Word: rev
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...that is the breathtakingly unconventional speech Obama gave today. Rather than disown his former pastor and spiritual adviser, the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., as well as denounce Wright's controversial sermons, Obama declared that he could denounce but not disown. "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community," he said. He castigated Wright, but did not cast him off. Obama refused to add his voice to the chorus vilifying Wright. Acknowledging how disingenuous that would have been, and how craven, Obama instead pulled Wright back and re-owned him, saying, "As imperfect...
Instead, he challenged Americans to learn something about their country, to seek to understand those whose emotions seem threatening, wrong-headed, even un-American. He asked whites to understand that the anger behind Rev. Wright's comments, while paralyzing, was also valid, the result of decades and centuries of real discrimination and oppression suffered by African Americans. And he asked blacks to understand that whites who resent affirmative action and whose fears of crime lead them to stereotype blacks should not be dismissed as racists, because their concerns and fears are real and valid...
...Obama's speech was brave. He is trying to take an actual position, rather than just distance himself from the Rev. Wright, who is clearly a political liability. But I think he is being naive. There are just too many easy attack ads, piling up in the Republican library. (Michelle Obama: "For the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of my country." Rev. Wright: "God DAMN America.") Maybe it's a shame that you have to try to exhibit a treacly, shallow patriotism to be President. But John Kerry got hammered just for protesting the Vietnam...
...While it may convince some, there will inevitably be people out there who will not be able to disentangle Obama's words from Rev. Wright's. The Internet is a powerful thing, and between Rev. Wright's words, the endorsement of Louis Farrakhan, and the picture of Obama in "Muslim-looking" apparel, there will be people all over the country, not just in Pennsylvania, that will see and hear those few things and run with them. No damage control can change those people's minds...
...What Obama was able to do today was set the record straight as best as he could. He confronted the racial rumblings in the campaign that finally erupted with Rev. Wright's comments. I think it definitely works to his advantage to tackle the topic of race head on as opposed to pretending it does not make a difference in the campaign. The fact is that he is Black, and this puts him in another category than the rest of the other candidates. Running from that fact can only make him look like he is running away from his roots...