Obama Defends Community Organizing: "Who Are They Fighting For?" (VIDEO)

Barack Obama responded Thursday to Sarah Palin's dismissal of community organizing. Asked at a town hall what makes it relevant experience, he said:

"I would argue that doing work in the community, to try to create jobs, to bring people together, to rejuvenate communities that have fallen on hard times, to set up job training programs in areas that have been hard hit when the steel plants closed, that that's relevant only in understanding where I'm coming from, who I believe in, who I'm fighting for and why I'm in this race.

And the question I have for them is, why would that kind of work be ridiculous? Who are they fighting for? What are they advocating for? Do they think that the lives of those folks who are struggling each and every day, that working with them to try and improve their lives is somehow not relevant to the presidency? I think maybe that's the problem, that's part of why they're out of touch and don't get it, because they haven't spent much time working on behalf of those folks."

Watch:

Comments

[helen]

Good comment. Just hope the press picks up on it...

I reflected a bit on Community Organizers playing Jeopardy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOs_pG_qolE

See what you think...

[My 2 Cents]

I'd rather see Community Organizers registering new Democrats, working to counter Ohio's and Virginia's disenfranchisement efforts, organizing transportation to ensure the vote gets out....

Was Giuliani's comment a slap in the face? Absolutely!
Does it trivialize all the good work and the efforts made to rescue those failed by Republican policies? No question!

It's time to teach those who revel in their ignorance what an organized community can do - throw the bums out of office! It's our government; it's time to take it back!

[illinoisan]

Owned.

[brooklyncitizen]

Brilliant.

[SherryIndianapolis]

Decent and in order.

Obama/Biden '08

[Faith101]

The gloves are coming off and the thread is slowing unraveling, you'll see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCXUzYSeuTI

[notthistime]

It is community organizers (knocking on doors, hosting parties, making phone calls, talking to their neighbors and people on the street, donating, voting and making sure residents get to the polls) who will make sure we win this election.


Go Obama/Biden/WE THE PEOPLE 08

[pesquer54]

Talking about Patriotism ...
John Kerry did speak about this during the DNC Convention.
Service = Patriotism. That is what Obama did earlier in his life when he worked as a Community Organizer- show his love for this country. Of note, in one of his Education policy proposals. he wants to give credits to kids to pay for Higher Education in exchange of hours of community service. In my opinion, this is a brilliant idea and will really make us better citizens!

[NeoLiberal]

Right on.

True patriotism is service to family, neighbor and country; patriotism is helping those who can't help themselves; patriotism is obeying the law and abiding by our Constitution; patriotism is respecting everyone's beliefs while building coalitions to lift all of America up; patriotism is serving troops when they're home and ensuring that the time they're away is the last resort after diplomacy, and that their lives are not endangered for anyone's monetary or political gain.

Patriotism is NOT chanting USA USA at the GOP convention; patriotism is NOT slapping a red-white-blue bumper sticker or yellow ribbon on your car; patriotism is not wearing a flag pin; patriotism is not saying a pledge of allegiance.

Patriotism is walking the talk, not just talking.

[califkid]

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it."

Mark Twain

[zedthewizard]

this is what he needs to do. he needs to explain his experiences, etc to defeat the ignorance the spread. specifics can defeat lies.

[MM216]

Sarah can't even explain ANYTHING right now, so what are you complaining about?

[MM216]

Or I should say, what is anyone complaining about?

[ruffmama]

These are the kind of clips that need to go viral....forward this stuff to every contact in your address books...post it on your blogs and your myspace and your facebook profiles...GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE!

[OldKnute]

Oh Right.

And we are going to play the Victim?

Sorry,, Giving ROVE more air-time with his stupid attacks is not the way. Americans are sick of bickering.

Americans want a LEADER. And guess what,,,, McCain is dragging out his newest,,, Victimized sissy,,,,, don’t pick on me,,,, the Press is so mean,,,, the Pit Bull with Lipstick and how is she fairing?????

You know why ROVE is shaking in his boots???

Because Barak Obama IS a LEADER,,, and ROVE knows it.

How can you tell a leader????

Because BILLIONS of people,,, the WORLD OVER hang on his every word.

That’s how!

Sarah Palin is a JOKE. I wouldn’t spend a minutes time on her. Why? Because women see right through her and her Oh POOR is me CRAP.

Hit the ROAD,,,,, Obama,, And,, AND,,,, GO SOUTH,, You may not believe me,, but they love you there.

Go to the ROOTS.

All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[NeoLiberal]

Knute, you rock!

[notthistime]

This is a great video and Obama should make a commercial out of it. THIS is the difference between the two campaigns. Obama is advocating for us and McCain could give a flip.

[OldKnute]

OK LOOK!

Obama needs to focus on the issues.

Our Economy is the ISSUE, Healthcare and Voters Rights and Privacy and Taxes, Energy Independence.

The McCain Campaign is using the old Roosevelt New Deal attack, and Great Society, FEAR tactics. Yes, OLD issues but so are MOST in McCain’s’ BASE. OLD.

Obama has TRUE faith in his pocket. Reverend Write was a Godsend. It proves to all the Authenticity of Obamas Faith. A faith he took a lot of heat over and the people didn’t like those attacks. POINT THAT OUT!

