Barack Obama’s Race and Politics Speech
What Did You Think of Barack Obama’s Speech on Race and Politics? – by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at the Care2 Election Blog)
FULL VIDEO OF SPEECH AT THE CARE2 ELECTION BLOG
Obama confronts Racial Division in US
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday tried to stem damage from divisive comments delivered by his pastor, while bluntly addressing anger between blacks and whites in the most racially pointed speech yet of his presidential campaign.
Obama confronted America’s legacy of racial division head on, tackling black grievance, white resentment and the uproar over his former pastor’s incendiary statements. Drawing on his half-black, half-white roots as no other presidential hopeful could, Obama asserted: “This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected.”
This is a post by BlogHer Contributing Editor, Kim Pearson. Kim also has an open thread for discussion of today’s Barack Obama speech on race and politics.
On the Patriotism of Wright’s Jeremiads and Michelle Obama’s Pride
Also See:
From Tennessee Guerilla Women – How Bad Has the Wright Story Hurt The Obama Campaign?
Did anyone else get sick of hearing “God damn America” on the cable news channels over the weekend? CNN and Fox News played the tapes of Pastor Jeremiah Wright all weekend.
From Penny Ronning at The Non-Silent Majority – Jeremiah Wright is Wrong
As a Christian, I’ve always been leery of people in ministerial positions of authority who use the pulpit or their “role model” profession as a means for political influence. My skin crawls and my shoulders cringe inward when I hear pastors endorse a candidate or a specific political party in a sermon, during a time of ministry staff prayer, or during an interview.
Did you see Obama’s speech this morning? What did you think? Does it help you understand the controversy over Rev. Wright? Will the Obama campaign be able to get past this now?
Comments
Comment from Julie
Time: March 18, 2008, 1:34 pm
Here is my gut problem with the whole thing. It’s his complicity. This wasn’t some crazy pastor that said some off handed remarks. If you look at the entire cheering crowd surrounding him you see a racist undercurrent bleeding into a world view. This is a world view that Obama agreed with or at the very least was complicit to. What is his heart? How can I be sure? I have no actions to judge. Or does he have a good heart but no back bone?
It makes my stomach ache
Comment from Pamela Lyn
Time: March 18, 2008, 5:15 pm
I am just listening to the speech now in its entirety. Some will say that the conversation on race is long overdue. However, I say that the conversation on race is, and must be, ongoing. I’ve been priviledged in my lifetime to have heard some of the best speakers of our generation. JFK, MLK, RFK, Barbara Jordan, Jessee Jackson et al. Each speech they gave ( and in Jesse’s case still give) helped move us all closer to understanding. But this is a process. Nothing will be settled in one speech that hasn’t been settled in the past 40-50 years. But just like the speeches given by others, Barack Obama’s speech today will hopefully help move us one more step closer to understanding.
As far as Senator Obama’s relationship with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, I do not attempt to judge his heart or his faith. I can only take him at his word. For me, personally, as an African American and as a Christian, I do not feel comfortable with preaching from a minister, of any race, who uses the pulpit to preach anything other than the gospel of grace, love, faith and reconcilition with God.
As a media watcher, I realized that the CNNs, MSNBCs, FOXNews, ABC, CBS, etc have played the clips of Rev. Wright ad nauseum. Controversy sells, it’s that simple.
Comment from pat lynch
Time: March 18, 2008, 7:09 pm
Obama is disingenuous. If he opposes the hate speech of the pastor why did he sit through it with his children Sunday after Sunday? If you oppose, don’t expose. Also, he’s uttered too many contradictory responses to questions about his level of awareness about the preacher and his fiery oratory. We need a tad less rhetoric and a lot more truth.
Comment from Kyle
Time: March 18, 2008, 1:33 pm
I am only 26 and this is by far the best and most refreshing speech I HAVE EVER HEARD!! I feel good to be an American hearing that speech and ONLY pray the country got a chance to hear it. Very moving and uplifting being an African-American wanting America to move past the white/black line that divides us as ONE