My Take

I've been trying not to write about The Speech, but since a billion trillion people have asked for my take, I decided to offer it up:

I read the speech transcript because I couldn't bear to watch pundits with as much courage as Obama has in one thumbnail rip it to shreds. I still have no idea how it's being spun, but if he spoke what I read, he showed up for the show down, and won. I mean the man gave a speech.

The good news is that he responded forcefully, compassionately, and with vision. The bad news is that Hillary really wants to win, and so does McCain. They are going to try to string Obama up in many different ways before this is over. I'm pretty sure the plan is to drag him through so much, to demoralize him so completely, that he basically keels over, eviscerated before our very eyes. It will be like an assassination, but he won't be dead.

They've hit him on race and religion, the only place they can go now is sex and family. They will attack his last refuge: Michelle. If he can stay in it (and keep transforming these hideous moments into opportunities for teaching) and not get beat down and depressed and distracted, and pull that team of his together to figure out how to stop this country from going into a major recession, it will all be good. If not? We're looking at Hillary, admittedly not an awful choice. But then there's the possibility of McCain.

I've decided to wait it out. I can't spin it, argue it, rehash it anymore, and certainly not for the next eight months. Obama has proven his mettle as far as I am concerned and if he makes it, I will say so on election day. The rest is just a daily attempt to steal any hope he, or the rest of us, have left.

Read more HuffPost coverage and reaction to Obama's speech

Comments

[Tata23]

I've read the transcript and I am impressed. I do not believe I have ever heard a candidate for president talk about race and racism in this country in the way Obama did. He even mentioned Native Americans. Granted, only once and in the context of children in schools, but it's a start. Perhaps Obama, if elected, will ultimately become our Gorbachev. Maybe he'll begin the tear down of a system that cannot and should not last? One can hope. He is a politician and that was evident in much of his tone. But, that is what you have to be to get elected. Only, his politician style is more real than the rest.

[tomcj]

I think Ms. Walker has great points. I am surprised, but should not be, that Hillary has supporters who feel so sorry for Hillary that they see the Primary through a screen of self-pity and outrage that anyone could dislike Hillary.

[happytrails]

If Clinton and Small Mac want so badly to win, the obvious thing is for Clinton to become Mac's VP. She has proved her Rep. credentials with her voting record and her sleazy campaign.

[ourwinter]

First post...

I continue to be amazed by his speech as it seemly stays on the NY Times most emailed list. My own impressions are, utterly and completely not the point. What I would like to say is simple: pundits and commentators report history, Barack Obama made history with his speech. So, perhaps your blog is fitting--it does not deserve to be commented upon or picked over, it as a Kennedy speech or Martin Luther King speech deserves to be read, and read again to understand ourselves and our nation.

[Ashall]

Today MSNBC is trying to push Hillary Clinton into the forefront by saying Barack Obama is unelectable in a general election - WHAT GARBAGE!!! How can these idiots get on TV and try to convince people that their own personal opinions count! No wonder people say they turn off their TV during elections as it's idiots who come out to spin and spin and spin. Patrick Buchanan is the worst of the worst! Apparently MSNBC doesn't realize how much we viewers are turned off by his racial radical comments! Bring Bob Shrum on more often - he's the one guy who can take an unbiased look at issues without sounding like something straight out of a republican playbook. We don't want all flowery reporting on Barack Obama - just make sure it's factual and just not a personal negative opinion! We know the republicans are scared of Barack Obama and well they should be. He's the ONLY democrat who is guaranteed a win in November!

[Thomei]

Barack Obama spoke to us as adults, but sounds like many needed to be spoken to as children. My son and I had a really good talk about race for the very first time. He's young and even though we were military during the first formative years of his life, he never witnessed how bad life can be for some people, even though we had all different ethnic groups as neighbors. I babysat children of all races, the cutest, sweetest, smartest children who were just as optimistic and outgoing as my own were.

