Political Punch

this is to "SOMEONE" one of the first commenters:

axelrod didnt write that speech. obama wrote it, like he does most of his speeches. just clarifying.

Agbi I did listen to his speach,and the words as always were stirring but then I remenber that this man could have done as MLK and started the change in his very own church but chose not to,I am equally awear that there are bad elements in all the races who do not work or look for a free ride.As there are racists,or bigots.It is up to every American to treat all people as they wise to be treated are we there yet no sadly we are not but I dont think he is the man that will get us there either

The question posited by Jake Tapper in this thread is have you heard objectionable statements expressed from the pulpit in your church/temple/synogogue and if so, what have you done in response?

I preface my answer by stating that I am Roman Catholic. I attend a Franciscan church. St Francis was the patron saint of animals, a man of Italian nobility who gave up his riches and took a vow of poverty. I expalin this because Franciscans are quite apolitical. I attended parochial school for 15 years. During my tenure in school and in church, I never heard a word from a priest or nun classifying any race or ethnic group as evil, corrupt, inferior, or anything that could be perceived as negative.

The usual procedure at Mass is that there are readings from the bible, followed by a sermon which may or may not relate to the readings. The topics of sermons are usually faith, hope, charity, peace.

I have never heard a political pitch for any candidate from the pulpit. I was quite young when JFK was running so simply cannot recall.

Of course, as an RC, I know my church's position on abortion. That is a given. To be honest with you, I cannot recall a sermon addressing it.

I think we should make Axlerod the President. Afterall he writes great speeches.

Who cares about solving the problems. Just speeches will run the country.

Indeed Obama's speech was good today. But what does that prove? It only proves that Obama can memorize and deliver a speech written by Axlerod and nothing else.

Oboma would have proved a lot of things if he had walked out of that church 19 years and 364 days ago. Or atleast after the 9/11 speech of Wright.

Vanessa, I also found Sen. Obama's speech very moving and emotional. But all that tells me is that he is an excellent speaker who is very charismatic and has the gift to inspire when he speaks. Those who are listening do feel that hope could be on the horizon. NOW, don't get me wrong, I am not in anyway making a specific comparison, other than to say, remember that there was another attractive young man who was an excellent speaker, very charismatic, and also had the gift to inspire when he spoke. And those who listened to him felt that hope was on the horizon...in Germany, back in 1933.

Don't let charisma and the gift to inspire overshadow the message. Sen. Obama is no less a Socialist or Marxist than Sen. Clinton. He wants to rob the rich in order to pay for his programs (i.e., womb-to-tomb universal health care). He will decimate small businesses with his planned tax hikes. And he wants to hand al Qaeda a miliary victory in Iraq. That is his message, regardless of how he presents his message. If that is what you want, then you should vote for Sen. Obama.

But I believe in personal responsibility, in self-determination, in capitalism and the free market, and that the federal government's responsibilities are to insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and promote (not provide) the general welfare." I also believe our government is of the people, by the people and for the people, NOT of the government, by the government for the people.

How can anyone have Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness if the federal government tells us what we must or cannot eat and drink or products we must or cannot purchase in the name of preventative health care? THAT is where we will be headed should either Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton become president.

Marc,
go check the facts-do not just take the boston globes work-you go and check and read the fact for yourself. If what I have written is a lie about Hillary'
work for children and abused women is wrong-then-Marian Wright-Edleman is a lie. And if you tell me what issues we are dealing with in this election and I will tell you how hillary is going to help you too.
Pa, NC, Indiana, WVA-it is up to you to save the party now-go and closely read and study the issues-and vote Hillary

Look at the tracking polls. Clinton is leading or tied with McCain. Obama is losing to McCain and CLINTON IS LEADING OBAMA (through 3/15)

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Obama failed to take action in the 20 years he sat in the pews. But now he's asking us to join him and take action to unify the country. His hypocracy is astounding. This speech was all about Obama, Obama, Obama. He is the slickest politician yet.

Vanessa,

Perhaps she is crying because McCain now leads Obama by 6%.

