Yes, We Can | KnoxViews

Submitted by mjw on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 12:24am

This is pretty good, powerful even, whether you're for Obama or not (but especially if you are for him). Via crooksandliars.com.

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Sent it to everyone I know. It's a beautiful thing

Submitted by Carole Borges on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 8:17am.

A society that muzzles its poets, risks going to the dogs
Carole A. Borges

awesome

Submitted by Justin on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 11:19am.

awesome

Wow

Submitted by Paul Witt on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 1:50pm.

Wow

Responses about the Obama video coming in from from everywhere

Submitted by Carole Borges on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 2:16pm.

I sent this to over 100 people in my address book and the responses are now flying back, and they are so passionate and hopeful it gives me goosebumps.

From NH--I’m mad about him, too! I voted for him in the NH primary. Couldn’t believe he didn’t win. I sent this to everyone I could think of. It’s a wonderful video.

From Florida--Beautiful. I wish the black community voted more here. They did not much. I keep harping.

From Knoxville--Yes, I’m pumped. Was at the Mkt Sq meetup yesterday and phonebanked later. I’ll be at a voting place on Tues w/my T-shirt on. The local ofc is desperate for volunteers; one woman is trying to keep up with computer end. Talk it up.

From Massachusetts--In the best sense of the word, the music/video/message IS intoxicating: "Yes, We Can". Who wouldn't WANT that as a new mantra!

Here's what I would like to

Submitted by Rachel on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 6:05pm.

Here's what I would like to ask: Are all the folks who are so pumped about Obama willing to support Clinton if she gets the nomination? (For the record, I'm voting for Clinton but will be the first one to get in line to enthusiastically support Obama if he wins.)

I'm just hoping that folks can get as pumped up about defeating McCain or Romney in the fall.

Support Clinton? Sure.

Submitted by mjw on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 9:43pm.

Speaking for myself, I'll be glad to support her. Every so often I get really depressed about a Clinton presidency, like when Bill was cutting a swath through South Carolina, but I usually get over it. And I'd much rather we were looking at Edwards and Obama fighting it out down the stretch. But, honestly, compared to McCain or Romney (or Bloomberg or Nader, for that matter), Clinton is a fine, fine choice. It's just compared to Obama or Edwards that she runs a distant third for me.

I will vote for Obama, but

Submitted by ER (not verified) on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 9:14am.

I will vote for Obama, but if Clinton win I will vote for Romney. I think that of all candidate the last one I'll vote for is Clinton. As a matter of fact I will vote again Clinton no matter who is the republican candidate.

Please explain why. Do you

Submitted by Rachel on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 2:03pm.

Please explain why. Do you think Romney's policies are closer to Obama's than Clinton's are?

anti-Republican

Submitted by CathyMcCaughan on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 4:12pm.

Regardless of who I vote for today, I will be voting for the Democratic nominee in November. I will sing the praises of whoever ends up on November's ticket because they will be better than the alternative. I just can't throw my vote away on Joe Walsh or Prince Mongo like I did when I was a teenager. I have to put it where it will make a difference. Then, I'm going to Ben & Jerry's. They have samples of their new flavors today.

I haven't decided. I will

Submitted by Justin on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 6:15pm.

I haven't decided. I will either hold my nose and vote for her or vote independent. The candidate means more to me than the party...especially one with Bush-lite/Hillary at the head of it.

See, this is what worries

Submitted by Rachel on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 8:14pm.

See, this is what worries me. It smacks of 2000, when folks told me there was no difference between Gore & Bush.

See where that got us.

I can appreciate Obama supporters not being thrilled about Hillary, but Bush-lite? Come on. So you think McCain would be better and his policies more like Obama's?

If nothing else sways you, think Supreme Court. Think 3 more ultra-conservative appointments. Think about how long the effect of that is.

Yes--the Supreme Court!!

Submitted by Hamster (not verified) on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 2:16pm.

You got that right, Rachel. We have to remind everyone of the differences between the Republicans and the Democrats, especially if the two nominees are McCain and Clinton, and many voters won't see much ideological difference.

But the Supreme Court cannot withstand another Republican President. The two oldest justices are Stevens (87) and Ginsburg (74), while the three youngest are Thomas (59), Alito (57), and Roberts (53). It's easy to see those three being on the Court for another 20 to 30 years, so we have to make damned sure they have some Democrat-appointed colleagues to keep them in check!

