I will be live-blogging the speech. We’re in the preliminaries right now, and one of the thoughts that crossed my mind was, gee, Israel’s enemies are really hating on AIPAC at this moment.
10:24: I think “Better together” is a good catchphrase.
10:25: Why Meryl isn’t at the AIPAC convention: Meh. I don’t like conventions very much. I hate crowds. It’s expensive. And I’m not going to take two days off from work if I have to pay for the honor. Also, I could have sworn the website said Obama was speaking at 10 a.m., and yet, we have the intro to Steny Hoyer, so I’m thinking not for another hour. Time to hit the exercise machine and the shower. Back later.
10:43: Steny Hoyer announces Israel must have defensible borders; the crowd goes wild.
10:50: Here comes Obama. Scattered boos, if I’m not mistaken. Fair amount of applause. No, now Rosenberg is speaking. Sounds like he’s trying to convince the crowd that Obama really, really, really is a friend of Israel. Really. Faint applause at the pauses. Yep, Rosenberg is trying really hard to convince the crowd that Obama loves Israel. He’s listing all the things the Obama administration have done for Israel. (And to be fair, Obama has done good things. But he is dead wrong about the Palestinian state.) Yes, it looks like AIPAC felt it was absolutely necessary to list Obama’s positives on Israel to head off any embarrassing boos from the crowd. They don’t seem to be buying it. Rosenberg just mentioned how the U.S. must oppose a unilateral declaration of statehood by the Palestinians, but the applause was not earth-shattering.
10:55: Obama apparently outsourced the “I killed Osama” meme. Rosenberg said it, the hall is on its feet, and now here comes Obama. Clever way to get him a big hand. Scattered boos, not thunderous applause.
10:56: Obama is calling Rosenberg “Rosey.” His first tack is to point out the ties between Obama and the Jewish community.
11:00: Shout-outs to the bigwigs and the college kids. Dude, they still don’t vote in great numbers. He says he’s not going to give a big policy speech. Mentioned Netanyahu, applause interrupts. “We reaffirmed that fundamental truth that has guided our presidents and prime ministers for more than 60 years… the bond between our nations is unbreakable and the commitment of the United States to the security of Israel is ironclad.” Big applause.
I don’t think he’s going to walk back the 1967 lines. He’s going to talk around it, is my guess.
“A strong, secure homeland for the Jewish people.”
Blah blah blah, me, blah blah blah, I was in Israel, blah blah blah, Western Wall, blah blah blah, Sderot, me, I, me, I, Iran. He’s stumbling. Funny. He has a Teleprompter and he’s stumbling. Why is that?
A laundry list of what his administration has done for Israel. Yep. This is going to be a “What’s wrong with you ingrates?” speech.
“Make no mistake: We will maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge.” Uh-oh. His “Make no mistake” phrase is a bad sign.
11:05: We’re tougher on Iran than anyone, ever, anywhere. See how good we are? “Let me be absolutely clear: We remain committed to preventing Iran from ever acquiring nuclear weapons.” And there goes his other marker. Uh-oh.
“We will stand up to Hezballah.” Really? Haven’t so far.
True: “Israel’s existence will not be a subject for debate.” Let’s grant him that much.
We withdrew from Durban, stood up for Israel on Goldstone, vetoed last anti-Israel UN motion.
“We have been unwavering in our support for Israel’s security.”
“I have said repeatedly that core issues can only be negotiated directly between parties.”
“No country can negotiate with an organization sworn to its destruction.” Standing ovation. Obama states flat-out that Hamas must recognize Israel, abide by all agreements, cease violence, and release Gilad Shalit. Yep, he’s hitting all the talking points.
“The status quo is unsustainable. That is why I stated publicly the principles that the United States believes can be the foundation” for peace talks.
DEAD SILENCE. Let me repeat: DEAD, SUSTAINED SILENCE answered this statement by Obama regarding Thursday’s speech about the 1967 lines.
Saying he knew this would generate controversy, and he decided not to take the easy way out. He seems a bit peeved that people are silent. He seems angry. “Real friends talk openly and honestly with one another.” Light applause.
He’s playing the demographic card. Also talking about the Arab Spring. Israel can’t forge peace with one or two leaders anymore (referring to dictators). So, I guess that’s how he manages to discount the agreements worked out with the Bush Administration.
He says Palestinians are pursuing statehood at the UN because there’s an impatience with the peace process. Again, he ignores the lack of Palestinian efforts in the last two years, partly due to his speech on settlements.
Obama reaffirms the U.S. veto for a unilateral state for Palestinians.
He’s referring to Hamas, not Palestinians, in the lack of a peace partner for Israel. He’s in full professor lecture mode, talking down to the crowd as if they are students.
He is now whining that he didn’t say anything different from other presidents.
He is repeating what he said Thursday. Light applause and boos. He said “contiguous state.” Boos. He is repeating everything he said Thursday, with the addition of demonstrated security before full Israeli withdrawal.
He’s explaining now saying that what “with mutually agreed swaps” means is that the border will be different from the 1967 lines. He is pretty angry. The crowd is applauding and standing.
“The ultimate goal is two states for two people. Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people, Palestine as a state for the Palestinian people.”
“We can’t afford to wait another decade or two or three to achieve peace.”
“I know that some of you will disagree with this assessment. And I respect that.” No, you really don’t.
“If the story of Israel teaches us anything, it is that with courage and resolve, progress is possible. Peace is possible. The Talmud tells us that as long as a person has life, they should never abandon faith.”
Now he’s talking about Arab democracy movements.
He’s not happy. But he’s happy it’s over. “God Bless Israel and God Bless the United States of America.” Standing ovation, but absolutely not enthusiastic. Wait until tomorrow’s Netanyahu speech and compare the two.
