Politico: GOP sees Rev. Wright as pathway to victory

[Buford T. Justice]

If the Republicans have to use Reverend Wright or Michelle Obama to defeat Barak, I will be highly disappointed in the party.

[GibbsFactor]

I don't know ... for all of Hillary's supposed political prowess, she still can't win enough delegates to take the nomination ... if she wanted to drop an Obama bombshell, she's about two months too late.

Reverend Wright's statements have been out there, they are pretty inflammatory, and the media just converged on it as part of a process of looking more closely at Obama. If Hillary had been in control, she would have used it earlier; the Republicans would have used it later.

I guess what I wonder is that although the words are inflammatory, should this kind of rhetoric from Reverend Wright shouldn't really be that surprising?

If we went to church with Elijah Cummings, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Bobby Scott, Charlie Rangel, John Lewis, John Conyers, James Clyburn, or other black Congressmen, would we hear the same things?

...somehow I suspect that the answer is yes - that the evangelical flourish of a black preacher in a black church will inevitably drift towards comments like those expressed by Reverend Wright. I think we all knew that at least some black people believed those things, and we have seen it on the national stage from Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, both reverends themselves ...

...it's not that we haven't heard these words before, but maybe we all wanted to forget that Obama is black, and that he has a connection to that world. I think what his speech tried to accomplish was to admit that he has a foot in that world of racial politics, but that his other foot is squarely in the mainstream, and his in-between position is an asset because he can reach across boundaries to try to build bridges ... I'm not sure he was completely successful, but it was a damn good speech.

I respect Obama more for the first part of his speech now. He stood up and said it is what it is. He is what he is, the nation is where we are.

The second half liberal crap made my ears bleed.

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

He talked to people like they were adults. Unfortunately, this is politics where spin wins. What he did was historic... unfortunately, this country may still have too many ignorant people to actually understand what he was saying.

I agree with you there, it's unfortunate really.

[BigMike619]

I love it that when someone doesnt agree with your views that they are automatically "ignorant". What makes that statement in itself any better then the person's that you dont agree with?

If we all looked at things the same way nothing would change.

[Hooper]

"well, I just think the Obama-McCain debates are going to be ugly."

I couldnt disagree with you more.

I think that we might actually see true debates of ideas.

2 men who can debate their positions without making the other, and the others followers, feel like he hates them.

I think an Obama v McCain campaign will go a long way towards healing some deep political wounds on both sides.

I hope you're right, Kilmer.

[ECU-ALUM]

He talked to people like they were adults. Unfortunately, this is politics where spin wins. What he did was historic... unfortunately, this country may still have too many ignorant people to actually understand what he was saying.

For all of the things I have heard Jon Stewart say on "The Daily Show" one of the best things he ever said was last night.

They finished showing part of the speech and Stewart said, "Today at 11am a politician talked to me about race relations as an adult."

If nothing else happened through all of this...this has started people talking about race-relations again.

[GibbsFactor]

I think we need to just let it all out. It's not like racism is a disease. It's not genetic or anything. Racism stems from ignorance.

So whitey (I'll go first if I have to), blacky, brownie, and whatever, let's just let it all out.

We have so much bent up frustration, I think we need to let it all out.

Who's game?

[BigMike619]

Nooooooooooooooo thank you on that game!!

[ChocolateCitySkin]

I think we need to just let it all out. It's not like racism is a disease. It's not genetic or anything. Racism stems from ignorance.

So whitey (I'll go first if I have to), blacky, brownie, and whatever, let's just let it all out.

We have so much bent up frustration, I think we need to let it all out.

Who's game?

I'm tired of being called white cuz i consider myself more pinkish in tone. How's that?

[Burgold]

This is a truly interesting thread.

I actually hear the same thing from both sides.

Fatigue.

Both sides are tired of carrying the burden of presuppositions, tired of being persecuted for wrongs that they never committed, tired of the weight and ugliness of history.

I think both sides are hopeful, yet are just very tired of being slapped and labeled with generalizations. I have a friend who works for NPR and is much more successful (as press) than myself, she is constantly being watched in a store and has been accused several times of coming in to steal. She tells of a story where the store owner flagged down police to arrest her claiming that she shoplifted. My friend asked, "What did you see me take?" The manager/owner said he didn't know. The police still wanted to arrest her and were giving her grief until she produced her press credentials, then all of a sudden police and owner were sweet as can be and departed. Basically, she was at fault for existing for walking in a store to look at merchandice. I can understand the feelings of fatigue of frustration.

Similarly, I can understand some people saying, "but that's not me. I don't do that. Why do you have to lump me in with them or view all of us through that lens of bias?"

