• namyogrl said on Mar 18, 2008....

  ed, the speech was so moving, it was like he spoke what has been my experience as a black american for a long time. the way he spoke of the past and the anger in which many blacks still hold on to was so true. but he didnt stay there he did not make it  a pity party. what his pastor has said in the past have caused pain but it has opened dialog among groups of people that would have never spoken to each other before. i was very moved. still dont think he will be president but what a great american.

• SeanRenaud said on Mar 18, 2008....

  He did brilliantly.  I might not agree with 100% of what he said but he did brilliantly. 

• quietone said on Mar 18, 2008....

  What a wonderful speech indeed.  I hope to hear it on youtube, or maybe catch it again on the news.  thanks ed.

• silverwhisper said on Mar 18, 2008....

  namoyogrl: obama's an incredible speaker, i understand. i'd love to see the entire speech though b/c i want to see what that's like.
  
  sean: man, but it sure as heck sounds like it--you don't strike me as someone who's easily impressed, either.
  
  quietone: yeah, i really wanna see it, too--and my pleasure. :>
  
  ed

• TinSoldier said on Mar 18, 2008....

  I started watching on the NY Times site that you linked, but it kept pausing.
  
  Try this: Google Video Link.
  

• TinSoldier said on Mar 18, 2008....

  Okay, so I just finally finished listening to the speech (along with reading the transcript).
  
  Very nice. I think that he answers many of the questions regarding Wright and race very clearly and eloquently and that his answers can possibly mollify many people who would also like to see a true healing of this old wound rather than just continually changing the bandage covering it.
  
  I don't think that it was the best political speech that I've ever heard, and there were many points which had me shaking my head in disagreement, but there were many more that had me nodding as I could see my own ideals reflected in Obama's words. It will take some time to see whether they are just words or if he truly believes the things that he is saying, but I would hope that he does.
  
  Even though I disagree pretty strongly with many of his proposals and ideas, I also have the feeling that he is our best shot in this election of transforming some of our growing American cynicism about the world back into an idealism based on basic American principles, much like Ronald Reagan did in the 1980s and like Clinton did in the 1990s.
  

• bloc said on Mar 18, 2008....

  this is a great analysis of the speech.

• tbs230 said on Mar 18, 2008....

  
  oh wow...
  
  oh...wow.
  
  This man is a true leader. It's time that Americans realize we can't change the world on our own, segregated into our own separate groups. We need everyone to come together. I was watching a comedy about Native Americans. And one character said, (speaking about a powwow), "if you could have all come together like this when Columbus landing, we might have stood a chance."
  
  We need to come together, and we need to perfect our nation...starting with our children.
  
  And its now on Youtube
  

• ALIENated said on Mar 18, 2008....

  
  As you can guess, I would not waste two seconds listening to that 
  silver-tongued devil. I might fall under his spell as most of you have.
  
  

  http://www.soulcast.com/post/show/119627/Silver-Tongued-Devils#

• SeanRenaud said on Mar 18, 2008....

  Its easy to criticize something you refuse to listen to.  Is this how you managed to believe that all of the black civil rights leaders were trouble makers?  Open your eyes ALIEN you might help save the world.
   
  Don't get me wrong it's not perfect but it is a damned good speech.

• tbs230 said on Mar 18, 2008....

  Hey, Sean, what parts do you disagree with?

• SeanRenaud said on Mar 18, 2008....

  I really disagree with the fact that while he denounces the priest and rationalizes the reasons why Reverend Wright feels the ways that he does he doesn't really go far enough into condemning the preacher.  I'll admit that's a bit of a personal gripe and that's because I do believe in guilt by assosiation.  I don't believe that a man who goes around preaching that America deserved 9/11 and a man who has the audacity of hope could be as close as the pair appear to be with out on of them being a liar about how who they show to the public.  I've no reason to doubt either one of them, that said I trust politicians before i trust preists so Obama wins.  But it does make me question.
   
  My second major gripe is he doesn't directly criticize black and latino culture.  Instead he makes it sound like blacks and latinos are held back purely by socio-economic issues which is far from true.  There is a culture in both of these races that that has backwards values.  The ultimate representation of this is that the worst thing a white person can become in this world is trailor trash.  To be poor and uneducated.  For a black it's nearly innexcusable to be inteligent and articulate and financial sucess and moving out of bad neighborhoods is often associated with selling out and forgetting where you came from.  This does at least as much damage as The Man, if such an individua or or coalition actually exists.
   