I asked my son how he'd feel if he and a group of friends walked into a restaurant to eat and they took one look at him and refused to serve him; or if after a long day on the road he pulled into a motel and was refused service even tho' the place still had many vacant rooms; or if he could not use the same rest-room or drinking fountain or if he was yelled at just for being present. I also asked him how he would feel if he had a friend of another ethnic group with him who was refused service but HE was allowed to eat, stay in a motel, etc. Ignorance and bias are hurtful but have been a part of our shameful history much toooo long.

In this race, Barack Obama has exhibited to qualities I personally want in my President. He is uniquely qualified to be able to relate to all races and the way he treats his beautiful wife lets us know he cares about women too. I don't want Hillary to represent me as the face of America...someone who can look you in the face and lie with ease. Because of her race she won't have her "whopper" all over the news. She won't have her to answer to her one-time pastor's conviction for sexual abuse on a 7-year-old girl - but had that been Obama, we'd hear it non-stop. We'll never hear any of the pundits discuss her 1975 part in crushing a child who had been raped; by her crushing all the life out of the girl just to WIN. We won't hear about all the embarrassing parts of the Clinton administration - the Moncia Lewinsky scandal, impeachment, the endless Ken Starr investigations. We allow Bill Clinton to say just Hillary and John McCain are patriotic - why not Barack? Is it his ethnicity? Is this what the Clintons are going after now? Are we going to allow Bill to crush all ethnicities just to win?

But now, there are millions of us from all ethnicities who see for the first time a golden opportunity to unify our country, get through the racial divide, have an honest-to-goodness optimistic president that we can respect and trust, and the chance to work together to solve the horrendous problems we face.

One last thing - listen to Rev. Wright's entire speeches before you judge him on those 30 second clips! This is the first time in our history that we're holding a candidate responsible for the words of a pastor. Ask yourself...if Barack were white, would this be an issue?

[mamak]

Your article captured most of what I had in mind regarding his speech. Thanks.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Politico-asphyxiation by media proxy: A low-born, slow-motion, high-tech lynching.

Power corrupts. Absolute power (and the quest for it) corrupts absolutely.

[Yosser]

I have to kind of agree with Thorn. Not being amongst the billion trillion people who requested your opinion, in fact, never having heard of you before, I am wondering whether I have understood the thrust of your post.

If it is the line about Obama having 'proved his mettle', and if this means you are firmly in the Obama camp, then I would have hoped for a something other than 'I close my eyes until November' response.

I hope I misunderstood this and that you will be out there helping to counter the entrails of the kitchen sink that the Clinton Machine, McCain and the Rep. 'Hounddogs' will continue to throw at the man.

Surely, with all those people hanging on your words, you can do more than wait, watch and hope that the poor man won't fold under the strain.

[AlejandroK]

The reason why there are so many different opinions on Obama"s speech is because he sided with his personal history, his relationship with Pastor Wright, ignoring the broader meaning of: 9/11, AIDS, War, Ignorance, Israel. Obama"s inability to see the bigger picture in Wright"s damnation and rhetoric is fatale because the people who got evaporated into dust in 9/11 weren"t Black or White, or Hispanic. They were humans, Americans, his voters. Obama"s lack of vision on this fundamental point cannot be reconciled. Race is important but not more important if you are facing a window on some tall, giant building and see a giant 747 coming on to you, if you got sarcoma caposi. . He should have sided with all of us. No matter how Obama wishes to spin this"he can not. Furthermore, he allowed his daughters to witness Wright's demagogue thus perpetuating the cycle, diminishing the very post-racial America he is trying to achieve.

[JasonEverettMiller]

What the hell? I just don't get comments like this. Barack can't possibly hope to cover ever single thing Reverend Wright preached about in that one sermon. Nor was that his intent to cover all the various and sundry black eyes the United States has given itself since th end of World War II. He has never ignored the larger consequences of American Hegemony and has been quite clear in his criticism of current and past US policies.

Also, you are totally pushing a story that has been debunked over and over. There was NO demagoguery at Trinity. There wasn't even anything hateful in that particular sermon if you bother listening to whole thing instead of the snippet you see on the "news" media. In case you missed it, here is a link to the story that debunks the spin: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonnee-hamilton/placing-reverend-wrights_b_92738.html.

