he's talking in order to stop talk about something.

he has a problem with something, and gives a speech--but it ends up highlighting the problem itself and never solving the problem--the fact that he feels he has to talk about this proves that it's damaged him in itself.

and this is just weird--
"For a young man of mixed race, without firm anchor in any particular community, without even a father’s steadying hand, it is this essential American idea – that we are not constrained by the accident of birth but can make of our lives what we will – that has defined my life, just as it has defined the life of so many other Americans." --

He's really speaking of immigrants and people who come here--not about Americans -- "accident of birth" is exactly what makes someone American, unless they weren't American before, and came here to become American. He's reinforcing how not like the rest of us he really is, and how he's more like immigrants, i think. (and why is his mother invisible, but he wears her parents like a suit all the time? it's sexist and insulting to the person who raised him.)

This speech is all over the place--on one hand, he's absorbed his ancestors' War heroism/patriotism with his mother's milk, but on the other, he's adrift in the world.

And worthy of thrills up peoples legs? I'm curious. He says good things, sure, but its not like I haven't heard it all before. And I've only been paying close attention since ought zero, dagnabbit.

Faith is Tuesday's theme-- where will that be?

".... Senator Obama will follow up Monday's speech on patriotism with a Tuesday address focused on faith, and remarks on service Wednesday and Thursday. ..." -- http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/30/obama-to-deliver-major-speech-on-patriotism/

damn, you got as really good perspective on political rhetoric.

for myself, i'll say the following paragraph is merely an instance of david axelrod's manipulative advertising rhetoric (in this case, "patriotic" rhetoric):

"Finally, it is worth considering the meaning of patriotism because the question of who is – or is not – a patriot all too often poisons our political debates, in ways that divide us rather than bringing us together. "

mush,mush,mush.

there are, in fact, folks who are patriots (lucius quintus cinncinatus lamar, for one)

and there are lots of folks who are not, but would like you to think they are by virtue of the words they speak,

of which group prez bush, vice-prez cheney, and would-be prez obama are members paid-in-full.

not a one of these three has displayed any understanding of patriotism at any point in their lives.

Oh. Never mind.