White racism is as bad as black racism. When you're a young black man moving to an inner city, yes, the man who is watching over you and teaching you the ropes, even if you are in your 20s, in his own way is just as important as those who raised you.

Is that the problem here? I have tremendous respect for Barack Obama's grandmother (and grandfather for that matter) who stepped into the breach, supported their daughter through an ordeal few people, black, white or otherwise would have put up with. They basically raised him after both of his parents left him. This is an amazing feat and one not to be forgotten.

But since this obviously will not rise above race, let me put it like this: young black men in their early 20s who grew up in predominately white environments face unique challenges when they move to the inner city and try to assimilate. They face threats from gang violence, overly aggressive police officers, and the danger of fitting into a community they did not necessarily grow up a part of. I can only imagine this is even more dramatic in the case of someone of mixed ancestry like Barack Obama.

He would not have survived in that community without Reverend Wright. Period. He probably wouldn't have gotten a job and even if he did, he would have had 0 credibility with the poor black citizens of the area, had someone not backed him up, at which point he probably would have been fired and not had a job. He owes, in many ways, Reverend Wright his livelihood.

So for him to say what he said, about both Reverend Wright and his grandmother, would not have been an easy thing. Nor was it easy for Martin Luther King, Jr. to publically disagree with his father and refuse to leave Montgomery when his father asked him to do so. Nor was it easy for Susan B. Anthony and many others to stand up against other women who were telling them their place was in the home. Nor is it easy for Hillary Clinton to stand up against the sexism she faces everyday.

But it has to be done. God, I hope and pray, it is not at the expense of an older generation. But the future cannot be a slave to the past. We cannot stand in place. The World War II generation, of men and women, black and white, was one of the greatest generations we've ever seen. But it was necessary, for the good of humankind and America, for the Baby Boomers to stand up to them and tell them they were wrong on racism. Had they not done so, society as a whole would have suffered.

Truth is truth. It may be a harsh truth, but it is nonetheless truth. I am sincerely sorry that some believe Barack Obama's grandmother was hurt (I doubt if she feels this way, but admittedly have no proof.) I am somewhat less sorry Reverend Wright has been ruined as a man and a pastor. His statements were stupid and deragatory and he deserved much of what he got. But so were Barack Obama's grandmother's comments. Where is the concern for the 7-year old boy who had to hear day in and day out his grandmother feared the man he would become simply because of his skin color? This cuts both ways. To try to narrow it down to one perspective belittles it.

This was precisely the point of Barack Obama's speech today. We as a nation must move forward. To do so we will have to confront some harsh truths. And many of us, young and old, black and white, male and female, will be hurt by them. But for us to demand this stop simply because we empathize with and feel someone's peculiar pain is to do society a disservice. Racism must be confronted, head on, and it must be defeated. And in this case, yes, I am sorry to say, it far outweights any of our individual feelings.

Honestly could it just be that he is getting a little confused. Does anyone remember when Ronald Reagan started forgetting things towards the end of his term and everyone told us not to worry about it?

That's gonna get me in trouble isn't it? I think he's too old for this job. Sorry.

He finally called the Republican bluff today, one day after giving a ground-breaking speech on race, and you should actually cover that. It's what Democrats claim they've been waiting for the last 5 years. Someone to say no. Do not confuse pigheadedness with strength and common sense with weakness.

We were assured by all progressives that they would stand up and cheer when a major Democratic candidate finally had the guts to do it. Obama did it today. Maybe you should think about applauding him.

Will not bother to comment on the inherint contradiction on writing a story minimizing Hillary Clinton's inability to give a speech or even a decent apology for her authorizing this war.

Seriously, this we hate Obama, undermine everything about him is really getting out of hand. I will not repeat, as almost all of the previous posters have, that they will attack Clinton as well.

Listen if you ladies and gentlemen here want to become the Hillary Clinton blog/publication/online magazine you should just be that. But this is starting to get ridiculous. The National Review and foxnews.com give a more balanced view of Obama than you guys. For crying out loud if you love Hillary Clinton that much just join her staff and quit wasting all of our time.

I certainly hope you're at least getting paid by the Clinton campaign for this. Otherwise you're going to be sorely disappointed. Salon has now jumped the shark. You're in a two-way competition with Mark Penn to see who loves her the most.