“Yes We Can” and other Nonsense

Shouts of “Yes We Can” reverberated through the Plainfield High gymnasium as Barack Obama delivered up various platitudes on the subject of “hope” and “change.” Although the shouts we very distinct and clear, it is unclear as to what it is that the shouters were proclaiming they can do. “Yes we can ___?” What is to fill in the blank?

Barack Obama’s campaign has all of the substance of a blank page.

For an excellent review of the shallowness of Obama’s speeches read the cover article from the Weekly Standard.

Here is a video of part of the event:

(Read more after the leap)

Update: YouTube no longer has the Plainfield video available at this time.

One notable aspect of the above clip is Barack’s complaint that the tone of the campaign has changed in recent weeks. He is, by his own admission, referring to the media’s coverage of some of the radical racial and anti-American statements made by his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. If Obama thinks the scrutiny given to his pastor and his personal ties to his pastor is negative, I wonder how he expects the public to make an informed decision about his ability to be president of the United States.

Since Pastor Jeremiah Wright’s radical positions have come to light, Obama has alternately dismissed them and denounced them. Yet no matter how much Obama wishes to have his pastor behind him and no matter how much he would like the public to ignore the issue, the case raises serious questions about Barack Obama’s judgement. Is Barack ready to take that 3am call? His choice of association when it comes to churches and pastors indicates that he may not be ready to unite the country like he says he is, let alone field that early morning call.

It is one thing to attend a church service in which disturbing statements are made. It is another thing to continually sit under the consistent preaching of racial division and anti-Americanism and consider the preacher of such sermons to be a spiritual mentor. The Wall Street Journal had an excellent article on this subject yesterday. Perhaps its most interesting observation is that Michelle Obama’s statements about finally being proud to be an American make perfect sense when you consider the church that she has gone to for several years.

On a fiscal note, it is coming to light that Obama’s old friend Tony Rezko may have given him more financial help than was previously known. The Chicago Tribune has the story here.