The President's Speech

It is now the morning after President Obama's speech in Tucson called for after the tragic shootings there some days ago.  We spent the first 30 minutes of the radio show last night (you can listen to it podcasted here) kicking around the whole notion of the suggestion that incivility in political discourse was the proximate cause of this monstrous crime,  a radio show that fortunately or unfortunately, played out whilst the President was speaking these words. 

I have still not seen the speech as presented; I have only read and re-read the words prepared for delivery.  What I find in them is a nearly perfect treatment, incredibly well-crafted for the occasion.  As written, it was not a lecture, it was not a scolding, it was not what many of us feared. 

I have read several reports that the crowd was somewhat less than solemn at times, but who is to say what the psychology of the crowd there should have been.  I imagine there's quite a sense of collective shock.  And the President's preachery call and response style sometimes elicits a degree of audience participation not required or desired by the more reserved listener.  But that said, his call for civility was downright civil.