Obama's speech was about answering His Critics and no one caught it.

[illinoisprogressive]

On 2nd viewing I realized the speech that Barack Obama gave today was in answer to his critics. The part on health care and saying Let's have a real 'discussion' was answering Hillary. The part about a real plan was answering Edwards. He made references to Fox news questioning his patriotism and being a real American, he also made reference to the media feeding frenzy this week with Biden and making it into a big blow up.
I started to think this this morning when I saw it for the first time but, was distracted by my cat wanting attention. Reviewing it tonight I saw what he was really saying again.
It was not a speech of red meat to the democrats but, answering the critics who have been taking pot shots at him.
Very cool. Very very cool.

And the media as always missed the point.

[Kagemusha]

1. What'd the media say, anyway?

I have no idea. I was reading a Kos diary about the Beatles-like treatment Obama got. It's like people were too star-struck to even notice the answering critics stuff... like they weren't even in the room, or even in the race...

[jefferson_dem]

2. Obama was absolutely fantastic! I just watched it again and am

struck at how inspiring his message really is. Totally captivating. You're right. It wasn't full of blustery red meat rhetoric. Instead...we get a cool delivery of a positive vision, of politics, policy, and governance. He did respond to those critics, yet in a subtle, dignified way. My hope is that he can remain "above the fray" as much as possible...those slings and arrows are about to get really nasty.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. He usually does this. He will answer things this way. I've seen it before

The media said nothing. They said it did not give the red meat like the others. It was a very thoughtful and intellectual speech and it answers all his critics. The part about people saying it's not enough to talk about hope. Let us see a white paper....

[bobthedrummer]

4. Is Robert Gibbs still Obama's Communications Director?

[illinoisprogressive]

5. I think so. I just read something on Axelrod and it had his other guys named. why

[Dean Martin]

6. Just some of the reasons he's the best candidate

Obama's the best candidate for president I have seen in my lifetime. He's certainly the only one I've seen that doesn't talk rhetoric. Makes me even more baffled why anyone is enamored of any of the others who have so far declared their intent to run.

[bobthedrummer]

7. Robert Gibbs is a perception management professional

a one time Kerry aide that ran the hit piece against Howard Dean featuring Osama bin Laden alternating with Howard Dean.

Then there are many interesting political affiliations of Robert Gibbs available by doing a simple search.

[jefferson_dem]

9. Yes, he is.

From a recent Trib article ...

The political professionals who are Obama's closest formal advisers are careful, deliberate counselors, wary of unnecessary risks and no strangers to campaign street fights. The informal coterie is a multihued collection of high achievers, men and women who are friends and intellectual peers.

There's David Axelrod, the strategist at Obama's right hand, perhaps the best-known Democratic consultant working outside of Washington, D.C., equally adept at sensing the right metaphor for high-minded aspirations and at finding the vulnerable spot to savage an opponent.

Then, Robert Gibbs, communications director, a campaign veteran described by one Democratic operative--approvingly--as "Northern ruthlessness and Southern charm combined."

<SNIP>

Axelrod has been a political counselor to Obama even before his Senate race. Gibbs joined shortly after Obama won the primary. Gibbs and Axelrod were standing together on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004 for the speech that would propel Obama onto the national stage.

The two men had emerged from backstage to stand amid the crowd for the speech they'd heard Obama, then the Democratic nominee for the Senate, practice several times. As enthusiasm engulfed the convention delegates, both men say, they knew they were working for something more than the average Senate campaign. People around them were crying.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Gibbs recalls saying to Axelrod.

<SNIP>

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-070114obama-story,1,7654298,print.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

[illinoisprogressive]

8. What I found so far is he worked for Kerry. not much so far. I'll keep checking

rechecked and there isn't much. He is pretty standard adviser.

[bobthedrummer]

10. Here's an informative thread from a year or so ago about perception mangement

"Reality vs perception management:the tinfoil controversy" started 1-6-06
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x71919