Obama's speach today

[nebula]

Link to the transcript

All right, let's discuss his words.

But please take care not to digress into personal attacks.

[Oh Hamburgers!]

I enjoyed it, and I think there is a lot of truth in his words when it comes to what he says about race and tolerance.

Makes me like Obama even more

[Ddavid from NC]

There are some that will understand what I am about to say, and others will think I am avoiding taking a stand. In debate or speech class, you grade a participant not on whether you agree with their conclusions but how did they attack the subject and attempt to connect with his target audience. My friends, Obama is head and shoulders above his competition. He is a master communicator. If his writers can give him substance he can be a powerful communicator. I don't like his politics, but you want to like this guy. Now I know how the Reagan Democrats must have felt. Again, I am not an advocate for his candidacy. I just have to give him kudos for how he handles himself under pressure. I think the most harmful thing about him is who surrounds him and attaches themselves to his campaign. If you will remember, Reagan had the same problems. How many scandals eminated from his California appointments to Washington positions?

[nebula]

Comment 1:

Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched Americas improbable experiment in democracy.

Reminds me of the Gettysburg Address.

Comment 2:

It was stained by this nations original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.

All right, this is a pet peeve of mine.

If you think you have had it bad, Mr. Obama, because of your black skin, why don't you hop in your fancy car and take a drive to our nation's Native American reservations and spend some time with a people who also had their freedom taken away and but also have been lied to; forced to live in impoverished segregation; been stripped of their pride and dignity; grew up surrounded by alcoholism, drug abuse and a high suicide rate; are lost in hopelessness; and forgotten by American society.

You, Mr. Obama, are the son of an immigrant and a white American and live in affluence. What do you know of this kind of suffering?

Comment 3:

Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes.

That's not the impression we were given in your statements before. Did you not state you were shocked to hear such things?

Comment 4:

Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.

It appears, though, that they didn't bother you all that much. I would never sit under a pastor who spewed hatred like this.

I mean, this isn't even "Hate the sin, love the sinner" speak. This is "Kill the sinner!"

Comment 5:

Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country - a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam.

Very good! I am glad you admit this.

Comment 6:

But the truth is, that isn't all that I know of the man....

All right, Obama, I can understand the things you have said here.

Unfortunately, this comes after previous controversies associated with you and your wife: with you regarding the pledge and the American flag pin, with your wife regarding the "never been proud of America before" comment.

It does leave people leery of trusting your words at face value like this.

(I need to go now, so I won't be able to comment on the rest of this speech.)

[Ovedya]

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.

How does he define "together"? Does he mean "By instituting governmental programs that will create dependency" or does he mean, "By keeping government out of people's lives and allowing American citizens to do what they do best."?

[Lost in Sin]

IDK, his speech seemed powerful and straightforward to me.

[Marnie]

I would say that it was a masterful speech that will do nothing to sway voters. I think given the climate in America today the damage has been done and this l-o-n-g speech may have stopped the bleeding but it won't heal the wound. He didn't do what he should have: take responsibility for what his pastor said and answer the question white voters in particular need to have answered: How could you sit in a church like that for 20 years and listen to those hate-filled words?

[Ddavid from NC]

Comment 1:

Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched Americas improbable experiment in democracy.

Reminds me of the Gettysburg Address.

Comment 2:

It was stained by this nations original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.

All right, this is a pet peeve of mine.

If you think you have had it bad, Mr. Obama, because of your black skin, why don't you hop in your fancy car and take a drive to our nation's Native American reservations and spend some time with a people who also had their freedom taken away and but also have been lied to; forced to live in impoverished segregation; been stripped of their pride and dignity; grew up surrounded by alcoholism, drug abuse and a high suicide rate; are lost in hopelessness; and forgotten by American society.

You, Mr. Obama, are the son of an immigrant and a white American and live in affluence. What do you know of this kind of suffering?

Comment 3:

Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes.

That's not the impression we were given in your statements before. Did you not state you were shocked to hear such things?

Comment 4:

Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.

It appears, though, that they didn't bother you all that much. I would never sit under a pastor who spewed hatred like this.

I mean, this isn't even "Hate the sin, love the sinner" speak. This is "Kill the sinner!"

Comment 5:

Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country - a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam.

Very good! I am glad you admit this.

Comment 6:

But the truth is, that isn't all that I know of the man....

All right, Obama, I can understand the things you have said here.

Unfortunately, this comes after previous controversies associated with you and your wife: with you regarding the pledge and the American flag pin, with your wife regarding the "never been proud of America before" comment.

It does leave people leery of trusting your words at face value like this.

(I need to go now, so I won't be able to comment on the rest of this speech.)

Have you ever had a friend who was the holder of some bad ideals, but you were grateful for a time that they showed you kindness and compassion? I had a friend who supported my family with gifts and support during a time when my paycheck stopped because the employer went bankrupt. I developed a close relationship with this man, and spent a lot of time with him when I was in my early 20s. He became a friend of the family. I am 43 now, and the man has some cooky ideas and ways of relating with people. He is considered a con artist by some. But, I am still grateful for his friendship in the past. I will entertain a relationship with him still whenever he is around. I just separate myself from his activities. But I won't deny what he has done or my love for him. He can be a strong liability for someone like myself in ministry who has to protect his reputation and public perception.

[Oh Hamburgers!]

Have you ever had a friend who was the holder of some bad ideals, but you were grateful for a time that they showed you kindness and compassion? I had a friend who supported my family with gifts and support during a time when my paycheck stopped because the employer went bankrupt. I developed a close relationship with this man, and spent a lot of time with him when I was in my early 20s. He became a friend of the family. I am 43 now, and the man has some cooky ideas and ways of relating with people. He is considered a con artist by some. But, I am still grateful for his friendship in the past. I will entertain a relationship with him still whenever he is around. I just separate myself from his activities. But I won't deny what he has done or my love for him. He can be a strong liability for someone like myself in ministry who has to protect his reputation and public perception.

I think that's a good example of what I believe the situation between Wright and Obama to be.

There is no doubt they have known each other for a long time, and have gone through a lot

as friends (baptisms, marriage etc). Obama obviously doesn't agree with everything Wright

has said, but is still a friend of his because he sees the good in him.

[tsth]

I find it all to be alarming. His charm AND his connection to a church that has a leader such as that.

I am troubled. Not to mention, "where did Obama come from?"

Until this election, I had not even heard of him.

In His Love,

Suzanne