Obama's Challenge to American Voters

I watched a candidate I already knew was exceptional become a statesman today.

In his speech on America's racial divide, Barack Obama was honest, direct, personal and strong without being strident. He told unvarnished and complex truths about his own life in black and white communities he has known -- and he trusted all of us to be able to handle the lack of varnish and the complexity. He never condescends or resorts to sound bites when the issue requires more. He was at his best today.

This was more than political damage control. This was a challenge to American voters. Obama is asking us to choose whether we are going to give in -- once again -- to the forces that divide us, or work to unite our fractured national community. And he reminds us that the choice is ours -- not the pundits' or pollsters' or political insiders'. Few other national political figures have the courage to make that challenge under any circumstances, let alone in the midst of a presidential campaign. None of the remaining candidates in this election do.

We have had a handful of transformational leaders in our history, leaders who have reshaped and refocused what the American Dream means and revived our commitment to it. Barack Obama showed again today that he is that kind of leader.

Read more HuffPost coverage and reaction to Obama's speech

Comments

[ampay]

Obama is an amazing individual. Smart, charismatic, classy, compassionate, and kind. I admire everything about him.

[Brgotn]

I just don't like the lack of honesty of the people he runs with. I thought he was going to be different, you know the change thing. he is no different than Clinton except that he is a smooth talker.

[ceseeley]

To me, Barack Obama is a black and white Abraham Lincoln, ready to lead America out of its racist, discriminatory, bias, hate-mongering, divisive, partisan, gender bias ways, etc.- to get America out of its box of bigotry!

I like the way Keith Boykin thinks!

I want to apologize for the way African Americans have been treated over the centuries; it has been horrific!

One problem, I am very "Pro-Life" from before conception to the grave and I want innocent people freed from "Death Row!"

Psalms 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

Psalms 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Psalms 139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Psalms 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. (KJV)

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

ceseeley

[couch2000]

I cant believe people say Barack is Running to bring this country together and then i see his close friend and pastor for 20 years saying these things and he still want denounce him, guys something is wrong here, a blind man could see that.

[GayGrandpa]

Hi Ceseeley, greetings and happy holiday. I think you bring up a very important point, but I am going to ask you for the love of God to bend your ear for a moment. I am not asking you to bend your ways. I would simply like to point out to you the conflict many of us have when voting is the same as yours.

We feel strongly about an issue or several and we have often let those issues alone guide us to our voting preference. Many voted for President George W. Bush because of this issue of pro-life but in so doing they and others elected a president who has led us into an unnecessary war and as a result of that we have much chaos and I presume great damage has been done.

I am a ex-southern baptist youth pastor. I love God and man. I am also a proud gay dad and grandfather. I too have a strong faith, but I must balance my faith with my intellect when choosing a candidate for the Presidency. I like you must chose the man or woman I believe will be the best President and not necessarily the one who will do my bidding on all fronts...none will.

Politically it is not very expedient to legalize gay marriage but it is my opinion that Christ would if he was President. It is my opinion that Christ ate and accepted homosexuals in his life, but that is a whole other subject isn't it...which few are prepared to discuss in the original language and culture.

My point is this Ceseeley, if there was a Republican candidate who was sincere in ending the war immediately and had a plan that would lead to peace immediately and he or she could convince me of it and their sincerity then I WOULD ABSOLUTELY VOTE REPUBLICAN even if they did hold an opposite view of my opinions on pro-choice and tolerance towards gay unions and/or marriage.

This is the dilemma of the 21st century American voter. Isn't it? No one unless we individually run for President is going to completely agree with all of our views. So we must chose prudently.

Furthermore the court, the Supreme Court is already stacked 5to4 on this issue...I would not let this issue be your deciding factor. It does not need to be. As it is the Court may reverse this decision of Roe v. Wade within a few years.

