Obama to Accept Nomination on 45th Anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" Speech

This is a defining moment in history as Senator Barack Obama is poised to become the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Senator Obama's nomination confirms Dr. King's observation that 'the moral arc of the universe' is long, but bends toward freedom and justice for all.

Senator Obama personifies a uniquely American story -- born to a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya. He affirms the motto included in the Great Seal of the United States: E Pluribus Unum -- Out of Many, One. He also reflects the American Dream -- 'a skinny kid with a funny name' who came to Chicago's South Side with 'no money and no connections' can run to become the President of the United States of America.

His campaign is just as uniquely American, made possible by the great democratic movements of the 20th Century. The civil rights movement, labor movement, women's movement, peace movement, and the environmental movement have opened society and expanded rights, allowing more Americans to participate in and perfect our democracy.

Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for President on August 28th -- the 45th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have A Dream' Speech. In many ways, Senator Obama's nomination as president is a fulfillment of a dream -- a dream long deferred -- envisioning a country where people would 'not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.'

Clearly, Senator Obama has demonstrated his character, conviction and capacity to lead our nation to a more perfect Union. And, the American people have rallied and responded.

Comments

[Boadicea]

Thank you, Reverend Jackson, for a wonderful reminder about how far we have come, and how strong and good America is.

[jericho4119]

Umm . . . this post was from Representative Jackson from Chicago - Rev. Jackson's son.

[sojourner42]

I'm a 65-year-old white guy who answered the JFK, RFK, MLK call to serve by doing community development in the squatter settlements of Lima, Peru. The experience changed my life forever.

When Barack announced, I felt the same call to my spirit after 40 years in the desert. I thrilled that hope was still alive. I participated in politics for the first time, giving money, contacting voters and advancing as an Obama delegate.

Last summer I wrote my daughter suggesting "this is a movement". It feels like a tsunami of good energy building.. I saw early the parallels with '68 and the torch of hope being passed to Barack.

I was excited to see that he might make his acceptance speech on the 45th anniversary of MLK's speech and that he could preside over the 50TH ANNIVERSAY in his second term.

Barack should use that date in 2013 as a target for "Achieving Our Dream". Using his grass roots organization, he should lead the creation of a grand vision, goals, strategy and action that inspires and mobilizes every part of our society. The end result would be a glorious celebration of oneness, peace, equality, justice, environmental stewardship, love and compassion.

This is a critical choice between darkness and light. I urge all "elders" to rekindle the flame and do everything possible to help Barack become president. Also, pray for the protection of Barack and his family.

WE WILL MAKE IT. KEEP HOPE ALIVE!

Roger Sattler, Port Orchard, WA

[Spesabsquemetu]

What a wonderful post!

Hope is on the Horizon, Roger! Let every American rekindle the flame of liberty, equality, justice, environmental stewardship, and a reverence for peace and compassion in this nation.
Let hope take root in our hearts, and guide our footsteps to a rekindling of liberty and justice.

My Barackometer says: HOPE IS ON THE HORIZON!
Keep the hope alive, Roger!

[Jazzylady26]

You know, Dr. King must be turning over in his grave at this article. How could you get behind a man so totally incompetent, so lacking in any of the skills necessary to run this country, so intellectually lazy that it even hurts my brains? This is a man who hasn't been anywhere for five minutes, just enough to ruin the careers of others in Chicago, playing Chicago politics, and stealing the works of others, and you are promoting him. But this man is a liar and a few other things that I cannot vote for. It has nothing to do with the color of his skin, and everything to do with what I have bothered to read about this man, which too many others of you have not. Just because he is black like me doesn't mean he owns my vote. I want him to have a record of excellent to stellar performance during his years in office and obama doesn't have that. In all that speechafying he does he never tells people just what is plans are if he wins the presidency. Hope? Nope. Work is what's needed. Change? Nope. Change will hopefully come when the republicans are kicked out of office. Audacity? You should have enough of that to quit the race before all the stuff about you and michelle are revealed. Again, if this man attains the presidency he will be mediocre at best, impeached at worst, and bush like eve more worse.

