General Discussion

LiberalArkie

(19,917 posts) Thu Apr 23, 2026, 12:36 PM Apr 23

The speech that made him president: Obama's 2004 DNC keynote speech

Years before he became president, many Americans first met Barack Obama during the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

11 replies

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The speech that made him president: Obama's 2004 DNC keynote speech (Original Post) LiberalArkie Apr 23 OP

Oh look! A REAL President! SheltieLover Apr 23 #1

I saw that speech and immediately wished that he could be president one day. It's right up there with Mario Cuomo's NBachers Apr 23 #2

💜 MustLoveBeagles Apr 23 #3

I remember watching that speech in real time.... RT Atlanta Apr 23 #4

I'll never forget it. I was living in SoCal and my Dad in PA called livetohike Apr 23 #5

My dad was in a nursing home with heart failure and said to me. Boomerproud Apr 23 #6

Sending hugs. My dad had pancreatic cancer. From livetohike Apr 23 #8

I called it after the DNC speech. Prairie_Seagull Apr 23 #7

I remember it...we knew then that he would ascend! Drum Apr 23 #9

Both my husband and I were glued to the TV when this guy talked in 2004. ProudMNDemocrat Apr 23 #10

Yep malaise Apr 23 #11

SheltieLover

(81,709 posts)

1. Oh look! A REAL President!

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 12:40 PM

Apr 23

NBachers

(19,572 posts)

2. I saw that speech and immediately wished that he could be president one day. It's right up there with Mario Cuomo's

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 12:59 PM

Apr 23

speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco.

MustLoveBeagles

(17,255 posts)

3. 💜

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 01:05 PM

Apr 23

RT Atlanta

(2,796 posts)

4. I remember watching that speech in real time....

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 01:10 PM

Apr 23

and being thoroughly impressed and thinking 'that man will go places.'

Side note: a regret that I have from Atlanta is that I was invited to attend a $100 a plate fundraising dinner in Atlanta for some national politicians and that included IL Senator Obama. I was young in career with young family and $100 was unfortunately too much for my budget... but selfishly, I think back to missing that and 'how cool would it have been' if I had attended and met the senator. Oh well.....

livetohike

(24,421 posts)

5. I'll never forget it. I was living in SoCal and my Dad in PA called

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 01:33 PM

Apr 23

to ask what I thought of the speech. My Dad said “He’s going to be President one day.”

Sadly, my Dad didn’t live to see it happen. He passed away in the hospital on Nov 8, 2004 and was wearing his Kerry/Edwards button on his hospital gown.

Boomerproud

(9,362 posts)

6. My dad was in a nursing home with heart failure and said to me.

Reply to livetohike (Reply #5)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:03 PM

Apr 23

There's your first Black president right there in a moment of lucidity. I remember that to this day. Miss you Dad.

livetohike

(24,421 posts)

8. Sending hugs. My dad had pancreatic cancer. From

Reply to Boomerproud (Reply #6)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:11 PM

Apr 23

the time he was diagnosed to the day he died was 3 weeks. I miss him everyday and would have loved to talk with him about The Felon.

His pain was being managed with a Fentanyl patch. However, he was lucid enough that when his Oncologist asked him who won the election he said “Dumbo”. He never referred to Junior by his name .

Prairie_Seagull

(4,806 posts)

7. I called it after the DNC speech.

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:10 PM

Apr 23

I was at a watch party with mostly black folks (I'm white) and had to justify myself the rest of the night. The black folks would not give him the credit I thought he deserved. I think there was shock involved.

To a person they all called to say. I was right and it was about time and how did I know? An answer I did not have.
Just had a feeling or dumb luck.

Probably the latter.

Drum

(10,764 posts)

9. I remember it...we knew then that he would ascend!

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:15 PM

Apr 23

ProudMNDemocrat

(20,982 posts)

10. Both my husband and I were glued to the TV when this guy talked in 2004.

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:33 PM

Apr 23

The comment from my husband was, "This guy will be running for President in 4 years!" What did he know back then?

Little did we know but 2 years later in 2006, he would be in Rochester giving a speech to a standing room only crowd at the Mayo Civic, stumping for Tim Walz and Amy Klobuchar. We were but 10 feet away from the podium. @ years after that, we voted for him as the 44th POTUS in 2008. Met Michelle Obama and was hugged by her in 2008.

The rest is history. Saw him twice more after that at DFL events we volunteered for.

malaise

(297,941 posts)

11. Yep

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:39 PM

Apr 23

I have friends who called it the next day

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