CommNat's Top Five Political Communication Moments of 2009

It was a year dominated by what might politely be called "strongly felt" political rhetoric. Disclaimer: This list deals exclusively with U.S. political communicators.

Honorable Mentions: Sen. Ben Nelson's announcement of support for health care reform bill; President Obama's health care reform speech to a Joint Session of Congress; Obama's economic message to a Joint Session of Congress; Obama 12/29 public statement in response to attempted terrorist attack aboard Northwest airplane ); and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano's "the system worked" remarks in response to the Northwest incident. (These last two demonstrating why end-of-year lists should actually be done at the *end* of the year and not in mid-November.)

And now, the top five with brief explanations:

5. Gov. Sarah Palin Resignation Announcement. The speech was analyzed in an earlier post and can be found here. The Alaska governor's abrupt and baffling public statement prior to leaving office made for fascinating political theatre but also represented the opening move in what could be a highly unorthodox 2012 campaign strategy. The "going rogue" brand goes beyond the tried-and-true "outsider" strategy by suggesting that even the outsiders are in on the game. This is mavericky-ness that borders on political nihilism. We'll see how it plays.

4. Sen. Joe Lieberman Announces Intention to Filibuster Health Care Bill. Health care dominated the first year of the Obama administration and, with the odds looking good for final passage of comprehensive reform, Lieberman's filibuster threat played an enormous role in shaping what would not be in the final Senate bill, namely a public insurance option or a Medicare buy-in for people 55 or older. Other Democratic senators may have been inclined to vote against those options but Lieberman's public vow to filibuster forced Democratic concessions on two huge issues.

3. Rick Santelli CNBC "Tea Party" Rant. One can debate whether this on-air rant by CNBC correspondent Santelli was a spontaneous populist revelation, a publicity stunt, or the opening gambit of a massive and calculated right-wing political strategy. And, in many ways, it doesn't really matter. The Tea Party Movement (and perhaps the future Tea Party Party?), last summer's health care town hall protests, and even Rep. Joe Wilson's "You lie!" outburst all found their roots in Santelli. Santelli's February 19 riff kicked off an angry populism that resonated both with citizens disenchanted with the President's agenda and a news media desperate for a compelling counter-narrative to the compelling and popular Obama.

2. President Obama Afghanistan speech. Another classic Obama balancing act. Obama's address to the cadets at West Point laid out a controversial new strategy for the war in Afghanistan. The announcement of 30,000 more troops to the region with a specified date for starting withdrawal caused consternation among both hawks and doves. A transcript and video can be found here.

But transcending them all...

1. President Obama's Inaugural Address. The first African-American President. That historic heft alone warrants the top spot. But go watch or read the speech here and you'll find early evidence of much of what the President would say and do throughout his first year in office. Obama asserts his preference for taking on big issues with "big plans," as later seen in his stimulus and health care initiatives. Also, one sees his core mission to break down rhetorically what he sees as false and unproductive dichotomies ("As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.")--a perspective that would resurface at Notre Dame, Oslo, and before Joint Sessions of Congress. Obama expresses his willingness--to the exasperation of some--to positively engage foreign foes ("we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist"). Also present are those ideas that would later surprise--and disappoint--his more progressive followers. For example, the first specific issue he mentions in the inaugural is the war on terrorism, which foreshadows the decision to add 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. He refuses to fully condemn Wall Street and free market capitalism ("Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched."). More than just celebrating a historical day, this speech reveals a presidential philosophy to which Obama--for better or worse--has remained true.

Well, there it is. Feel free to respond with any noteworthy omissions or other reactions. Happy New Year!