Obama and de Tocqueville
I believe the nation is not in peril per se, but the country is notably stagnant economically, educationally, and in a war that has been severely mismanaged. I believe a change, a new circulation, and fresh thinking is in order—and I believe Sen. Barack Obama is currently the most viable agent of change. It seems as though his often repeated platform banner of “CHANGE” seems to be exactly what most citizens are yearning for.
In pouring through and examining countless research for this paper, I noticed immediately that Obama has written and published many articles, books, and journals—in short the man is undoubtedly well-spoken, expressive, and passionate about his job. Although he is well-versed and a visionary in his own right, he likes to refer to past leaders for guidance—“Confronted by Hitler, Roosevelt said that our power would be ‘directed toward ultimate good as well as against immediate evil. We Americans are not destroyers; we are builders.’ It is time for a president who can build consensus here at home for an equally ambitious course.” (Obama) In this address to the Council of Foreign Affairs, Obama, instead of easily dishing out a litany of lambasting remarks concerning our current administration, he speaks more proactively of what he can do. In his arguments, much of the time, he tends to start with a general idea or value system, then he moves to the particular—“After Iraq, we may be tempted to turn inward. That would be a mistake. The American moment is not over, but it must be seized anew. We must bring the war to a responsible end and then renew our leadership -- military, diplomatic, moral -- to confront new threats and capitalize on new opportunities. America cannot meet this century 's challenges alone; the world cannot meet them without America.” (Obama) Here, Obama is starting with a general, but concrete belief of our foreign policy; that in order for our country to thrive, we cannot forsake other countries. He notes that renewal
In pouring through and examining countless research for this paper, I noticed immediately that Obama has written and published many articles, books, and journals—in short the man is undoubtedly well-spoken, expressive, and passionate about his job. Although he is well-versed and a visionary in his own right, he likes to refer to past leaders for guidance—“Confronted by Hitler, Roosevelt said that our power would be ‘directed toward ultimate good as well as against immediate evil. We Americans are not destroyers; we are builders.’ It is time for a president who can build consensus here at home for an equally ambitious course.” (Obama) In this address to the Council of Foreign Affairs, Obama, instead of easily dishing out a litany of lambasting remarks concerning our current administration, he speaks more proactively of what he can do. In his arguments, much of the time, he tends to start with a general idea or value system, then he moves to the particular—“After Iraq, we may be tempted to turn inward. That would be a mistake. The American moment is not over, but it must be seized anew. We must bring the war to a responsible end and then renew our leadership -- military, diplomatic, moral -- to confront new threats and capitalize on new opportunities. America cannot meet this century 's challenges alone; the world cannot meet them without America.” (Obama) Here, Obama is starting with a general, but concrete belief of our foreign policy; that in order for our country to thrive, we cannot forsake other countries. He notes that renewal
Cited: "John F. Kennedy 's Inaugural Address." American Rhetoric. Sept.-Oct. 2001. 22 Apr. 2008 <http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkinaugural.htm>. Obama, Barack. "Renewing American Leadership." Foreign Affairs. July-Aug. 2007. Council of Foreign Relations. 21 Apr. 2008 <http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070701faessay86401-p50/barack-obama/renewing-american-leadership.html>. "Obama Spurns Pastor 's 9/11 Jibe." BBC News. 15 Mar. 2008. 22 Apr. 2008 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7297943.stm>. Preble, Christopher. "Barack Obama 's American Exceptionalism." Cato.Com. 25 May 2007. The CATO Instititute. 22 Apr. 2008 <http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8380>. Ross, Brian, and Rehab El-Buri. "Obama 's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11." ABC News. 13 Mar. 2008. 22 Apr. 2008 <http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4443788&>.