McCaskill: Obama the First Black Leader to 'Come to the American People Not As a Victim But Rather As a Leader'

Can you stop the flood?,can you stop the tarnado?,the earth quake?.When you can give me the answer to these questions,then you can tell me America is not ready for a black president.Its not when you are ready, its when the almighty is.

Rev. Wright spoke relative of memories and experiences of black americans. It should not be buried; it should be remembered. Our children, the world, should be aware of the pain, scars and, struggle just as victims of the american indians, japanese americans and especially, jewish americans remind the world and, hold present day americans accountable for theirs. Those who disagree should search their racists views. How closed minded to say Obama was wrong to admit his grandmother had racist views, he shared a painful truth about his family. Are you suggesting it should have been kept secret, as many racist comments among families are? To avoid confronting the racism allows it to fulminate. Obama wants a solution for all Americans. To suggest or demand that Obama deny and denounce Rev. Wright because of his comments is poor judgement. WHY hasn't anyone demanded or suggest that Hillary deny and denounce Bill?? Is that a double standard?? Is that because she is white, female or what??

My problem with Obama and Clinton is that they are both Socialist. It has not worked anywhere else in the world. Why do some think it will work here? That system only works until we are all broke, then we go back to capitalism.

I'm from Missouri... Claire is only worried about herself. She has placed her own political future in Obama's hands and she's worried. In the unlikely event that Obama is elected, Claire will likely find a nice job in his administration. that's what she has always been all about

Why all the focus on Obama? Clinton and McCain's passport files were also violated. It's almost certain there was ohers also. Is one victim more important than another, or is he just more news worthy. $$$$$

Why do you think that HIllary has any credentials. She does as shes told by Bill. Her respect in the middle east is laugable. She is a liar and a phoney, playing on the the blue collared workers, as if she knew what it would be like to be struggling...RIGHT...She is not a uniter. Listen to her vicious mouth. She is not tough. Tough is surviving in a world not protected by money and power. She does not know this first hand she has watched it for 35 years and has found a way to use for her own polical advantage. Thank you Claire.

I think Hillary is saying because she is white she's more electable, that America is still basically racist and would not vote for Obama in the general.Which is what some of her supporters probably think also,in saying Obama will not win the GE.I can only pray to God that they are wrong, and Demoratics would come together as a strong polical party if Obama is our nominee and take the white house this fall. Who knows maybe the one drop rule don't hold much meaning as it did decades ago !

Too bad we were all victims of McCaskill's FISA (pro) Telecom immunity votes.

OK Jake, you read what ever you want into this, but you are extremely WRONG. Although Martin Luther King was a leader, he did gain recognition on the idea of being a racial victim. As were the others you mention. Obama has tried to run this campaign as an equal and has tried to keep race out of this.

Of course he isn't a victim, and neither is Wright. Obama was raise in Hawaii from fifth grade on. "In a climate of mutual respect" as he wrote in his book, not as he would now have us believe with a racist Grandmother. He went to Harvard. His one book involved a 2 million dollar deal. He lives in a 1.6 million dollar house. His wife pulls in 300 thou a year. Wright went to college, quit after 2 years and joined USMC, then the Navy as a cardiopulmonary technician, then got out, went to college and earned five college degrees, has 8 honorary doctorates, has preached at that church the entire time, the last thirty six years as senior pastor. He has a very lavish home and I'm sure a bank account to match. Obama at one point donated 25,000 to the church in one year. I don't even gross that in a year working about 55 hours per week. She's exactly right, neither one of them knows what it is to be a victim. They have never been oppressed and repressed as Kerry said Obama was. How many jobs has either one of them been turned down for because they were black? How many times did they try to rent a place to live and was denied because of the color of their skin? I'm guessing NONE. There are so many more that have come before the both of them who have actually made a difference in this country. I daresay everyone of the 6000-8000 church members in that church live better than I do, and I guess I am supposed to be the white oppressor. The black people in this country seem to think that they hold the patent on being discriminated against in this country. Here in the South, the blacks practice their own racism against the whites and the Hispanics. The only difference is we don't have any one to come hold rallys and protests for us. I guess we just have to take it.

Well said, "So Saddened"; both previous comments.