There is a fundamental flaw in your argument. The American people just aren't at the same place that many progressives are with regards to smacking the US around with words. They aren't. Of course, they can forgive the reverend as they hear his words in context, but they certainly don't want a presidential candidate telling them how fucked up this country is and has been.

Angry guy of any color doesn't get elected in this country. Just ask John Edwards.

Look at Barack's record and the legislation he has championed. It is all designed to fundamentally change the way Washington works. His entire premise of government is the antithesis of the environment that allows all the depredations you listed to take place.

We cannot have secret, black ops in a transparent government. Military contractors can't hide cost overruns behind mountains of FOIA requests. Congressmen and women are finally held accountable for their votes and earmarks and fund-raising as we are able to connect the dots due to legislation that Barack helped pass.

We need to actually get a progressive in the White House before we can address and change anything.

[Ashall]

Thank you for a great post!

[AlejandroK]

The reason why there are so many different opinions on Obama"s speech is because he sided with his personal history, his relationship with Pastor Wright, ignoring the broader meaning of: 9/11, AIDS, War, Ignorance. Obama"s inability to see the bigger picture in Wright"s damnation and rhetoric is fatale because the people who got evaporated into dust in 9/11 weren"t Black or White, or Hispanic. They were humans, Americans, his voters. Obama"s lack of vision on this fundamental point cannot be reconciled. Race is important but not more important if you are facing a window on some tall, giant building and see a giant 747 coming on to you, if you got sarcoma caposi. . He should have sided with all of us. No matter how Obama wishes to spin this"he can not. Furthermore, he allowed his daughters to witness Wright's demagogue thus perpetuating the cycle, diminishing the very post-racial America he is trying to achieve.

[ResidentChimp]

Why don't you just explain what it was he said? The biggest knock against Obama is that he just reads whatevers on the teleprompter. He's pratically unintelligible one on one.

[RButler]

How, uh, dare you, uh, say, uh, he's unintelligable, uh, one, uh, on one.

That speech. It sounds like he had an intern write it. Did you not know that we have a history of slavery, Jim Crow, segregation and civil rights violations? Did you not know that blacks have a long list of grievances? Did you not know that whites have a list of resentments regarding affirmative action? Did you not already know these things?

Plus, he couldn't resist taking a little swipe at Geraldine Ferraro as part of an 'open discussion' or throwing his grandma into the mix with Rev. Wright.

Did you not know that that United States isn't perfect? Did you not know that? Did you not realize that the United States is a work in progress? That we're not done yet?

Please. Someone tell me something from that 'greatest speech in the history of the world, excuse me, universe' that you didn't already know or have seen or heard or read before. The excessive superlatives regarding everything Obama says is becoming like all those awards shows where every performer is the 'ne plus ultra bestest' on the planet. What if you went to Sears and everything was labelled 'Best' instead of 'Good, Better, Best'? Obama supporters can't distinguish between Burger King and the Four Seasons as everything is 'fabulous'. After a while, your assessments on everything are useless.

[JoeJoeJoe73]

"Obama supporters can't distinguish between Burger King and the Four Seasons as everything is 'fabulous'. After a while, your assessments on everything are useless."

..what a botched abortion of a response you gave. I find it amusing that millions of people who Obama is intellectually superior than feel comfortable enough to say that he is unintelligible - its akin to cyber thuggery, no one can call you on your BS when you are behind a computer screen. Psst, we don't believe you.

[DHeil]

RButler: Wow, when I read your note, you sound really angry. Looks as though a blood vessel is going to pop. Ease up a bit.

The central premise of your stroke is that a "great speech" has to contain new information, a new scientific discovery or other. Most great leaders are NOT the originators of any idea, but have a way of rallying others around an idea and then seeing the idea through its successful execution. The greatness of Obama's speech, as I and others see it, is two fold:

1. He is the only politician I can think of, in the past 50 years, to publicly tackle the issue of race and discrimination head on. Can you name another?

2. When confronted with an opportunity to take the easy way in defense of Rev Wright allegations, by throwing Rev Wright under th bus, he chose instead "nuance", to see both the positive and negative in the situation, and then call ALL of us toward common purpose.

