Marco Rubio: The Obama of the right?

Whatever you think about Obama — and he is not very popular these days — the fact remains that he is one of the most talented politicians of our age. At his best, he gives a heck of a speech, he is undoubtedly intelligent and thoughtful, and while I disagree with most of his policies, [...]

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As if I needed one more reason to never move to France

A new French law criminalizes “psychological violence” against a spouse or cohabiting partner. Pretty great I say. The French are geniuses. They have already outlawed pesky things like free speech, unsexy clothes and hard work. Now all those domestic arguments must stay within strict rules laid down by the government. Think about all the hours [...]

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An old Obama speech on religion

[Post edited] I discovered this video today. It is a recording of a speech Obama made more than an year ago. The familiar themes of collectivist altruism (this is Obama after all!) have their place but the speech is mainly about religion in a political context. Having heard many good and not so good Obama [...]

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The return of criminal libel in Ohio?

This case may have set a worrying precedent. I do not advocate, as some libertarians do, that we do away with all defamation laws. It does make some economic and moral sense to penalize speech that is demonstrably and objectively false, and results in specific harm. However, I am in all circumstances opposed to defamation [...]

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Obama in the Virginia rain

Some of Obama’s speches, like the 2002 one on the Iraq war, the 2004 one in the DNC or the one earlier this year in race, are magnificiently written and rich in content. By contrast, the one he delivered in Virginia on Saturday night is unremarkable, indeed trite in content, but stylistically brilliant. It starts [...]

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Speech reaction

Not a great speech like some of his earlier ones but pretty good nevertheless. He did what he had to do. Personally, I disliked quite a bit of the content, especially the economic populism at the beginning. But then, the speech was not aimed at me. I suspect that the democratic base and those who [...]

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Awaiting Obama’s acceptance speech

The last time Obama had to give a speech to save his life, he delivered a tour-de-force. You could see it coming a mile away. The trouble with Obama is that he is such a damn good orator that the expectations for tomorrow will be sky-high. Yet, he will need to surpass those expectations if [...]

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Hillary, contd.

Earlier, I praised the emotional aspect of Hillary’s last night speech and it’s effect on Barack Obama’s electoral prospects. As for the actual political content though, my thoughts are closer to Matt Welch’s, whose excellent take on it I highly recommend.

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Hillary

She was poignant, she was stylish and she electrified the audience. And she came out strong for Barack Obama. I have never liked Hillary much. I didn’t like her manipulative side that she displayed during the primaries and I detest her nanny-state approach to government. I was more than relieved when it became certain that [...]

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The Michelle Obama speech

Andrew Sullivan is overwhelmed: One of the best, most moving, intimate, rousing, humble, and beautiful speeches I’ve heard from a convention platform. Maybe she should be running for president. You don’t need any commentary from me. This was a home-run. And sincere. Thank God that in the end, the truth struggles out there. Dave Wiegel agrees: [...]

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Obama’s patriotism speech

The full text of the speech, as delivered in the town of Independence, Missouri, earlier today.

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Rowling at Harvard

One of the greatest formative experiences of my life preceded Harry Potter, though it informed much of what I subsequently wrote in those books. This revelation came in the form of one of my earliest day jobs. Though I was sloping off to write stories during my lunch hours, I paid the rent in my [...]

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Worth the speaking

In Germany, they first came for the communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came [...]

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Andrew Sullivan on Obama’s speech

Alas, I cannot give a more considered response right now as I have to get on the road. But I do want to say that this searing, nuanced, gut-wrenching, loyal, and deeply, deeply Christian speech is the most honest speech on race in America in my adult lifetime. It is a speech we have all [...]

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After the speech

My impressions? It was powerful, nuanced, insightful and moving. I wrote yesterday that this speech would be Obama’s sternest test as a politician and an orator. I believe he lived up to it. For those who missed it, here’s the transcript, though the emotional impact, I suppose, is somewhat muted when one merely reads it. Update: And [...]

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