[Boadicea]

God bless you and keep you.

[lisakaz2]

Exxon or Haliburton?

[jericho4119]

Just goes to show you that a black man can graduate from both Columbia and Harvard, can rise from a community organizer to a US Senator and other black folks will still fault him for not having done a thing.

Crab, barrel . . .

[OMauriceS]

This is also the fullfillment of another dream...a prediction made by Bobby Kennedy in June, 1968 when he mentioned that 40 years from that date, a black American could be the President of the united States. Are the predictions of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy and the rise of Barack Obama a mere coincidency or destiny?

[lisakaz2]

Thank you for reminding us -- and probably compelling Arianna to mention it on TV, too. We the People need to take back da House (i.e., the whole country).

[ApolloSpeaks]

BARAK OBAMA ON GENOCIDE IN IRAQ

On CNN last week, Obama, the self-proclaimed mastermind on foreign policy, said to Candy Crawly that when leaving Iraq he will prevent the country from desending into the horror of genocidal war by replacing US troops with UN forces. So the New Politics Express will use the folks who stopped genocide in Rwanda and Darfur and disamed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hey people snap out of it: the politics of hope and change is hopelessly mired in folly.

[klmebane]

and what exactly are us troops (endlessly revolving their tours, going 3, 4, 5 times or more to combat zones) doing to end the violence there?? here's a hint: killing people and blowing shit up will not make our "enemies" stop killing people and blowing shit up. i say this as a marine corps vet with friends in iraq and afghanistan.

[lisakaz2]

Where's the folly? You work for Halliburton or Exxon?

[BlueOnBlue]

Remember Bosnia? Clinton involved the UN and there wasn't single American death. It's possible for the U.S. to avoid creating havoc everywhere it goes.

[MariaHopeful]

Apollo mispeaks again. It is not the American army's duty to be involved in peace keeping. That is the function of the UN. Your way of doing things has failed miserably. Let's give hope, and peace and good sense and diplomacy a chance for a change.

[fpal]

Mr. Jackson,

Will it be another 45 years before you "...will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

[BlueOnBlue]

In 1961, the year Obama was born, I joined my first civil rights demonstration to protest the exclusion of an African student from all-white off-campus housing.. That wasn't but could easily have been Obama's father..

The next year, I demonstrated against the Dean of Women when she sent a formal notification to a white girl's parents telling them she was dating an African American. That girl wasn't, but could have been Obama's mother.

My life then took me to Alabama the next year, where I was present for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birmingham campaign.

I'm pretty sure that on August 28th I'll be shedding some stored up tears, recalling how far we have come and what has been achieved. There is so much more left to do, but this will be pure joy.

[4Hope]

Thank you, BlueOnBlue.
Please, let's not let the negative contrarions keep us from purely enjoying this time.
Senator Obama's journey is very personal to many of us in many ways.
He never stops reminding us of our contributions to his achievement. He is the emodiment of all our years of work & prayers.
His nomination means that healing is inevitable, let us begin.....

[ceti]

I'm not sure why Obama then skipped the 40th anniversary commemoration of MLK's assassination. And also his recalling the "I Have a Dream" speech is overshadowed by the times, where the "Time to Break Silence" on Vietnam speech is much more cogent. However, given his hard right turn in the last few days on the foreign policy front, he is moving further and further away from the real MLK that America refuses to head perhaps until it's too late.

America will truly overcome when King's other words are remembered:

"Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours."

[jericho4119]

Obama did not journey to Memphis with HRC and JSM for two reasons:

1. HRC already had attempted to place Obama into the "black preacher" box, by erroneously comparing him to MLK and herself - by inference - to LBJ.

2. He took the larger view by being in Indianapolis that night - which is where RFK was. It was RFK giving a speech (you know, just words) to the people of Indianapolis that night on the night MLK was assassinated that stemmed the tides of anger in that city, so while Indianapolis was quiet that night, almost every other major American city burned.

Summer of Love, indeed.

