsin dinner Saturday night.

"Martin Luther King didn't stand on the steps of the Lincoln and say 'go home, ya'll need a reality check.'" Obama argued once again.

February 17, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (170)

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Hillary will make a great Sec of State. She doesnt need all these negative ad and politics of personal destruction that will only make her negatives go higher. Let her settle down and think of what next after the primary. TX that has been named firewall seems to be fireless anyway.ARG polls show Obama leading! The polls maybe be wrong but its an indication Hillary will not have a crushing victory in TX or Ohio they way Obama beat her in potomac primaries.

Posted by: TITIBERG | Feb 17, 2008 7:22:54 AM

I believe that words and solution go together.GO OBAMA '08 . I according to Hillary,she has 35 years experienes.These are words, too. So, please give way.

Posted by: I.A.T Smith | Feb 17, 2008 7:34:23 AM

Barack's comments were right on re: Martin Luther King, Jr.! Looks like Hillary's so called "solutions" tactic has failed again! We need to stop the negative crap! This is exactly what the republicans like to see so they can use it against us. We don't need another four years of hell! I hope Obama stays to this message and not get in the personal attacks, because it's just tacky!

Posted by: Renee | Feb 17, 2008 7:45:21 AM

The speeches Obama delivers and the change slogan he proclaims are products of his articulated plans and policies preparatory to his being the president of united States. An aspiring leader that lacks inspirational and motivational words is like a manufacturer that has no market for his product. Sen. Barack Obama remains the most poplar choice to get us out of the woods.

Posted by: Sam | Feb 17, 2008 7:46:21 AM

Hillary found her voice in New Hampshire. The voice was different but she still carries the same message. Show us Hillary that voice you found.

Posted by: Peace | Feb 17, 2008 7:52:52 AM

I support Obama but I do believe Hillary has a good chance of winning Texas, Ohio and Penn. I doubt they will be crushing victories like Obama's past string of states. The polls are all so different - some with her ahead, some with him ahead. I'm guessing it will be close. She might win, but it won't be enough to give her the dramatic surge she needs to catch up to Obama. Not unless she is like Huckabee and believes in miracles, and thinks she can win all future states from here on by significant double digits. Just not happening! Unfortunately, the superdels are her last chance and she realizes this.

Obama has the inspiration, the policies and the plans. Clinton has the policies and plans without the inspiration. She needs to come up with a better campaign message that involves lifting up people and making them believe in her if she wants to match up to him. Even her current 'solutions vs. speech' message is seen as an attack rather than a genuine desire to solve problems. She has to do better. Right now her campaign is 90 percent Obama-damage focused. As proven in SC, that sort of thing just doesn't fly. Notice how when she toned down the Obama-bashing around Super Tuesday, she did fairly well. Then she went negative again, and lost the past 8 states.

Posted by: Cat Scratch | Feb 17, 2008 8:32:54 AM

He is using his race,color, his poor departed mother, poor people, minorities,and pumping up voters with false hopes and dreams, to win the sympathy of people to attain votes. With His words.

His words lack the knowledge, the experience, a defined plan on how he will attain these trumped up promises and false hopes. There has been nothing new, unique from him on this.

We need a president who can do more than recite pretty speeches. We need one who can Do the job of commander and chief. Head of a nation, That knows what they are doing.

I fear the UK tabloids might repeat the words they used after bush was re-elected, if Obama gets elected: “How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?”

Posted by: seah | Feb 17, 2008 8:35:06 AM

MLK had a dream a cause, what is Obama's dream or cause? Becoming President of the USA is a personal dream yes of his, but what does it do for AA? MLK was not thinking of his personal achievement he had a bigger mission equal rights for AA, Obama has not said one thing as to what putting him as President would do to better the lives of AA, all he is saying is "its out time now" ok great America time has come for a black President but exactly what will that do for the AA community if it becomes possible?. In MLK case he was fighting for a position for ALL AA, Obama is fighting for a cause for his self, to achieve what no other AA has ever achieved that is the difference.

