Obama To Give Major Speech on Race Tomorrow

[slinkerwink]

The Times’s Jeff Zeleny tells us that Senator Obama will deliver a speech on race Tuesday in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. He is hoping to address concerns stirred by Mr. Wright’s controversial statements, which the senator has denounced, as well as other racially charged comments that in recent weeks have changed the tone of the Democratic nominating fight.

link:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/the-early-word-the-irish-and-iraq/

Also, O'Bama will be campaigning in Pennsylvania today, with a town hall meeting in Monaca, and in Scranton at the Society of Irish Women dinner.

[jackson_dem]

1. 20 years too late. You can't erase what you did with political rhetoric

Regarding the speech itself, Romney's "major speech" on religion did nothing for him.

[NDambi]

4. Hillary's doomed then...lmao

[niceypoo]

74. Hmmmmm......

If Hillary mentions race she is a KKK member but Obama can run on it....

[NDambi]

80. I don't think she's a racist.. I just can't stand her mug..or her person..thanks for posting

[shadowknows69]

5. Beacause people can never change or filter the good from the bad flessons rom a teacher?

I'm sorry if you're that shallow but I give Obama credit for being a more complex thinker than that.

[jackson_dem]

9. He "changed" when under the political gun

20 years, the "change" occurred within two days when he was forced to do so politically. Coincidence? :sarcasm:

[CatsDogsBabies]

79. Obama has been in elected office

for 10 years. Clearly the people of Illinois (who were probably more familiar with his Church than the general American public) don't have a problem with where he attends Church. In his political life has he advocated "hate"? Why are people looking at this minister instead of looking at Obama, what Obama has said, what Obama has done. Wasn't Obama a community organizer, a professor and for the past 10 years an elected official. Surely we can focus more on what the candidate has actually done instead of all this crazy obsession with what his pastor said. Come on!

[blogslut]

6. When this is all over

I shall forgive you for acting the way you have during this primary season. That is, if you're willing to be forgiven.

[shadowknows69]

8. me?

[blogslut]

14. Do you want forgiveness?

Not sure what you did but I'll be happy to forgive you. :)

[shadowknows69]

30. Cool, you have a lot of time?

;-)

[blogslut]

49. Oy

How about I just forgive you preemptively? :hi:

[Horse with no Name]

are you God now?

who the fuck left it up to YOU to forgive anyone? What hubris.

[slinkerwink]

20. we're supposed to forgive....

God isn't the arbitrator of forgiveness---it's up to us to forgive our enemies.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Horse with no Name]

29. You called me a "beotch"?

Yer guy is losing it...and he will lose big.

Neener Neener Neener

[shadowknows69]

33. but my dad can beat up your dad

[Horse with no Name]

37. My Dad is dead--not a hard thing to do n/t

[shadowknows69]

69. I'm sorry

that wasn't the point of my post I hope you know

[blogslut]

44. Everybody deserves forgiveness

I'm not god. I am a fellow human being and I have a philosophy:

Never forget but always forgive.

I like you. I respect you. Just because I challenge you does not mean I reject you as a fellow human being. We all disagree on something.

[Azathoth]

13. What did he do besides attending church on Sunday? n/t

[jackson_dem]

19. Contradict what he will be saying when under the political gun

The hypocrisy and transparently political motive won't be lost on many voters.

[Azathoth]

24. Where is the contradiction? Vague accusations are tiresome n/t

[jackson_dem]

45. Public rhetoric about "unity" and "moving beyond race", private attendance of a racist church

For 20 years...

[NDambi]

62. Prove the church is racist? I've seen white people and latinos in the audience

Where's your proof that it's racist, bubba?

[Azathoth]

68. So now the entire church is racist? By your logic, any Catholic who claims to oppose pedophilia

is a hypocrite. Cause after all, when a priest/pastor says or does something, everyone in the congregation automatically agrees with it and believes in it -- even if it has nothing to do with church doctrine.

[jackson_dem]

78. Did any Catholic priest commit pedophilia from the pulpit?

[Azathoth]

88. They did so in their capacity as priests while performing their official duties

And it was official church policy to cover it up.