As Obama is the only political candidate left in the race - is Ron Paul still running? - who was against the war in the first place, he better than anyone best recalls the words of Dr. King

[PKSSK]

After reviewing many of the comments, it appears that there are many republican trolls on this site falsely presenting themselves as Clinton supporters. Their intent is to feed the fire with angry vile to futher divide the party with the hope of picking up some additional votes. People don't take the bait. Move on from comments you don't agree with.

[pbarba1969]

I'm a Democrt who wil vote for Senator Obama in the fall, but I'm glad Hillary didn't fold her tent quite yet. She has earned the right to be on the ticket in the VP spot considering she had more overall votes than he did.

If she isn't on the ticket, it will be seen as a slap in the face to the ever so slightly over 50% of the Democratic voters who cast their vote for Senator Clinton..

Obama/Clinton 08.

Sounds like a winning ticket to me...

[Overd0g]

Clinton will sink Obama. I guarantee he doesn't want Billary as his partner. Whether he will be forced to is another matter. People may support or not support Obama, but vast numbers of people will do ANYTHING to keep the Clintons out of the White House. Obama vs McCain will be a close contest, Obama/Clinton vs McCain will be a holy war (to Obamas detriment).

[klmebane]

obama would also be (in the instance of hillary on the ticket as VP) the beating heart between hillary and the presidency.

[typicalwhitegrandma4BO]

Pbara1969

I hate to tell you this but, she did not win the popular vote. She has been incorrectly stating this for a reason to stay in the race. Here is the pop vote count. I suggest you take a look and realize you are being played for a fool. Barack Obama has won more votes, more states and more delegates and he has the right to choose who he sees fit. Pushing and pressuring for her to be on the ticket will only backfire and keep the democrats divided. I supported the Clintons for many many years and only 3 months I ago I switched my support to Barack. I did so for good reasons and many are the reason she can not be VP.

[typicalwhitegrandma4BO]

pop vote totals http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html

[braggio28]

she didnt get more vote than him first of all. second you dont nominate on votes because of caucuses. if you could count caucus votes Barack would be so far a head this popular vote thing wouldnt even be an issue, Do you want to know why caucus states had record shattering turn out? two words; Barack Obama.

[brighterside]

Hillary would have earned back respect and honor if only she would concede. Sometimes conceding a long and grueling race to a better person shows good teamwork and the ability to know your limits. Good qualities of a leader which I believe Hillary doesn't have.

[sclucie]

Thanks for the reminder and for the reminder of one of the most beautiful passages in American history.

[lucidthoughts]

Mr. Jackson,

You call this justice? I am quite sure you remenber this camapign. If not take a trip down memory lane with me please! I say JUSTICE FOR ALICE PALMER another victim of the machine!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/29/obamas.first.campaign/#cnnSTCVideo

[PKSSK]

Hmmmmm, so tell us, is ALICE PALMER going to vote for McCain. Maybe Alice Palmer should step up for the benefit of the party and country and tell the truth of the circumstances surrounding her dropping out to run for another position and introducing Obama as her replacement. Then down the road when things did not look favorable for her she wanted her old position back. Sounds very similar to our current democratic primary situation....

[CatfishJohn]

...this ardent edwards sup[porter who is left of Obama gave pause today....the simple realization that a liberal Black man with an excellent chance of winning will be our standard bearer caused me to be overcome today.... working for your father's successful Michigan primary campaign in 1984, i still didn't dare allow myself to imagine this happening in my lifetime ... Dr. King smiles down on all this tonight...

[Byzantium]

Rep Jackson - Have you intimidated a super-delegate today?

"He said Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois had recently asked him 'if it comes down to the last day and you're the only superdelegate? ... Do you want to go down in history as the one to prevent a black from winning the White House?

'I told him I'd think about it,' Cleaver concluded.

Jackson, an Obama supporter, confirmed the conversation, and said the dilemma may pose a career risk for some black politicians. 'Many of these guys have offered their support to Mrs. Clinton, but Obama has won their districts. So you wake up without the carpet under your feet. You might find some young primary challenger placing you in a difficult position' in the future, he added."
See http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1713596,00.html

[Msmalyssac]

WOW!

I GUESS SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT CAPABLE OF BEING HAPPY!!!

SAD!

I WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS!