AP Luncheon Speech by Sen. Barack Obama

(04/14/2008)

1:11

[Video file]

YouTube: bVkvWGrSAUM Play

Monday April 14, 2008 1:11

1:12

Professor Kim:

Sen. Obama is scheduled to begin speaking at 1:30.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:12 Professor Kim

1:15

Professor Kim:

It took nearly an hour for the estimated 1200 ticketholders and press to go through security.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:15 Professor Kim

1:21

[Comment From BeckyBecky: ]

Wow! And I thought the security at Heathrow was thorough--that line only took twenty minutes.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:21 Becky

1:23

Professor Kim:

AP is webcasting the speeches by Sens. McCain, Obama and Clinton from:this link

Monday April 14, 2008 1:23 Professor Kim

1:25

[Video file]

YouTube: Mobile News Play

Monday April 14, 2008 1:25

1:27

Professor Kim:

One bit of unreported news from this morning: At the AP annual meeting, it was announced that AP will partner with Apple to distribute multimedia local news from AP members via iPhone. The new service will be called Mobile News Net.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:27 Professor Kim

1:28

Professor Kim:

McClatchy is among the major chains that have signed on. They were encouraging others to join. They expect to sign on other mobile providers as well.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:28 Professor Kim

1:29

Professor Kim:

That clip at 1:25 was submitted in error -- it's empty. Sorry.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:29 Professor Kim

1:34

Professor Kim:

Notably, today's lunch began with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by an explicitly religious invocation, and then the traditional AP toast, "To the PResident of the United States."

Monday April 14, 2008 1:34 Professor Kim

1:35

Professor Kim:

Now, there are a slide shows of photographs of American Presidents, assassinations, and presidential hopefuls.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:35 Professor Kim

1:41

Professor Kim:

Obama being introduced.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:41 Professor Kim

1:41

[Comment From BeckyBecky: ]

Just curious--what was the "explicitly religious invocation"?

Monday April 14, 2008 1:41 Becky

1:42

Professor Kim:

The invocation referred to our dependence on God.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:42 Professor Kim

1:43

Professor Kim:

Speaker commends Obama a draw -- first sold-out AP luncheon in 60 years.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:43 Professor Kim

1:43

Professor Kim:

In speech before AP two years ago, Obama said three main issues are energy independence, health care and education.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:43 Professor Kim

1:44

[Comment From LaurieLaurie: ]

I'm the backup today! Nice to be here with Kim.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:44 Laurie

1:45

Professor Kim:

Acknowledges AP reporters who travel with him.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:45 Professor Kim

1:46

Professor Kim:

"I know I kept a lot of you guys busy this weekend...some of you might be a little bitter about that."

Monday April 14, 2008 1:46 Professor Kim

1:47

Professor Kim:

Talks about the importance of faith in his life, and how he has encouraged Democrats to talk more about faith.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:47 Professor Kim

1:47

Professor Kim:

Globalization has changed the rules of the game for small town Americans.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:47 Professor Kim

1:47

Laurie:

he regrets some of the words he chose, both because of the way they were interpreted but also because they've served as a distraction from the real issues here.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:47 Laurie

1:48

Laurie:

Washington fights over the latest distraction of the week. People are cynical, angry and frustrated with leaders for not listening to them. And yes they are bitter about that.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:48 Laurie

1:49

Laurie:

Sen. McCain will use his comments to show that he's out of touch with working people.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:49 Laurie

1:49

Laurie:

Real insult to our millions of working Americans would be continuation of economic agenda that's dominated Washington for far too long.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:49 Laurie

1:50

Laurie:

Correction: "He" in comment above refers to Obama.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:50 Laurie

1:53

Professor Kim:

John McCain is promising four more years of policies that won't bring back jobs, expand health care, or make education affordable. They think people won't notice that John McCain is running for GW Bush's third term.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:53 Professor Kim

1:53

[Comment From BeckyBecky: ]

Just to clarify--I'm assuming you're talking about the comments referenced here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7344532.stm

Monday April 14, 2008 1:53 Becky

1:54

Professor Kim:

Yes, Becky, thanks for the link!

Monday April 14, 2008 1:54 Professor Kim

1:55

Professor Kim:

We might not be able to stop jobs from going overseas, but we can stop giving tax breaks to companies for doing so. We can give tax breaks to companies who keep jobs here.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:55 Professor Kim

1:56

Laurie:

Invest in renewable energy. Improve education and keep our workforce the most competitive in the world. Invest in early childhood. Pay teachers more.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:56 Laurie

1:56

Professor Kim:

"We may come from different places and have different stories, but we share common hopes and the same American dream."

Monday April 14, 2008 1:56 Professor Kim

1:57

Professor Kim:

refers to his own small town, impoverished background.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:57 Professor Kim

1:58

Laurie:

His story is quintessentially American.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:58 Laurie

1:58

[Video file]

YouTube: Qe_ndo1XzCI Play

Monday April 14, 2008 1:58

1:58

Laurie:

He carries story every day. That's why he wakes up and does this every day.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:58 Laurie

1:59

Professor Kim:

Q&A now

Monday April 14, 2008 1:59 Professor Kim

1:59

Professor Kim:

Text of remarks just distributed.

