obama's speech. will it help

[Michael Z]

The level of hackishness in some of these posts (like the one above) is simple mind-blowing.

M does have one point though.  Obama's speech should have had more of the Cosby touch.  He tried to blame the problems of the current race issue on Republicans than rather on those that self-perpetuate the problem ... being the young black male who embraces the victim status and expects special treatment.  That small group negatively impacts the impression of blacks as a whole.

I couldn't disagree more, but if you really beleive that, fine. My major issue is with people saying Obama is "done". That's a borderline retarded statement.

People said Clinton was "done" after the Gennifer Flowers affair. Statements that Obama's "done" have a lot more to do with wishful thinking than the actual reality at hand.

[King of the Bench]

AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL

Obama became popular for charisma but he is showing none of that nowadays. What a stilted and sh**tty delivery

His defense of Wright disgusted me and the fact that he is tryign to turn questions about his loyalty to America into some sort of "woe is me" racist statement is despicable

I used to like the guy a bit. I would never have voted for him but I liked him and now - I realize he is the worst major candidate ever to run for this office.

Worse than David Duke?

MAJOR candidate - Duke is fringe, and for the record, Duke is an asshole

[Michael Z]

The level of hackishness in some of these posts (like the one above) is simple mind-blowing.

M does have one point though.  Obama's speech should have had more of the Cosby touch.  He tried to blame the problems of the current race issue on Republicans than rather on those that self-perpetuate the problem ... being the young black male who embraces the victim status and expects special treatment.  That small group negatively impacts the impression of blacks as a whole.

I have to disagree there. Being a black man who merely addresses the issue of racism and its role in American history is playing the victim card and expecting special treatment?! A rough summary of his speech would be "Look, racism from both sides is a problem, it has been throughout history, but let's try to move on and work together to make America better". I don't see how that is playing the victim card.

Besides, as far as playing the victim's concerned, this was NOWHERE NEAR Ferraro's little "Waaah, the mean boys are picking on me!"-hissy fit.

[Eraserhead]

AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL

Obama became popular for charisma but he is showing none of that nowadays. What a stilted and sh**tty delivery

His defense of Wright disgusted me and the fact that he is tryign to turn questions about his loyalty to America into some sort of "woe is me" racist statement is despicable

I used to like the guy a bit. I would never have voted for him but I liked him and now - I realize he is the worst major candidate ever to run for this office.

Worse than David Duke?

MAJOR candidate - Duke is fringe, and for the record, Duke is an asshole

Glad you think that. You are an improvement over Stark at least.

[Flying Dog]

Most of the major news anchors are showing it as a plus for Obama. With the exception of Lou Dobbs(So full of himself) Pat Buchanan, Fox News...Ya know, the regulars.

[Eraserhead]

Most of the major news anchors are showing it as a plus for Obama. With the exception of Lou Dobbs(So full of himself) Pat Buchanan, Fox News...Ya know, the regulars.

What did the brown hater Dobbs say?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Most of the major news anchors are showing it as a plus for Obama. With the exception of Lou Dobbs(So full of himself) Pat Buchanan, Fox News...Ya know, the regulars.

Surprise

It's not just that this speech won't help. The speech itself is a terrible catastrophe that will sink Obama's campaign and deeply sour race relations in America. And for those of you who say no one watches this - it'll become a story itself, played over and over and burning itself into the national conscious.

This speech is the equivalent of JFK coming to Houston and saying, "Catholics have suffered terrible discrimination in this country. Protestants need to be more understanding of us. We love our pope. Shut up!"

Obama needed to give the Cosby speech, to criticize black America (if he was going yo go that route in the first place) and explain the national reconciliation that he felt was needed.

Instead? "You don't understand us! We suffered historical discrimination! We can say any crazy or vitriolic thing we want because we are a minority group."

White liberals and African-Americans may eat it up. But most Americans will be more turned off by the explanation than by the original incident. Most Americans will not think Wright's statements are made acceptable by historical prejudice. Most Americans will just get angry at this preachiness. Obama even mentions this, in the one all-too-brief good part of the speech, where he mentions that most whites don't feel "privileged", have to work, are often of immigrant backgrounds, and resent affirmative action and the rest of it.

Obama's speech highlights all that has been deeply, jarringly sickeningly wrong with the New Left wince the Sixties. He's done.

The level of hackishness in some of these posts (like the one above) is simple mind-blowing. This thread will deserve a serious bump after Obama officially clinches the nomination.

But M has a wonderful point. Obama not only did not come out and disown his pastor, he defended him. This is a man that, I am sure, has years of footage of this racist, hate mongering anti-Americanism stashed away and Obama comes out and says we just don't understand black America. That is unacceptable. I don't need yet another lecture on how blacks were discriminated against and it's okay for them to act the way they do at times. This story will continue to fester for a long time to come on the news networks that are not falling over themselves for Obama.

That being said, Obama is not done. He'll still have his base of blacks and white liberals, but the working class Democrats/former Reagan Democrats I can assure you will be effected by this, and the speech isn't something that will bring them all back, either.

So he basically lied to the public the other day when he said he had never heard Rev. Wright make any statements like that in church. Today, he said he had. Obama is just another typical politician.

Seriously, Obama own flaws have shown us the problems within in our own life.

Speak for yourself, please. Most of us don't look up to politicians for help with our moral and social lives. If you do, it's time you found your own way rather than looking up starry eyed as a typical corrupt politician such as Obama. It's time to take off those rose colored glasses.

now YOU are lying.  That is not what Obama said and YOU know it.  He said he hadn't heard those SPECIFIC statements.  In this speech he said he had heard statements that were controversial and that he disagreed with.  Seriously not even close to a contradiction.

I love watching you guys dance around this issue like it's hot coals trying to pretend it will all go away and it wasn't a big deal. Point being, Obama said Friday that he hadn't heard any of those controversial statements when he was at church. If he had heard some before, why didn't he say so? Maybe he wasn't lying, but he was stretching the truth and being very evasive. Today, he said he had been there when he heard some controversial statements. He didn't name them, but why did he dismiss Rev. Wright as being controversial on Friday and wait for it to blow up before he acknowledged it today? I'm not lying, you are just trying you best to make Obama look innocent. I'm willing to be anything I have he knew all about those SPECIFIC statements you talk about well before he make that flippant remark Friday.

Not only are you a liar, but you are an idiot.  Had you been paying ANY attention AT ALL you'd know that I am firmly of the belief that Obama's campaign is in SERIOUS trouble and were I a betting man, I'd strongly have my money on McCain in the fall, BUT your point was totally bullcrap and you know it.

Actually, I do not believe my point was total bullcrap, otherwise I wouldn't have made the effort to post it. Thanks for showing respect with all your childish name calling. Since you know all there is to know about Obama and his past, please forgive me for questioning his past. I'm sure you know that Obama does not believe this stuff and, despite his contradiction already, it appears that he was there when some of this hogwash was being spewed. But, not the particular quotes we've seen on tv. That must mean there are more.

I'm sorry I identified you as an Obama support--most Democrats on this forum are groupies of the man. The way you were dancing made me assume otherwise.

[MODU]

The level of hackishness in some of these posts (like the one above) is simple mind-blowing.

M does have one point though.  Obama's speech should have had more of the Cosby touch.  He tried to blame the problems of the current race issue on Republicans than rather on those that self-perpetuate the problem ... being the young black male who embraces the victim status and expects special treatment.  That small group negatively impacts the impression of blacks as a whole.

I have to disagree there. Being a black man who merely addresses the issue of racism and its role in American history is playing the victim card and expecting special treatment?! A rough summary of his speech would be "Look, racism from both sides is a problem, it has been throughout history, but let's try to move on and work together to make America better". I don't see how that is playing the victim card.

Besides, as far as playing the victim's concerned, this was NOWHERE NEAR Ferraro's little "Waaah, the mean boys are picking on me!"-hissy fit.

I'm not saying Obama is playing the victim card nor deserving special treatment (go back and read what I wrote).  I'm saying he missed a big opportunity in his speech.  He decided to blame the Reagan Coalition and conservative commentators for the racial rift, while completely ignoring the greater impact the Democratic party has had on the problem (see my earlier comment regarding this).  What he should have done was dropped that whole "it's their fault" section from his speech and talked directly to the small population of young black males that perpetuate the racial issue and play the victim card for their situation in life.  Cosby goes a long way to challenge this group and to point out how they are causing more damage for themselves and the demographic as a whole.  Obama could have been the second major voice to point out the problem as a means to work to bring all parties together to combat the causes of racism (on both sides) rather than trying to place a bandaid here and there whenever a noose or black-on-black violence pops up.

[King of the Bench]

Most of the major news anchors are showing it as a plus for Obama. With the exception of Lou Dobbs(So full of himself) Pat Buchanan, Fox News...Ya know, the regulars.

So basically only the left wing liberal side of the media is showing it as good for Obama

Surprise Surprise

[Ben.]

The level of hackishness in some of these posts (like the one above) is simple mind-blowing.

M does have one point though.  Obama's speech should have had more of the Cosby touch.  He tried to blame the problems of the current race issue on Republicans than rather on those that self-perpetuate the problem ... being the young black male who embraces the victim status and expects special treatment.  That small group negatively impacts the impression of blacks as a whole.

I think that might well come later, i think a more overt criticism of the black community as well as the white would have gone down better - but overall i think he did fine today, in the end its not what he says but how the media and the electorate respond to it.

Should Obama win the nomination (as still seems most probable - if the narative that this speech seems to be spinning carries on he'll have the nomination locked IMHO) I would not be surprised to see him come out against affirmative action.  

[elcorazon]

I AM an Obama supporter.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who are not so enlightened, and will never understand this wonderful speech for what it is, and as a result, I don't think Obama's campaign will withstand this, at least not in November, even if he ekes out the nomination.

and, name calling.  you call Obama a liar, even though your point is totally messed up and I call you on it, yet I'm name calling.  Seriously, you make me ill.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Fortunately most Americans aren't sniveling, over-analyitical hacks that have wanted to find a reason to jump on this great candidate since day one. 

This was a fantastic speech.

[Ben.]

Most of the major news anchors are showing it as a plus for Obama. With the exception of Lou Dobbs(So full of himself) Pat Buchanan, Fox News...Ya know, the regulars.

So basically only the left wing liberal side of the media is showing it as good for Obama

Surprise Surprise

"Only"!?

Heck! If we're taking about the "leftwing liberal side of the media" thats about 3 quaters of the media!

I think coverage by this stage of the election cyle takes becomes increasingly defined by partisan concerns... it doesnt matter the relative merits of what ever McCain or Obama (or any Democrat or Republican for that matter) say, the fact that its Obama or McCain will be what defines the response to it... at least in such a race we'll have candidates unlikley to want to play ball with such an approch, fighting an election 'on the issues' oh how I've dreamed of the day!

[J. J.]

I AM an Obama supporter.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who are not so enlightened, and will never understand this wonderful speech for what it is, and as a result, I don't think Obama's campaign will withstand this, at least not in November, even if he ekes out the nomination.

and, name calling.  you call Obama a liar, even though your point is totally messed up and I call you on it, yet I'm name calling.  Seriously, you make me ill.

Elcorazon, we've had our differences over the years, but I never thought I'd be a bigger defender of Obama's chances than you are.

The major problem I've with this, was not Obama's choice of church, not the lack of judgment in putting Wright on a campaign committee; both of these are minor and assume that the only thing Wright has done is preach.  The problem was Obama's claim that he didn't know about it.

Today he said:

Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as Im sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.

My only wish is that he said it Friday.

[Smash255]

I AM an Obama supporter.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who are not so enlightened, and will never understand this wonderful speech for what it is, and as a result, I don't think Obama's campaign will withstand this, at least not in November, even if he ekes out the nomination.

and, name calling.  you call Obama a liar, even though your point is totally messed up and I call you on it, yet I'm name calling.  Seriously, you make me ill.

Elcorazon, we've had our differences over the years, but I never thought I'd be a bigger defender of Obama's chances than you are.

The major problem I've with this, was not Obama's choice of church, not the lack of judgment in putting Wright on a campaign committee; both of these are minor and assume that the only thing Wright has done is preach.  The problem was Obama's claim that he didn't know about it.

Today he said:

Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as Im sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.

My only wish is that he said it Friday.

JJ maybe he should have, but keep in mind the talk on Friday was about certain comments that were leaked to the media (such as the  9/11 comment and the Hillary comment) which Obama stated he did not know anything about them and has stood by that.

[exopolitician]

I thought it was a wonderful speech. Actually stepping up and willing to address issues like this is honorable in itself. But im an Obama supporter so my opinion is obviously sh!t here.

Oh...and sadly for those living in their own delusional fantasy worlds. Obama is far from over.

[J. J.]

I AM an Obama supporter.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who are not so enlightened, and will never understand this wonderful speech for what it is, and as a result, I don't think Obama's campaign will withstand this, at least not in November, even if he ekes out the nomination.

and, name calling.  you call Obama a liar, even though your point is totally messed up and I call you on it, yet I'm name calling.  Seriously, you make me ill.

Elcorazon, we've had our differences over the years, but I never thought I'd be a bigger defender of Obama's chances than you are.

The major problem I've with this, was not Obama's choice of church, not the lack of judgment in putting Wright on a campaign committee; both of these are minor and assume that the only thing Wright has done is preach.  The problem was Obama's claim that he didn't know about it.

Today he said:

Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as Im sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.

My only wish is that he said it Friday.

JJ maybe he should have, but keep in mind the talk on Friday was about certain comments that were leaked to the media (such as the  9/11 comment and the Hillary comment) which Obama stated he did not know anything about them and has stood by that.

It was brewing for several days and Obama has indicated that he was present for some of the comments.  Please don't get me wrong, I absolutely do not[ feel Obama should be held accountable for Pastor Wright's statements.  Obama should have handled it a lot better, and a lot quicker.  He began fixing it today.

[© tweed]

everyone on Hardball is saying that it is the best speech they have ever heard.  I'm going to watch the whole thing online and decide for myself pretty soon.

[agcatter]

Mathews and all the other libs on DNC tv loved it.  Can't wait for Olbemann to slobber over it.

Today Obama put the mask back on.  Problem is we all got a good luck before it went back on.

[Wiz in Wis]

The speech helps, in that it gets Wright off the TV for the next few news cycles, and that once the MSM covers something, they don't go back to it unless there is something new

Obama had to give a race speech. Im sorry that some of you didn't get to see the first viable black candidate tell the black community to "stop actin all black" but he wasn't going to do that.

Obama is having the worst 3 weeks of coverage in the campaign, Clinton looks acendant in PA, and McCain is being unchallenged... and yet he still leads McCain in matchups and still polls tied with Hillary in the primary.

Anyone who thinks Obama is done should have remembered the 1200 other times he was "finished" and get some perspective

He will be the nominee, he will trash McCain, he will be the next president.

[Person Man]

Yeah. He was supposed to be finished at least twice now, wasn't he?

[JSojourner]

Mathews and all the other libs on DNC tv loved it.  Can't wait for Olbemann to slobber over it.

Today Obama put the mask back on.  Problem is we all got a good luck before it went back on.

LOL at Matthews being a lib.

[agcatter]

Jimmy Carter's speech writer, Tip O Neil's chief of staff, up Kerry's butt the entire 2004 campaign..........yep, pretty sure he's a liberal.  Never heard him referred to as anything but.

[YRABNNRM]

Yeah. He was supposed to be finished at least twice now, wasn't he?

He was also supposed to have had this wrapped up at least twice now.

[Beet]

Yeah. He was supposed to be finished at least twice now, wasn't he?

He was also supposed to have had this wrapped up at least twice now.

I love how Republicans love to constantly use that to diss Obama rather than recognize the huge, passionate support that Hillary Clinton has. Most Democrats I've talked to have said that they like both of them; the closeness of the race reflects their strengths as much as their weaknesses.