So what good are Obama’s platitudes?

While I share many concerns about Obama expressed by others, regarding the comments I’ve seen denigrating his speeches as grand generalities lacking substance, I disagree. If you think about it, the Declaration of Independence is almost entirely composed of general platitudes. The Gettysburg Address even more so. Certainly those are not merely policy documents with a list of particulars. Ideas that are abstract are not necessarily empty, and they may be very powerful.

Believe-it-or-not, there is one thing this county needs even more than it needs a new president, and that is a new engagement of its citizens to stand up and be counted for core American progressive values.

Obama’s accomplishment in Iowa of doubling the turnout and bringing out droves of new participants – mostly young people – besides being wonderful and intensely patriotic, impressively demonstrated a capability that sets him apart from all the other candidates from either side. He connects with people. There is nothing about speaking at a higher level that precludes a President from acting at the level of specific policies. As a matter of fact, you can’t do the job of President any other way. Hillary may, as she expects, be “ready on day one” to manage the government, but it all comes down to whether a President can move more Americans to support our progressive agenda. Obama can.