Obama greets AFA cadets, campaigns on latest Colorado swing

[clearvision]

TheCW2:

President Barack Obama spent Wednesday congratulating cadets and rallying campaign supporters on another Colorado swing, his second visit to the crucial swing state in less than a month.

 

The president delivered the commencement address at the Air Force Academy here Wednesday morning, focusing his remarks on the national security successes that have taken place in the four years since the graduating class of 1,073 cadets began at the Academy — and the four years since he’s been in office.

 

“You step forward into a different world. You are the first class in nine years that will graduate into a world where there are no Americans fighting in Iraq,” Obama told the cadets.

 

“For the first time in your lives — and thanks to Air Force personnel who did their part — Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to our country. We’ve put al Qaeda on the path to defeat. And you are the first graduates since 9/11 who can clearly see how we’ll end the war in Afghanistan.”

 

Obama also implored the cadets to be part of a second “American Century”, laying out a vision for the future and emphasizing his belief — the very belief questioned earlier this month by Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman — in American exceptionalism.

 

“I see an American Century because of the character of our country — the spirit that has always made us exceptional,” Obama said.

 

If you really want to watch it, video is here: LINK Note: full disclosure I did not feel up to watching it.

[nickydog]

I went to the commissary around 2:00. Graduation had just ended and the Thunderbirds had flown away -- the pres. was long gone. Normal people (like me) who didn't attend apparently thought the commissary would be closed, but it wasn't. Along with a couple of other people I had the whole place to myself. It was great!

[clearvision]

Yes, as today's wars end, our military, and our Air Force, will be leaner," Obama told the crowd of the next generation of pilots and other officers. "But as commander in chief, I will not allow us to make the mistakes of the past. We still face very serious threats. As we've seen in recent weeks, with al Qaeda in Yemen, there are still terrorists who seek to kill our citizens.

 

What is he referring to here? I guess he also told them that there will be cuts to the Air Force but not to worry.

[pollyannaish]

@clearvision...I would flunk a kid on a speech in a freshman class who did that.

 

There are only three reasons (at least that I can think of) that you do this:

 

1. You don't know enough about the subjects, so you're space filling.

2. You assume everyone in the audience agrees with you.

3. You know a lot of people in the audience don't agree with you, so you want them to think you agree with them.

 

It is the ultimate sign of weakness. Not that I would expect anything different...but we're not talking freshmen speech here.

 

(Who decided he was good at giving speeches anyway? I've NEVER found him a compelling speaker, either in form or substance.)