Monday April 14, 2008 1:59 Professor Kim

2:00

Laurie:

Guns in Illinois: two realities.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:00 Laurie

2:01

Laurie:

Downstate, near Kentucky, generations of hunters. In Chicago, people gunned down.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:01 Laurie

2:01

Professor Kim:

Obama draws and interesting contrast here.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:01 Professor Kim

2:02

Professor Kim:

One of the issues that I thought would come to the fore in the Pennsylvania primary is the tragic death toll due to gun violence in Philadelphia.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:02 Professor Kim

2:03

Laurie:

We feed on controversy, conflict, saying "I agree iwth a guy, I see his point," that doesn't catch headlines.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:03 Laurie

2:04

Professor Kim:

As of April 10, 76 people were murdered, including some police officers. While this is an improvement over the pace of last year, it is a huge issue in Pa cities.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:04 Professor Kim

2:04

Laurie:

Not to make effort to understand other side means we'll be caught up in same cycle of political silliness that prevents us from tackling real problems.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:04 Laurie

2:04

Professor Kim:

Says that while he is pro-choice, he recognizes "moral element" to the abortion debate.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:04 Professor Kim

2:05

Professor Kim:

The questions that Obama is being asked were submitted in writing in advance of the event.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:05 Professor Kim

2:05

Laurie:

Question: Today's event is sold out. He's been drawing large crowds. What's your take on excitement surrounding your candidacy?

Monday April 14, 2008 2:05 Laurie

2:05

Professor Kim:

I'm surprised that such a softball question got through.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:05 Professor Kim

2:06

Laurie:

He knew when he declared that there was interest in his story because he was different.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:06 Laurie

2:06

Laurie:

(Obama: "46 year old black guy, funny name, big ears." to clarify "different")

Monday April 14, 2008 2:06 Laurie

2:07

Laurie:

People feel ownership of his campaign.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:07 Laurie

2:07	Journalists have been accused of being soft on Obama. Do you think this is true? Yes ( 0% ) No ( 100% ) Not sure ( 0% ) Monday April 14, 2008 2:07

2:09

[Comment From MerrycricketMerrycricket: ]

I feel ownership and hope. I have a better chance at surviving economically if Obama is elected. I have suffered under Bush. I don't think HRC has MY best interests at heart.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:09 Merrycricket

2:10

Professor Kim:

How would Obama used the power of the presidency?

Monday April 14, 2008 2:10 Professor Kim

2:11

Professor Kim:

Obama promises to get the American people involved, instead of following GW Bush's emphasis on secrecy.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:11 Professor Kim

2:11

Laurie:

He wants transparency and accountability.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:11 Laurie

2:12

Laurie:

He wants people to sit around the table and work things out.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:12 Laurie

2:12

Laurie:

He thinks he's good at getting people from different perspectives to listen to each other and pay attention to each other.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:12 Laurie

2:15

Professor Kim:

"President has an enormous role in shaping the agenda" so that people are not forced into having to worry about being pigeonholed as liberal or conservative based on their votes.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:15 Professor Kim

2:16

Professor Kim:

Says he is not ideological. Says he doesn't think government can solve problem. While he supports more funding for education, he also pushes parental responsibility, particularly among African Americans.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:16 Professor Kim

2:17

Professor Kim:

Confidential sources: Says whether a source should be protected should be determined by the courts.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:17 Professor Kim

2:18

Professor Kim:

Criticizes Bush administration for suggesting that suggesting that people concerned about civil liberties are soft on terrorism.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:18 Professor Kim

2:20	Do you favor a federal shield law for journalists? yes ( 0% ) no ( 0% ) leave it up to judges ( 33% ) yes, and it should include bloggers ( 33% ) yes, but only for paid news employees ( 0% ) I don't know enough about the issue to decide ( 33% ) Monday April 14, 2008 2:20

2:22

Professor Kim:

Asked whether Sen. Clinton should step aside. Says he expects that Sen. Clinton will have an opinion about that.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:22 Professor Kim

2:24

Professor Kim:

Says that Clinton is a formidable campaigner. Remarks about the fact that she is still in the race after losing 11 straight primaries. Says fight with Clinton makes McCain feel good. However, he says he has campaigned in 47 of 50 states, and is building an organization that can campaign in all 50 states.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:24 Professor Kim

2:26

Professor Kim:

Clinton is "toughening me up" by using the arguments that Republicans will use in the fall.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:26 Professor Kim

2:27

Professor Kim:

Questioner asks about moving troops from Iraq to Afghanistan to pursue "Obama bin Laden." Obama says, "I think that's Osama bin Laden," and takes a sip of water, as audience laughs.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:27 Professor Kim

2:28

Laurie:

Iraqi leadership across the board feels some sense of urgency, going to continue to jockey for position for jobs, contracts, etc.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:28 Laurie

2:29

Professor Kim:

Questioner apologizes -- "If I did that, I'm so sorry." Obama said that's what he's been going through the last eight months, and it's "a wonder I'm still standing."

Monday April 14, 2008 2:29 Professor Kim

2:29

Laurie:

John McCain says we could have a troop presence in Iraq for 100 years, we should pay attention.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:29 Laurie

2:29

Laurie:

John McCain says we could have a troop presence in Iraq for 100 years, we should pay attention.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:29 Laurie

2:29

Professor Kim:

Audience applauds "still standing" line.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:29 Professor Kim

2:30

Laurie:

Besides, we can't afford it.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:30 Laurie

2:31

Laurie:

We are racking up too much debt, make it easy to fan flames of anti-American sentiment, increase terrorist recruitment. Don't have troops, don't have money, don't have legitimacy to focus on main strategic threat, which is Al Qaeda, based in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:31 Laurie

2:32

Professor Kim:

Obama has left the podium.

Monday April 14, 2008 2:32 Professor Kim

2:35

[Comment From MerrycricketMerrycricket: ]

Thanks Professor Kim!

Monday April 14, 2008 2:35 Merrycricket

2:35

Professor Kim:

You're welcome, and thanks, Laurie!