Not sure what you linked to, but it's not a video of the speech.
The Audacity of TaupePosted: Mar 18, 08 10:32amSenator Obama spent 40 minutes in Philadelphia today articulating the seeming conflict of his "uniter" image vs. his 20 year relationship with his "divisive" Church leader. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/18/obama.transcript/index.html Was this his defining moment or an early Easter gift for Hillary? We have grown accustom to Barrack's artful and moving oratory and his Liberty Bell backdrop stump was no exception. That said, I believe the crack in the Liberty Bell is a metaphorical sign of a crack in Obama's shining armor. He certainly did as good a job as anyone could in this speech. However, at the heart of the matter; his mission was to find a way to explain the unexplainable. A stop, drop and roll strategy would have been better than what sounded neither black nor white in it;s rejection of hate speech. His presentation was a tepid trail of rationalizations far to taupe toned in their lack of clarity. What was required was a delineation and disassociation and an affirmation of what we should embrace...that opportunity was squandered and replaced with a toe tapping table dance. The hateful Fire and Brimstone of Wrong Reverend Wright is so over the top you can't escape the basic question...."so, this guy was your spiritual leader for over 20 years"? The vast majority of White voters are hopeful that we have "turned the racial corner" and will symbolically crown that moment with a Black President. Polls show that one of Barrack's strongest demographics is with higher educated, white, affluent men. He also casts a very wide net with his version of a populists message. The landscape is littered with the other type of Black orators; Jackson, Sharpton and others who exploit the racial divide. They need this color-centric chasm to continue for their own industries of mud-raking to be relevent. Akin to the military industrial complex who have no stake in peace, the industry of hate has it's purveyors of self interest too. They have no interest in the solution or the abatement of racism over time. The question mark in the minds of middle America who see financial, political and social injustice in varying shades of Taupe are wary of unseen agendas. They know that these issues have no color but green. Many have been moved by Barrack's message and they HOPE that he is the "real deal". However, if he cannot successfully and quickly disassociate himself from Wright,...he'll get painted with the same Jackson/Sharpton brush, marginalized and the day will be lost. A historic opportunity might be squandered due to misguided allegiance. Obama cannot ignore these questions... How come you sat there in that pew for twenty years? Is this the best house of worship you could have found? Why did you lend your tacit approval by your presence? How should a voter reconcile this very divisive rhetoric that you sat, listened and supported but publically decry now? Even if you weren't in the church at the moment of the most over the top stuff, you clearly knew his mind (him being "family and all"). Put more simply; what is really in your heart or hearts? This is not a time for Barrack to try to live in a Taupe Middle-of-the-Road world,...he must choose a side...Hate must be rejected not apologized for! Where ever the source, his association must be rejected, and his prior pew nods (real or perceived)be admitted and forgiven as a judgment error. These questions will not go away even if they are swept under the 4th estates rug. Even if the press lauds the speech as grand etc...the questions will linger. Even if the icebergs top is obscured by non- reporting,, the larger questions under the seascape will linger. The "newsworthiness" might abate from press-driven public forums but...they will linger in the recesses of people's minds. Obama what is really in your heart? If unanswered, this will make a big difference on election day(s) to come.  He also ran for President. Obama must make the distinction clear. 83 Comments
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Posted: Mar 18, 08 10:57am Senator Obama spent 40 minutes in Philadelphia today articulating the seeming conflict of his "uniter" image vs. his 20 ...  