If you do not see the wisdom and greater character of a politician who defies
the pundits and advisors in helping America rise above partisan politics and past practices of politicking to the lowest common denominator in this nation, then nothing anyone can say will help inform you.

[urfree2speak]

Hmm...well , well, Fox cable plays the RACE CARD again......*yawn* Look, I saw the sermon and the commentary done by Rev. Wright. It was nicely done and said.....period. His comments regarding the comments of a U.S. ambassador , that said the "CHCIKENS HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST" on none other than........ FOX NEWS! Here we have all of the GOOD CHRISTIAN republicans , and upstanding disc jockeys........saying *gasp* the country is offended! Oh my! Fox News have been demanding apologys from every Democract they can get to listen.....I mean come On..(LOL) every year ...after year...the Democractic Party Implodes.......why? Fox News...*yawn* Well ....the good old stalwarts of the Democractic Party (Blacks) .......are feeling kind of how do you say.........INSULTED! Carl Rove went over to Fox News and had a brain fart...said BOO... and the Democractic Party .......well...we just STAMPEED....TO THE TIME OUT CORNER! Screaming yes.....master like Refro....its horrible to watch this mess........Role Call: spit Hume....Pawn Williams.....sour Kraut Hammer Sean "pretty boy? Hannity Rush "give me a hit" Limbaugh.....! Hume ...hunched over eyes up in his head....."Obama has a real problem" Sean Sannity "neo Nazi connections that goes back almost to Hitler" No the problem ..is that we are programmed to ....FEAR!

[BlueOnBlue]

You're so lucky you're not aware of how it's being spun.. To watch a hypocrit like Pat Buchanan deride Obama because he didn't rip his own pastor to shreds enough was sickening. To hear what passed for "commentary" on Fox was to be saddened for the state of both politics and education in our country.

There were a few sensible comments from both right and left, but they were drowned in the bathos of the most of the pundit class. If you want to read just one thing, I'd recommend the column by normally-right-wing Michael Smerconish in Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer...

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/20080323_Head_Strong__Obama_sees_route_to_righteousness.html

[JohnnySorrow]

Don't even get me started on Pat Buchanan. What a hypocrite. Isn;t he the same guy that was once deemed sympathetic to the Nazis?

If everyone distanced and denounced people who have made racially/culturally hateful comments, this guy would never get a job.

He can't understand that some folks may love the country, but not love its politics, actions and/or leaders.

[Themo]

He gave a great speech but he didn't answer the question of the moment: Why did he sit for 20 years in the same church that spoke so harshly of his own country? He chose to sit there and absorb the incendiary sermons without exercising his judgement that such sermons are inciteful and most certainly harmful to vulnerable attendees. He could have exercised leadership and confronted Reverend Wright seeking a more calm intelligent dialog. His wife was exposed to the same sermons and that is where she may have developed missgivings about her country such that she became embarassed of America. After some successes were enjoyed by the Obama campaign she felt "proud to be an American for the first time". Imagine how young impressionable aged attendees feel. His speech gave one message but his actions have not.

[JasonEverettMiller]

Perhaps you would take the time to listen to the entire sermon instead of buying the spin: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonnee-hamilton/placing-reverend-wrights_b_92738.html.

There was nothing to repudiate. Reverend Wright has a long history of serving both his country and his community. I am embarrassed about America. Any American with a heartbeat and an ounce of empathy should be embarrassed about this country. No. They should be ashamed of this country and the actions it has taken in our name - from killing the Native Americans and stealing their land to killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and stealing their oil.

If someone doesn't have the common decency to be ashamed of our country killing millions of people in order to "save" them, then they have nothing worthwhile to add to the discussion.

[peascott]

Your aliment appears to be reading comprehension.
Spoke harshly about his country?

We"ve come a long way since 1776. In many ways, America still represents some of the best hopes of this dream of human liberty. But we are not perfect. We have not yet arrived at our destination. And this country is still largely controlled by rich, white men. You can say, if you wish, that Jeremiah Wright is too loud and too angry, but you cannot say that he is wrong.

