Obama Speech

This page is dedicated to the speeches of the President of the United States, Barack Obama, beginning with his first speech as a presidential nominee in January 2008.

At 9:00 pm ET on February 24, 2009, President Obama spoke to both houses of Congress in a formal address. It was the first nationally televised speech he made since his inauguration in January.Reuters: Obama's high-stakes speech to press broader agenda (February 24, 2009)

President Obama delivered a speech outlining a withdrawal of most U.S. forces in Iraq by August 31, 2010. The remaining 35,000-50,000 forces will serve an advisory role in the country, but will also be withdrawn by year end 2011.CNN.com: Obama: U.S. to withdraw most... (February 27, 2009)

1. August 28, 2008: Accepted Democratic nomination for president
2. Spoke before crowd of 75,000 supporters
3. Spoke from a stage that some compared to a Greek templeAssociated Press: Obama seeks a personal touch within a huge stadium(August 28, 2008)
4. Obama got an 8-point lift in the polls after the speechAssociated Press: Obama seeks a personal touch within a huge stadium(August 28, 2008)

Even Obama's critics acknowledge that Obama is an excellent public speaker. His keynote at the 2004 Democratic Convention flagged him as a great speaker within the Democratic Party. In 2008, the Economist magazine wrote that "Across the country, from freezing Iowa to hotter-than-hell Nevada, huge armies of Americans have queued for hours to listen to his speeches. Few have been disappointed."The Economist: What Makes Obama a Good Speaker?(February 15, 2008)

Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau has said that he is inspired by John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.New York Observer: What Makes Obama a Good Speaker?(February 15, 2008)

Obama started 2008 with his "Yes We Can" speech, a phrase that became the rallying cry for his campaign. Obama put forward his ideas for "A More Perfect Union" on March 18, 2008, a call for the U.S. to make an even clearer departure from it's racist past.

Obama touched on race again in a speech given to the NAACP in July and marked the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War by giving a speech urging a swift end to the conflict. Obama accepted the democratic nomination in front 75,000 supporters on August 28, 2008.

1. Full name: Barack Hussein Obama II
2. Born: August 4, 1961
3. Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii
4. Political Party: Democrat
5. June 3, 2008: Became presumptive candidate in 2008 Presidential Election
6. August 27, 2008: Officially became Democratic Party candidate for President
7. Two books: Dreams from My Father (1995) and The Audacity of Hope (2006)
8. Spouse: Michelle Obama
9. Two children: Malia and Sasha

• The Guardian: Bill Clinton to Miss Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech (August 27, 2008)

• MSNBC: Obama: "We Cannot Turn Back" (Time: 42:55)

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• NECN: Obama: Yesterday was a bunch of rants (April 29, 2008)

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• CNN: Obama 'outraged' by Wright's remarks (April 29, 2008)