President Obama had some big shoes to fill when he took the stage at the Democratic National Convention tonight—he had to follow his own 2004 and 2008 convention speeches.
The consensus? "What a home run that was," said Chris Matthews after the speech Thursday night.
"The profound thing he accomplished tonight was to turn the tables on those who thought the incumbency would be a problem and [that] the challenger would have it easy," Matthews said.
The Hardball host noted that the strongest, perhaps most well-received statement was actually a simple one: "I am the president," and you're not.
Ed Schultz and the Rev. Al Sharpton observed that Obama did an admirable job of reclaiming his hope and change catchphrase, ideals that have long been ridiculed by Republicans. He "elevated hope and change, he didn't give it up," said Sharpton. "I think Barack Obama won the election tonight."
MSNBC contributor Steve Schmidt, who helped run John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, was struck by Obama's humility and his "acknowledgement that government isn't always the answer"—a favored conservative critique of Democratic politics.
"I don't think Democrats could have possibly done a better job this week in building a case for the President's re-election," said Schmidt.
Obama's speech followed Wednesday night's headline address by Bill Clinton, a 45-minute opus that directly addressed several Romney/Ryan claims about the administration's record. MSNBC's Chris Hayes said the "division of labor" between Clinton's "backward-looking" defense of that record and Obama's speech "focusing the electorate forward" was an effective way of making the election "a choice, not a referendum."
Some of Obama's toughest lines referenced his foreign policy accomplishments and Mitt Romney's foreign campaign blunders. The Republican candidate's lack of clear direction on the war in Afghanistan, military families and foreign policy in general are a "big miss for Romney," said MSNBC's Chuck Todd. "[It was] a giant response to what Mitt Romney didn't do in his speech ... and it really provided the President an opportunity to play a commander-in-chief card."
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Just like Michelle, I love him even more today!
I agree with you 100%.
Nancy, so do I. OBAMA 2012!!!
President Obama set just the right tone in his speech tonight. These are serious but hopeful times if people are allowed to vote and have those votes counted. We've come along way since the Bush presidency, and we have a ways to go. With intelligent and wise leadership, we have a bright future in America. If the Democrats and the President could have done a better job, you couldn't prove it by me.
Thank you MSNB Thank you Chris Mathews, thank you Rachel and Rev. Sharpton and Ezra Kline for allowing America to have at least one evening of feeling good and positive about the leader of our country.
Really!! They have a lovefest for the president everynight of the week!!! What they did was not give you an accurate review of the evening! Obama gave a really weak speech! He criticized Romney for not giving ideas and then did the same thing!
His ideas are there, always have been. The teabaggers keep killing them per their pact to stop Obama at all cost.
I agree, there were Home Runs flying out of the park every night... From Lilly Ledbetter, Gov Patrick, Ms Fluke, Mayor Castro, all the way up to the First Lady, Vice President and the President, they painted a clear picture for anyone to see, if they are willing to open their eyes to the truth.
Indeed they were Rob! Tonight settled the difference between the two parites. The RNC was not about Robme, it was about they're hatred of Obama. Tonight the country moved FORWARD, not Backward.
I agree, ordinary people can elect an extraordinary person to lead us.
I think that when it is all said and done people will begin to realize that President Obama has more than earned the right to be reelected and serve for four more years. The president has significant achievements under his belt: he saved the financial markets from collapsing into another Great Depression with the Recovery Act that saved or created a million jobs plus. He personally saved the auto industry when few thought it was worth saving with timely loans. These auto loans saved another million jobs. He got health care reform passed and the Affordable Care Act will get 30 million uninsured people covered with health insurance plus important reforms will help keep the rising costs down. Women get many services and checkups covered while many families have received rebate checks from insurance companies. We are creating jobs again although its slowly 4.5 million jobs created over 29 months. The stock market and banking sector are both solid and corporate profits are very high. We have to recognized the hostility of the GOP in blocking over 3 million jobs programs that have been filibustered by the GOP in the Senate or held up in the GOP House. The GOP just despises President Obama out of ideology blocking everything he has tried to do.
On foreign policy he is gotten rid of Osama bin laden. Al Qaida's network and leadership are in tatters. The Iraq war is over. Afghanistan is winding down. Iran's on going nuclear program seems to be contained by diplomatic efforts and a beefed up military presence in the region. Libya's terrorist leader Qadaffy is absolutely in a better place after President Obama's policy. Terrorist networks in the Horn of Africa, Yemen, and in Pakistan are regularly pummeled with missile drone strikes. Overall not a bad war record for a former community organizer and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. One has to call President Obama a real war leader. Both Osama Bin laden, Libya's Qadaffy, up to 30 main al Qaida leaders and many Haqqany terrorists are all in a much better place thanks to the strong leadership of President Obama.
Nice post!! I'll just add one more thing...and our President did it all without any assistance from Congress. Now that's something to think about. I love the way you broke it down.
And with more cooperation from the House, he'll be able to fulfill all his promises.
Vote straight Dem, give him all the help we can.