The two greatest issues (to me and perhaps you agree) are peace and prosperity. War does not bring peace nor has it brought prosperity. Before the war gas was a dollar a gallon and now five years later it is almost $4! I do not believe Christ would ever go to war or be a soldier. Love you enemy, turn the cheek...you cannot believe the sermon of the mount and profess that we should war for 100 years. The Iraq war has damaged our image worldwide. It has cause more strife and certainly no peace. We must seek peace. Only in turning our eyes to the issues that are at hand can we find solutions, we must seek peace. We must seek alternative fuels, we must address global warming or millions will die.

We have an opportunity and a responsibility to seek a better way and better candidates...I sincerely ask and plead with you that you lay aside some of your concerns, not to lay aside your convictions, but simply to lay aside your concern on this issue and vote for peace and prosperity. Don't vote on a single issue.

The court will not change...but God will hold us all responsible if we do not consider other pressing issues and needs. Like the poor, and our planet, and peace, and care, health care, education...these are also the will of God and are good things we must fight for and promote and vote for.

I enjoyed your letter. Peace to you, happy holiday, Bob

[mikey683]

Have to say as a "typical white person", if Obama's the nominee I'm staying home.

[SignWave]

If he had said "ordinary white person" or "average white person", would you have been as offended? You have interpreted the word "typical" to be derogatory. Why? If you had listened to the content of his words, you would know he doen't mean it that way. So why are you so bent on twisting the meaning of that word? Given the level to whicxh you contort yourself to become ofended, I can only surmise that you would have stayed home anyway.

[GayGrandpa]

I dream of an America that is tolerant, safe, at peace and prosperous, and not an America at war for 100 years against enemies who could as easily had been our friends. I dream of an America where the leaders are thoughtful and moral and not eager to rush into wars or hastily make unnecessary decisions that lead us to wars or that will lie to their citizens in order to go to war, wars that are for profit and greed and oil. I dream of a leader who merits my trust and those who have betrayed me already and have rushed to judgment and to this Iraq war have no business running for the Presidency! NONE!



People say Barack is not ready or is not prepared but I say HE IS BECAUSE he has morality and that is what the other two lack. No knowledge or experience can replace judgment and moral conviction. I do not trust Hillary for one second...she would sell her soul to be President...she has already betrayed us...she lies as easily as Bush...her husband is playing the race card over and over and now he is questioning Barack's patriotism...these people are monsters SHAME ON THEM...the fact that she recklessly and easily voted for this war will never ever ESCAPE ME! Nor should it escape anyone's memory. Byrd spoke out bravely against it, my congresswoman Barbara Lee did also and would not vote for this war! Where was Hillary COURAGE AND MORAL FIBER? McCain loves war more than a pig loves mud. Those who think McCain is on the right track with his 100 year war are those whose finances are secure and whose children will never go to war. I dream of an America that is tolerant, safe, at peace and prosperous, and not an America at war!



I dream with the dreamers. I dream of a better day! It is time for a change...it is time for a statesman not another gunslinging cowboy...or cowgirl! Enough of the cow manure and bull...let's have a little peace and prosperity! Why not? We can have peace and prosperity! Yes we can. YES WE CAN!

[couch2000]

The more i learn about the people around Barack the scarier this guy is.

[TheDude1369]

After speed reading the drivel posted upon this thread, I became aware of a sudden burst of light closely resembling the light shining from heaven as Jesus assumed his mantel beside the Father. The educational system in this country has failed miserably at providing its populace the basic tenets of citizenship, namely a firm understanding of the US Constitution through the lessons of history.

For those unfortunate souls wrestling each night with the horror of their daily schedules of economic and mental slavery then having to actually try to enrich their souls enough to actually have to make civic decisions based upon logical, informed thought. It is all too much.

Read your HIGH SCHOOL History books for a little lesson on what each of the candidates represent in the historical text of Presidential politics. Mr. Obama is a Populist, (Jeffersonian Democrat). Once you have wrested a firm grasp of this term in Presidential politics, a better understanding of his theories and words will allow a more restive sleep and quite possibly a vote depending of course on your personal demons.

[Star123]

My sleep will be restive, all right. (above)

[JJRodham]

I hear Hillary plans on throwing Her Kitchen sink at IRAQ next, lol look out!!

