NYT's Keller Compares Obama And Mandela

Politico:

The executive editor of The New York Times, Bill Keller, sees "unmistakable" similarities between the campaigns of Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela, he said in a podcast interview on the paper's website.

The interview, done for the New York Times Book Review, is on the subject of Keller's young adult biography of Nelson Mandela, whom he covered. Asked about Obama, Keller calls him "fascinating."

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[brooklyncitizen]

I like Obama but this is a bit much.

Mandela was a revolutionary as part of the ANC's struggle against apartheid. He was jailed as a dissentor, similar to many people we are holding in Guantanamo.
Obama is certainly nothing like him in this capacity but their optimism is matched and their willingness to rise above the fray and crap is on par.

[Wolfgang]

Mandela spent 27 years in prison while Obama did his time at Columbia and Harvard law school. Yep, there sure are a lot of similarities there. Another half-wit journalist.

[sparkandy]

St. Obama! If I pray to him, will I get lots of money, lose weight and quit smoking, find a better job, win the lottery, and write a bestselling novel? I'd so appreciate it if someone would hurry up and make those St Obama medals so I could start wearing one. I also will need them for my dogs and cats, because I'm sure St. Obama supersedes St. Francis of Assisi. And one for my car because I won't need St. Christopher any more.

[Plowboy]

Never has anyone close to Obama sounded as ridiculous as that.. The Messia stuff was dreamed up for idiots to use in attack. So, sparkyandy, stuff it.
One gets annoyed by some of the media praise too. What is this meant to do? Tell us that Obama is an inspiring speaker? We know that. Compare him with annother Black person? We know he is Black without the reminder. Does it matter? Not to most of us! So why is he compared with a Black person; why not Frannklin Roosevelt? Now he was aslso an inspiring speaker, and a Democrat! More importantly, he was an American.

[sparkandy]

A comparison with FDR is much more realistic and not nearly as ridiculous as the comparison with Mandela. That one's not over the top silly and doesn't make any Obama supporters sound like Born Agains rolling in the aisles when the preacher yells "Jesus be praised". Comparing Obama to a FREEDOM FIGHTER who gave up a huge part of his life in pursuit of justice is just sickening.