奥巴马演讲稿

奥巴马的演讲艺术1.Orlando,FlaVFWAddressThankyou,Thankyousomuch.BeginbythankingyouCommanderLisicki,notonlyforhisleadershipandhisorganization,butforthepassionandenergythathebringstothetaskofadvocatingforveteran’sstationeveryday.Iwasjusttalkingbackstage.Hewastoomoderatetotalkabouttheincrediblevictory.TherewasrecentlyonewhenallsoldierswerebeingchargedfeesforbagsandthewayinwhichtheVFWstepforwardandthecommanderstepforwardandtakevictoryforthem.That’stheexampleIthinkoftheextraordinaryworkthatheandhisorganizationconsistentlydoes.LetmealsoacknowledgetheleadershipofVirginiaCarman,thepresidentoftheVFWladiesauxiliary.IwannacongratulateBobWallace,theexecutivedirectoroftheVFW,fortheexcellentworkthathedoes,mydearfriendforthesunshinestate,althoughwearenotsayingmuchofittoday,BillNason,oneofourfinestsenators.AndyouareveryfortunatethatyouwillbehearingfrommyfriendJimWebbwhowillbespeakingherelatertoday.Finally,letmethankallofthemembersoftheVeteransofForeignWarsoftheUnitedStatesofAmericaforinvitingmebacktothisconvention.Itisaprivilegetobeamongsomanywhohavegivensomuchforourcountry.Istandbeforeyoutodayatadefiningmomentinourhistory.Weareinthemidstoftwowars.Theterroristswhoattackeduson9/11arestillatlarge.RussiahasinvadedthesovereignnationofGeorgia.Iranispursuingnuclearweapons.ThenextCommander-in-Chiefisgoingtohavetoexercisethebestpossiblejudgmentingettingusthroughthesedifficulttimes.Yesterday,SenatorMcCaincamebeforeyou.Heisamanwhohasservedthisnationhonorably,andhecorrectlystatedthatoneofthechiefcriteriafortheAmericanpeopleinthiselectionisgoingtobewhocanexercisethebestjudgmentasCommanderinChief.Unfortunately,insteadofjustofferingpolicyanswers,heturnedtoatypicallaundrylistofpoliticalattacks.HesaidthatIhavechangedmypositiononIraqwhenIhavenot.HesaidthatIamforapathof“retreatandfailure”.Andhedeclaredthat,“BehindalloftheseclaimsandpositionsbySenatorObamaliestheambitiontobepresident”–suggesting,ashehasmanytimesbefore,thatIputpersonalambitionbeforemycountry.ThatisJohnMcCain’sprerogative.Hecanrunthatkindofcampaign,and–frankly–that’showpoliticalcampaignshavebeenruninrecentyears.ButIbelievetheAmericanpeoplearebetterthanthat.Ibelievethatthisdefiningmomentdemandssomethingmoreofus.Ifwethinkthatwecansecureourcountrybyjusttalkingtoughwithoutactingtoughandsmart,thenwewillmisunderstandthismomentandmissitsopportunities.Ifwethinkthatwecanusethesamepartisanpoliticswherewejustchallengeouropponent’spatriotismtowinan1奥巴马的演讲艺术election,thentheAmericanpeoplewilllose.Thetimesaretooseriousforthiskindofpolitics.Thecalamityleftbehindbythelasteightyearsistoogreat.Soletmebeginbyofferingmyjudgmentaboutwhatwe’vedone,whereweare,andwhereweneedtogo.Sixyearsago,IstoodupatatimewhenitwaspoliticallydifficulttoopposegoingtowarinIraq,andarguedthatourfirstpriorityhadtobefinishingthefightagainstOsamabinLadenandAlQaedainAfghanistan.SenatorMcCainwasalreadyturninghissightstoIraqjustdaysafter9/11,andhebecamealeadingsupporterofaninvasionandoccupationofacountrythathadabsolutelynothingtodowiththe9/11attacks,andthat–asdespicableasSaddamHusseinwas–posednoimminentthreattotheAmericanpeople.TwoofthebiggestbeneficiariesofthatdecisionwereAlQaeda’sleadership,whichnolongerfacedthepressureofAmerica’sfocusedattention;andIran,whichhasadvanceditsnuclearprogram,continueditssupportforterror,andincreaseditsinfluenceinIraqandtheregion.Intherun-uptotheinvasionofIraq,IwarnedthatwarwouldfantheflamesofextremismintheMiddleEast,createnewcentersofterrorism,andtieusdowninacostlyandopen-endedoccupation.SenatorMcCainpredictedthatwe’dbegreetedasliberators,andthattheIraqiswouldbearthecostofrebuildingthroughtheirbountifuloilrevenues.Forthegoodofourcountry,Iwishhehadbeenright,andIhadbeenwrong.Butthat’snotwhathistoryshows.SenatorMcCainnowarguesthatdespitethesecostlystrategicerrors,hisjudgmenthasbeenvindicatedduetotheresultsofthesurge.LetmeonceagainpraiseGeneralPetraeusandAmbassadorCrocker—theyareoutstandingAmericans—intheprudentplaceandstrategyforreducingtheviolence.InIraq,gainshavebeenmadeinloweringthelevelofviolencethankstotheireffortsandmoreimportantlytheoutstandingeffortsofourtroopsaswellastheincreasingcapabilityofIraq’sSecurityForces,theceasefireofShiitemilitias,andthedecisiontakenbySunnitribestotakethefighttoAlQaeda.Thosearethefacts,andallAmericanswelcomethem.Butunderstandwhattheessentialargumentwasabout.Beforethesurge,Iarguedthatthelong-termsolutioninIraqispolitical—theIraqigovernmentmustreconcileitsdifferencesandtakeresponsibilityforitsfuture.Thatholdstruetoday.WehavelostoverathousandAmericanlivesandspenthundredsofbillionsofdollarssincethesurgebegan,butIraq’sleadersstillhaven’tmadehardcompromisesorsubstantialinvestmentsinrebuildingtheirowncountry.Ourmilitaryisbadlyoverstretched—afactthathassurelybeennotedincapitalsaroundtheworld.AndwhilewepayaheavypriceinIraq—andAmericanspayrecordpricesatthepump—Iraq’sgovernmentissittingona$79billiondollarbudgetsurplusfromwindfalloilprofits.So,let’sbeclear:ourtroopshavecompletedeverymissionthey’vebeengiven.Theyhavecreatedthespaceforpoliticalreconciliation.NowitmustbefilledbyanIraqigov