The Obama speach...
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- IndustryHitman0
you guys are cool with the maker of this room mis spelling of SPEECH? or is it the new S-peach...like the mac new IPeach, peaches w/ usb and firewire 800's...and a sick video card...they describe it as "Peachy".
- skelly_b0
That speech wasn't about the preacher. Obama took the opportunity to diffuse a "scandal" by jumping head first into the race issue with grace. While McCain and Hillary sling shit and percentage points around, Obama is addressing the realities of the day and the history that brought us here.
- TheBlueOne0
Well, he used the preacher issue (a "gotcha" issue) as a springboard to talk about race in this country in a way that didn't pander to any "voting block". He spoke like an adult to other adults. No politician has spoken like that to the American people in a loooong time.
- emukid0
OH BUT HE DIDN'T WRITE THE SPEECH SO CLEARLY WHAT HE SAID IS MEANINGLESS. JUST LIKE MY EXISTENCE
- ukit0
http://www.openleft.com/showDiar…
Barack Obama's hearalded speech on race is the most honest appraisal of racial problems in America I can remember a politician ever giving. It is long and nuanced, not easy to encapsulate in sound-bites. He describes his experiences in the Trinity United church of Christ and with Reverend Wright, saying that while he disagrees with some of Wright's statements, he understands the frustrations that give rise to such views. He also understands the frustrations that give rise to views such as those expressed by Geraldine Ferraro. Both views, he says, are wrong because they are limited and based on stereotypes, and assume that America is static, that we cannot change.
The entire speech is at TPM Election Central and it is well worth the read.
Here's the nut of the speech:
The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked through - a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.
more:
Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren't always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.
Just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze - a corporate culture rife with inside dealing, questionable accounting practices, and short-term greed; a Washington dominated by lobbyists and special interests; economic policies that favor the few over the many. And yet, to wish away the resentments of white Americans, to label them as misguided or even racist, without recognizing they are grounded in legitimate concerns - this too widens the racial divide, and blocks the path to understanding.
And then this:
For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle - as we did in the OJ trial - or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.
We can do that.
But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.
That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, "Not this time." This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.
It continues in that vein. It is quite remarkable. His biggest gamble is to treat the subject with the depth and seriousness and complexity that it deserves. He is banking on enough reporters, pundits and voters hearing him out on this very difficult subject. If anyone can move our dialogue on race, our political discourse and our media coverage forward, he can.
If we can't, as he says, we are condemned to repeat this mess over and over again.
- mrdobolina0
All of the anti-Obama talk could be leveled at any of the other candidates equally or worse, but Dukie doesn't seem to do it. Why is that?
- jasontroj0
Jaline, he actually did write most of this. Just sayin'
- dan53820
By the way what kind of change do any of these candidates actually offer? damn near nothin!
- he offered me bout a buck fittyemukid
- In dimes?TheBlueOne
- TheBlueOne0
By the way Oprah goes to the same church....and America LOVES the Oprah...
- vanilla_cam0
"I can't say I would do anything like his because I don't know what his is but I can tell you that I will take a look at it and you know I have a lot to say about a lot of issues whether I give a speech or not I can not predict." -- Hillary Clinton, responding to a question about Barack Obama's race speech, March 18, 2008
- harlequino0
Haven't said it yet cuz I haven't bought into it. But I will say it now after listening to this speech. The guy has me sold. I am behind him, and I hope he gets the nomination.
And goddamn, I hope he delivers. And I don't mean deliver the big solution, but at least delivers the spirit to inspire all around him to make a positive change for this country.
- obsolete0
I still think he is going to lose.
I'm not an american and I don´t know that much about the politics game there... but in the end of the day, vote is secret.... and on the day following the eleciont post-secret will be filled by "I wish I had voted for Obama" postcards...
Anyway he seems like a good leader, but hey, germany had someone who sounded like a good leader in the 30´s, and the outcome was far from brilliant. Anyway I hope the best candidate wins, not only the best for americans but for the rest of the world as well...
With this I'm saying that maybe Bush was the best choice for americans and the worst for all of us living in a place where a beauty "wannabe" can´t point on a map....- um, there is a wee bit of a difference in tone and message between obama and hitler matekelpie
- mikotondria30
Yeh, I for one would have 1000% more faith in our Govt./state if he was the figurehead. Don't get me wrong, I know I won't have any more real power than the corporations let me, but theres only a small margin of hope that wavers either way for people to be willing to change and grow and make differences. I wouldn't mind paying significantly more tax if I knew that it was in some way going to help build the country that I believe we could unite aroud the vision of, with him in 'charge'.
There are some tough, uncharted times to come, and some dark days - we need someone we can be hopeful about, and trusting of.
- exador10
whups..sorry rand...didn't realize you'd just posted that on the clinton thread...my bad ;)
cheers
ex
- Jaline0
he doesn't write it...
- he done said it real good thoughvanilla_cam
- he writes his speeches right after he walks on water and turns the dinner water into wine...he really is quite amazingDUKIE0822
- amazingDUKIE0822
- true, and even if he did.. its just a speechMeeklo
- he wrote itstupidresponse
- he did indeed write this one himself, jaline.khan
- exador10
my guess (and this is just a guess mind you) is that he most likely has speech writers like any other politician...but i'm betting that he does a lot of it himself as well....especially for something as important as this speach...cuz lets face it..if he blew this one, he'd be in a bit of a pickle...
and he knocked it out of the park...
to me, thats more than just good delivery..i think he wrote a lot of it..- they usually outline things they want to say... advisors and writers try to edit and filter to beef it up734
- what 734 said.Jaline
- SPEECH dammit! ;-)danthon
- He wrote two books, was the editor of Harvard Law Review, no doubt the guy can writeukit
- still, he has not only one writer, but probably close to 15, watch the documentary "The persuaders"Meeklo
- Iggyboo0
It is powerful. If he means any of it, hopefully he wins. I hate to say this country is breaking and it needs someone who sees it for its possibilities and not it's capabilities.