LIVE THREAD - Under Pressure, Obama Prepares for Race and Unity Speech

Fox News ^ | 18 March 2008

[SE Mom]

Barack Obama is preparing to deliver a major address Tuesday on race, politics and unifying the country after being hounded by questions about his relationship to a pastor whose sermons have been laced with anti-American invective.

In a speech whose religious significance could compare to one given in December by former GOP presidential hopeful and Mormon Mitt Romney, Obama may be forced to explain the philosophy of the 8,000-strong Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where the Democratic presidential candidate has been a congregant for 20 years.

In announcing the morning address, to be delivered in Philadelphia, Obama would not say specifically what he will discuss, but suggested he wants to cool down the atmosphere after incendiary remarks by his pastor, retired Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., blanketed the airwaves over the past week.

[fml]

While I agree he spoke race in a public forum, I think he elequently race baited. Of course no one tarred and feathered him, think about it - when you play the black victim card you never get called on it. Sharpton, Jackson etc. prove that over and over.

He chose to be close to the black community in a vile church. He was not raised that way. I too have been around many black people and churches and I have never been biten by the hate white America rhetoric. In fact as a rule I found them to be just the opposite, good Christian houses of worship. Unlike Obamas choice to raise his girls in.

[stockstrader]

Good post, I agree!!!!

He had a wonderful chance to 'take the lead' in STOPPING the spread of racism, hate and venom (in a place where it can be most effective---in church with a captive audience),,,,and he chose NOT to.

What an opportunity he had....and he BLEW IT!!!

Not only does he not hear racist comments from his mentor and close friend--he must also not hear COMMON SENSE (like "You can pick your friends,,,you cannot pick your family--which was just unbelievably insulting to ANYONE with any common sense at all).

"ELOQUENT, BUT OUTRAGEOUS"!!

What a chance he had to make a difference (sigh) by condemning the use of hate, racism and venom in some churches--but I guess black racism is just NOT they type of 'CHANGE' that he promises.

[TeleStraightShooter]

True.

Yet, he claimed white granny was capable of it.

[Tea in the Harbor]

Why is it okay that for the past week he said he was never present when these things were said and that had he been, he would have stood up and said something, yet today he admits he was present and did absolutely nothing for 20 years?

I had the same thought: he is again revealing himself as a liar and a charlatan.

Moreover, he said today that he could no more dismiss his white grandmother (whom he accused of racism) than he could dismiss the "entire black community". Aside from the fact that he is defending himself by slandering the black community AND his own grandmother, it would seem that he is positing a false choice: between rejecting them utterly and putting up with their alleged racist crap. Why can't he simply correct his grandmother and leave the racist church?

[austinaero]

I hope you realize how reassuring your words are. Keep them coming!

[tobyhill]

***“Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes.***

Obama, are you a liar? Yes.

[stockstrader]

I agree. And I am sure there are some in Germany that would say you have to look at his 'words in the context he was raised in'--what a pathetic cop-out for ANY evil and venom!!!

They probably also had some that could find some 'good' he actually did in Germany. Again, how pathetic can you get as an apologist??

[Yaelle]

I lived it too like your friend, but in Switzerland. Some dialects, like black English and Schweizerdeutch (Swiss German) are bastardizations of the language from whence they came. Hard to go from the correct version to the grammatically “wrong” one, but it really does build those bridges between people. I couldn’t do it in my own language like I did in German, though.

[Mercat]

Wait, I was listening on the radio. He made this speech in a Church? Describe the audience please.

[stockstrader]

Senator B. (whose middle name must NEVER be spoken) Obama has tried to obfuscate and PREEMPT his LIE,,,,,but rushing to give this speech.

He must have known that sooner or later--it would be confirmed that he DID attend some of those hateful, vile, racist rants. So he tried to hide his lies with this speech,,,and he did it quickly and quitely.

[Enchante]

"What kind of a man defends himself by publicly attacking his own grandmother?"

The kind of weasel Democrat who stands for weakening America, losing the war, giving inspiration to our enemies, and completing the socialist project of ruining America. That's the kind of man who defends himself publicly by attacking his own grandmother.

[stockstrader]

No, it wasn't in church--it was in a small auditorium with a polite, supportive audience that DID clap several times in supports of his comments.

P.S. Lots and lots of U.S. flags behind him, though.

[Yaelle]

You hit the nail on the head. He was NOT raised that way. In a way, he took this “authentic black hatred” of Pastor Jeremiah and became BRAISED in it, probably for political gain.

I too have been in good black churches. I’ve been one lily white face among a sea of thousands of darker ones. I never heard this kind of foaming hatred, ever.

[TornadoAlley3]

I seriously HAD NO IDEA black people thought this way, I know, don't lump every black person in the same pot, but I am shocked I tell you, of the anger and justification I am seeing and hearing from black people over Rev Wright.

[stockstrader]

"What kind of a man defends himself by publicly attacking his own grandmother?"

What kind of man tries to convince people that just like you cannot choose your grandmother--you cannot CHOSE your pastor???

How insulting can you possibly get???

Outrageous. Even a die-hard liberal like Wolf Blitzer called him on that one!!

ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS!!!

[Yaelle]

Yes. If only he had TAKEN the opportunity to CLEARLY CONDEMN the hatred of this wonderful country being spoken from ANY pulpit in ANY house of worship in this country.*

*which would also have to include the mosques

[CatoRenasci]

I lived it too like your friend, but in Switzerland. Some dialects, like black English and Schweizerdeutch (Swiss German) are bastardizations of the language from whence they came. Hard to go from the correct version to the grammatically “wrong” one, but it really does build those bridges between people. I couldn’t do it in my own language like I did in German, though.

I could never manage the dialect living in Bavaria -- locals regularly asked me why I spoke to them only in hochdeutsch, and I was even accused of being a SauPreuss.... and then I explained I was an American. I actually had to show a couple of people my passport before I convinced them I was not German.

[Jaguar Girl]

LOL those are a great idea.

[sodpoodle]

Here kitty kitty - here’s THE ONE;) - with a sense of humor, sense of individualism and common sense who could heal the wounds left by Obama and Hilary....A decent, genuine great American.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_S._Steele

[SE Mom]

Thanks for posting Kitten1...I understand part of the problem is- none of us can..as individuals..really speak for others. I was speaking for me- my background and upbringing. When my son was growing up the “guys” hung out at our house a lot. His buds were black, hispanic and white. They spent the night, ate breakfast, lunch and dinner and were part of the family- as much as my son felt part of their’s and did the same with their families. To this day they call me “Ma” and they are still my boys. I haven’t had a chance yet to speak with them about this- but I will.