I wonder...if a pastor declares in a sermon that the Lakers are an awesome team, does that mean that his entire congregation are Lakers fans?

[jackson_dem]

115. really? No one in the congregation tried to stop it or call the cops?

Apples and oranges. No one would leave church over a sports team. Most folks, especially a self-professed "uniter" who wants to "get beyond race" and is an alleged change agent, would. Obama's public words in the past days set the standard by which his past actions must be measured. If he knew, as he almost certainly did, he should be condemned by all those who believe in what Obama claims to so deeply desire.

[Azathoth]

116. Ah, now we're asserting what "most folks" would do

No, "most folks" would not sever their ties to an entire church community -- people they have known and been in fellowship with for years -- because they heard their pastor express an opinion they disagreed with. It takes a lot to force a person out of their own church. "Most folks" haven't abandoned the Catholic Church, even now that the full horror of the pedophilia scandal has become apparent. "Most folks" (right-wing lunatics being the biggest exception) do not live from day to day attempting to excise from their lives everyone with whom they disagree. Impugning Obama's character because he didn't abandon his church and his friends for political expediency says more about the level of superficiality and sheer political calculation you believe a politician should exhibit than it does about Obama's ability to be a 'uniter'. The Clintons might abandon their church the instant a focus group suggested that people didn't approve of its pastor, but that doesn't mean Obama, or "most folks", would.

[CreekDog]

77. the white people from that church are racist too?

let's see how far you will take this guilt by association.

[goclark]

73. Mitt is not hardly a Barack in the Speech Department

:bounce:

LOL

[Unsane]

105. Thanks, Rush.

[BeyondGeography]

Excellent

Of course, the MSM will play as many clips of Rev. Wright as they will of the speech, but fuck them anyway.

[slinkerwink]

11. yeah

[Pirate Smile]

51. Guess what? Another Superdelegate for Obama

Another Superdelegate for Obama
17 Mar 2008 09:18 am

Margie Gavin Woods, from Illinois.

That makes 48 for Obama since Feb 5, and zero for Clinton.

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/another_superdelegate_for_obam.php

[NDambi]

64. This needs its own thread gonna start it

[Pirate Smile]

90. I was hoping someone would - I may not have any left at the moment.

:)

[blogslut]

2. Good

I am ready. This is a national conversation that is long overdue.

[npincus]

3. OH NO- he's fallen into the TRAP. He needs to talk about the ECONOMY.

THE ECONOMY. People are SCARED... f*cking prices through the roof, the dollar collapsing, major investment banks and their stock turning to shit overnight....

Obama needs to talk about the ECONOMY.... he is perpetuating an issue that people are moving away from....

And he's giving the MSM a REASON to keep playing those audio clips ade nauseum.... he can make this speech another day. TODAY is the time to address the economy. BEFORE HILLARY does.

[NDambi]

10. Agreed, If..

his campaign is smart they will find a way to morph the economy into it and the war and how it hurts us all in the pocket, no matter our race.

[slinkerwink]

16. I think the economy will be a part of the speech

probably how hard times fall equally on all Americans, and that every American, regardless of race, gender, or creed, is worried about the future.

[NDambi]

26. That's the smart move

[BeyondGeography]

71. The economy, health care, education...all will figure in the speech

We can't make any progress on these major issues unless we are united; he says this repeatedly.

[npincus]

27. People DON'T want to hear about Race, only MSM and Hillary supporters want to keep this alive

People want to hear about the ECONOMY... it's the ECONOMY.... When Obama addresses this issue and comforts a frightened public, THAT is PRESIDENTIAL and race as an issue in this campaign becomes inconsequential.

THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE... he has suceeded by transcending this issue, and is falling into his enemies' trap.

[NDambi]

53. I agree with you. But what I'm saying is not specifically talk about race..but tie how we are all

in this together...the war, the economy, etc. as Americans no matter what ethnicity or race we are.. he can be smart about it..it doesn't have to be about black vs white america...etc.

