Obama set to deliver speech on race, Wright

[Gunny]

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) — Far from putting the controversial issue of race behind him, Barack Obama has decided to address the issue head on in a speech Tuesday.

"I am going to be talking not just about Reverend Wright, but the larger issue of race in this campaign — which has ramped up over the last couple of weeks," Obama told reporters in Monaca, Pennsylvania.

Obama's chief strategist David Axelrod characterized the speech, to be delivered in Philadelphia, as "a discussion on race and politics."

"Given the events of the last few weeks, Obama felt it was time to address the issue of race and politics directly, and what it means in our country," Axelrod said.

News of the speech comes days after the Illinois senator formally denounced controversial sermons delivered by his former minister and longtime friend, Jeremiah Wright. The racially-charged remarks came under fire after being the subject of an ABC News report last week.

Axelrod described the Illinois senator as "a force for reconciliation" and said he wants the opportunity "to put this into context."

Speaking with reporters, Obama said the media is portraying Wright inaccurately.

"I think the caricature that is being painted of him is not accurate, and so part of what I will do tomorrow is to talk about how these issues are perceived from within the black church community for example which I think skews this very differently."

more ... http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

Don't know what he thinks he's going to blame on the media. Wright was portrayed by Wright himself, in his own words. Kind of hard to screw THAT up.

 

[BrianH]

It'll be interesting to see what he says...though I'm not sure it will change my mind. It'll be hard to dig himself out of this hole.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Don't know what he thinks he's going to blame on the media. Wright was portrayed by Wright himself, in his own words. Kind of hard to screw THAT up.

The press will give him a pass, just like they give every liberal a pass.

The idea that he thinks we are DUMB enough to believe after 20 years of a close personal friendship and attending the church, reading his books, listening to his sermons when not IN church ( taped), that he can now claim he did not know what the man stood for?

I can tell you right now he will try and change the argument to us whities can not understand the black mind. That when we hear a black leader demonize the country, it really isn't that but just a means to give power to blacks. He will be trying to sell the idea that the words we heard and saw, the actions taken, the speeches given, do not mean what they mean, that we can not, as white people, understand.

This will sell well to Liberals, since they LOOK for reasons to be guilty. It may or may not sell well to undecides and it won't sell at all to any Conservative.

He has a chance to pull it off since our schools teach our young to feel guilty if they are white.

 

[jreeves]

The press will give him a pass, just like they give every liberal a pass.

The idea that he thinks we are DUMB enough to believe after 20 years of a close personal friendship and attending the church, reading his books, listening to his sermons when not IN church ( taped), that he can now claim he did not know what the man stood for?

I can tell you right now he will try and change the argument to us whities can not understand the black mind. That when we hear a black leader demonize the country, it really isn't that but just a means to give power to blacks. He will be trying to sell the idea that the words we heard and saw, the actions taken, the speeches given, do not mean what they mean, that we can not, as white people, understand.

This will sell well to Liberals, since they LOOK for reasons to be guilty. It may or may not sell well to undecides and it won't sell at all to any Conservative.

He has a chance to pull it off since our schools teach our young to feel guilty if they are white.

This is just a guess. Obama, "I want to first start by saying I denounce the inflamatory statements made by my former pastor, Racist, I mean Rev. Wright. But I want to explain why some older generation blacks feel that way, Liberation........Just a guess

 

[jreeves]

This is just a guess. Obama, "I want to first start by saying I denounce the inflamatory statements made by my former pastor, Racist, I mean Rev. Wright. But I want to explain why some older generation blacks feel that way, Liberation........Just a guess

Oh, Oh I forgot one point he will probably make, "this is old politics, the politics of division. We should all get together and hold hands."

 

[ScreamingEagle]

Oh, Oh I forgot one point he will probably make, "this is old politics, the politics of division. We should all get together and hold hands."

Kumbaya...My LOrd...Kumbaaayaaa...Oh Lord...Kumbaya...

 

[BrianH]

The clouds will clear away as little rain-drops of peace sprinkle down upon us. "We need change!, I will change America! And I'll do that by...thank you very much and goodnight."

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Can't wait, so I can feel good about myself again.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

He should probably throw a couple of bones to ol Bill too since the reverend accused him of "ridin dirty".

 

[BrianH]

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/0...ts-rhetoric-but-defends-ongoing-relationship/

Right on Cue, and amazingly predictive.

 

[jillian]

Awwwwwwwwwww... a little racist convention, how cute.

 

[jillian]

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/0...ts-rhetoric-but-defends-ongoing-relationship/

Right on Cue, and amazingly predictive.

It happens to be a great speech and he's speaking truth whether you like the truth or not. Whether it will do him any good or not is another question. But perhaps instead of derision, you might want to try analysis.

 

[midcan5]

Why would you judge a person's character based on the words of a religious figure. Apply that thinking to real life. Suppose for instance Barack has listened to a 'saint' would that balance things or would the saint win out. hmm....

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7piGy0u43c[/ame]

How many here have listened to the distortions of Dick Cheney? If you have then anything you write is subject to question or simply wrong. You know, like them WMDs.

