Senator Barack Obama sought today to quell the most threatening controversy of his historic presidential campaign, detailing his relationship with his church and his background as a multiethnic American and presenting his candidacy as an attempt to put aside generations of racial divisions and start solving problems. In a speech delivered in a city settled by Quakers who envisioned a race-neutral society, Senator Obama explained the inflammatory comments by the Reverend Jeremiah Wright as reflective of the times in which the 66-year-old pastor grew up and “a racial stalemate we’ve been stuck in for years.”
Drawing a link between anger that has consumed both Blacks and Whites, Senator Obama said the country has a choice: It can continue to argue over race as a distraction, or “at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, ‘Not this time.’ The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we’ve never really worked through — a part of our union that we have yet to perfect," Obama said. "And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American."
He acknowledged that Wright’s comments belittle the “greatness and goodness of our nation,” and was offensive to Whites and Blacks. “I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy,” Obama said. “For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely — just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.” But Obama reiterated once again that he would not severe ties from Pastor Wright or his church. “As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me,” he said. “He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat Whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect.”
The speech was described by some as an attempt to discuss the issue of race. But it was about much more: It was a snapshot of the Black experience in America, and the common threads of their struggles with those of Whites, the love of country; It was about political toughness and campaign survival. For weeks, if not months, questions have been raised about Obama’s patriotism, a story line fueled by a picture of him not placing his hand over heart during the national anthem, his decision not to wear an American flag pin on his lapel and his wife’s statement that his candidacy made her truly proud of her country for first time in her adult life. The Wright sermons have intensified the criticism. His speech was directed to the audience there in Philadelphia, but also to the superdelegates, who are looking for signs that Senator Obama can emerge relatively unharmed from the biggest challenge yet to his candidacy.
The location carried broader significance. Pennsylvania, the next state on the primary calendar, reflects the demographics that Obama most needed to reach with this speech. Census figures show the population is older and less diverse than other key swing states and the United States as a whole (basically the same dynamics as Ohio, which he lost to Senator Clinton).
Senator Obama has used the church to explain who he is and to vouch for his Christianity against continued e-mails falsely claiming he is Muslim. In states with large numbers of churchgoers, Senator Obama draws wild applause when he tells crowds that “I praise Jesus every Sunday.”
He has used Pastor Wright’s teachings — even using a variation of his sermon as the title for his second book The Audacity of Hope — to inform his political worldview. But from the moment Senator Obama announced his candidacy more than a year ago, his affiliation with Pastor Wright and Trinity United Church of Christ have helped fuel a low-level crusade of bloodsucking bloggers aimed at raising questions about his message of hope and racial unity and his own patriotism.
Senator Obama has rarely chosen to deal with race in as direct of terms as he did today. But what he did was to now cause America to look at itself in the mirror and ask are we really ready for change or should I keep my head buried in the sand and no notice the changing world around me. He laid bare his multiethnic, multiracial background, describing in blunt terms that he was the son of a Black man from Kenya and a White woman from Kansas. He was raised by his White grandparents. “I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slave owners — an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters,” Obama said. “I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.”
I believe this was one of the most presidential speeches that Senator Barack Obama has given. This was by no means a "feel good" speech, this was a speech about the reality of race in America. He was very honest and clear about his positions. This was undeniably one of the best speeches in recent history. So many issues were addressed that I believe it will be weeks before all the critics have an opportunity to address all the subject matter. It raised many questions that America needs to think about seriously. They will say that he didn’t say enough. They will ask why he decided to stay under such a racist pastor. They will totally overlook 90% of the substance that the speech contained, and therefore will miss this major opportunity to have serious conversation about race in America. It is so much more convenient to write off Rev. Wrights comments as racial and condemn Senator Obama than it is to search for the validity in the statements, and examine why they were felt in the first place. Senator Obama made a very strong point when he said that this discussion happens in barbershops and kitchen tables in Black communities across America. People need to realize that this sentiment is real, regardless of how they personally feel about it. It is my sincerest hopes that people actually begin the discussion and not just pick it apart and disregard its points. Oftentimes truth is hard to swallow, so we just ignore the realities of life. That is why they tell people that you cannot fix something unless you first admit that a problem exists. We will see the way people try and spin this. Will America accept the challenge?
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