Hex Rex in Minnesota, well said!You answered the question - "are we better off today than 4 years ago" better than the Obama campaign. As a democrat, I am disappointed in the incompetence of the Obama team to answer this question succintly, clearly and confidently.
I hope I am wrong, but I don't understand why they are not using this question for their advantage as a campaign strategy and to put republicans in a box by saying we accomplished all this inspite of republican obstructionism from day 1.
I have never been more proud of an American President than tonight. OBAMA 2012!!
Not in the 32 yrs of watching conventions and politics in general have I ever heard such inspiring DNC speeches that were spot on target these past few days.
Obama/Biden 2012!
Been watching conventions myself for well over 50 years and I agree, uplifting, optimistic, positive and warm people. Could you feel the love? GOP hates to talk about feeling the love but I think it is important.
Pres. Obama has already kept the majority of the promises he made 4 years ago and given 4 more years, I believe they will all be fullfilled. If Americans allow Mitt Romney in the White House, things will change for the worse.
An impressive convention, indeed!
President Obama is a Leader. Mitt Romney is a Flip-floper.
The DNC speakers were all wonderful and honest unlike the RNC. Speeches showed "heart". Everyone spoke of President Obama's love for his country and how he wants it to grow and be respected for the generations to come.
I cried so many times during the entire event, so proud to see a convention crowd that looks like my neighborhood........proud to be a Dem and proud of our President.
Yes, I agree. I believe he has won the election big time, bigger than any poll will ever admit. Polls are jacked up anyway and are not equipped to show the truth, so we will never know the full extent of Obama's bounce from this convention. But faith and reality proves what Rev. Al suggest and that's all that matters. Obama sealed this election and that's a fact.
I watched every minute I could for three days on CSPAN and MSNBC. Proud to be a Democrat. Very proud of our President. Pass it on to all to GET OUT and VOTE and help others to VOTE.
PO gave a great speech but it was short on specifics. So many Democratic speakers were so much better than than GOP ones, but stating that one speech won the election is a bit overblown. I know you are enthusiastic Ed, but there is a long way to go.
Charlie Crist was very good too, so many good speakers all three nights.....brought the message home direct and clear....forward with O&Joe.....no other option.
Big Al and the Panthers!! Jockey for position on your new show on MSNBC "Lockup"
That's where you ,Rachel, Mr ED, Vac Mouth Hayes and our Chris Tingle will be in 2013!! HooRAH
I must say, I am proud of President Obama. But it saddens me to see all of the hate toward him because he is a black man, this society called America will pay dearly if the right choice is not made in November. Oh its okay to sleep with a black man or woman even marry and have children but it's not okay to be black and the President . I am so tired of the so called God fearing bigots that hide behind smiles in the workplace , church, media, schools, and anywhere else we all co-exist together. I am in my 50's and I have never seen any President so disrespected. So while you are going about your day take a look around and think about " Who's Who's " and ask yourself " Who am I " do I play the race game in secret or am I truly a person who see's no color when I look at someone what do I teach my children , " WWJD " (What would Jesus do ) do I use code words like some of society. But at the end of the day some judge other's by "the have's and the have not's " People do not expect life to alway's be perfect. I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and I am now unemployed but I am not going to blame the President for the hold back on jobs from corporations and small business in this country it being done on purpose to make him look like he can't get the job done. Clearly a blind man could see that. Think about all of the opposition and push back from the Replubicans. Remember their main purpose was to make him a one term President at any cost, even on the backs of all of us.
I must say, I am proud of President Obama. But it saddens me to see all of the hate toward him because he is a black man, this society called America will pay dearly if the right choice is not made in November. Oh its okay to sleep with a black man or woman even marry and have children but it's not okay to be black and the President . I am so tired of the so called God fearing bigots that hide behind smiles in the workplace , church, media, schools, and anywhere else we all co-exist together. I am in my 50's and I have never seen any President so disrespected. So while you are going about your day take a look around and think about " Who's Who's " and ask yourself " Who am I " do I play the race game in secret or am I truly a person who see's no color when I look at someone what do I teach my children , " WWJD " (What would Jesus do ) do I use code words like some of society. But at the end of the day some judge other's by "the have's and the have not's " People do not expect life to alway's be perfect. I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and I am now unemployed but I am not going to blame the President for the hold back on jobs from corporations and small business in this country it being done on purpose to make him look like he can't get the job done. Clearly a blind man could see that. Think about all of the opposition and push back from the Replubicans. Remember their main purpose was to make him a one term President at any cost, even on the backs of all of us.
Thank you MSNB for having fantastic political analyst, such as, Chris Mathews, Rachel Maddow, Rev. Sharpton, Chris Hayes, Lawrence, and Ezra Kline. I thank you because often there is so much negative about our president; and for three whole days you gave the American people the opportunity to hear and see the positive of our president. The DNC help also by putting on an extraordinary convention.
I cried on numerous occasions. I was also most impressive to here that the president reads at least 10 letters per day from ordinary citizens.
