Obama Talks Race While Trying to Quell Controversy

Photograph of Obama in Philadelphia by Matt Rourke/AP

This morning, Senator Barack Obama delivered a 45-minute speech at Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, attempting to put behind him the controversial remarks made by his mentor, pastor Jeremiah A. Wright. Though Obama quickly denounced the remarks last week, the story didn't go away. Today, he reiterated his condemnation of Wright’s more inflammatory beliefs about racism in America, but would not denounce him entirely, giving way to a broader discussion about race:

I suppose the politically safe thing would be to move on from this episode and just hope that it fades into the woodwork. We can dismiss Reverend Wright as a crank or a demagogue, just as some have dismissed Geraldine Ferraro, in the aftermath of her recent statements, as harboring some deep-seated racial bias… I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can disown my white grandmother – a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe...

As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect.

Obama did remark the country is in a "racial stalemate" and said, "I have never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy – particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own."

Last night, his former adviser Samantha Power appeared on The Colbert Report, in a high-profile post-Clinton-is-a-monster appearance:

Obama will be in New York City on March 27th on a one-day fund raising mission. He’s expected to raise over a million dollars, with a luncheon at the Credit Suisse building, two $2,300/guest receptions at separate Park Avenue apartments, and a $2,300/guest dessert reception hosted by author and gay rights activist Kevin Jennings at his Flatiron apartment.

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By John Del Signore in News on March 18, 2008 1:35 PM

Comments [rss]

Fritzdecat

McCain is out of his melon He would spend a hundred years in Iraq if given the chance.

Barack has attended Wright's church, listened to his weekly sermons, entertained him in his home. Yet, says Barack, he never heard any racist rants at church, nor was he aware that Wright held so poisoned a view of his country.??? BS

Suuuuure.... Barack one eloquent speech ain't gonna cover up your real anger. I would also add

you have a right to that anger

Just don't Bullshit me but hey thats part of being a politican. No bad feelings.

west side Michael

Wait till the McCain friends use Rev,Wrights speeches on

Republican party ad's over & over again.

Ah the Scary nineteen sixties are back, a war that

is costing us 12 billion dollars a month is just

nothing any more.

Senator Obama the slander has begun.

Fritzdecat

subsequent reality check

The only problem I neglected to mention is that it was too clean too smooth too slick.

Just another lying politician at the top of his game.

Hes gonna bring unity? and I'm going to build a flying car next Friday.

JacqueMehoff

Pennsylvania won't be easy.

CSPAN booknotes is repeating a michelle malkin appearance at Oberlin College in 2006 to a packed house.

Fritzdecat

What a transition from listening to Dubyewyah

struggle with See Dick Run...See Jane jump to hearing

Obama giving Lincoln a run for his money.

chuzzlewit

Never could say he wasn't eloquent. Now you can't say he isn't brave.

VanessaNYC

You can watch the full speech here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGBbKG

I thought it was heartfelt and much needed. I know it's hard for many people to believe, but this guy is for real.

plk779

You know, I always said during Bush's presidency (still) that at this point I'd settle just for a president who could express himself properly. This is a pretty good step right here. Good speech.

MisterTissue

How well do you know Jeremiah Wright? Have you gone to the Trinity United Church of Christ? How many sermons have you seen of his.

...oh...well...you've seen a 30 second loop on YouTube? Well...you're an expert, then. One cannot judge the entire work of one man on a few seconds of tape that Sean Hannity thinks is pertinent.

I'm not necessarily defending Wright, but it seems to me that people are scared by black men who yell. It strikes me that much of the white population in the US is unfamiliar with the traditions of black churches and liberation theology.

I thought Obama's speech was absolutely moving. I thought his point about his grandma was particularly vivid: we all have those we care about who say things that make us cringe. Can you imagine how embarrassed BabyHitler's family must be?

Outter Burrougher

kinojesi, read his speech and see that Mr. Obama does not put them at the same level, but what she did was use her position as the first female VP candidate to distort a racial truth.

that being said, great speech; there were a number of things he said in there that I have dreamed of hearing politicians acknowledge. I was moved, and I only read it.

virgil

Also, the reason Isiah should be criticized is because he's a terrible administrator with a long losing streak who can't motivate anyone but his bosses. Is that the case with Obama? Or are you thinking their situations and careers are similar for some other reason that escapes me at the moment, which couldn't possibly have anything to do with skin color.

Tim N.

Not so, #21. He's been slammed since he got here, he was slammed when he hired Larry Brown, he was slammed when he fired him, he was slammed during his first year as the coach and he's been slammed this year. I think that spans the last five years.

But this is a distraction. I've just finished listening to the speech. I defy anyone to watch it and not be moved. He may not end up as President, but the service he is performing for this nation cannot be denied.

And I'm a Hillary supporter.

TimSPC

they only criticized isiah after 5 fucking years!!!!! at the tail end. if Isiah were white he'd be dumped 2 months into his tenure. He became GM of the knicks in 2003!

No. No one who knows basketball thought it was a good hire. The guy was a disaster with the Pacers. People were on him from the beginning.

There are two reasons he hasn't been fired: 1. The Dolans and 2. The lawsuit.

babyhitler

they only criticized isiah after 5 fucking years!!!!! at the tail end. if Isiah were white he'd be dumped 2 months into his tenure. He became GM of the knicks in 2003!

TimSPC

this guy will be the Isiah Thomas of presidents. No matter how bad of a job he will do nobody will be able to criticize him because of his color for fear of being labeled racist.

Turn on WFAN and wait three minutes.

kinojesi

she made a statement. a dumb one, at that. but she doesn't run an institution on the matter. not unless she holds sunday mass running her mouth about how our country created AIDS to get rid of the black race.

see what i mean...matty?

matty

"and there is no rational connection with what geraldine ferraro said with what his Jeremiah Wright PREACHES."

oh she preached it too.

Colochita

I did not see/hear the speech, but I read the full text in the link above and I thought it was fantastic and yes, moving.

kinojesi

people, are we just now realizing that obama is black. his pastor only added to the obvious. obama's entire campaign has been meticulously strategized to hide the obvious. separating himself from the "black" community. his only big black endorser has been oprah... hellooooo....who's also alleged to attend the same church.

it's going to take more than a speech to wash this away.

and there is no rational connection with what geraldine ferraro said with what his Jeremiah Wright PREACHES.

Daniel Millstone

Well, I felt moved for the better by the Obama speech. It felt inspiring to me. His direct, non-inflammatory take on race in the US was a breath of fresh air.

On the other hand, older civil rights advocates like me may just be easy marks for this sort of rhetoric. But easy mark or not I was impressed.