Letters to the Editor
kenkapkk
Published Letters: 131 Editor's Choice: 13
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Tired, exhausteed
[Read the article: Moving beyond Obama and race]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I live in Philadelphia and listen to the radio show that hosted Obama. What strikes me about this "flap" is that the entire context not only of Obama's extraordinarily courageous speech, but his entire persona, has been hyper infalted by what in my opinion was just badly parsed language by a man who has been under enormous strain and probably slept 8 hours out of the last 72. (He admitted he got very little sleep between the speech on Rev Wright and the Iraq adrress the next day.) The Philly interview came at the end of the three day process.
What is very revealing to me is the comments of one of the hosts, Al Morganti(a national hockey reporter on NHL matters) to the show who was slated to appear on CNN as the story broke. None of the people present thought it was a big deal as it was happening.
When CNN prepped Morganti for his segment, they asked him what he was going to say. Morganti replied that in actuality he did not think it a very big deal, that this was the consensus of almost everyone there, and that in the broader picture, he understood Obama's point, which was fairly consistent with the presentation in the speech. Although the words could have been a little better phrased, the larger meaning was quite apparent.
When CNN realized that Morganti was not going to give them the "red meat" they craved, they immediately canceled the segment becaused his reasoned point of view, echoed by Chris Wallace in taking Fox News to task, did not fit into their sensationalistic narrative line.
In my opinion, this exchange is far more revealing about media and its imnpulses and response than anything Obama said.
If Obama were like Don Imus, for example, who constantly flirted or crossed the line, then yes his comment would have been fair game as representative. Given the entire thrust of Obama's career and character, I find the leaping on the phrase ludicrious and somewhat sad.
Far more important in my opinion was Hillary Clinton's playing both ends against the middle in truly contemptible manner on 60 minutes ("I suppose so", "If he says so" about Obama's religion and patriotism-echoed recently by Bill the shill-what kind of garbage is that? The Clinton's have been consciously playing these cards.)**Where have you been on that Joan?** Did you comment? Maybe I missed it.
As for the "disturbing" parallel between Wright- a public figure, and the use of his grandmother, all I see is an attempt to humaniize the issue in a fundamental way and in a manner that people viscerally can relate to. Wright IS a human being who was formed out of very difficult circummstances. I happen to AGREE with Wright that 9/11, tragic as it was, was chickens coming home to roost. The Allende regime fell on Tuesday, September 11, 1973. The towers fell on Tuesday, Spetember 11, 2001. Now I was in shock and PTSD for months after 9/11 but I still recognize that at some point the deep crap you put out returns. One can be ANGRY at America while not HATING America. Furthermore, as I understand it, Wright's more "incendiary" remarks do not make up the great percentage of his sermons, as opposed to maybe many right wing ministers in the country.
Archetypically, I find it interesting how Obama is under assault in the manner in which he is. There is something dangerous he represents to business as usual.
I'm sorry Joan if your gal who thought she was on a march to entitlement got derailed by history, but the depths to which she has dragged this campaign down are shameful. "Throwing the Sink" at someone in complete desperation because YOU ran a bad campaign is not exactly a positive way to present oneself as someone worthy of respect.
BTW, not only is McCain suspect in HIS religious -political affiliations, but so is Clinton in her association with suspect cult like groups in DC. Check it out.
This is a a double standard beyond comprehension.