I have greater sympathy for the person directly accosted, but am beginning to think that this is one of those issues where we need to swap moccasins.

[hokie4redskins]

When my elementary school told my dad that black kids aren't as smart as white kids so you have to treat them differently, when my sister's high school told my dad the exact same thing ... then when he took that to the school board they said he was being sensitive.

So you're a staunch opponent of affirmative action then, right?

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

For all of the things I have heard Jon Stewart say on "The Daily Show" one of the best things he ever said was last night.

They finished showing part of the speech and Stewart said, "Today at 11am a politician talked to me about race relations as an adult."

If nothing else happened through all of this...this has started people talking about race-relations again.

Yeah, I thought John Stewarts bit on the speech was brilliant. It was funny, but also smart as hell.

[DjTj]

Your assuming she had this bombshell two months ago. Your assuming she was desparate enough to use it two months agao. Remember by throwing a handgrenade at the feet of the two pillars of the Democratic party, she could be bringing down her own house.

This story was out two months ago. SKINSFAN89 was all over it:

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4766091&postcount=2

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4891662#post4891662

This story was even out a year ago, when the New York Times ran a puff piece on Obama:

At the same time, Mr. Obama’s ties to Trinity have become more complicated than those simply of proud congregation and favorite son. Since Mr. Obama announced his candidacy, the church has received threatening phone calls. On blogs and cable news shows, conservative critics have called it separatist and antiwhite.

Congregants respond by saying critics are misreading the church’s tenets, that it is a warm and accepting community and is not hostile to whites. But Mr. Wright’s political statements may be more controversial than his theological ones. He has said that Zionism has an element of “white racism.” (For its part, the Anti-Defamation League says it has no evidence of any anti-Semitism by Mr. Wright.)

On the Sunday after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Mr. Wright said the attacks were a consequence of violent American policies. Four years later he wrote that the attacks had proved that “people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just ‘disappeared’ as the Great White West went on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/us/politics/30obama.html?ei=5090&en=f901477fd875c685&ex=1335585600&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

That article is dated April 30, 2007. This issue has not been a secret, and I don't really know why it's getting traction right now.

It came out days after Geroldine Ferara said Obama was lucky to be black, and then went on a dozen national broadcasts defending her position.

Maybe Ferraro was speaking out on behalf of the Clinton campaign, but her references to race were no more blatant than Bill Clinton's ... maybe they have been trying to raise this issue the whole time, but if that's the case, then their control over the media is pretty weak since the story basically waited until Clinton had already lost the nomination.

The fact is Obama's campagne has never been about race until the last few days. This is a political strategy to get the other side off message and force them to defend ground which hurts them. The only person benifiting from this is Hillary.

Still I will admit, Its a hypothisis not supported by evidence other than my suspicions.

In this case, I think there's smoke, but there's no fire. The people really pushing this story right now are Fox News and Sean Hannity, and I really don't think they're working for Hillary.

I think this story just happened organically ... there are no men behind the curtain pulling strings. People just ran out of things to talk about in this big gap before Pennsylvania, so they brought up this Reverend Wright thing.

No conspiracies; no dirty politics. Obama goes to a black church. Black churches talk about these things. Now, America can talk about them. :2cents:

[ECU-ALUM]

One thing I remember my Ecumenical Professor in Seminary tell us, "The most segregated hour of the week is usually 11am on Sunday Mornings."

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

So you're a staunch opponent of affirmative action then, right?

I'm definitely not a supporter of Affirmative Action. I don't want someone to hire me because they think they have to, I find that to be a slap in the face. I can see why it was something that may have been needed at a certain point. But I hope it's no longer necessary for someone to want to hire me.

[Sweet Sassy Molassy]

I think we need to just let it all out. It's not like racism is a disease. It's not genetic or anything. Racism stems from ignorance.

So whitey (I'll go first if I have to), blacky, brownie, and whatever, let's just let it all out.

We have so much bent up frustration, I think we need to let it all out.

Who's game?

I'd love to play that game. I've been tempted to start such a thread, but wasn't sure how it would go over. But if you need a "token blackie" let me know.

[Thanos]

you go to any go-go show as a white guy in DC and tell me you arent racially profiled as either a "wigger" or "out of place". I have had people come staright up to me and say, "What are you doing here white boy?" Thats in "Chocolate City".

Yeah, I have no hang up with you trying to be intimidating and telling me Im this or that. I deal with people like that on a daily basis. You should just relax a little and stop with the insults if you want to have an intelligent convo.