Posted by: SJ | Feb 17, 2008 9:05:23 AM

I was a Hillary backer. This negative campaigning and now her campaign says people that voted for Obama are insignifcant? How arrogant!! Its the people she serves. To blow off people that voted democrat, even the independence and crossover republicans, is wrong. We are voting to put this type of person in office??

Now her true colors are coming out. She's for herself, not for the American people. What an ugly person

Posted by: JerryZ | Feb 17, 2008 9:16:51 AM

Sorry, Seah, but the UK media are giving the campaign a great deal of attention - and Obama goes down well. I'm afraid that the Brits remember the Clintons as friends of "Phony Tony" Blair.
The consensus outside the USA is that the free world needs a US President with principles and moral authority - and, unfortunately, the feeling is that, like with Blair, the Clintons wouldn't recognise a principle if it came up to then, stood to attention and saluted.

Posted by: Jorge | Feb 17, 2008 9:22:26 AM

Well, I guess this means the Clinton attack machine will have to go after FDR now and try to destroy his reputation.

Posted by: Steve Fought | Feb 17, 2008 9:34:24 AM

SJ---Barack Obama isn't fighting for African-Americans. He is fighting for AMERICANS to have a government that works for them instead of special interests. His popularity is derived from the desire all AMERICANs have to make this change

Posted by: Mannewell Darby | Feb 17, 2008 9:38:03 AM

My friends,
Barrack Obama was not beaten,he didn't march for civil rights has not championed civil rights for 20 years. Dr king had achievement behind his speeches. FDR, was a well accomplished Governor of New York for eight years despite suffering from polio, as far as I know Obama does not suffer from polio. Mr Obama, what Declaration of independence have YOU written? You are no founding father or no Thomas Jefferson. Yes, those speeches had meaning but so did the PEOPLE Giving them. - Not You!

Posted by: Joe | Feb 17, 2008 9:42:16 AM

Obama? All he's doing is doing is selling are dreams. He needs to tell me what he's going to do not what he's hoping to do. Clinton at least has been more perspective, although I'm not thrilled about her as Pesident either
Ern in California

Posted by: Ern | Feb 17, 2008 10:01:03 AM

Here's the difference. Obama keeps thinking he's MLK. MLK was an activist who fought in the trenches for civil rights for YEARS. Obama was in Hawaii being educated at private schools. He is such a wanna be. First he wants to be MLK, then he compares himself to God. What's next?

Posted by: Marty | Feb 17, 2008 10:01:26 AM

I knew he didn't write his own speeches, but leaning on the talents of former leaders to speak is really a stretch. I wonder how inspirational he'd be if he had to rely only on his own uhs and ers.

Posted by: Sofie1006 | Feb 17, 2008 10:07:49 AM

Words do matter. In El Paso Hillary talked down to the ground. More along the lines of stupid Texas, I'll promise you a minimum wage of $9.50. She didn't make that promise in Wisconsin.

Words matter. Walking along MLK and Latinos there was a voice singing out to change things. That voice was Joan Baez.
For the first time she has endorsed a political canidate: OBAMA!

Posted by: JB | Feb 17, 2008 10:12:57 AM

It takes a Clinton to clean after a Bush. And the cleaning game continues. They will never finish cleaning their scandals - Clinton more so. But a new broom sweeps clean! Clinton is not that new broom.

Why are the Clinton's so desperate to go back into the White House? Keep your peace!

Posted by: jan | Feb 17, 2008 10:16:42 AM

JB,
2 Months ago, Hillary Clinton introduced legislation in the Senate to raise the minimum wage to $9.50. Learn the facts please, before you vote or condemn others, And Joan Biaz never became President, nor should Obama until he accomplishes something on the National stage.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 17, 2008 10:18:27 AM

All the haters here who are knocking Obama for pointing out the power of great speeches of the past are totally missing the point. The point is not that Obama thinks he's MLK or FDR or JFK. The point is that leaders have a duty to inspire, and that words actually matter. Hillary's point seems to be that leaders have to be boring and uninspiring.

But of course, none of this matters to the pathetic haters on this board. Cripes. Thankfully, they represent 0% of real voters.

Posted by: eric | Feb 17, 2008 10:21:29 AM

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