 

[Larkinn]

Wow...A politician actually willing to tell the unpopular truth.

An amazing speech, but I doubt it will do anything good for him.

 

[BrianH]

Jillian, I never said that it wasn't a great speech. Just predictable that's all. It was actually a very moving speech, but I knew what was coming. Obama is actually a very good motivational speaker. My problem with Obama, is not his race, but is lack of explanation. He says alot of things, but doesn't explain how he's going to accomplish them. And for the average joe at home, their not going to google his website and find out what his ideas are.

Midcan5--

I agree. You shouldn't soley judge someone based on the actions of others. But you do see this, even in the law system--guilt by association. If you're in car with someone that has drugs, you'll go down too. If I went to a church that preached like that, (even if I didn't agree myself with what the pastor was saying) the entire town would associate me with that kind of thought---and in this case it's the entire country. My point is, people naturally align themselves around people they have common views with and are more comfortable around. If my pastor had been preaching that way about black people. I would have found myself a different church.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

Wow… Obama's white grandmother was in the same category as a hate-spewing anti-American racist bigot… like the Reverend Wright of today….white guilt-tripping much anybody?

And Wright is like other pastors who just says things you disagree with? Gimme a break..

 

[jillian]

Jillian, I never said that it wasn't a great speech. Just predictable that's all. It was actually a very moving speech, but I knew what was coming. Obama is actually a very good motivational speaker. My problem with Obama, is not his race, but is lack of explanation. He says alot of things, but doesn't explain how he's going to accomplish them. And for the average joe at home, their not going to google his website and find out what his ideas are.

Fair enough, Brian. But the way I see it is that wasn't the predictible political speech at all. The predictible speech is "I disavow what he said... I disagree... I didn't know he felt that way... I didn't like him too much anyway". Obama didn't insult our intelligence by doing that. He did what I would have done talking about someone I love saying something really stupid and wrong. I have to respect the guy for that.

As for explanations about how he's going to accomplish things, well, all politicians are like that, although I think if you actually listened to the debates, both he and Hillary are fairly specific about their intentions. There really aren't a lot of vagueries. So one doesn't have to go to the website (though you're right, joe america isn't going to do that),

But truly, I'm not an Obama-ite (though I have to say today I was so very impressed that I might have to reconsider) He and Hillary are about 3rd or 4th on my list from the original democratic contenders. But... they are heads and shoulders better than anything the repubs offered. And I kind of feel that anyone who cast a vote for Baby Bush with his "compassionate conservative" BS and all his subterfuge about wanting to "run a humble foreign policy", rejecting the substantive candidate both times in favor of platitudes, really has no business complaining about a lack of specificity from any democrat. It's partially why I truly lack patience for some of this garbage rhetoric.

Oh and for the record, despite the brilliance of Obama's speech, Rush Limbaugh is already telling his folk how to think and making his racially divisive comments. And you'll see, all he little Rush-bots and ditto-heads will be posting all the spewings that Rush utters.

 

[BrianH]

LOL....personally, I'm not a fan of anyone running for president in this go around, I'd like to say I'm voting for McCain, but I'm not a partison player, I vote for the person, and I don't care for any of them. I'm not for voting for the least worst.

I'll give it to you about Obama, he has been clear, but IMO not as clear as the others. And as far as the speech, I understand that the typical political come back speech would be as you posted, but Obama is a different cat and he has given speeches like I've never heard. He really knows how to get a crowd going. That's why I thought he was predictable, not because it was typical politician crap, but because it was different.

I'm still not sure that I'll vote for him though. I would vote for him over Hillary however...to bad their not running against one another in the GE

 

[jillian]

If they were going to run against each other in the general election, I'd feel a lot more comfortable than I do right now. I'm afraid McCain is going to sneak in... which is unbelievably appalling to me.

As far as Obama, I'd like to think people are ready for a black president. I don't think they are which is why I think 8 years of Hillary with an Obama chaser after people have gotten used to seeing him in the white house as VP would have been better. Doesn't look like that's going to happen though. On the other hand, I'm not sure the people who take issue with him would ever vote for a Democrat, anyway.

And I'll concede the whole "vote for change" thing annoys me because I'm not sure what that means.... which is one of the reasons I'm supporting Hillary right now.

 

[BrianH]

Yeah that's right.

I'm not a Hillary supporter mainly because I don't wish to keep the same two families in the white house. We've had Bush-Clinton-Bush so far in my life-time--and Reagan when I was little.

I'll have to admit that my values and beliefs are more conservative. But I'm kind of an inbetweener. I'm not going to vote for a Rep. if I don't like him/her, just the same as I'm not going to vote for a Dem. if I don't like him/her. My original candidate already lost. Huckabee (not because he was a hardcore christian, but because I agreed with some of his policies.)

I think the nation is ready for a woman/black president. My only problem with this situation (this moment in time), is that many people are casting votes strictly because "it is time for a black president" or "it's time for a woman president." I just can't seem to grasp the logic in that concept. I realize that you don't follow that agenda, because you're smarter than that. But probably the majority of voters (average joe) do.