  That aside it was a stunningly brilliant speech and if I weren't nitpicking I'd be completely hypnotized instead of merely awed.  Honestly this whole scandal should have been a career ender and instead I think he's not only going to be ok, he might actually come out better for it.  And that's simply amazing.
   
  In an odd sort of serendipity the Democratic Party is in a great position.  Barrack can play as many games as he wants (or Hillary) until the National Convention, and then at the Convention which ever has the better chance of winning can snatch up all the Super Delegates with minimal controversy.  It's the ultimate Win, WiN, WIN!!!!

• husbandhater said on Mar 19, 2008....

  I LOVED his speech. It was so eloquently spoken ed even if I don't totally agree with him not kicking the guy to the curb. What he said about the man was TRUE !
  This is something that the Blcak race DOES struggle with as does MANY others. We've ALL made a racist comment at one time or another but treated our fellow man with nothing less than respect when with or around him.
   
  We've even done this amongst different cultures that are still within our racial make up. His own granny has done it. So lets get off of it.

• husbandhater said on Mar 19, 2008....

  And besides Mr.Sqeaky clean can't be touched at least not with the usual scandelous crap. He prepared for this moment well unlike Bill and the rest of his political cohorts. So if this is how they can tear and bring him down they just failed. TRY AGAIN MEDIA AND OTHERS:~)

• ALIENated said on Mar 19, 2008....

  
  Honestly this whole scandal should have been a career ender 
  and instead I think he's not only going to be ok, he might actually
  come out better for it.  And that's simply amazing.
  
  
  Simply amazing. I did listen to some of his shorter, off the cuff,
  stumbling, bumbling answers, early on, that made no sense at
  all. Listening to some prepared case might only confuse me and
  pull the wool over my eyes as it has with you. If this guy becomes
  president, we might as well hang out a shingle that says "kick me,
  I am really, really stupid". I am beginning to see why rap is hanging
  on so long.
  
  

• silverwhisper said on Mar 19, 2008....

  TS: ah, thank you for the link to the speech--i'm indebted. am downloading it--it's a long speech and it keeps pausing so i figure i'm better off this way.
  
  bloc: thank you--i knew that you'd have something to say about it. i do agree with greenwald re: the weakness of obama's campaign, though.
  
  tbs: just based on the transcript, i completely agree with what you say.
  
  alien: ah yes, the old "i'm sticking my fingers in my ears!" ploy. i admire your willingness to say that you want to remain ignorant.
  
  sean: i think that as a presidential candidate, it's hard for him to criticize black/latino culture directly. you saw how well that went over for cosby when he made those criticisms. i happen to agree that there are stupid, self-defeating concepts in all cultures, FWIW. as you know, i disagree re: your first point, but we've discussed it and i see no need to rehash it.
  
  HH: well said. very well said indeed.
  
  ed

• tbs230 said on Mar 19, 2008....

  Thank you for elaborating sean! I also agree with your second point, and see where ed is coming from. Black and Latino cultures do have issues that someone needs to publicly address. The time for blaming it on others is past. Maybe in the 60s we could denied our roles in keeping education, health care, and what not unavailable to the poor. But we've been given opportunities throughout the years to better ourselves, and yes there is STILL discrimination, and fear and anger, but we can no longer blame everything on others.
  
  ed, yup, he's inspirational! Let's hope he manages the rest of his campaign as well as that speech.
  

• SeanRenaud said on Mar 19, 2008....

  @silver:  Right and we don't need to rehash my first point.  As for my second your right it didn't go over well for Cosby and likely wouldn't go over well for him either.  But until black leaders repeatedly and agressivly start rejecting the message that people like Reverend Wright is preaching we cannot and will not advance.  Our leaders should be talking assimilation and opportunity not isolation and hatred.

• the_infernal_optimist said on Mar 19, 2008....

  I only just now had time to finish reading that. Wow. I'm very glad that this didn't turn into a reason to un-like Obama, because I really do. :) What a fantastic speech. He had to handle that whole situation very, very carefully, and he did it well.
  
  ~Infernal
  

• silverwhisper said on Mar 20, 2008....

  tbs: like i said to sean, i think all cultures have self-destructive ideas within them that find popularity within them. and indeed, let's hope!
  
  sean: i completely agree with you--it's a form of self-ghetto-ization. people have to understand that it isn't the man keeping the black man or woman down: sometimes, it's another black man or woman. one reason i despise al sharpton is b/c he's a race-baiting hatemonger. if the majority of the black community turns to men like sharpton or wright for leadership, i'm of the opinion that black america will never claim its rightful seat at the table of equality, IMHO.
  
  infernal: everything you said--ditto. :>
  
  ed

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