I am fired up and ready to go!!!
While I liked President's speech last night, like David Gergen said on CNN, he did not hit it out of the ball park. He had the opportunity to do so and open the election wide open, but didn't do it.
I think, President Obama should have offered, in easy to understand and remember terms, his plan to create jobs and get the economy back on track. He was not bold enough to say, I will call for another stimulus package, he was not bold enough to ask for voters to elect democrats to congress and senate so he can accomplish more for them, he should have spelled out in more detail, instead just saying he will mimick Clinton years.
He could have said something like this - that he will drop middle class tax rate to a low 15-20%, he will increase top tax rate to 39%, increase capital gains tax rate to 20% and for those earning say more than $2 million (figure here is immaterial and open for debate), there will be no deductions after the first 2 million and they will pay the top 39% regardless how that income was earned - from capital gains or otherwise does not matter.
He could have also offered a tax incentive to companies bringing jobs back home - say a 5% tax credit for first 1,000 new jobs, 7% credit for the next 3,000 jobs and so on. He should have also said that those companies who export jobs, would pay JEP - Job Exporting Penalties - say of $2,000 for every job exported. He should have painted a picture for better tomorrow.
As a democrat, I was disappointed that he was not bold enough.
Your guest with the English accent (Lola?) said that folks on the right were criticizing the Democratic Convention because they had nothing else to attack Obama with. You all nodded your heads in agreement. Are you all insane? The past 4 years have been an unmitigated disaster. There are almost 90 MILLION Americans who have been removed from the workforce in the past 4 years. Those 400,000/week NEW unemployment claims over 4 years really start to add up.
There is an unlimited # of vectors through which Obama's disaster-of-a-Presidential-term can be assaulted. The only problem that faces the 'right' is picking the most effective attack topics. This election is Romney's to lose.
Great to hear all of the positive feedback ( with the exception of the very very few naysayers) . While I was not raised in a family that was politically sensitive, as an adult, I have come to find myself left leaning for sure. There was a time when I could listen to the debate from the conservatives but their idealogy has been tossed out the window and the party called REPUBLICAN seems to be moving toward FASCISM. These congress people held hostage by Norquist and his big business supporters and the insane contributions to the Romney campaign from the Koch brothers. WHere is the voice of the people in this party ?? Romney has no foundation...he sways with the political wind ...and Ryan is a bold faced liar ...this team is SCARY. Democrat!! Without question !!..OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 and a straight Democrat Vote !!
I think most of the above comments are just a bit out-of-touch with reality. This election will be a close one. We might even have a repeat of the Florida election recount of 2000 in some states. But of course my heart is with Obama.
The DNC convention was successful. I am particularily glad that President Clinton took the time to explain what's been going on in the Government the past four years. A key point in his speech was the phrase, "No president; not even me or any of my predecessors could have fixed all the damage that President Obama found when he got to the White House." I am relieved to hear a credible source from the unique group of people who have been President say that 4 years is not enough time to fix everything. I also believe that President Obama has accomplished a lot considering the unprecedented obstruction from the Congress. From 2008-2010 the Republicans failed to vote in the affirmative for any legislation designed to help citizens and from 2010-2012 as the majority party in the house they decided not to bring any legislation to the floor for discussion or a vote ( 61 out of 3000 bills have become law from 2010-2012). No Jobs Act and the dismantling of public sector jobs which are teachers, firefighters and police which have been bi-partisan before 2008 are part of the story. These are facts that are indisputable. I also would like to push back a bit against this idea the the President should have addressed the obstruction directly in his speech. The DNC designed the convention so that as a team the speakers presented the case for the President's re-election. Everyone had their part and the President's role seemed to build off of the previous speakers and forge a way forward. He did that but the pundits seem to think that because the President did not say it himself that it is a weakness of his speech. Not necessarily. President Obama did not need to retell us what we already heard nor did he need to give anything "new" when his policies are beginning to work. 30 months of positive job growth that is not enough but is better than what was happening when he took office. Even people who say they support him often lay the trap of wanting him to over promise which considering the obstruction would make under delievery on those promises a reality. President Obama is a pragmatic governor who understands when/how to use rhetoric. Between he and Mr. Romney, he was the adult - speaking to what we can do together. As one of the early 99ers, I spent the majority of the last four years unemployed. I lost nearly everything and even today cannot find a job with a living wage. I am well educated and grateful for that ecducation. What I have not lost is my ability to parse through the issues that matter to me and so far my right to vote is intact. I have always taken voting seriously since so many died, were attacked with dogs and hosed down in the streets so that all people can vote. Full employment illudes me and as I recover from the economic downturn, I have something that cannot be bought - the vote. Beyond the politics I have a desire to have a government that strives to be truthful. Although I am sure that both sides massage the truth, I am cannot support anyone who creates false claims and continues to repeat them when confronted with facts. There are things that are said in between the lines which are beyond partisanship and get to integrity and character in ways that leave party affiliation behind.These issues are important also. This election is multifacted and will determine what knid of country we will live in for some time to come.