I caught a bit of Barak Obama’s coronation speech the other night.  Just a few comments:

1) Obama is one of the better political speakers we’ve seen in a while. I include Bill Clinton in this statement. When Clinton speaks (I’ve thought this from day one), I say over and over to myself, “How is this believable?” He has a little smirk that makes me think deep within, “This is all political paper mache’.”  Not so with Barak Obama. No deceptive smirk. He’s a far better political public speaker.  He may even seriously believe in what he is saying.  There is no WAY McCain can compare.  He shouldn’t even try.  He’s Dr. Bland compared to the golden tongued Obama.

2) It was a visually compelling and historic night. An African-American man being nominated to be President of the United States. That should make us proud. I was proud to live in America. I think it is a great sign that the Democratic party can finally support an African-American other than Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, neither of whom could ever seriously be considered to be President.  Wow!  84,000 people in a stadium cheering a man who walks out onto a stage built to look like the Parthenon (says Peggy Noonan). It was one of the most impressive coronations I’ve seen in my short run at watching presidential nominations. I’m sure the Clintons were jealously in awe.

3) Here’s what I heard that I found most disappointing: Abortion is a small thing. Homosexuality is a small thing (Obama actually said we should all agree that homosexual couples should be given the right to visit their ‘loved one’ in the hospital if they wanted.  WHAT?  Are hospitals really disallowing visitors to see patients based on homo or hetero-sexuality?  He must have forsaken his teleprompter here).  These are small matters we need not concentrate on or be concerned with in regard to our differences.  In other words morality in America is a small thing that does not garner the weight of presidential debate.  We have heard this sort of reasoning before and it gave Obama’s Democratic predecessor two terms in the White House.  I find little encouragement here.

4) I do not have cable Television. I watched the speech via the Internet from the DNC web-cast. No commentary, just the raw footage.  So I missed the coverage.  But, the clip below is a humorous touche to what I’ve seen (via the Internet) from the likes of Keith Olbermann.

So, there’s my take on the coronation ceremony.  Visually and historically impressive.  Morally disappointing.  Shall we see much different from next week’s Republican coronation ceremony?  I’m sure it will not be nearly as visually or historically compelling as Obama’s (this despite the Republicans running a woman for VP).  I am yet convinced it will be any more morally compelling than the DNC.  I hope morality is not a small thing to them.  I will be watching (via the Internet).

While I enjoy following Presidential politics and history, it’s comforting to have a theology that does find its success or joy in the one who sits in the Oval Office or in those walk the halls of congress, but rather in the one who is King of kings and Lord of lords.

more about “A Visual, Historic and Dissappointing…“, posted with vodpod