This is why I am non-religious.

jgaw: hillary did not get health care for anyone - children or otherwise. for months the press has ignored her claims of "35 Years of Experience" and her cherrypicking positive aspects of the Clinton years. Now they are finally asking questions - and finding enromous gaps between what hillary says and what hillary actually did. schips (the children's health care plan) was not conceived, written, or ushered through congress by hillary clinton. the boston globe covered the issue this week. so every week, in every state, when hillary talks about the number of children she has brought health care to - it is a flat-out lie.

It was a nice speach but we have now learned that Obamas speaches are just words,he spent 20 years in a church with out changing it or the hate that resides in that church but it was a nice speach.I still do not want him as my next president

"This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag"

PROUD FLAG? DOES OBAMA MEAN THE ONE HE REFUSES TO WEAR OR HONOR DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM?????

THAT FLAG?

It was a nice speach but we have now learned that Obamas speaches are just words,he spent 20 years in a church with out changing it or the hate that resides in that church but it was a nice speach.I still do not want him as my next president

Obama's problem with this isn't about race. It's about 'God D America'. This will cost him the general election. All the rest he can overcome. Democrats need to think deeply about this.

vanessa,
Go back and check the real facts-
and check your state laws-I'll bet you know some child who has health care coverage-because of the work Hillary did a long time ago to get it for them.
I wonder if you know any woman who has been-abused-and now has a place to go for help and assistance-because of work hillary did to get it for them. Also did you know Michelle obama was on the board of walmart-after hillary.
please voters-yet to vote stay on the issues. stop the crazy talk about the clintons-which will not help any of us.
voters in pa, nc, wva,indiana, listen to the issues before us-stay with the issues.

DCVoter...

this is what you all do ...you say "

Obama played the race card again with this speech"

Your comments almost don't need me to say anything...so he played the race card in the middle of a national firestorm about race...and he may be partly reponsible.

A leader gets up quickly and (predominantly writes their own speech(like Lincoln) using great ideas from many voices (like JFK))... and quells the public fervor and fear.

That is what he did today.

That's when you speak up about the issue. Not an issue to incite...because if he had addressed this earlier...this same speech how would have Americans taken it... and that would have been playing the race card.

He helped quell the fervor and fear instead of inciting it. Can you say that about any other candidate in this race. No you can't.

That is what a leader does...not a queen who has her followers loyal to the country of Clinton...yet not America.

In the country of Clinton you play whatever card will win...and respond to any statement that might keep your queen from leading the hive.

get a copy of his speech and read it.
"We can dismiss Reverend Wright as a crank or a demagogue, just as some have dismissed Geraldine Ferraro, in the aftermath of her recent statements, as harboring some deep-seated racial bias."

Not only is he comparing Ferraro to Wright. But wait, who is dismiisngher as a racist? "just as some"? the some being himself and his supporters!

FURTHERMORE HE IS ALL OVER THE PLACE MMAKING NO SENSE. THROWING THE RACE DECK
AROUND TO SAVE HIS CAMPAIGN
"Segregated schools were, and are, inferior schools; we still haven’t fixed them, fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, and the inferior education they provided, then and now, helps explain the pervasive achievement gap between today’s black and white students."

"The profound mistake of Reverend Wright’s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It’s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country"

“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.”

“All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.”

“He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.”

“It is always more difficult to fight against faith than against knowledge.”

“The victor will never be asked if he told the truth.”

- Adolf Hitler

Like Gustav Niebuhr of Syracuse University, I ask, “… hold a political figure somehow "responsible" for what his or her minister/priest/rabbi/imam says. Do we really want to go there?”

If he was a uniter who cares deeply about his friend, mentor or adviser, then he could've changed Wright's views or at least convinced him to tone down his divisive speeches - as he himself admits that it is not helping the situation. Instead, he allowed this man to keep giving inflammatory speeches, cultivating more anger and animosity among African Americans. The only explanation I can think of is, he believes and feels the same way about America.

Ok Kiddies,

Today's lesson is about lies. Sweet little lies. It's O.K. to lie. And its O.K. to lie and not admit it. And it's O.K. to lie to everyone about pretty much everything. On national television. No....really, it's O.K. And it's O.K. to throw grandma under the train and then stomp on her for good measure. No problem.

You see, if we all lie enough, we can be just like all those other 3rd World countries. Really, just Trump something up......and then lie about it. Lie about it until the cows come home. It works every time.

