Thursday night in Charlotte, N.C., at the Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama formally accepted his party’s nomination for a second term. He wrapped up the final night of the DNC with his acceptance speech, touching on a wide variety of topics, namely the economy.
The president rallied the crowd with talk of common effort and shared responsibility. He advocated for the middle class and small businesses, criticizing his opponent’s plan to cut taxes for the wealthy and roll back financial regulations on wall street.
“We’ve been there, we’ve tried that, and we’re not going back,” he said. “We’re moving forward.”
The president discussed the path to repairing the economy, touching on the theme of “Made in America.” A plan for the future that includes more American exports and less oil imports. Less outsourcing of jobs and rewards for companies that create jobs in the United States.
But for some, the speech was big on promises and small on details. Douglas Tendgdin, a registered republican from Hanover, N.H., found little value in what the president had to say.
“I don't think his comments reflected an adequate understanding of the economy,” Douglas said, “but I did not expect him to show that.”
What did show was the support the president had among the audience in the arena. Throughout his speech, TV viewers saw continuous shots of the audience. Head nods, chants and tears were a general response to what the president had to say.
This was especially true when the president discussed education. “And now you have a choice,” he began. “We can gut education, or we can decide that in the United States of America, no child should have her dreams deferred because of a crowded classroom or a crumbling school.”
The president’s statements on education inspired hope for voters such as Tom Duff, a 21-year-old college student and registered democrat from Nashua, N.H.
“If he could get the University System of New Hampshire to go one year without raising tuition, I’d be satisfied,” Tom said. “But in all seriousness, I like how he didn’t just focus on educating the next generation. He has a plan to help the current generation continue their education. As a college student, that’s important to me.”
President Obama promised, if re-elected, to make America the number one country in education. His plan includes recruiting thousands of new math and science teachers, and reducing college and university tuition rates.
The president briefly touched on topics such as the military, immigration and women’s rights before wrapping up his speech. In all of his remarks, he effectively stressed the importance of the middle class.
“I was pleased that the president tied education to the strength of the economy, and I think overall he had the correct strategy,” said Sarah Shannon, a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a degree in political science. “He attacked his opponent indirectly by focusing on his own vision for the country.”
Throughout the speech, the president critiqued Mitt Romney’s policies without addressing his opponent directly. This proved an effective strategy, according to Sarah, allowing viewers to focus on his policies rather than his attacks.
“Many analysts have pointed out that Paul Ryan's speech at the Republican National Convention was comprised of several inaccuracies and falsehoods,” Sarah added. “The truth seemed to be a minor detail for the candidates at the RNC. On the contrary, at the DNC, Clinton made a point to detail the policies as they were, rather than slant them to appeal to voters.”
The president concluded his speech in a poetic fashion, rousing the audience with his final statements: “America, I never said this journey would be easy, and I won't promise that now. Yes, our path is harder--but it leads to a better place. Yes, our road is longer--but we travel it together,” he said.
“We don't turn back. We leave no one behind. We pull each other up. We draw strength from our victories, and we learn from our mistakes, but we keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon, knowing that Providence is with us, and that we are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on Earth.”
President Obama gained a four-percent lead on Romney after the DNC, according to several polls. Whether or not he will hold that lead remains to be seen in the final weeks of the campaign.
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