Wow, Obama just gave a hell of a speech in Austin (video here). Very different from his other ones I've seen. For one thing, he seems to be speaking without a teleprompter. Now I'm NOT pushing the GOP BS about how he needs a teleprompter to be a good speaker -- he kicked ass debating Hillary, McCain & Romney without one! But it does change the way he talks. He doesn't move his head back and forth between the two displays, he's freer to look around more and connect more. On the other hand, he's stammering a bit and having to hunt for words a bit more. Which isn't entirely a bad thing, because he does come off as especially genuine and sincere in this speech.
Another thing is his very quiet tone around 6:00 to 8:00 - it feels kind of resigned. And at 0:52, the wistful look at the end of the story of his solo walk in 2008. And his slightly weird response to the heckler at 33:30 - "I'm on your side man, sit down..." When have you ever heard any politician, let alone a president, stand at a podium and call someone "man"? Not that this is a bad thing, it's just not like the Obama I've seen.
Now maybe there was a technical reason for no teleprompter, maybe he was just short of sleep, and maybe that's all there is to this. Or maybe...
Maybe something has fundamentally changed. Maybe Boehner's lawsuit crossed a line. Maybe it's made him finally give up on elected republicans. Maybe he just doesn't give a sh*t what they think anymore, and he's letting go and feeling hurt and angry and disappointed and, well, real.
This speech feels like a scene from the Bulworth movie. From IMDB: "Disillusioned liberal politician... takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters". I half expected him to drop the F-bomb. OK, so he didn't, so this is just a near-Bulworth moment. But still:
At 32:20 - "I, you know, it is lonely just me doing stuff. I'd love it if the republicans did stuff too". Listen to how his voice cracks a bit on the last word, and how right after he shrugs and goes "Huh!". The effect is a little whiny and peeved, even disbelieving. He almost sounds like Jon Stewart imitating a Jewish grandmother.
I'm NOT criticizing him here. All my psychoanalysis is just speculation. And he is 100% right about republicans. I love him busting on them, I love this new looseness and spontaneity, I love the REAL-ness!
And I love love LOVE this gem at 34:04:
I don't expect them [republican congressmen] to agree with me on everything, but at least agree with me on the things you used to say you were for before I was for 'em!
One final thought: I think this speech is a calculated attempt to help Wendy Davis. He's not mentioning her, she's not mentioning him, but he comes to Texas and hammers this point home: don't get cynical, you can make a difference.
When our people turn out, we win!