Posted by: SadStateOfAffairs

You must be on the wrong article. We are posting about Senator Obama's speech. You want the Hillary campaign article that is referencing her and Bill's years of service.

Face it, the only reason why he did a 180 on Wright is because the other black leaders blasted him for throwing Wright under the bus.

If everyone had blasted Wright, you can bet Obama would be right in line condemning him and saying how boneheaded he was to not recognise what a heretic he was.

As for being led into the Christian faith...one would question what sort of Christian he is. After all, his pastor has been rather creative with the contents in the Bible. Might explain Wright's vocabulary too.

Amy and AmazonTraveler -- Great points. I give him credit for making a good speech and raising some valid issues that all Americans should stop to consider. However, delivering this in the wake of his pastor's controversial statements is not being a thought leader.

For me, it's coming across as "damage control, but while I'm there, it brings up some good points..." I really think had he based his campaign platform on this speech, he would have had this thing sealed long ago.

We've all been afraid to say anything for fear of being called a racist and what he said today is reinforcing the point that racism is very relevant and that it should be discussed. It loses it's bite though to bring it up mid-election rather than in the beginning.

the speech was great. But it was just what any other politician would do-when they go into damage control. This is what happens when-we the American Voters get all caught up in emotion-we did and do not know obama-but evryone has cheered and gone out there and voted for him anyway. and now he is on his way to being the dem. nominee-so what do we do now-as an african american female-I am going to as all the voters left to vote-Pa, NC, Indiana-and please go and right this-we cannot go into the general election-with obama against mccain. This blunder in his campaign is just a preview of what his presidency maybe like-we do not need a president in training-going through trial and error. His campaign people should have seen this coming and done something a long time ago. Now for me his candiacy is all about his credibility-and his backers not really knowing what to do-the nafta statement to the canadians, the rezko story-first he said 150k-now he has had to come clean and tell it was 250k-the advisor in ireland saying what she said about the war-telling the american people one thing and telling the irish another thing.-rev. wright-1st he said had not heard this man speak such vile-now in his speech he said he had heard it. credibility-and lack of experience by his advisors spell disaster-(I say again his advisors should have know this was coming) sad for obama-good for the american voter to now know this.
he said he wanted his transcend race-but having gone to a church for 20yrs and having rev. wright in his back pocket has now made his part all about race. But guess what, we are not having a race war-all americans are hurting because of the economy-and his ideas about how to solve the economy have all been copied from Hillary.
We need a president who has a good command of the issues, can thing on their feet and address the problems eg the economy, healthcare ,etc.go and listen to hillary' speech about the economy that she gave yesterday. She runs circles around obama and mccain on the issues. Mccain wants to keep us in Iraq for 50-100 years-I do know mccain said he did not know much about the economy.-and now we do not really know what obama is going to do for us-he has not handled this well-so the skit on SNL about the 3am call-where he is call Hillary (and she has the cold cream on her face) may not be far from the truth.
of course he will not be calling hillary, but I think he will be call someone. I just do not think he is ready
and as a 53 black female-I too would love to have seen a black man or woman in the white house before I died. but I would not vote for them just because the person is black. The president must be crediable and have a good command of the issues.
Pa, Nc, Indiana dems-please look past all the crazy things people are saying about Hillary-(which will not put a dime in our pockets) but look at her command of the issues-I know some of you must need healthcare-you have got some fine colleges and universities-I know some of you need help with your student loans-I have a girl 2nd yr. in college- and she is going to be strapped with loans when she gets out in 2010
and I have a junior in high school- I want to hear more about hillarys plan for help with paying for college.
and hillary tell us how she will pay for it. and do not worry about hillary completely losing the black vote-black people will not vote against their economic interest-poor and working class people will be the first mccain will try to send to iraq to fight is 50-100yr war-telling them if they get back the will help them pay for college.
Pa, Nc, Indiana,West Va-it is up to you now-go and vote your interest-vote for hillary.
also: I have been in the black church all my life and none of my pastors have preached such vile-if they had I would not have gone there anymore.
for me obamas candiacy is all about credibility now. the same goes for mccain and his courting hagee and co.

wow Matt...I didn't hear him 'condemn' his white grandmother. I heard him give another example of being around folks he cares about and hearing disparaging remarks from BOTH. He has chosen how to deal with those remarks. I don't see him 'embracing' them. But he STILL embraces the people those remarks came from.

