No to take anything away from his church, but lets be real. The man is a Harvard educated lawyer with a knack for politics-I'm sure he knew the value of a good speech.  I also take issue with Torch's assesment that "black churches" are the key here. Could it also be the particualr pastor or reverand, could it be the denomination? This assesment seems like damning with faint praise. That said Sen. Obama is a terrific speech-maker and I am certain that his religion has had an influence on his positions and abilities, I just find it sad that Torch equates it to a black and white issue.

The lost art of communicating through speeches is long gone.

You can name on one hand how many elected officials author their own words, much less deliver them with a sense of passion or purpose.

His book is an excellent reference tool for any speechmaker or speechwriter.

Obama can think on his feet and deliver his thoughts with clarity.

It's what makes him authentic and real.

Torricelli is many things, one of them is a scout of real political talent. He knows Obama is politically talented, schooled out of Cook County at the knee of the Daley political machine.

The African American church stands as a hallmark for things oratory.  I don't think he was reducing it to a "black thing or "damning with faint praise".  The standard of exceptional oratory to which we should all aspire can be heard in quite a few churches on Sunday throughout the nation, most exceptionally in African American churches.   The griots, or storytellers in Africa, told stories that drew crowd of villagers and there skills have been passed on through blood and generations to many a Black preacher.

I am sure you are correct, and I do not dispute the rich oratory tradition that is associated with all churches including those that are predominantly African American. I would bet that the last remaining orators in the country are preachers (with respect to Sen. Obama's skills) I simply do not see how being a black minister gives one a natural advantadge in speaking over a white minister or a native american minister or an asian minister...

Amen     

I read your opinion re: Sen. Obama's Iowa speech. I understood your point, but I must stress some caution and disagreement. I don't think Obama's oratory skills come from years of sitting in the church listening to the preacher. Further, I don't believe that he like others try to mimic those skills. Instead, I believe and almost know that it comes from a passion deep down in his belly; it is a burden that is so deep and heavy. It is a yearning that he cannot quelch. It is his undeniable commitment to make change. As he so eloquently stated, Sen. Obama asserts that his motivitations are sparked by Dr. King's quote, "the fierce urgency of now". He knows that this is his time and he has the ability and fortitude to lead Americans to levels unheard of. In the spirit of MLK, Sen. Obama is a dream fulfilled. In closing, his phenomenal oratory skills come from his passion and dedication to us, all Americans, in an effort to help us become change-agents of the world. Thank you fo your time and attention.

But you spread that on a bit thick didnt you?

Barack Obama was raised by a white single mother and his white grandparents. He grew up in Hawaii, Indonesia, and Hawaii again. He then moved to Los Angeles and then New York for college. Somewhere around that time, he became a "Christian." He attends the United Church of Christ, one of the most, if not the most, liberal Christian denominations, but hardly a denomination that is majority-black. All of this information is available from a simple cursory search of Barack's online biography. Give me a break. Yes - Sen. Obama is African-American. However, that does not mean he came from the black church culture that Sen. Torricelli mentions. That's just an ignorant assumption. Is it possible that a black man in America is just tremendously talented, intelligent, and articulate without having attended the black preacher school of oratory? Shame on you.

tpkkid -- I think you missed Torricelli's point. He is not referring to who is sitting in the pews, he is referring to who is delivering the message.  Obama's pastor, Rev. Wright is a well known, charismatic, and yes, African-American, preacher.  And Obama has written in his own book how he has been moved to tears by Wrights sermons.  Torricelli was simply making the point that if you want to hear good oratory today, one of the best places to go is an African American church on a Sunday morning.  And if you want to get good training in effective, powerful oratory, listening to a pastor like Wright is better than what most universities have to offer.  And yes, of course we all know Obama upbringing, but for the past twenty some years he has lived in Chicago and attended services at this church for most of that time.  And as a State legislator, Congressional candidate, and US Senator, I would expect Obama spent a lot of Sundays in other African American churches and has heard other charismatic preachers in those venues. I think Torricelli's only point is that Obama is an incredibly gifted speaker.  And he probably would be an incredibly gifted speaker if he never went to church.  But he also undoubtedly benefitted from sitting in a church pew Sunday after Sunday hearing an incredibly dynamic pastor and probably learned some style and oratory skills that no one would ever learn in our universities today. Drop the "shame on you" malarky and read the column with an open mind instead of just looking to a pick a silly fight.   

How many primary/cacusues have we had since Iowa? Got anything else to say?

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