http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-...2008-08-26.html

Obama tightens grip on podium speeches
By Betsy Rothstein
Posted: 08/26/08 08:15 PM [ET]
DENVER — Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is tightening the reins on campaign speeches and stressing that speakers emphasize a rags-to-riches theme.


Members of Congress and others who have been asked to address the convention must have their speeches approved by the Obama campaign. In many cases, the speeches are drastically changed — to the point where the original speech is completely scrapped, Democratic sources say.



Obama has long expressed his desire to run a positive campaign, but that approach has attracted criticism from some Democrats, who say the Illinois senator must hit Republicans harder.


Still, the practice of making wholesale changes to speeches has some Democrats miffed. “This is politics through and through,” said a Democratic source who has seen firsthand the degree to which the Obama camp has changed some of the speeches of members of Congress. “Everyone gets vetted.”


Obama has made one exception, however. He recently said he will not edit the speech of former President Bill Clinton.


The Democratic source expressed dismay as to why nearly everyone delivering speeches on behalf of Obama has to have a rags-to-riches story, dredging him- or herself up out of poverty and into prosperity. The source conceded, though, that it is Obama’s convention and he has a right to do as he pleases.


Yet not every speech has been completely overhauled. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who was asked by Obama to speak about the economy, was scheduled to deliver his speech Tuesday afternoon. The Obama campaign struck just one line from his speech, which slammed the Republicans and the Bush administration, according to a Democratic source.


That line, addressing Republicans, read: “They’re asking for another four years — in a just world, they’d get 10 to 20.”


Democratic strategist James Carville believes the Obama campaign is pulling its punches.

Speaking on CNN, Carville said his party was too soft on Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Monday night. “But I guarantee on the first night of the Republican convention, you’re going to hear talk about Barack Obama, commander in chief, tax cuts, et cetera, et cetera.”


In their 2006 book, titled Take It Back, Carville and Democratic strategist Paul Begala wrote that advisers to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) were furious with former President Carter’s speech at the 2004 convention, which attacked President Bush’s track record.


Carter appeared at, but did not deliver a speech to, the convention on Monday. In their tome, Carville and Begala criticized the Kerry campaign for its concerns about Carter, noting the ex-president didn’t even mention Bush’s name and “didn’t ridicule him in the way the Republicans did Kerry.”


Obama spokesman Bill Burton indicated that changing speeches is nothing out of the ordinary.

“Just like all conventions, the campaign of the nominee is working with all of the speakers on the message of the convention,” Burton wrote in an e-mail.


Several speeches have had a rags-to-riches theme. In his address, Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) said, “One of my proudest moments was when I received keys to my first classroom. It was high-quality public education that allowed this son of strawberry sharecroppers, raised in the Japanese-American internment camps of World War II, to grow up to become a Peace Corps volunteer, a vice chair of the DNC, and chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.”


In his address, Austin Esposito, the son of Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), said, “My name is Austin. These are my sisters, Maddie and Lily. … How did we get here? Well, it started with few strong Americans. My great-grandmother Mildred was a single mom, which was tough. Thankfully, she was strong and independent and wasn’t afraid to state her opinions, even when women weren’t supposed to be heard from.”


Democratic strategist Peter Fenn — also a contributor to The Hill’s Pundits Blog — believes the best conventions are those with the most tightly controlled messages. “The important thing to come out of the convention is Barack Obama’s message,” he said. “They should be controlling the message.”


Burton, the Obama spokesman, said, “This year, we’re focused on making sure that the American people see how we’re showcasing Democrats, independents and, yes, even some Republicans. People who watch will get a crystal-clear sense of who Barack Obama is and the fundamental choice between Barack Obama, who wants to fundamentally change business as usual in Washington, and … John McCain, who offers just more of the same.”

I can understand Obama's desire to stay positive and not look overly aggressive, but that's what your attack dogs are for. I can understand him wanting to strike that remark from Kucinich's speech. I happen to agree with it, but it is not necessarily the sort of thing the Dems want associated with them when appealing to centrist voters.

I'm hope this isn't an indication that they'll try to put Joe Biden on a short leash.

without strong leadership, the Democrats would all go off on their own tangents

There's strong leadership Sky and then there's being forced to toe the line! I think it would have been perfectly fine for Dennis to have made that remark, I mean come on he's the one that has been forcing impeachment to be placed back on the table!!! I think most polls over the months show a majority of Americans wanting the Bush Administration to be held accountable and impeachment was a way to do it!! Obama is a very smart political animal at times and he knew that having Bill Clinton or I would imagine Hilliary to submit their speeches for approval would have been a tad tactless!!!

Yes, I know put 3 democrat's in a room and you'll have a fight on your hands, but Obama needs to go after McCain with the gloves off, I sorry I don't buy into this "Oh people will see an angry Black man." Hell, people see a Black man who is on some level a wimp!!!!" I want a strong president Sky and I do think Obama will be strong, but he needs to get his hands dirty when and if the time comes, we've got 3 months for him to get his hands a little dirty!!! He needs to go on the attack, with the truth and pound the truth into the lazy american's ears until they see that McCain is McSame. Biden started too in his speech, Thank God!! But Kerry.....He mildly rebuked his "Friend John".

There seems to be a taboo in the Democratic party for defining this administration as the criminals they are. Stolen elections, traitorous acts of political retribution and criminal acts too numerous to mention. Republicans have demonstrated that if you repeat even the most outrageous lies often enough, a large number of people will believe them. Democrats don't seem to recognize that if you avoid speaking outrageous truths often enough, most people will not believe them, because they will see them as too extreme to be plausible. Voiced as they are, by only a few, they are marginalized as theoretical hyperbole. America will not "wake up" until it is awakened by more than Kucinich's lone voice calling this criminal cabal exactly what it is. Instead of muzzling DK, his sentiments should be central to the theme of the convention and to every Democrat's campaign.

what he said!

Was Dennis "forced" to change his speech? Or is that a bit of editorializing?
Isn't it possible the Obama team explained a few things and Dennis agreed?
Are we in a position to assume anyone was forced to do anything?
Is this sort of control in anyway abnormal or unusual?

If you are trying to win over republican voters, that's not the kind of thing you want in a speech at the convention. They are trying to win over republican voters.

Does anybody think McCain won't excersize any control over the contents of comments at his convention?

I'm sure he will, but it won't be to reign in their attacks on Democrats.

Absolutely not! Why?
Because they're not us, and they are unable to do battle on the issues!
Instead they will needle the Obama campaign about the stage they built for Obama's acceptance speech.


Which by the way will be on the 50 yard line in a sold out mile high stadium and live broadcast to tens of millions on TV and the internet.