But I can also say this....this issue, will be used again and again and again. Because I feel white people will not want to get past this issue. They will just keep using it to defend their right to keep their racist attitude. And if that is your choice, so be it. That doesn't make you superior, that just makes you closed minded.

I choose to believe what the man says, as HE didn't make the comments, and I don't believe he feels that way.

Ok Kiddies,

Today's lesson is about lies. Sweet little lies. It's O.K. to lie. And its O.K. to lie and not admit it. And it's O.K. to lie to everyone about pretty much everything. On national television. No....really, it's O.K. And it's O.K. to throw grandma under the train and then stomp on her for good measure. No problem.

You see, if we all lie enough, we can be just like all those other 3rd World countries. Really, just Trump something up......and then lie about it. Lie about it until the cows come home. It works every time.

dream on dl - some of the black leaders are standing with the Clintons affirming that the Clintons did not play the race card and that is was played on them in SC. Michelle began the divisive nature of his campaign based on racism and sexism. He played the race card again with this speech.

Obama's speech is moving. But, the bottom line, what has he done? If he clearly knows those things are wrong, why didn't he take any action????????

People say we shouldn't use Wright to judge him, but I judge him on his LACK of actions, even this speech was forced to come after everyone was shocked to see those clips. Where is his leadership? where is his unifiying? oh. yes, all in his words, but no actions.

Obama gave a good speech. No surprise. He is characteristically edging toward disclosing the truth of who he is and what he stands for. We get another glimpse of how he has exercised his judgment in the past with his carefully worded admission now of being present in his church when things were said that he disagreed with etc… which is similar to his renditions of his Rezko relationship. His speech was a good one to have been given 20 years, 10 years, 5 years, last year, any of those past years, however, he sat and listened and did nothing and let those words of his church and his pastor stand as truth and as a foundation of his “spiritual beliefs”.

He now has the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. But in the moment, he stood by silently and did nothing. That’s not leadership, that’s not standing up for what you stand for. It’s being led, not leading. It’s sitting and listening to some things that he now eloquently “explains” with great understanding and compassion. This is characteristic with his absence during the “Iran Vote”; characteristic of his “missing in action” in the Illinois legislature; characteristic of voting present 130 times.

He is a nice person and raises some good points but he isn’t ready to lead the country out of complex and difficult times. He didn’t have the right stuff in years past as he attended this church and allowed these issues to brew but did not speak up and he doesn’t have the right stuff now to stand up and make difficult decisions and face the consequences, and yes, sometimes failures.

I would have respected a more noble speech from him if he had said,

"With regards to Pastor Wright, I was there, I heard what he said, and I believe some of it to be truth. I lied to the American people and for that I truly apologize. I never intended to divide this country along racial lines and I see that my own struggles to accept myself and forgive others for their prejudice born of the ignorant acts of our ancestors played a role. I have failed in my quest to unite America because I am still torn within. For the good of the party, the country, and the world, I am withdrawing from the race and fully endorse Senator Clinton for President of the United States."

Only then would I believe that he could then begin to heal from all the brainwashing he has obviously endured over the past 20 years as a member of TUCC guided by a man with a distorted view of the world. Only then would I believe he could being to show that he does not agree with Farrakhan and genocide of non-black peoples.

Hey Jake. Obama called YOU out in that speech- you and your chattering, sound-biting, division-fomenting colleagues. Are you man enough to rise to the challenge and start being a real reporter?

DL said:
"That speech was one of the great moments in American history."

It might be in African American history....he condemns his white grandmother for being racist but embraces/appreciates/honors Wright for being a Liberal racist....STRANGE

For most Americans who were inspired by the speech today... read below to see some of the hold outs from those divisive politics that he spoke of...

I am sure Bill Clinton today saw this speech and thought "...Hmmm, that is the President of the United States standing there and how amazing would it be if he got the...."

"Oh Sorry Hill no I was just daydreaming."

This is the main point is it acceptable for Obama to flat out lie then change his story.

Obama was asked repeatably over and over by the FOX newsman if he was in church when these sermons were given he said NO!!! He was then asked if he was there and heard them would he leave, he again said he was not present.