That is no doubt a powerful

Submitted by R. Neal on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 6:17pm.

That is a powerful video, no doubt. Helps me better understand Obama's appeal.

Any of you "old school" 1968

Submitted by Justin on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 7:51pm.

Any of you "old school" 1968 Dems (I wasn't born yet :) ) that were for RFK see any similarities between RFK and Obama?

More like McCarthy, IMO.

Submitted by Bbeanster on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 8:11pm.

More like McCarthy, IMO. It's not a perfect analogy, but Gene McCarthy was a poet, and really inspired a lot of young anti-war people back in the day.

He was running for the nomination before LBJ announced that he wouldn't run again. Bobby Kennedy had declined to run against Johnson, and at first, nobody thought McCarthy had a snowball's chance in hell. But he started doing so well that LBJ shocked the world by announcing that he as going home to Texas.

RFK was the much more "Establishment" party candidate who only decided to run after the LBJ announcement. Pretty soon, RFK's candidacy was sucking the air out of Clean Gene, and felt very opportunistic to me. His assassination, of course, ended all that, and old-line liberal Hubert Humphrey ended up with the nomination.

It's all gotten muddled up in the Camelot myth, but for me, Gene McCarthy was The Man.

I voted for Gene, a good man, but I admired RFK too.

Submitted by Carole Borges on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 9:22am.

Such an incredible era! It was a time when so many young people were engaged in the political process. These same kids also started the Green Revolution with their "Back to the Land" movement.

Way back when, I was part of the Beansprout Co-op in Boston, one of the first co-ops on the East coast. We benefited from buying food wholesale. We even delivered it to each others' houses. Today every supermarket has foods and labeling that were unheard of back in the day because natural and organic foods were being studying, and diets were changing.

For several years during that time, I lived on a communal farm, and it was an experience that has shaped my ability to be in groups to this day. The eleven people who went through this six year experiment with me have all become happy, successful people. They own land, have been elected to local political positions, and became lawyers, social workers and teachers.

It's been painful to see the apathy of the last generation of youth and their consumer mentality, but with the Obama campaign, I have renewed hope. The UT students for Obama are smart kids working like dogs and having the time of their life getting educated about the way our democracy works. Their passion shows that this generation is one that will pick of some of the themes of the past--peace, love, unity, and social responsibility--oh, yeah! God knows we could we use a little positive reinforcement in this somaber time of fear and division. I think we're all hungry for change.

I think we're gonna get it too.

Any of you "old school" 1968

Submitted by redmondkr on Sun, 2008/02/03 - 8:09pm.

Any of you "old school" 1968 Dems (I wasn't born yet :) ) that were for RFK see any similarities between RFK and Obama?

I'll say and I see similarities with Jack Kennedy. JFK behaved as though the word "charisma" was coined just for him. He made young people feel as if they were a part of what was going on in Washington. RFK made us (then) young people feel as though we might wrench our country back away from the wrinkled old LBJ and experience that euphoria again.

But of course it was not to be, instead we were Tricky Dicked.

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I’m an Obama supporter who

Submitted by Yellow Dog on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 1:31am.

I’m an Obama supporter who will undoubtedly shift my support to Clinton if she emerges as the Dem nominee. I find Obama the more inspiring candidate right now, and I truly believe that there’s a connection between powerful rhetoric and social change (or at least the potential for social change). From the exit polls in the primaries so far, it seems Obama’s message of change, although it may ring hollow to Clinton supporters, is really resonating with young voters, an important and untapped demographic. And whereas HRC will only fire up the Republican base, Obama has the potential to inspire new voters and “Obamacans” (crossover moderate Republicans).

mjr

At first, I was leaning

Submitted by Bbeanster on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 2:13am.

At first, I was leaning toward Edwards because I like him and his policies. And because I didn't think that Hillary can be elected. With negatives consistently in the high '40s and the GOP attack machine locked and loaded for her, I just did not think it is mathematically possible for her to win.

But now that it's down to two, I'm finding myself downright sick of the Clintons. We haven't had a president not named Bush or Clinton since 1988 (not that I was crazy about that other guy, Ronald Somebody or other). If perchance Hillary gets herself elected, her ambition will be that we tack another eight years onto the Clintonian Era, and, hell, that'll just about do it for me.

And to tell you the truth, I've had real mixed feelings about Bill for years. I defended him against Gennifer Flowers and Paula Whatshername and laughed off all those other rumors for years, even after I started hearing that he was screwing an intern in the White House. I secretly wished Hillary'd kick him to the curb, but I knew she wouldn't -- that would have screwed up her plans. And I kept my doubts to myself and stuck up for him to the end -- and beyond, even when I privately felt nothing but disgust for his creepy, weak, selfish behavior. Reminded me too much of my second husband.

For me, the last dog died (remember how he used to say that?) with his borderline racist language in South Carolina. I'm done with him. He's just not that cute.

Maybe my feelings are heightened by my recent entry into grandparenthood -- I'm going to have a second grandchild this spring, and I've all of a sudden realized that my children are full grown adults who are way smarter and braver than I will ever be.

And so is Barack Obama. There's something in the wind, and I'm ready to welcome it. I'm ready to turn the page and step into the future. It's time.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/03/maria-shriver-in-surprise_n_846...

I feel the same way Beanster...I think many women do...

Submitted by Carole Borges on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 7:09pm.

I also was a strong Bill Clinton supporter, but the whole sex scandal circus really made me worried about his sense of responsibilty. It was also very hard to explain to my (then) seven year old granddaughter exactly why he was being impeached. Kids have big eyes and ears. They knew. When I saw the disappointment on her face after catching a news show, I felt personally wounded.

Anyone who thinks all that sordid stuff won't surface during the general election is kidding themself.

I just couldn't bear to go through all that muck again.

The whole video, of course,

Submitted by edens on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 12:22pm.

The whole video, of course, is all about making the JFK comparison (or, better yet, JFK and MLK rolled into one). The black and white imagery, even the slightly hollow, booming, almost mono sound of Obama's speech are meant to evoke the era (the audio, in particular, immediately made me think of King's "I have a Dream" speech."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEMXaTktUfA

A masterful piece of media.

Given Obama's heritage, the

Submitted by Bbeanster on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 12:38pm.

Given Obama's heritage, the JKF/MLK amalgam seems pretty apt. He sure talks pretty.

A democrat's dream, more or

Submitted by edens on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 12:41pm.

A democrat's dream, more or less.

Unless, of course, you're Hillary.

From in side the Beltway

Submitted by EricsCardwell (not verified) on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 4:24pm.

I am a Knoxville native now living in Washington DC and I am so glad to see that there are Knoxvillians that realize how great of a canidate for change Obama is. I want him to win the state of Tennessee ! Go Obama, Go Vols!!

The video is magic! 698,934 UTUBE hits so far!

Submitted by Carole Borges on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 7:21pm.

It's like an election caravan all of it's own! Independents have reported being convinced to vote for Obama. Thos intending to vote for Hillary are switching over. Republicans are shifting, and the whole country is understanding more about the man and why he really can deliver what the nations needs and wants.

Cyberpower! Wow!

No televised town hall meeting could be as effective as that video.

HOPE

Submitted by Justin on Mon, 2008/02/04 - 5:03pm.

Tomorrow is going to be one helluva day. Obama is gaining ground in CA and MO...

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0345866120080204?feedType=RS...

Thank for the threat

Submitted by Factchecker on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 1:29pm.

Lucky romney.

I will vote for Obama, but

Submitted by redmondkr on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 2:02pm.

I will vote for Obama, but if Clinton win I will vote for Romney. I think that of all candidate the last one I'll vote for is Clinton. As a matter of fact I will vote again Clinton no matter who is the republican candidate.

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simple?

Submitted by Factchecker on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 2:10pm.

S/he will vote for Obama. Or Romney. Or "again" Clinton. I think the point is again Clinton.

I think the point is again

Submitted by redmondkr on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 2:28pm.

I think the point is again Clinton

Oh, I thought (s)he intended to use the Appalachian 'agin' meaning 'against'.

My bad.

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I'm feeling all fired up

Submitted by Justin on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 6:59pm.

I'm feeling all fired up about tonight. I cant make it to Barley's but I'll be at home glued to the tv. "Yes we can."

??

Submitted by Factchecker on Tue, 2008/02/05 - 9:10pm.

It's up for grabs what was meant "if Clinton win."

Then, I'm going to Ben & Jerry's. They have samples of their new flavors today.

Now we're gettin' somewhere. You mean there are new flavors!? I'm not even a big Ben & J fan, but I had my first taste Sunday at the store in Western Plaza and it was some of the best ice cream I've ever had. I tried something like Extra espresso espresso, or something like that. Mmmm...!