I’m not sure the voters or general population will be directly affected by the speech but I think it forces the media to contextualize the remarks and it changes the narrative. Before the speech, the only Obama stories were about his pastor and an endless loop of clips of Wright ranting. After the speech, the story was about Obama’s speech.

From that angle – I think the speech worked politically.

– Steve

In short, Greenwald was thoroughly impressed by Obama’s speech yesterday, but wonders if the so called “independent” voters will actually think about the message rather than getting caught up in the ceaseless media sound bite spin fest.

“The entire premise of Barack Obama’s candidacy is built upon the opposite assumption — that Americans are not only able, but eager, to participate in a more elevated and reasoned political discourse, one that moves beyond the boisterous, screeching, simple-minded, ugly, vapid attack-based distractions and patronizing manipulation — the Drudgian Freak Show — that has dominated our political debates for the last two decades at least.

…

But in Obama’s faith in the average American voter lies one of the greatest weaknesses of his campaign. His faith in the ability and willingness of Americans to rise above manipulative political tactics seems drastically to understate both the efficacy of such tactics and the deafening amplification they receive from our establishment press. Even Americans who authentically believe that they want a “new, better politics” may be swayed by the same old Drudgian sewerage because it is powerful and ubiquitous. ”

Full article here:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/index.html