[SeriousBlack]

Oh stop with the tired old argument that only you and a small minority of people buy into.

[Bluesue]

You are assuming that every Sunday was the same.

Was Rev. Wright fiery. Yes. And I believe that contributed to the negative reaction. And if you would think rationally and do some research, you would see that Rev Wright was not incorrect in what he said. There was an historical basis for everything he said even what people think was crazy talk about AIDS. Have you ever heard of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. It began in 1932 and continued for 40 years. Penecillin was discovered as a cure in 1945. It was never offered to the surviving participants - they were left to the ravages of the disease. With that history I, too, would be suspicious of the government.

Evangelical preachers seem to get away with preaching against the country. against gays, against other religions and people sit in those pews Sunday after Sunday. What is their historical basis? They always seem to be calling down the wrath of god upon the country for various reasons. Is that so different form saying "God Damn America."

[PioneerKing]

Sorry, Sen. Obama did not win over any of the bigots and racists. Not a single republican on talk radio or Fox News or republican pundits on any of the other cable stations felt the speech changed anything.
Sorry, Rebecca, America is not ready for Hope and Change if that person is a black man.

[ResidentChimp]

When hope and change means pandering to special interests, you're right America isn't ready. It doesn't matter the color of his skin. In fact if it weren't for Wright, skin color would have never come up.

[SeriousBlack]

Yes, and NONE of those groups you cited would have voted for Obama even if the Wright thing had never happened. Kind of logically destroys your assertion don't you think?

I would bet that 90% of the people that WERE going to vote for Obama will STILL vote for him. Your camp likes to claim that the Republicans will continue to skewer him on the Wright issue. That is a simplistic mentality because IF they do, they will only succeed in making themselves look like racist jackasses, and it will be completely apparent to the 51% (at least) of the American public that is smart enough to see through the Wright B.S. He has already, WITHIN A WEEK, pulled back ahead of Clinton in the latest Gallup poll. You really think that would have happened if the Wright issue were as big a deal as you seem to think it is?

[LeeScho]

Ms. Walker, how trite and shallow and self-serving it would be of me to appreciate your posts merely and mostly because I agree with you. I suspect a time wil come when I will be diametrically and even passionately opposed toa position that you take. But I look forward to your intelligence on the matter, to your clarity and to the civility of your tone.

Uh, my proposal of marriage will be submitted under sepate cover.

[kikiva]

Don't worry Ms. Walker. Obama is a politician like any other, with plenty of corporate contacts and deals (Rezko etc). He knows how to play the game otherwise he wouldn't be where he is. Where do you think he's been all these years, in a monastery? No, in the very dirty world of Chicago and Illinois politics.

I mean "I'm pretty sure the plan is to drag him through so much, to demoralize him so completely, that he basically keels over, eviscerated before our very eyes. It will be like an assassination, but he won't be dead." It's a bit much. Calm down.

[OverIt]

I have some names for you to research, Paul, Hsu, Rich --- Denise and Marc, FALN. Since you now have some homework, I'll list a few more later.

[thedave25]

who is "etc." that you mention after rezko?

[Fado]

The only reason Hillary is still in this race is because voters keep voting for her. The "Beltway", the "Mainstream Media" , "Liberal Elites" and the DNC are all trying to get her to quit, but it's a stupid idea. Would you tell a football team to just skip the 4th quarter if they were behind? Imagine those guys in the ESPN booth telling a team to just go home because winning would be so unlikely.

[SeriousBlack]

Faulty analogy. Sports contests are SUPPOSED to be played to conclusion. Political campaigns are not. When one side has almost no chance of winning and is hurting their political party by continuing - THAT'S a different ball game. Pun intended.

[RButler]

The superdelegates will have to decide 'this' game and they don't have to vote for Obama if they don't want to. It's the rules. How dya like them apples?

[JasonEverettMiller]

The super delegates will go en mass for Obama. Don't you worry. They are politicians, first and foremost, and look out for their own interests above all else. Thankfully their best interests and our best interests happen to coincide this year - President Barack Obama!