11:23: Probably Obama’s shortest speech on record. I am out of here.
Update: Thanks for the link, Scott!
Update 2: Thanks, Michelle and Rand!
“I know that some of you will disagree with this assessment. And I respect that.” No, you really don’t.
He has shown a great deal more respect for those who disagree with his assessment than vice versa. Witness your snarky comments. Hardly a show of respect for his views.
Hester, Obama has never shown respect for those who disagree with him. Do the words “sippin’ a Slurpee” ring a bell with you?
I really appreciated your direct comments and thank you for reviewing the speech. I just can’t stand to listen to him so, again, thank you for doing it for me. I certainly hope that we limit this nightmare to four years – now that Huckabee and Daniels are out – I’ll take anyone still standing.
As Charles Krathammer recently said, don’t believe a word of what Obama says, only pay attention to what he does. If you have been paying attention for the first two and a half years of his presidency, you will understand that he is a pathological liar. You will also have observed that he has no intention of negotiating in good faith with those who oppose his views. This is a man who is a hard core leftist whose views have been shaped by his pre-presidency associations with a variety of anti-Semitic characters such as the Rev. Wright and Khalidi to name a few. Don’t be conned. All con artists are likeable, believable and well spoken. Obama’s foreign policy with regards to the Middle East has emboldened the more radical elements in that region of the world, has vitually insured that Iran will have nuclear weapons and will significantly increase the danger to Israel’s national security. If you are a Jew who can vote for him in 2012, you might want to consider a brain transplant.
He has shown a great deal more respect for those who disagree with his assessment than vice versa.
Obama’s top foreign-policy adviser, Samantha Power, has called for the U.S. to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict militarily, using an American invasion force. She wants to cut off all military aid to Israel and give it instead to the Palestinians.
http://tinyurl.com/3z5vxp4
Obama sought this woman out and hired her after reading her book. There is no way in the world that he respects those who disagree with his assessment on this conflict.
If you do not realize that Obama is a bald face liar and that in the end he wants Israel and the United States to go under then you are fools. For once you let the cat out of the bag, in truth it is not possible to walk it back in. Out is out. Its too late now.
Well done blog young lady. You saw beneath the surface.
Mike
Make no mistake- Pres. Obama is quaking in his boots. His state of fear is visible and palpable. Imagine! Two speeches in four days in an unprecedented attempt to pre-empt PM Netanyahu’s speeches next week before the American Congress and AIPAC. And today’s second speech is nothing less than an urgent, panicky attempt to reverse the tremendous damage created by his first speech on Thursday. The man is scared – scared shitless! All the pro-Israel speeches in the world cannot now reverse the fact that Pres. Obama is now fighting for his political life -meaning his re-election to a second Presidential term.
His only saving grace may be the continuing “Hopey-Changey” stupidity of the American liberal, left-wing Jewish voter who overwhelmingly supported him in 2008 when he was an unknown quantity, except for his Black skin and extreme left-wing politics. They will most likely continue to support him financially and with their ballots in 2012. What a Pity! What a tragedy!
I was at a social gathering fellow Jews most who voted for Obama. They now cannot believe what he said. Obama threw cold water on their faces. They are dismayed.
They wanted so much to believe him. Now it is not possible: NO MORE.
Just stumbled on your blog, and added it to mine. Love your take and approach (just enough snark ;) ).
Jerry M, More than 2 1/2 years, Obama’s character was already showing up loud and clear before he was even nominated, it just had to be pieced together at times…when it was glaringly in our faces.
I had read a short summary on this speech elsewhere, and they made it sound quite positive..standing ovations and so forth, I was flabbergasted that AIPAC would be so welcoming after Obama pretty much threw Israel under the bus. Nice to see a deeper perspective.
Kelly,
I was very aware of who Obama was before the election. His only saving grace is that he is taking many of his fellow Democrats down with him. AIPAC and its leadership should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this dishonest con artist the opportunity to speak to them after all he has done to endanger Israel.
Will we be hearing anything about the boos and silence from the alphabet and other pro Obama news outlets?
Obama does not like for people to confront or defy him. He is uncomfortable with people who do not defer to him as the smartest guy around. And when the confrontational, defiant, undeferential ones are Jews, he seethes.
Why do you suppose that is?
Your mama, does this answer your question?
If you take the words ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘myself’, and ‘mine’ out of an Obama speech, there’s only about 30 seconds left. None of it of any substance. But it makes the Libtards swoon and get tingles up their legs!
Obama has shifted position on a number of issues, but he does have core beliefs. One is ‘dance with who brung you’; thus, no prosecution of the Wall Street banksters who crashed the economy. Another is Islam: the sweetest sound in the world is the muezzin’s call to prayer. But those who assume he will lose the Presidency in 2012 should ask themselves just who it is that’s going to beat him. Obama himself may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but the people behind him were shrewd enough to have hacked the Democratic primary system last time around, playing small-ball and picking-up delegates even in districts where they didn’t finish first. Who among the Republicans has that kind of smarts and organization? Anybody?
“He has shown a great deal more respect for those who disagree with his assessment than vice versa.”
Oh, please. We’re all “bitter gun-clingers”, or corporate shills and tools, or “the selfish rich”. Knowing the majority of Americans did not want his healthcare system, he shoved it through anyway. Seeing a change in the voters’ preferences in the last set of elections, he now bypasses the tripartite government form and does everything he can do unilaterally, by executive order or administrative action, even in he face of the vote results.
The man is a dishonest, arrogant, entitled thug. To the extent he has ever shown respect for anyone, it’s only been because he thought he could gain something by it.