Posted: Mar 18, 08 11:07amSenator Obama spent 40 minutes in Philadelphia today articulating the seeming conflict of his "uniter" image vs. his 20 ... Wow, were we listening to the same speech? I heard no apologies for Reverend Wright's words of hate. But all you've heard of Reverent Wright is a few sound bites given to you by someone who wants you to feel exactly as you now do. WHY did Sen. Obama sit in those pews for 20 years? Perhaps because Reverend Wright didn't always preach the same sermon you've now heard over and over and over again. I spent several years attending a church who's pastor often spoke of differing political views, and often from the pulpit. It drove me crazy, but that wasn't all he preached, it wasn't all he taught, and I enjoyed listening to the rest of it. As for a need to disassociate himself . . . How would you recommend he do that without coming across as a complete hypocrit? This man has been like family for many years (again, I have several family members that I don't agree with, but I wouldn't kick 'em out of the family for having a different point of view). To suddenly say, 'Nope, can't have anything to do with you anymore because it's inconvenient' would turn off nearly everyone that currently supports him. It would sure turn ME off! I think he handled it beautifully. He disassociated himself from the words and from the point of view that has been shown on televisions all across America, without disowning a family friend, and a spiritual leader, without trying to act as if he never heard any of the words this man preached. He admitted to listening to sermons he didn't agree with . . . but why is that an error in judgement . . . don't you have conversations with people that you disagree with? Don't you ever listen to someone else talk when you don't necessarily agree with every word coming out of their mouth? I commend Sen. Obama. I think he did a completely admirable job of dealing with something that others have turned into an 'issue'. Posted: Mar 18, 08 11:11amSenator Obama spent 40 minutes in Philadelphia today articulating the seeming conflict of his "uniter" image vs. his 20 ... Are you asking us TBD'rs or Obama? And what are you asking? You rambled on and pretty much lost me... Posted: Mar 18, 08 11:16amWow, were we listening to the same speech? I heard no apologies for Reverend Wright's words of hate. But all you've he... The links weren't moments taken out of context the vile and the anti-American race baiting was at a house of worship pulpit. As I suggested in my org. post,...Obama can say..."I shouldnt have stayed in the church... it was an error in judgment" and that can be forgiven. Dancing around it with some explanation of a disfunctional but sweet little uncle, only works if you aren't going to the Uncle's church on a regular and long term basis. What lies in a candidates heart is the true issue here! Obama's association for 20 years within the context of his spiritual leader is an issue. The issue is echo'd by the placing of Wright in a position of leadership within the campaign. Dancing (however artfully or gracefully) around the issue with graceful pointing to context of the 60's aint going to cut it politically. As for how I feel,...I see an opportunity being squandered,...not an outrage of my own accord. Mistakes happen in every adminstration,...the difference will be how he reacts to them and this is a moment of seeing how that might play out. Odd that he tossed that gal who called Hillary a monster in 4.3 seconds but is vacillating on this much more dangerous association. There is another season in this election cycle. Where John McCain will benefit from the "no American Flag lapel pin", the comments of "anti-Americanism by his wife" and now this...the first two sound like childish finger pointing, but a current or theme is beginning to be painted. Speaking politically, it needs to be engaged and vanquished now...not fodder for October. Posted: Mar 18, 08 11:28amAre you asking us TBD'rs or Obama? And what are you asking? You rambled on and pretty much lost me...... I was simply pointing to a dramatic point in the poltical season and my opinon that Obama will have to do more to mitigate the downside. Robin,...I added a better link http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/18/obama.transcript/index.html Posted: Mar 18, 08 11:30amWow, were we listening to the same speech? I heard no apologies for Reverend Wright's words of hate. But all you've he... ordinarygirl I totally agree with you, and you said it much better than I would have been able to. I tried to look at it from a different perspective. Have I ever said or done something my friends or family either disagree with or are embarrased by,of course, but does that mean they disassociated with me? No, they may let you know what they think but they still care. Where I mainly disagree with wcbiv is that I feel Mr Obama came out and openly and honestly answered the questions head on. How long has it been since a politician done that. This is a man who commands respect, and a man in my opinion who inspires hope and more than anything concrete that is what we need today. Posted: Mar 18, 08 12:20pmNot sure what you linked to, but it's not a video of the speech.... http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/18/obama.transcript/index.html At least the text is here | ADVERTISEMENT  |