You were in the Deep south and it was the 60s. I am sure you did see that. Do you see them now? That's my point, dont get all mad at me for what some racist in Alabama did when I am sitting here having a conversation with you with respect, and like 2 gentlemen.

You just described prejudice.Noone prevented you from entering the go-go because you were white.Just some clowns wolfing.Probably jealous because you were pulling more women then they were.Hell if I went to see Mettalica ,I would get called out also.

I had plenty of white friends back in the early 80's hanging out at Cherry's,Triples, Masonic Temple, Kalarama Room, Chapter III and other places checking out the scene.You were a fan of the music.They had the poroblems not you.

[BigMike619]

You just described prejudice.Noone prevented you from entering the go-go because you were white.Just some clowns wolfing.Probably jealous because you were pulling more women then they were.Hell if I went to see Mettalica ,I would get called out also.

I had plenty of white friends back in the early 80's hanging out at Cherry's,Triples, Masonic Temple, Kalarama Room, Chapter III and other places checking out the scene.You were a fan of the music.They had the poroblems not you.

Making someone feel so uncomfortable that they leave because they feel intimidated or threatened is more then just prejudice.

But I digress...

[Henry]

This issue has not been a secret, and I don't really know why it's getting traction right now.

I thought it was because ABC ran this story six days ago.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4443788&page=1

That's some thick smoke.

[DjTj]

I thought it was because ABC ran this story six days ago.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4443788&page=1

That's some thick smoke.

So are you implying that the Clintons gave the video to ABC? The video was available online before that, and a lot of news outlets were chasing this story ... Sean Hannity actually interviewed Reverend Wright on Fox News two weeks ago.

Yes, there is a lot of smoke, and it's really thick, but I guess my point is that we don't know the source of the fire. There's no reason to say "Hillary did it." or "Geraldine Ferraro did it."

...I'm pretty sure that no single person "did it." There were a lot of small fires that existed as early as a year ago, but they didn't start combining to form a big fire until this past week.

ABC's story was the straw that broke the camel's back, but I just don't think we can necessarily point the finger at the the Clinton campaign or at the Republicans ... this was a story that had been in and out of the news for a long time, and it was just a matter of time before someone would find the "God damn America" video.

I guess I don't think there's really an "agenda" when this story. It's news, it's worth talking about, and we might as well talk about it now.

[33]

waah waah waaah...he wasnt a slave.

White people face the same racism as black people do today.

If you dont believe me, go to SE and walk around. See how many times you get called out by your color.

You are aware that racism isn't simply calling people names?

[BigMike619]

You are aware that racism isn't simply calling people names?

then black people shouldnt have gotten upset with michael richards

jesse jackson shouldnt have had to apologize when he ran for president

imus should still have his job.

do you get where Im going with this??

[33]

then black people shouldnt have gotten upset with michael richards

jesse jackson shouldnt have had to apologize when he ran for president

imus should still have his job.

do you get where Im going with this??

The thing is, black AND white people got upset with all those people. You just paid attention to the black people apparently. Although putting Jackson in the middle was a good touch.

Black people make up 13% of the country. There aren't enough of them to make a difference when they get upset. It's not as though they didn't want equal rights from the get go, it just wasn't until some white people started to agree with them that they got any traction.

You being called names in SE DC does not equate to the overall idea of racism in any way shape or form.

[BigMike619]

The thing is, black AND white people got upset with all those people. You just paid attention to the black people apparently. Although putting Jackson in the middle was a good touch.

Black people make up 13% of the country. There aren't enough of them to make a difference when they get upset. It's not as though they didn't want equal rights from the get go, it just wasn't until some white people started to agree with them that they got any traction.

You being called names in SE DC does not equate to the overall idea of racism in any way shape or form.

thats according to you that it doesnt equate to racism, but in my world it does. i am being called out by my color and race and that makes it racist.

I put Jesse Jackson in there..he isnt white is he? :doh:

[33]

thats according to you that it doesnt equate to racism, but in my world it does. i am being called out by my color and race and that makes it racist.

I put Jesse Jackson in there..he isnt white is he? :doh:

As to JJ, I acknowledged that you mentioned him.

Main Entry:

rac·ism Listen to the pronunciation of racism

Pronunciation:

\ˈrā-ˌsi-zəm also -ˌshi-\

Function:

noun

Date:

1933

1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

2 : racial prejudice or discrimination

While it is possible to say that being called names equates to discrimination it completely lightens the fact that certain minorities such as those that live in SE DC do not get to live on equal ground as the majority. Which is the problem and why white people whining about racism is absurd, since outside of things like Howard and BET everything is catered to white people.