President Obama on the military, Ty’Sheoma Bethea, and his conclusion

I’m grateful to hear him say that we do “not torture.”

A new era of engagement has begun. We can’t be alone and the world needs us. We need to engage in negotiation with confidence and candor.

The world depends on us having a strong economy as we depend on the strength of the worlds. Deep implications to that. Not something to enter into without a lot of judgment.

The world is watching us. We hear that a lot. “In our hands lies the ability to shape our world; for good or for ill.”

“Hope comes from the dreams and aspirations of ordinary Americans who are anything but ordinary.”

He does a great job connecting to the audience. Good story teller.

The young girl from South Carolina, Ty’Sheoma Bethea, was very effective. Nevertheless, in my opinion, he sort of stumbled. He should have hit a grand slam, but he only hit a double. But that’s on rhetoric. The point was beautiful. “We aren’t quitters.” The girl inspired me and that’s what a great leader ensures.

We need to remember that 2% of the population is one out of every 50 people. Sure they all live in New York, but that’s a lot of people, over 6,000,000.

He’s a true leader. I hope he leads us in the right direction.

One last comment. He wants us to send everybody to college. I hope he has in mind something different from the typical contempoary college. If that many people go to this kind of college we’ll be wiped out by venereal diseases and people who can’t keep their commitments to their spouses and children. College might help people get jobs (though it’s vastly over valued in that regard), but it has a tendency to ruin a lot of other things.

Let me conclude by saying that President Obama has my prayers and my best wishes. We need great wisdom.

I may have some closer analysis tomorrow, but probably not. I’m heading off again so I’ll just point out that Obama’s “inherited deficit” comments are interesting and demand a close review.