Civil, reasoned, and rational.

the hubris of obama never ceases to amaze. we are expected to have our attention diverted from his 20-year close relationship with, support of, and praise for the hate mongering wright because he made a speech about race relations. we are also expected to accept that we had no clue about these issues until mr-enormously-better-than-us explained them to us. finally, we are expected to accept that he is the one we should look to for salvation.

sorry, we remember that the speech was just damage control.

sorry, we already knew about race relations in this country. many of us lived it a lot more than obama did. many of us did a lot more about it than obama did (of course, he did nothing, so it doesn't take much, but many of us did a lot). and most of us know that obama is not our salvation.

no redemption votes for you, obama.

d, you take someone's comment about black liberation theology and attempt to refute it by talking about clutching a wallet. clearly, you have no idea what black liberation theology is. doing some research before responding might be of assistance if you want to attempt intelligent discussion.

Claire made me sick Ever since the State of the Union Address and her on Obama's jet when Obama squirmed out of why he avoided shaking Hillary's hand that night.

If anyone not associated with Obama had made this comment, they would be labeled racist. I knew Kerry would make some stupid comment during the campaign....he is good at that.

I highly appreciate and suport the senator statements, they quite in place.THE PAST GENERATION AND OURS GENERATION TODAY IS COMPLETELY DIFERENT.OUR VIEWS AND IDEALOGIES ARE NOT THE SAME. I HOPE THAT UNDERSTAND HER VIEWS AND HER IDEAS. MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA.

"I think he shares the view of black liberation theology. I think his wife and his pastors also have the same views. To me, that is very scary and no amount of positive media bias for Obama is going to cover my eyes and keep me from seeing the truth.

If white people are smart, they shouldn't vote for this guy."

Let's just assume it is true--then what exactly is scary? Be very careful with words like that, as it sounds you might be one of "those guys" who sees someone of darker skin and will clutch your wallet or have obvious signs of stress because of the "fear" that he or she will mug you or attack you? Give me a break with the unfounded "scary" lines. No one chooses to remember the myriad of white folk he's worked with (Republicans just as much as his mentor Ted Kennedy), and now he's condemned for words not even his own? Honestly, sir, I hope you have searched your soul and eradicated every prejudice you have, otherwise you'll have aligned yourself with hypocrites.

I have lived my whole life in the deep south. I came of age as a white teenager during the Civil Rights struggle of the 60's. I taught 25 years in very diverse inner city schools. I thought Barack Obama's speech on race, unity and politics was one of the most substantive, pertinent, caring,important and heartfelt speeches I have ever heard. But reading Claire Macasskill's and John Kerry's comments make me think that they are somewhat clueless as to the complexities of our racial differences. We can forgive them because they speak sincerely instead of rehearsed like most of the Clinton surrogates. (Have you ever noticed how most of the Clinton's surrogates have the same sound bites for whatever attack du jour is that day?) It will be best if Mccasskill and Kerry stick to defining Obama's policies and leave the sensitivities of race to others who understand.

This: "Let's not misrepresent what the good Senator has said.

What the Sen. Claire McCaskill is intimating is that a person like Senator Obama is representing a generation that would not have been victimized by America's segregation history in the way that Mr Right's generation was victimized by racism."

Then: "Let's not misrepresent what the good Senator, Claire, has said.

Her point is that Obama is part of a generation of African-Americans who are less connected to past victimization. It's a valid point, and a sign of healing, a sign of the times, a sign of progress. Like Jackie Robinson, Obama is widening the frontier."

Re the above 2 quotes from this blog:

Man! I am so glad to have these very learned folks on here to "tell me" what McCaskill "intimated" and her "point". Otherwise I might be fool enough to believe "what I heard" with my ears. Jesse and New Yorker thanks, you saved me from having the audacity to think I could understand on my own.

Jackie Robinson for certain would thank you. Otherwise, he would have possibly thought McCaskill left him out, like she did the myriad of other black "statesmen", men and women, that she did denigrate and "leave out".

if only, I had been born black in the south... I would be angry too. As someone who lived in the midwest a long time and then moved to the deep south.. I was actually stunned by the very real racism that is still very much alive and well...

I am voting for Obama if he is, and if we are fortunate enough to have him, nominated.
I simply don't care what some pastor says... I care what happens to this country, and Obama represents the only hope I can see of us surviving as a great country.

Elizabeth,

I too am so saddened by the hate that seems to be spewing and spilling forth on all the blogs. This 70 year old white woman weeps for our nation. I was so hoping that perhaps the electorate would choose the high road instead of the malevolent garbage that seems to predominate hear and else where.