Obama speech reignites hope

President Barack Obama revisited "hope" in his acceptance speech for the Democratic presidential nomination.  The reconnection with his 2008 theme was necessary, in this writer's opinion, for the president to show that his vision remains the same after four years in office.

In the latter part of the speech, he explained in detail, giving many examples, that his hope was in the American people.  The people were responsible for change and he showed how the people had created change during his first term.  He also promised that he would continue to work with the people for change if granted a second term.

Obama was passionate but controlled throughout much of his presentation giving a sober account of his administration and of his plans for the future if reelected.  One could clearly see that he wanted to give more specifics than Romney did in his acceptance speech.

He highlighted the difference between the Democratic and the Republican approaches.  The idea that voters had a clear choice in this election has been a constant theme over the three days of the Democratic convention.

The main message is that Democrats believe that everyone, including the government, must work together, while the Republicans believe that individuals, or at least middle class and poor individuals, should not expect anything from government.

Unlike in his 2008 speech, the president did not talk about working together with Republicans except that he mentioned how they had cooperated to cut spending last summer.  Instead, he focused on working together with the American people.

Unlike Mitt Romney, who failed to mention American troops serving in war zones, Obama acknowledged his role as commander-in-chief:

Tonight, we pay tribute to the Americans who still serve in harm's way. We are forever in debt to a generation whose sacrifice has made this country safer and more respected. We will never forget you. And so long as I'm Commander-in-Chief, we will sustain the strongest military the world has ever known. When you take off the uniform, we will serve you as well as you've served us - because no one who fights for this country should have to fight for a job, or a roof over their head, or the care that they need when they come home.

In ending the speech, Obama gave out a call to his supporters and to voters in general.  He noted that in his vision of America, we travel together and not with each person out on their own.  This election was about a choice that would determine the direction of the country for decades.  In his words, Americans faced the clearest choice they have had in a generation.

They could choose between two futures and his vision quoting from Scripture was a "future filled with hope."

Word cloud of Obama acceptance speech