Now today he comes out and say he was there, he heard them, just like that after lying about it.

After his camp said he was in FL and the Newsmax reporter lied, they said Obama as no where around, another member of his camp also said he was never there when these statements where being made.

Now its another story, why do people accept these outright lies, how many times is he going to change his story? That is a serious problem he is a liar and has been shown to be so, I just dont see how anyone can just ignore this.

obama puts out pretty words, when his campaign is imploding, in an effort at damage control. his true believers, who never fell out of love, proclaim their love again. his media backers proclaim the second coming of mlk or whatever. nothing has changed there.

what has changed is that those who didn't previously know about obama's "spiritual advisor" and obama's 20 year close relationship with him are finding out. and no pretty words can cover up the ugliness that is there.

There's anger in the white and black community. So let's pick a man who likes to use race to his benefit. Brings it up to his benefit and uses it to attack others with charges of racism. Chooses a angry church and preaches of unity. Poor judgement in choice of church while wanting to be President or deliberate choice for political reasons. So sure, lets get a President who uses race as a WEDGE to unite the country; that'll work.

Not trumped up when the progressive media (several of the Air America folks, e.g.) are questioning the sincerity of Obama's denials that he was ever in the church when Rev. Wright made inflammatory comments. This includes Randi Rhodes, who of late I haven't been able to listen to because of her anti-Hillary rants.

He brought up Ferraro again, as if her statements are equivalent to those of Wright. Right, "race is benefitting in this election" to "Natalie Holloway basically deserved what she got in return for all the sins of the white man." (paraphrasing)

You've milked this issue enough, Jake. Turn the page...Get back to real NEWS.

Good speech. This whole ordeal might cause him to lose some voters, but I do not think he is responsible for everything coming out of the reverends mouth. I don't agree with everything my church says or does, but I still attend. This pastor seems to rail against the many injustices that our country carries out against certain people using language that could be more respectable. Obama had to give this speech, and I think he did a reasonable job.

I am screen saving all of these comments so I can show my grandkids how blind people can be.

That speech was one of the great moments in American history...and I am sure you all will talk about it in the same quiet discrediting tones, like my Grandparents who thought Rev King was a "loud mouthed upstart just spewing about bologne".

If you all weren't so wrapped up in your need to be right about your candidate ...you would see a very honest and sincere man delivering a speech the went beyond just a candidate.

In that speech he was the leader of this country. In spirit if not title.

"we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies."

A true uniter would of said "we can speculate on whether black men are all flocking to me in the primaries regardless of my policies."

"we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies."

YES WE CAN-call white men racists.
Wow, Obama called all white men racists! Someone needs to ask who is "WE?" and Who is speculating that?

His speech audience was by invitation ONLY. So of course they are going to cheer and act like it's the March on Washington caliber. Which WE know it's NOT. MLK stood in the defense of people who were hardworking, keeping to themselves and victimized. Obama is defending his choice of message to listen to and his desire to be President.

So his white grandmother has made racial statements that made him cringe, but his pastors statements inspires him??

Nice way to treat your grandmother, I tell you this man has some deep rooted problems and no one can convince me other wise, this entire speech even if some don't want to admit it was nothing more than a speech to appeal to AA, all this talk about slavery and more to be done.

I did not trust Obama before this and worse now, he has a axe to grind and I will not help him swing that axe sorry.

Here's what I got out of his speech; My grandma said racist things, I couldn't disown her. Yeah, whatever Obama! You CHOSE pastor Wright. You chose him before you developed your twenty year relationship. You chose to make him like family. So was this your choice against your grandma? I suggest you not look to being President to solve your internal emotional struggles.

again he waffels and lies,and this is what we want for our next president,give me a break.then he makes a statement about our young people being our hope and yet he exposes his young daughters to hate and raceism ,what a load of bunk! he is a great snake oil salesman but he is not MLK.

The pulpit is no place for politics, isn't that why the IRS is investigating Trinity? Also, if you want to be President, you need to have better judgement on your selection of churches. I don't blame the pastor, I blame Obama who gave contradicting speeches and pointed his fingers at everyone he could, in every chance he had to cry racism. I believe Obama chose the church for political reasons, and he deserves the political consequences of that choice.

Obama is getting arrogant. He is everything to everybody. Isn't this getting tiring?

