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But in Obama's faith in the average American voter lies one of the greatest weaknesses of his campaign. Tis faith in the ability and willingness of Americans to rise above manipulative political tactics seems

Methinks you meant "his."

While reading and listening to this speech, I couldn't help but juxtapose the fact that the current occupant can't even properly pronounce the word "nuclear."

I was reminded of Kennedy's speech on foreign policy at American University. {Link at sig}

Good on ya, Sen. Obama.

with his absurd responses about not being present or having knowledge of Pastor Wright's more hateful messages. I'm sure there are millions of Black American's that attend serivces every week that don't resort to racist propaganda like "the CIA invented Aids to kill the Black man"...If Obama wants us to believe his empty rhetoric in regards to racial harmony, then why attend a church with such a dividing message at it's core. What happens when we see the next video of Obama clapping and nodding to Pastor Wright's hate (because you know there's more out there). This is crisis prevention mode and nothing more. What does equating Pastor Wright with all the Right Wing Evangelical kooks accomplish? Oh look folks, they have a 5/1 advantage over us in the racist hate department. I'm sure in 2 to 3 weeks we'll have a fresh perspective on this...

Only a black man could have made this speech.

Not only did it moisten my eyes at times, it also provided what is possibly the best campaign slogan since "I like Ike":

NOT THIS TIME!

Mr.Greenwald's elitist condescending attitude toward the American people is self-serving and wrong-headed. After eight years of Bush, Americans are sick and tired of divisiveness. This media-created crisis will boil over (when and if the media elites want it to be over or not). . .and we will remember Obama's courage to stand up in the face of Greenwald and Co's nonsense. .

Stick that in your pipe, Mr. Greenwald!

it's also necessary to keep in mind how profound the risk is. --GlennGreenwald

There is no disputing the high degree of risk in Senator Obama's gambit, but not having witnessed true leadership in a while, it might be easy for some of us to forget that principled risk-taking can be an important component of leadership (as opposed to management) in times of crisis.

Barak Obama has a couple of things going for him in his risk/benefit analysis: 1) It's early; he has time and 2) It's not Lee Atwater's 1988.

that I am an optimist?

I choose to believe "that Americans are not only able, but eager, to participate in a more elevated and reasoned political discourse". My hope is that this approach will attract more people who have checked out of the political discourse than it loses because it is too cerebral. I base this in part on my feeling that Obama's cerebral is more palatable to non-intellectuals than Al Gore's cerebral.

Mr.Greenwald's elitist condescending attitude toward the American people is self-serving and wrong-headed. After eight years of Bush, Americans are sick and tired of divisiveness. This media-created crisis will boil over (when and if the media elites want it to be over or not). . .and we will remember Obama's courage to stand up in the face of Greenwald and Co's nonsense. .

Stick that in your pipe, Mr. Greenwald!

What you think you just read is actually completely different from what you, in fact, read.

[odig11]"He's also belittling our intelligence with his absurd responses about not being present or having knowledge of Pastor Wright's more hateful messages."

Quote please?

I really wish I could believe in the rationality and fairness of my fellow Americans, I really and truly do.

I'm going to be very angry with myself if I start crying.

I hate the fact that I even know what this means. When I try to persuade even my most level headed friends and colleagues to avoid navigating to the "Dread Report" they look at me quizzically. They intone, it's only a place to find 'news' or some other uninformed and unthoughtful reason to grant this menace eyeballs. I've all but given up trying to explain the obvious bias and penchant for sensational and poorly sourced reporting.

What Obama means to me more than anything else is that there is a politician who thinks like I do. He knows things are FUBAR and he's not afraid to put the spotlight on it. Among his many attributes it's his humility that strikes me the most. Could anyone imagine another contemporary pol or media figure declaring his own "imperfections" in a major speech. Amazing!

In the end I reckon we get the democracy we deserve. But at least - and I know it may sound crazy - Obama give me hope!

The upside and and downside are not balanced. If this speech is Obama's undoing because americans really are so dumb, then we're probably screwed anyway and Obama losing the election wouldn't matter very much.

I confess that I expected Obama to fully repudiate and distance himself from Wright like any politician would. But Obama has surprised me, as cynical as I am, by not choosing easy soundbites or reassuring manipulation to woo the votes of scared white Americans. This was one of the most honest, gutsy, and challenging speeches I've ever heard someone give. It put even his 2004 address to the national convention to shame.

Hunter S. Thompson once said that it is a "rare and elegant feeling" to be proud of the way you vote on Election Day, and that he still judges people by which way they voted in 1960. Well, I had that rare and elegant feeling a few weeks ago when I had the opportunity to vote for Barack Obama in a meaningful state primary. I hope to have the opportunity to have that rare and elegant feeling again in November. I would be even more proud in November to vote for him. I only hope that his gamble on the thoughtfulness and decency of the American public pays off. It is not a bet I would have made.