[Star123]

What if we think we are hiring someone to work for us, to govern, to make occasional hard calls when there is no time to consult everyone? I am not looking for someone to always be challenging "us" to be this or that, or rethink this or that or think this or that, or summon up our "better angels" or any of that. I want someone to work, to appoint good people, and govern. For years, this will involve undoing the Bush actions. This isn''t transformation. We don't need to change into anything--we need to spend our funds wisely, look out for the American people's interests, and run this country more sensibly.

[TheDude1369]

Hillary! Is that youest?

[JJRodham]

Yeah Obama is like the NEW HIRE who i s having lunch with management and then gets promoted to the position you were working for.

OBAMA 08!!
When your are good you are good, ITS a DNA thing

[Star123]

No--just another hard-working, mature American female with a brain.

[ursus84]

Everything you just mentioned would be a change from what we've had in the last nearly 8 years.

[richardsgirl]

Challenging us to be better Americans and to create a better America IS governing, something our government has been sorely lacking in for the last eight years!

[TrueBlueMajority]

Governor Patrick, I live in Massachusetts and am one of your strongest and most enthusiastic supporters (even tho I'm not with you on the casino thing). Thank you for supporting Obama! I hope that as a superdelegate you will vote for him at the Denver convention in spite of HRC winning our state.

[fitz8]

As a resident of Massachusetts I salute you as well Governor Patrick.

GO OBAMA

[H.L. Mencken]

It is debated by historians what was meant specifically by "Tip" O'Neil s famous opine " that all American politics begins in your own back yard"!

Being of Irish Catholic lineage and experiencing the zeitgeists of the American Irish all my life I can safely opine that he was referring to feelings;feelings for family;nei­ghbors,chu­rch,school­s,imbrigol­ias, ,politics,race!

Feelings permuate logical thinking !Indeed feelings cause a disruption in normal tribal thinking and tribal ratiocintations!

For instance we do not decide upon a candidate standing for office as we do totaling a grocery list but rather rely upon other tools of perception; such as natural intutiton endowed to our Homo sapiens species six million years ago through a brain alteration that transformed our genotype into creatures that think concicously and acquire an identity ego and self worth!
This increased penchant for coalesce and collaboration was the catalyst for tribes and than ultimate civilization!

American elections are anlagen in tribal law whose ratiocinations of choice are mostly predicated upon human tribal member feelings; not logic or math!
Before the advent of Barrack Obama entering the picture political T.V. duologue overwhelmingly favored Hillary as a choice of a phantry and a moiety of white T.V. commentators! Hillary was america clear choice!

Are these folks so naive as to believe that Hillary's campaign has lost its historic female thrust? Remember Bill said we will be with ,until the last dog dies!

A few old dogs are ready for the kennel such as Ted Kennedy and Bill Richardson but Bill Clinton continues to out remark and outwit the big dogs! If you remember that how he won in "92" with less that 50% of the popular vote!
The American proletariat [America's neophilia middle class]with its entourage of intelligent white and black working women will surpass the neophilla youthful inexperienced neophytes!
Pennsylvania Indiana Oregon and North Carolina! Lets reexamine the American political zeitgeists then!

[TheDude1369]

Your thought patterns are unintelligible ramblings. Sorry.

[Gonefishing]

The flap over Wright is one of those distractions pointed to at the end of obamas speech. Like Edwards pointed out during the debates....what's the point of replacing a corporate republican with a corporate democrat?

That's the real election question and the MSM will continue to divert public attention from that with so called 'controversies'.

Real change has one last hope and that resides with Obama. Hillary and Bills affection for McCain and George HW Bush show where she stands along with their connections to Wal Mart and other anti labor orgs.

[WillBFair]

You obviously haven't asked why corporate media, except for this short diversion, has supported Obama from the start. So let me 'splain it. The war and oil industries know they can't have another puppet in the presidency, because most Americans know the war was a mistake. And a naive poser will be the next best thing, which is why they support Obama.
You also haven't noticed that the third of Obama's policies that might actually work were adopted from the Clintons. Another third are far left cliches with a snowball's chance, useful to inspire the ignorant young. The last third are rhetorical flourishes sweet enough to bring tears but empty of substance.

