The Lee's Summit Symphony Orchestra performed a two hour concert this evening for an audience numbering approximately five thousand at the annual "Booms and Blooms" celebration held at Powell Gardens (25 miles southeast of Kansas City).
There's been a lot of discussion on the Internets and in the old media about Barack Obama's speech on patriotism at the Truman Memorial Building in Independence, Missouri on Monday, June 30th. Yeah, we were there, and here's our coverage:
Some of the discussion has been about what it all means. The transcription elves at our Show Me Progress corporate headquarters have been really busy, and with the help of the "as prepared" text of the speech courtesy of Obama's campaign, have been able to whip out a transcript of the actual goings on in record time. I've provided them below the fold - first, the text of his remarks as prepared, and second, the text of his remarks as delivered.
Our old traditional media does such a splendid job. Okay, not really.
For those of you who are wondering what the title of this is all about, Barack Obama spoke on patriotism in Independence, Missouri yesterday.
A portion of the prepared text of Barack Obama's speech as released by his campaign:
...So let me say at this at outset of my remarks. I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign. And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine.
My concerns here aren't simply personal, however. After all, throughout our history, men and women of far greater stature and significance than me have had their patriotism questioned in the midst of momentous debates. Thomas Jefferson was accused by the Federalists of selling out to the French. The anti-Federalists were just as convinced that John Adams was in cahoots with the British and intent on restoring monarchal rule. Likewise, even our wisest Presidents have sought to justify questionable policies on the basis of patriotism. Adams' Alien and Sedition Act, Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus, Roosevelt's internment of Japanese Americans - all were defended as expressions of patriotism, and those who disagreed with their policies were sometimes labeled as unpatriotic.
In other words, the use of patriotism as a political sword or a political shield is as old as the Republic...
[emphasis added]
Here's what the traditional media said what Obama said:
As I approached the press entrance to the Truman Memorial Building I stopped to take a photo of the media trucks. This very nice lady stopped and asked me, "Are you with the Kansas City Star?" I replied that I was not, I was a blogger. She then asked me, "Would you like to take my picture with my husband he's just around the corner?" I thought, "Why not?" and told her I would. As we walked back to the line of people around the corner I asked her if she had ever been to an event like this before. She replied, "No, never before. This is historic." We found her husband in line and I took this photo. They reminded me of my parents.
I waited my turn to go through security at the press entrance. The uniformed officer had me take out and start up all of my electronic equipment, including my camera. As he peered through the viewfinder he took this photo. He quipped to me, "If you publish this I should get credit." He's got it.
