Obama’s Speech On Race Does Not Answer Questions On His Judgement
In an unprecedented political moment, Democratic Presidential frontrunner, Barack Obama spoke to the nation today to further explain the “firestorm” surrounding his relationship with the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright as well as his view on race in America.
Obama’s campaign is built on his ability to “transcend race” and if you listen to his speeches he does that. But not today, he embraced race and it’s divisiveness.
Obama framed it this way, “we’ve heard my former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, use incendiary language to express views that have the potential not only to widen the racial divide, but views that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and black alike.”
He addressed the issue head on but instead of ending it right there, Obama rolled into his standard campaign boilerplate of “hope”and “change”.
“I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together – unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction – towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren.” (Full text here.)
Obama’s speech today proved nothing else than he makes good speeches. Yet instead of distancing himself from this demagogue, he praised him, holding him up as an example of race history in America. Then he turned his argument of a racial divide into a condemnation of corporate America, health care and the education system. Obama pointed out that the system made both blacks and whites victims.
But words alone don’t make you the leader of the free world – it is judgement and your actions and the people’s belief that you will keep this nation safe, strong and free.
This controversy proves that Obama lacks the judgement to be President of the United States.
I still don’t know what Obama will do to fix all that is “wrong’ with America. I still don’t know what his foreign policy is. I have strong doubts how effective a “President Obama” would be in a major world crisis.
Platitudes and speeches filled with “hope” does not “change” anything for me.
Great speech Barack, but no cigar.
Here’s what other pundits are saying here, here, here and here. More here and here.
Polling numbers Wednesday, March 19, after Obama’s speech show no appreciable change for him, Rasmussen Reports.
I end this post with a photograph of Barack Obama on the campaign trail while our national anthem is being played — it says so much about “the man who would be President”.
Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin stand during the national anthem (Time Magazine 9/16/07)
Posted: 0900PT 03/18/08
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Ace in the hole. This speech should go in the history books. This candidacy should (and will) go in the history books. This was one of the most “presidential” speeches I have ever heard a candidate give in my life, if not THE most. It challenges every American to be better, from top-down and bottom-up. He didn’t dance around issues as most politicians and people in the public light do. If you didn’t feel challenged to be a better American after listening to this speech, you were not paying attention.
I agree with you completely. Great speeches do not make a great President. I’ve always watched actions rather than words when judging the heart of a person. Obama chose this man as his spiritual advisor, kept in that place for 20 years and continues to hold on to him now. For me, the real issue on this firestorm has never been raise, but hatred towards America in general. Not to mention Wright preaches completely unBiblical principles.
Kelly Peirce you need help, lots and lots of help and probably drugs, massive amounts of them.
It challenged every American to look the other way about a hate-filled preacher that Obama called friend and mentor for 20 years and now ignorantly denies it all while blaming the white community.
The speach was unifying and he spent more time talking about Unifying America versus division. He touched on the anger not only of black Americans, but white Americans, imigrant Americans, and so on. The very people who he say Obama is racial in his support of Wright probably understand nothing of loyalty measured with honesty. Even when this writer posted clips from the speach he posted the minor parts of it. He missed the big picture of a united America. And I can only say Obama has his work cut out for him cause some of you just refuse to open your eyes to the possibility that he brings. You enjoy bringing him down on issues that have nothing to do with the economy, security, or even racial harmony. Atleast you could point out some racial charged quotes of Obama. You say all he does is give speaches and this minister obviously had sway over him so I say actions do speak louder then words so please post Obama’s racist views for us all to see. As for the intelligent Americans we are going to instead follow Obama’s message of unity while you guys still look for ways to divide us.
So we are supposed to be tolerant of racism when it comes from African-American “ministers.” We are supposed to accept Obama’s obviously contradictory statement that he heard controversial things in church as if they had come from his barber. We are supposed to look the other way and forget that, yesterday, he denied hearing such things while he was in church?
How stupid are we supposed to be? Hate speech such as this would result in jail time in the UK where it is illegal. I’m glad we don’t have those kinds of laws here yet. Obama is not a voice of change. He is a voice for racial division personified.
Remember the movie “Vampire in Brooklyn” where Eddie Murphy plays the devil? He takes the congregation down a road of logic that winds up with “evil is good”. That was a comedy.
Last week I watched as Jeremiah Wright gave several similar speeches and today I saw that same speech come from Barack Obama.
What a travety it is that this did not come out before the Democrats had no choice but to embrace this man as their candidate. What a shame it is that they will still do so.
Yes, BHO is one HELLACIOUS politician. And he’s been caught in his own lies, and he’s doubletalking his way out of them. Apparently very wel, according to the drones above. If you so obviously detest this country, how the hell can you expect to be POTUS? If you’ve held this sort of trash as your “spiritual advisement”, how can you be reasonably expected not to have it in you? BAH!