[ProudNeoCon]

I am very impressed with Obama. Too bad I compleatly disagree with him on most of the political points. Otherwise I may have voted for him...

[truesoccermom]

Read "The Audacity of Hope" and you might change your mind. The beauty of Obama is that he recognizes that there are two legitimate sides to every argument that have to be considered. I think Obama would govern with a new kind of bipartisanship that would allow us to finally solve some problems. Dig deeper and you might be surpised.

[JJRodham]

the problem with reading the book now is "you already saw the movie" He has proven to be just a LIAR and a sneak with a huge ego. so i am sure the book is kind of meaninless now.

[truesoccermom]

Even if you do not vote for Obama, I applaud you for voting on the issues and not the distractions.

[TheDude1369]

WASP. Political Points? Speak the truth....

[ProudNeoCon]

Once thing I am not is WASP... I am a first generation immigrant to this great country...

[couch2000]

yes, i was voting for him to untill the pastor thing, thats scary that he is close to this guy and just and could win the white house

[julescator]

Yet you have no problem with the scary guy that will be going back into the White House. You comment is not based in logic. You weren't an Obama supporter to begin with if you let the media diced and sliced soundbites make you flinch. You obviously don't do much homework but let the Clintons expoit you on race and you fall for it again - hook line and sinker. then you deserve the same old government we have had for 16 years. Good luck with that. Many of us make ouf decisions based on logic and our homework. You tailor made for Clinton. she will tell you what to do and when to do it. You even believe her lies about bosnia and her foreign experiece which has proven to be a blatant lie. So you would rather had a liar than an honest person who includes "all" in his circle of friends. Oh btw - you should check out Rev Jennings - he is a despicable preacher from Harlem. He makes Rev Wright look like a choir boy. He is vulgar and vile, but Hillary earmarked $300,000 for him so he could trash Obama and boy has he. Just google Rev. Manning and see for yourself. Now ask youself why Hillary is the only one of the 3 that refused to show her earmark list.

[NewJerseyDemocrat]

I found Pastor Wright's comment's distasteful and his embrace of Louis Farrakhan abhorrent. That said, trying to belittle the anger of black Americans is not only misguided, it is wrong. The worst evil the world has faced was the Nazis in World War II. Black soldiers fought and gave their lives but were not allowed to stay in the same barracks with white soldiers and were treated like third-class citizens at best. Yet, when they died, their blood was no different from their white counterparts'. They returned home to water fountains they were not allowed to drink from, restaurants they were not allowed to eat in, and had to sit in the back of the bus.

The Tuskegee episode had the American government using blacks as experimental guinea pigs. While I, too, find accusations of the government manufacturing the HIV virus to murder blacks outrageous, any black American that was taught about the Tuskegee disgrace has reason to doubt their government. Voter suppression of blacks was rampant and even as recently as the 2000 election for President there were allegations of attempts to turn away black voters. The entire world saw black bodies floating down the flooded streets of New Orleans as the federal government stood by and did nothing while the Black neighborhoods of New Orleans were destroyed. Today, in 2008, black men are still stopped at random by policemen for the sole reason they are black. A black man trying to catch a taxi in most major cities in America has a less than 50 percent chance the taxi will stop for him.

Yes, I abhor what Reverend Wright says. I am white and I am Jewish, but I still can understand his anger and the anger and doubts of most black Americans. We can criticize him all we want for hating us, but history shows his animosity is most definitely not make believe. There were wrongs that were righted and wrongs and injustice that still must be righted, but we do our country a great disservice by dismissing everything the man said as ranting and raving. We cannot move forward if we cannot understand our past, and we must embrace one another as equals and treat one another as we would like others to treat us.