[npincus]

72. I'll take it BUT it needs to be billed as a speech on the ECONOMY

I really think he should leave race out of it, he held extensive meetings with the press last week, answered everything they could throw at him, made a public statement on Wright, wrote a blog on Huffpo... ENOUGH. Why do you think the Clinton camp is so quiet? They and other enemies have laid the trap. Obama is TOO SMART to fall into it, his campaign cannot get scared and thrown off message. Obama has transcended race; if he goes there he wil marginalize his candidacy.... people are scared shit about the economy... that is THE issue.

Obama needs to convene a task force of ecomomic geniuses, make a very public overture that he is immediately responding to and addressing the issue of the day, our economic crisis, and ready to do so on DAY ONE.

[NDambi]

76. Makes a lot of sense...you want a job? LOL

[npincus]

84. I'd take one w/the Obama campaign!

I was planning to volunteer (G-d willing, he becomes our nominee) in my spare time.... do you have connections? Can you put in a good word? LOL

[Loge23]

7. Let me guess...

We need to CHANGE!

[sniffa]

15. No, we need SOLUTIONS

[KittyWampus]

18. let me guess, Hillary supporters will go with the Republican side of this discussion.

[sniffa]

60. Yes, some revel in it

[Loge23]

117. Guess what - I was wrong.

Obama's speech today was direct and decisive. Up until now, I have not seen this level of candor from Obama. For that I am not sorry, but most definitely encouraged by today's speech.
I was very pleased with his response and his accurate assessment of the racial divisiveness that grips this country.
Where you were wrong is in automatically pegging anyone who disagrees with your candidate as a Hillary supporter. I currently support neither candidate - and certainly not a republican.
What is a "crying shame" to me is that while we continue to dismiss debate about our choices - in this country and in this forum - we have placed ourselves in an almost unavoidable position of dealing with yet another republican President.
(edited for my usual terrible spelling)

[Horse with no Name]

12. Yer candidate is in full damage control mode now

:rofl:
Like anyone should listen to obama about race relations. He sat for 20 years listening to a vile, fire-breathing racist preacher while bouncing his kids on his lap while they learned how to hate. Some message of hope. :eyes:

[NDambi]

21. So now his kids are haters...nice one there bubba!

[GarbagemanLB]

22. Out of 30 years of sermons they got two 'controversial' quotes. haha

[oviedodem]

43. And that is the funniest thing. 30 years, 52 weeks and a potential 1560 sermons, and

all the MSM gets is approximately 1:30 seconds of sound bites. Now I wonder what we would find if we scrutinized EVERY pastor in America.

The worst part of this is that NO one has brought up any of McCains lauding of his preachers, looked into Hillary's church, or bothered to say that for years how this country has supported the subtleties of Pat Buchanan and Robertson.

How ironic.

[jefferson_dem]

32. So full of hate...

Your post is what's really vile.

[GarbagemanLB]

34. It's all the Clintonistas have left. Nancy Pelosi effectively ended Hillary's chances yesterday.

[Horse with no Name]

35. Yer guy is busy teaching his kids to hate while listening to that fire breather

and your support of THAT is really vile.

[slinkerwink]

39. where's the evidence his children hate?

[Horse with no Name]

46. Wright spoke hate out at White people

obama let his kids listen. Fuck...no wonder his wife hates America listening to that kind of spew.

[jefferson_dem]

47. I'm seriously having a harder and harder time distinguishing these

posters from what one might see at a place like stormfront. Disgusting "Democrats"...

[Horse with no Name]

52. Join the club. I've had a hard time "believing" you were a Democrat

LONG before obama came along.

[jefferson_dem]

42. Direct your spew somewhere else.

[Horse with no Name]

50. He should be arrested for letting his kids listen to that crap

Feel free to put me on ignore. :hi:

[jefferson_dem]

61. Nah. I'm not putting you on ignore.

Too much entertainment value.

Plus, I like to keep up with what the "lunatic fringe" "Democrats" are chirping about.

[Horse with no Name]

67. NOBAMA! n/t

[geek tragedy]

92. You should be banned for being a freaking Nazi. n/t

[geek tragedy]

38. Jeremiah Wright does not hate white people.

Ask his white parishioners.

You, on the other hand, seem to have a problem with outspoken black people.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dawgs]

48. Evidence of hate?

Anywhere?