So the speech was great. Fine! Give him a job as Hillary's speechwriter.

But speeches don't define a man, actions do. And his actions paint him to be a conniving, lying, ungrateful, disloyal, racist, scheming rat.

I still can't believe he dragged his grandma through the dirt.

His speech only shows that Americans are racist and Obama is not ready to denouce the Liberation Theology ideals.

Obama's speech is to do anything to become President. He even goes to say that white Americans are racist and segregation still exists.

MLK's speech was during segregation under pressure and fear of life for a crucial and noble cause. BIG BIG DIFFERENCE. NO COMPARISON

The speech was very good. Senator Obama told America who he was, what he believed, and why.

It is up to each American to decide whether they agree with him or not.

But there can be no doubt that Senator Obama is who he says he is - a man who will admit his mistakes, listen to the American people, and address the REAL problems we face, not just the manufactured ones.

Obama '08

"I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother — a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world," Obama said. "But a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."

The grandmother fears to the Pastor extremist views comparison, is like comparing apples to oranges.

The pastor appears to exploit the suffering by African Americans for his own agenda of race division and anti-USA, instead of preaching reconciliation.

For all the "racial or ethnic stereotypes" the Grandmother may had, she does not deserve such comparison with Obama pastor views.

Barack Obama should apologize for his judgement on the pastor, and start a "MEA CULPA" tour visiting Black, Latino and White churches, while asking for forgiveness and preaching reconciliation.

LOM:

Anyone can sound sincere! Snakeoil salesmen can attest to that!

In the interest of the American public, Obama should step down. He is digging holes and trying to push Americans down the holes. I bet there will be an all-out racial war because of Obama.

I think it was a good speech, but more political in nature rather than social. I think the efficacy of it would have been better had he delivered it at the onset of the race. Whereas it appeared to be very sincere, I think for many, his message is still clouded by a concern for his lack of judgment on the matter.

If he knew that Rev. Wright was going to be a liability in his campaign, he would have fared WAY better had he nipped this in the bud early on. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Charlie Rangel, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in unequivocal terms in South Carolina that no one in the Clinton campaign played any race card, that they had some played against them, but they didn't play any. Isn't Rangel an AA? Wait, how can that be if all white people are racists? Surely an AA would not support a white candidate. (sic)

Obama has one again admitted he lied. At first he was not at church when Wright made those speeches, today he said he has heard them.

I guess under pressure Obama changes his story over and over, leaves me to wonder exactly what is the truth or not, would we always have to keep his back to the wall to get a honest answer from him?

As for his speech, I don't think he helped me personally all it did was confirm my first thinking, Obama has a black agenda even though under the rule of the oppressive white system that he knocks he and his wife have done relatively well, better than some people that he spoke about in his speech.

American I guess will decided as for me, there are some AA that live a lot better than I do, so this speech does not really convince me that we have this big racial problem that needs to be fixed and we need Obama as president to fix it.

We can be sure that religion is what got us into just about every mess that the world has seen since the beginning of recorded history - and most likely a good bit before that as well.

Why shouldn't religion continue to be the fundamental problem?

doofus - Wright is already in Africa per news sources. I have read there are some Americans who believe Wright is guilty of sedition and should be prosecuted. Perhaps that is why he left the country?

Obama has done the following

1. Still blames Ferraro for racism
2. Does not want to distance Wright
3. Accepted that he knew Wright's comments from before but dint condemn when he knew
4. Blames founding fathers of America for race....
5. Thinks Blacks have more burden than other Americans

and many more gaffes......he is mincemeat

I am sure that if I am not swayed by Obama's speech into believing he is our new Messiah, I will be called a racist. But I am not gullible enough to be moved bya a presidential candidate who says he has never heard Rev. Wright utter a racist statement. Every sentence in Wright's screaming diatribes says "WHITE"! Are white people not entitled to be an offended racial group? He now admits that Wrights opinions were out of justified anger from a racist past in which he was brought up. So, why did Obama make him an official on his campaign staff? He never touched that issue.

Obama then goes on to represent Wright as a patriotic Marine, virtually an American hero! No, Barack, I will remember your hero's words, "God damn America" and, as a veteran myself, think what a pitifully lowlife Marine he must have been.