[thekids]

I happen to have the pleasure to be a first time voter in this election. It's exciting, thinking that my opinion has a sliver of importance, and no matter how much relevance or irrelevance is burrowed inside the fate of my vote, it seems likely it'll still hold some impact. Even if the impact is merely a distant statistic, that statistic will have some slight historical documentation, a record of my existence on this Earth as a decider of my living identity.

I'm not doing to deny the romanticism of that mode of thought. I acknowledge it's faults. The vast arguments of dissuasion work, they're mostly clear and easily understandable. From my little knowledge of this world, I'm confident to proclaim as fact its extreme complication. From the complication seems to stem, from philosophical to translucent, governmental policies that could dissuade the absolute from anyone. What I'm saying is this: right now, at this point in my life, I'm choosing to believe that the world is good.

(I just wanted to let you all know where I'm coming from, sorry if it sounded a little pretentious)

Though I can't say I disagree with Gov. Patrick's words, there seems to be a tinge of hypocrisy in its publishing. A minute yet bothersome hypocrisy in the perpetuation of Obama's views on "pundits' or pollsters' or political insiders" in a glorified light, not that it shouldn't be, but in the massiveness in which this website is doing so. Now, I just want to make it clear that I think the speech should be propelled to a global stage. But I think it should be primarily used as a method through conversation of its extreme social and political implications are evoked, creating a new and all inclusive discourse on the nature of race relations. To me, the connotations gathered from this websites overall tone make it clear that a large portion of the authors and commentors would agree with my opinion and, dare I say, hope for its fruition. So, here's my problem: the amount of praise being written about the speech is belittling to the speeches eloquent plead for a creation of constructive, from race to beyond, national discourse .

Again, my opinion has nothing do to with Deval Partrick's opinion. I'm just a first time voter and somewhat malleable individual trying to believe I can make the good in this world better.

[couch2000]

i agree

[kobe]

I urge everyone to take a close look at Gov. Deval Patrick's campaign and then take a look at the results. He campaigned on "Together We Can" and just like Obama, "Change we can believe in."
He is a briliant orator who made us all believe he could unite Massachusetts and move us forward.
Unfortunately, he has not delivered on his promise of change. Just 16 months into his tenure as governor, Cadillac Deval is already a lame duck politician.

We can not afford a mistake like this again on the national stage. Praise Obama for his words, but vote for Clinton for her actions!!!

[exxman]

Barack Obama is not Deval Patrick. The insinuation that there is a paralell between the two is a generalization broader than the Grand canyon.

[truthseeker111]

No Obama is not Deval Patrick.
Obama is basically a lower intensity version of a racist. He is uncovered and decides to come up with a speech pointing out that everyone has faults and we must now heel (to sort of have us all forget about what the real issue was with his actions).
In the speech, amazingly, the problem people, are everyone but him. He blames whites, and older african americans people for some reason (which I find offensive as I am friends with many older african americans and they are nothing like Wright). Everyone but him. His grand mother, the lower income communities ... they all go under the bus. But he had no choice essentially but to act as he did. His white grandmother and these older african americans are forcing him to be considerate!!! Then, a few days later, he lets out, in a moment of less control because he is tired, a statement betraying his own racism again: ... just ... typical white people ...
Why does a speech allow him to be racist himself? Is that how we want to heel? Let's all let it out and be racist???
I am not racist, and most of the people I know are not racist. Now , do we have to admit being racist to fit in to the Obama speech??? I do not really find any need to try and be a racist. Yes some people are still racists (and this includes Obama) and they should do some soul searching as to why they think the color of someone's skin matters for anything. I have no problems with compensating or understanding families that were affected by slavery or other injustices. But hate is not the path.

[4wehttam]

kobe, very astute of you. Clinton's ACTIONS are precisely the reason I am NOT voting for her. She is a manipulative, power-hungry individual that cares LESS about the voters than herself. Her consistent use of negative tactics and fear mongering is precisely why she will not get the vote of more than half of our democrat party. Obama's actions personally and politically is why I WILL be voting for HIM.

In moments of crisis he has proved himself to rise above it all with candor, sophistication, respect for US citizens and a brilliance I haven't seen in ANY politician.