[cali]

54. What nonsense

the hillbot interpretation of.... just about anything is. Wright is not a hate monger or racist. I've read some of his sermons. Have you? I certainly don't agree with some of what he said, but the body of his work does not seem to support your foolish contention. Oh, and this is a good test for Obama. I'm glad it's out now. If he can't handle it, he shouldn't be the dem nominee, but whether he can defuse it or not remains to be seen. It's premature to announce his political demise. I realize that you little bots are orgasmic about the possibility as you know that Obama imploding is the only chance that your dear little hilly has of getting the nomination, but you're getting ahead of yourselves.

[alcibiades_mystery]

55. "bouncing his kids on his lap while they learned how to hate..."

:wow:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

114. You realize that Obama is half-white, right?

Just checking.

[flor de jasmim]

17. Besides taking back our country, we need to take back the Media

Thank heavens for the internet! Yes, even with all the nastiness, lies, and omissions, we have access to an unbelievable amount of information (which is why the Republicans tried to restrict internet access). JUST IMAGINE if we were limited to ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN (oh, and PBS, but I'm not counting them as an offender).

[Jamastiene]

25. Yeah? Is he going to echo what he's been hearing for 22 years? n/t

[City Lights]

36. Do tell...have you analyzed the sermons Rev. Wright gave over his

entire career, or did you base your comment on the crumbs the corporate media fed you?

[MethuenProgressive]

28. "The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color."

Quoting Obama's role model and mentor.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-070121-relig_wright,1,271630.story
REV. JEREMIAH A. WRIGHT, JR.: Pastor inspires Obama's 'audacity'
Chicago Tribune: "In Wright he had found both a spiritual mentor and a role model."
"Wright helps keep his priorities straight and his moral compass calibrated."

[psychopomp]

31. Kick ass!

I hope that he will pound on the fact that the issues facing the United States affect all of us and that a society that upholds equality of opportunity as well as equality of burden-sharing will emerge from any crisis strong and ready for the challenges of the future.

[jackson_dem]

40. Of course that is what he will say. The problem is his rhetoric is in sharp contrast to 20 years...

[Dawgs]

56. How would you know? Did you attend his church?

Or, did Newsmax tell you how bad it was?

[slinkerwink]

57. do you realize Andrew Jackson committed genocide against Indians?

[jackson_dem]

82. I know what Barack Obama knows

-snip-

This is our moment. This is our time for change. Our party - the Democratic Party - has always been at its best when we've led not by polls, but by principle; not by calculation, but by conviction; when we've called all Americans to a common purpose - a higher purpose.

We are the party of Jefferson, who wrote the words that we are still trying to heed - that all of us are created equal - that all of us deserve the chance to pursue our happiness.

We're the party of Jackson, who took back the White House for the people of this country.

We're the party of a man who overcame his own disability to tell us that the only thing we had to fear was fear itself; who faced down fascism and liberated a continent from tyranny.

And we're the party of a young President who asked what we could do for our country, and the challenged us to do it.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/02/obamas_speech_to_virginias_jef.html

[jefferson_dem]

70. 20 years of what exactly, Jackson?

How much do you really know about Trinity and Pastor Wright beyond what FauxNews tells you?

---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFZROa0rlMU

[jackson_dem]

85. Endorsing Wright and part of the Wright package is bigotry

It isn't like he attended the black equivalent of a KKK meeting so Wright wasn't ranted about racism every Sunday. It is that he knew, given the closeness of the relationship and length of it, Wright was a bigot and still didn't change churches. He can't erase that now by claiming he would have spoken out against Wright if only he knew about his views--especially since it is only a matter of time before evidence surfaces of him being in attendance at some of these type of sermons. 20 years. He was missing each time Wright ranted?

[malik flavors]

58. This is going to be Classic.

[Bonobo]

59. He will turn this into a victory-as always.

He was born to deal with this 900 pound gorilla.

Americans want, have wanted healing and resolution of the scars of slavery and racism and the guilt, fear and anger that they have caused.

Barack will turn these lemons into lemonade. Quote me on it.