On Taxes.

Roosevelt was right,,, he injected the money where it did the most good. The BOTTOM. He created JOBS that got Americans back on their FEET. So was Johnson. After the Great Sociaty was instituted America saw the greatest boon in College graduates ever. The economy was strong until 1969 when Interest Rates went through the ROOF under Nixon.

Focus on NEW GREEN JOBS and Paycheck creation, NEW GREEN INDUSTRIES.

With 6 million people back to work in high paying jobs,,,, you can LOWER TAXES.

BUILD THE ECONOMY from the BOTTOM UP!

Business will Prosper,,, because the People will Prosper and have REAL money to spend,,, and not be forced into a Wal-Mart economy.

Get it! Discount stores do well,, when the people are BROKE. Real, American quality, HIGH QUALITY,, goods and services suffer.

Pledge Tax Breaks across the BOARD.

JMO

All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[OldKnute]

Oh,, Another thing.

HIRE A FRICKEN OLD GUY,,,, to head your Economic Advisory Team.

OLD People know these things.

The New Deal and Great Society were RED Bating, Anti-Comunist FEAR Mongering when these attacks started out. NOT Economic. Over the years the Republicans have shifted that fear to Tax and Spend based fears and Racial Based fears.

When Roosevelt told us all we have to fear is fear itself,, HE WAS RIGHT.

AND the Republicans were listening. They have used it ever since.

HIRE AN OLD GUY or GAL.


All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[TeriMcCarthy]

Look Knute Neo-Lib, you are correct, but I think it was a great thing defending those of us who have spent our lives as community organizers. The Right is trying to demonize it and say it isn't work because only they can define what work is, why isn't that a good thing? Why should he defend what he did and what many of us do? It has a great deal to do with the economy as well because many of these organizations deal with people who've been left out of this economy.
And to your comment after your comment, Mc. Cain is an old guy and he knows nothing about the economy, all he knows about the economy is that one should marry well.

[OldKnute]

Yes Teri,,

YES,, But ROVE wants to put the ball into the Obama Court,,, with these Organizer Attacks. “The Hidden Message,,, See what happens when we let them go to college?”

Organizing?

Hello, Women’s Suffrage, Equal Rights, Civil Rights, The Environment, Voting Rights, Labor Rights,,, Democratic BASED movements ALL.

To spend Obamas’ time on this issues is like,,, Praying for the Preachers Soul. ????? Ooops,, Never Mind,,, I have been doing a lot of that lately, myself.

Jut OLD as you point to,,, does not make you WISE. I was suggesting that Obama might begin to surround himself with folks that have BEEN there, DONE that.

As far as Neo-Liberal Economics. A Business and Economic Philosophy I adhere too. By 36 following Neo-LIB Principles of economics we were OUT of the Big Depression.

The only time WAR WORKED to stimulate an economy,, was in Germany when Prescott Bush funneled HUGE funding of the Nazi WAR machine to Hitler. Money that should have gone into the American Economy.

BUT,, Nooooo,, The rabid Anti-Communists of the day, thought Hitler would oppose Stalin,,,, so Hitler became their Prime Borrower.

What I am also suggesting to Obama is that he DIG DEEP,,, Find the ROOTS, of the Democratic Party,, there are still Millions of FDR Democrats out there. Millions who loved their country SOOOOOO Much they hit the streets.

Will they work and sweat for Obama,,,, HELL YES,,, they want healing TOO.

FIND YOUR ROOTS.

All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[notthistime]

TeriMcCarthy - it is clips like this that cuts to the heart of the matter and makes things clear. You are correct. Obama is fighting for us and McCain will not. Period.

This is a good thing.

Now keep canvassing, keep calling, keep donating, reach out to strangers, family members and neighbors and let us help to win this thing.

Go Obama/Biden/WE THE PEOPLE 08

[OldKnute]

Yes Teri. The Dems always have been good organizers.

If you are reading this I am glad. Huff-Po staff is censoring about half of what I write.

But yes Teri, Woman’s Suffrage, Labor rights, Civil Rights, Voter Rights, Equal Rights. On and on and on. All Democratic at their core. I hope this Postes gets through to you. I do not wish to leave you hanging and not tell you how I agree. The censorship at Huff-Po has gotten so bad that most everything I post is blocked.

YES,, I agree.

The Dems have earned their reputation well. Hard workers.

Now if we can just get Huff-po to honor our nations commitment to FREE SPEECH as we will be doing fine here.

((Hugs))

All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[Lizardtales]

The McCain ticket will do itself in with it's mocking tone. They will loose the youth vote - both conservative and liberal - and folks who are looking for real help from their government to get them out of their dire circumstances that the Bush economy has placed them in.

Please read what James Fallows has to say about this and other sarcastic verbal tactics that "Team Contempt" has employed to maintain the Presidency in Republican hands:

http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/

[jmpurser]

Good point. If you're NOT for community based politics then who ARE you for?

[KenHussein]

This is part of the reason why I am voting for this man. Obama-Biden'08

[schicklett3]

THEY are fighting for big business, big oil, and the rich and powerful. Period.
THEY want to force THEIR beliefs on everybody.
THEY are BAD BAD BAD.

[jean22]

It should read "Who are THEY fighting for? Emphasis was placed on THEY.