[LarBear]

Gov. Deval Patrick (You said) "I watched a candidate I already knew was exceptional become a statesman today. In his speech on America's racial divide, Barack Obama was honest, direct, personal and strong without being strident."

Obama LIES! He started his EGO driven quest to get Elected President with a LIE RUSSERT: When we talked back in November of "04, after your election, I said, "There's been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your full six-year term as a United States senator from Illinois?"
Obama: "Absolutely."
OMG... Gov. Patrick...
Obama, LIES!

That so called "Honest" speech is a self serving "Red Herring"... The Obama's have played to Race and Color from the start... The Obama's have played the Race Card against the Clinton's several times... Prior to the Campaign, WE saw NO accusations the Clinton's were Racist... If you understand the meaning of a "red Herring" ( from the practice of drawing a red herring across a trail to confuse hunting dogs] : something that distracts attention from the real issue ) then in my observation Racism entered the Campaign as an Obama "black herring"...
Obama's judgement related to making Rev. Wright a "Spiritual Advisor" is in question... Obama's 20 year friendship with Rezko... Obama's distancing himself After the Fact, has brought question of his Campaign claim of his Judgement being superior...

The Idea that Obama, who uses Race and Color, to distract from questions of his "claimed superior judgement," plus the Obama Campaign has played to Race and Color to get him Elected, and accused others of making Racist remarks when none were made.... He even used his Maternal Grandmother as a "typical White" to distract US... Well, the Idea that he is going to "heal" Race Relations seem ludicrous to me... That would be like adding G W Bush to the Supreme Court because he is knowledgeable about the Constitution...

Obama ran a Campaign Ad claiming there is only "One America"... By his own "WHITE America and BLACK America" definitions again he LIES... His "speech" was pure and simple about getting him ELECTED President... He behaves like a user, not a Healer...

[bigforkgirl]

The way power is structured and wielded in the MA legislature gives incredible power to the leader of the House, in this case Sal DiMasi-an old school, Boston pol. He has not been willing to budge on casino gambling as a source of revenue in a state where there have been 40 (40!) tax cuts leaving our public structures starved for funding--roads, bridges, K-12schools, universities, public health, social services (i.e. investigating child abuse)--all the "for the common good" resources. This resulted in severe local aid cut,s which leads to less funding for local services, and a COST SHIFT to PROPERTY TAX. A decade of state tax cuts leaves a permanent gap in resources, given actual state tax revenue. Since 2001 higher education has been cut by 17.%. This is nuts in a state that needs the highest level of education of its residents to build our economy. Sal DiMasi is a part of the problem. Hopefully, he'll come to his senses and collaborate with Gov. Patrick on finding reasonable sources of revenue to reverse the disastrous effects of our failure to invest in public structures.

If this sounds familiar, it is, at the national level-thanks to the policies of the current administration.

[Beowoof]

OOPs, Methinks I had one too many! That's King jr. I've got to start proof reading.

[Hosekuervo]

We are going to lose the White House yet one more time this fall. John McCain, American hero and whack job (who wouldn't be after being a POW and torture victim for all those years?) will be our next president. Democrats will only have themselves to blame because they just don't f___ing get it. The sexists and racists in this country exist in big enough numbers to ensure that neither Hillary or Obama will ever be elected. That is - unfortunately - the reality of the situation. I am convinced of this after talking to many older people who are life long Democrats and have said that they will NEVER vote for one or the other and will sit out the election or actually vote for McCain.
I'd love it if there were no racism or sexism in this country, but to deny it's existence or to downplay it's impact is just burying your head in the sand. You would think that after the Ralph Nader voters put George W. Bush into the White House, Democrats would have learned to vote with their heads instead of their hearts. But unfortunately, they may never get another chance because God knows what the next republican president will do to this country.

[truesoccermom]

When you combine hispanics (with Richradson's help), blacks, young people in record numbers and the well-educated and consider the passion that these voters will have in this election. Obama can be elected.

[cbaker3122]

I live in California, and many hispanics I know can't stand Obama.