Obama's Speech: Soaring Rhetoric, Empty Promises

Enjoy your day in the sun Obama, it's OUR turn next!

Liberal, Liberal

What do you get when you nominate Barack Obama, the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate, and Joe Biden, the third most liberal member of the Senate, on the same ticket running for President and Vice President?

Answer: You get a ticket so far out of the American mainstream that they cannot be honest about what they would do if elected and still win.

And that's the speech you heard Obama deliver in Denver Thursday night. Long on promises, short on specifics. Obama used the word "change" 15 times and the word "promise" 32 times. But not once did he say exactly how he would deliver on those promises and achieve that change.

Here's a Wordle of the top 150 words he used in the speech. The larger the word in this image the more times it was used:

Notice Obama used the name "McCain" 21 times in attacks that undermine his message of new politics. He linked McCain to an "old, discredited Republican philosophy" and yet, all he offered was a repackaging of the tax and spend liberal programs that have proved to be such abominable failures in the past.

Saying "America, now is not the time for small plans" he listed nothing more ambitious than vague promises of tax cuts for people who don't pay taxes and a promise to end our dependence on Middle East oil in ten years. Short on specifics and substance but long on carefully crafted soundbites. And the rest was nothing more than the usual laundry list of pet projects for liberal special interest groups.

Now he wants to debate McCain?

Twice Obama mentioned his eagerness to debate John McCain. "If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander in chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have" Obama said. Oh really? How many times has McCain invited you to debate only to be met by your silence or a long string of "uhhhh"s?

Never fear Republicans! Payback begins at Noon EST Friday!