The Freedom Count assumes that if a speaker cares about something, he is likely to talk about it. In President Obama’s State of the Union address two nights ago, he mentioned the key words of freedom just three times.
In most major presidential addresses, the key words are spoken close to 10 times. Any more than that, and the president is demonstrating he is unusually interested in liberty. Below 5 is unusually low.
Here is the Freedom Count for Obama’s 2011 State of the Union:
Democracy: 2.
Freedom: 1.
Liberty: 0.Total: 3.
The president’s one reference to “freedom” was in this paragraph:
And so we must defeat determined enemies wherever they are, and build coalitions that cut across lines of region and race and religion. America’s moral example must always shine for all who yearn for freedom, justice, and dignity.
It was a speech weak on liberty. For Obama, unfortunately, this is not unusual.
Frank Warner
But Winning The Future trumps "freedom" in this SOTU.
Posted by: CJW | January 27, 2011 at 10:07 AM
O-bummer
Posted by: Neo | January 27, 2011 at 02:57 PM
I keep wondering, why nothing on the joy of freedom? Why nothing on the protective, creative and healing power of freedom? How does an American president miss this?
Posted by: Frank Warner | January 27, 2011 at 05:10 PM
It's hard to come up with a bumper sticker slogan that is sexy on the joy of freedom.
But Winning The Future (WTF) is easier.
Posted by: CJW | January 27, 2011 at 07:52 PM