I took a quick look around the web this morning, curious to see the reactions to Obama’s speech last night. Some Fox commenters were critical in the post-speech analysis but all the reactions I saw were positive.
Here’s Rich Lowry from the National Review:
The pep-rally atmosphere was inappropriate and disconcerting, but President Obama turned in a magnificent performance. This was a non-accusatory, genuinely civil, case for civility, in stark contrast to what we’ve read and heard over the last few days. He subtly rebuked the Left’s finger-pointing, and rose above the rancor of both sides, exactly as a president should. Tonight, he re-captured some of the tone of his famous 2004 convention speech. Well done.
You have to look at the comments on this one. There’s a lot of bitter clingers in that comment section.
At sunrise in the east on Wednesday, Sarah Palin demonstrated that she has little interest—or capacity—in moving beyond her brand of grievance-based politics. And at sundown in the west, Barack Obama reminded even his critics of his ability to rally disparate Americans around a message of reconciliation.
Palin was defiant, making the case in a taped speech she posted online why the nation’s heated political debate should continue unabated even after Saturday’s tragedy in Tucson. And, seeming to
follow her own advice, she swung back at her opponents, deeming
the inflammatory notion that she was in any way responsible for the
shootings a “blood libel.”Obama, speaking at a memorial service at the University of Arizona, summoned the country to honor the victims, and especially nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green, by treating one another with more
respect. “I want America to be as good as Christina imaged it,” he
said.It’s difficult to imagine a starker contrast.
He’s got that right. I think Palin’s speech made her look small and petty. If she thought going first would help her win the PR battle,
she badly miscalculated.
Political Wire has a round-up of various reactions to the speech.