New political Messiah? We may need one but it surely is not Barack Obama. Nice try but no cigar! It is no surprise that you didn't close your speech with "God bless America". That might have meant something.

I pray that voters will not be taken in by this attempt to gloss over your lies and deceptions. I pray that Reverend Wright will denounce his American citizenship and move to his place of choice in Africa.

It was a good speech.

Do you hear hate in what this pastor says? I don't. I hear anger, and it seems to me that in many cases that anger is justified. Is it racism to decry the racism of a white power structure? I don't think so. Do I agree with this pastor on everything? Of course not. Do I agree with him that racism is still a problem in this country? Absolutely. And God love him for having the courage to say so. If he hated America so much he'd leave. No, he wants America to realize its full potential and, like Teddy Roosevelt, for America to be a reasonably good place for EVERYONE to live. I share that dream, and I suspect Sen. Obama does too. I just hope that the Democratic nominee, Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama, defeats Sen. McCain, whose cynical embrace of "Christians" such as Rod Parsley is, indeed, racist and scary.

He was embarassed into denouncing and rejecting Farrakhan's endorsement. He professed to remove the ties to NOI. Then we discover the ties that bind are indeed still there within TUCC. He is embarassed into denying knowledge and disassociating himself from his pseudo-father. Do I believe it was sincere? No. Do I believe he lied? Yes. When a person does not reject and denounce on principle, it is because he agrees with their views.

So no Jake... this is not a trumped up issue. It is a real one that voters need to know about. The vetting is not complete. We need to know all we can to avoid the mistakes of the past.

If Clinton were even remotely associated with any organization (church or otherwise) that supports or honors leaders of white hate groups (white supremacists or separatists), the world would be in an uproar. The media would be having a field day. No way would anyone stand for her to try to justify it by saying white people know how to cut through the hate speech and be lifted up and transcend beyond racism. Leaders would be calling for her resignation. I cant even begin to list the details of the witch hunt that would result.

Social views have always been a factor. We are after all human. The lessons of the past must be heeded. History has shown us that racism and sexism are wrong. We consider separatists to be hate groups and rightfully so. We must remember the mistakes of the past... genocide is wrong. The role of government is the protection if its citizens from harm by passing and enforcing laws. Social healing comes from social organizations as it should but we cannot control or regulate their teachings. Therefore, the separation of church and state must be absolute. Free speech is wonderful but laws of sedition must be enforced to protect our national security.

We can address racism and sexism with dialogue. Much work has been done to improve income disparities between the races and the genders.

The statistics show that sexism in this country is much more prevalent than racism. Black men and white men no longer have pay differences. The effects of affirmative action appear to be resulting in a reversed racial disparity and needs to be reviewed. Yet, after 30 years of so-called progress, women still have the same income disparity - 70 cents on the dollar. We have seen blatant sexism in the media, corporate America, and this campaign. Even the media assessed its own bias and admits to the gender-biased coverage it has provided.

If Clinton were to even "think" about holding a speech to address the issues of sexism in our society today, she would be accused of playing the gender card and would likely destroy her career. She would be presenting the facts to the people and opening a dialogue on how we can eliminate the discrimination to improve the lives of women and children of all races.

Gender-bias has had an impact on Clinton in this election. It has divided voters along gender lines. Yet, Clinton maintains her focus on the campaign issues that must be addressed for ALL races and genders: economy, defense, national security, immigration, healthcare, poverty, jobs, and education. She doesnt use the gender card as a way to try to brainwash other people into feeling guilt for wrongs committed against women in the past. She knows we need more work but she also knows she must represent the needs of ALL of us.

She focuses on accomplishing things through hard work. She doesnt need to tell you what she will do, she proves it by example. She stays on message and on target. She is a true leader unlike Obama.

Obama also accepted that he knew Wright's views and statements from before but dint condemn it. BAD JUDGEMENT.

I thought it was 231 years ago that America got its independence.....why does he keep saying 221 years

Its Hillary fault he has not played the race card yea right bs is what he is good at fifty percent of boys drop out of high school all races white men work two jobs I am fourth genn working class Iam stupid no latte hers now the stomp speech he even got in there about GF playin race.

He keeps bringing up Ferraro.....

BKMC:

So words matter more than action eh?