[malik flavors]

65. Possible first black president making a major speech on race. This will be historical.

[redqueen]

98. That's how I see it playing out as well. (nt)

[Bonobo]

110. Nice to hear from you RQ.

Thanks for the affirmation. Check back with me later after this one blows over. The ability to look back and see how things played out is an important part of predicting the course of future events. Curiously there is no place on DU for it. Maybe I will make a suggestion.

Call it the "Wayback Forum" or something.

[reflection]

63. Waiting for "why no speech on sexism?" in 3...2...1....

:eyes:

[slinkerwink]

66. I think Hillary should give that speech as well

[malik flavors]

75. Damn, does Obama have to address all of the world's problems?

[slinkerwink]

81. the bar just keeps getting raised for him, doesn't it?

[reflection]

83. Yeah, according to some.

I just want to know what he's going to do to secure the crippled Asian Wiccan transgender vote!!!1!

;-)

[Adelante]

86. Thanks

I am glad to hear this. :thumbsup:

[BigDDem]

87. Before I make my speech

please join me in a rousing rendition of "God Damn America"

[democrattotheend]

89. Good. This is exactly what he needs to do.

[indimuse]

91. 2 f*ckin late Obama!

enough! We see right through you.

[frazzled]

107. May I ask you something?

Why do you (presumed Hillary supporters) so often feel you need to put "fuck" and exclamation points in your comments?

Why, I might further ask, do you feel you don't even need more than six words to explain your position? I err in calling it a position, because saying "2 f*cking late Obama" is not a position. It doesn't even come close to rational discussion.

I am an older white woman who is not very convinced by such statements. The more I see these kinds of hateful and dismissive rallying cries, the more I become convinced we need someone like Obama.

I know it is not only Hillary supporters who say fuck, and I am no prude. I think the word can be used effectively as an intensifier in some situations. But if it were up to me, I would suggest the administration of this board temporarily consider making the use of the word 'fuck' (and its variants) a deletable offense. Post disappears. Because it does not help the tone of the discussion here. It is a substitute for discussion, and it makes us look worse than Freepers.

It would be interesting for us to try to have a fuckless day here at DU, just to see if it turns the perceived heat down somewhat. If people didn't have the choice of simply posting fuck, they might actually have to say something of substance.

But thanks, anyway, for confirming the inanity of this whole discussion.

[BigDDem]

93. Is he going to tell us how the government invented

the HIV virus?

[DUyellow]

96. did stuff like this didn't happen...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/16/MNOUVHQVB.DTL&type=health

[elixir]

94. The repugs will replay the video ad infinitum - Obama must reject and renounce this man.

[slinkerwink]

95. he already has

I told you in your thread.

[redqueen]

97. I'm looking forward to this.

I can see a major opportunity here.

[slinkerwink]

99. I'm hoping it'll change the narrative

[redqueen]

100. I'm not sure that he can change the focus of the M$M...

but he could sure influence the way a large chunk of the audience perceives their message. :)

[slinkerwink]

101. hopefully so, and I hope he ties in the economy

to how everyone is affected by the policies of the administration.

[redqueen]

102. I trust he'll mention it a few times... in contrast...

we're being distracted by this, while gold and oil are at all time highs, Americans are losing their jobs, etc.

I hope he'll also contrast this with other comments by other religious figures who aren't trashed by the media in the same way that they're doing to Wright.

[Bullet1987]

103. I think they saw it coming that the MSM will not drop the issue until

his campaign is over. They planned ahead and wrote a speech over the weekend which was smart. Obama is going to come out hard against discrimination and race, and the more the media yaps about it...the more obvious they look in their intent.

[Maribelle]

104. Perhaps Obama should instead give a major speech on his forked tongue.

Or his political ambitions that he has allowed to override any judgment he might have had.

[Tropics_Dude83]

TWO WORDS-THANK GOD!!

[Tropics_Dude83]

106. TWO WORDS-THANK GOD!!

[itcfish]

108. The Speech and a Metro Card

will get Obama on the NY Subway.

[Binka]

109. Ha Ha Ha

Don't give up your day job at Burger King joker.

[itcfish]

113. Obama Supporter

are blinded by the rhetoric, don't take it out on me.

[Scurrilous]

111. K & R

:thumbsup:

[slinkerwink]

112. thanks!