Obama takes the high road, one too high for TV pundits
Barack Obama’s tough, personal, galvanizing speech on race in America in the wake of his former pastor’s controversial statements gives his supporters just another reason to love him and conversely probably won’t change the mind of anyone who’s already written him off. But it should be considered something beyond that – a sane, thoughtful walk through one of the country’s most dangerous minefields, an issue that is perpetually kept on the back burner out of fear of missteps or resignation that things can never change, one that is forever dealt with in simplistic terms. Until today.
On this issue at least, there’s Obama, and there’s everyone else over at the kids’ table. Predictably, the news networks, particularly Fox, have focused on whether the speech will rescue Obama (naturally, the white-man oligarchy over at Fox thinks not so much). But it’s obvious that Obama’s intentions with this speech weren’t so one-dimensional.
Obama continues the dialogue tonight with ABC’s Terry Moran on Nightline at 11:35 p.m. If Moran would keep questions about the horserace to a minimum and explore the larger concerns of Obama’s speech, I’d consider it a personal favor.
*
Ah, so that’s why they’re always so cranky on the Fox News Channel: Its New York newsroom was suffering from a bedbug infestation. Per the New York Times:
“But the source of the bugs was not determined until the exterminator inspected the homes of about 20 employees. … (T)he exterminator later described one employee’s home as having ‘the worst infestation he had seen in 25 years in the business.’”
My money's on Alan Colmes.
2 Comments
Leave a comment
About this blog
David Kronke was appointed Mayor of Television after a bloodless coup in 2000. Since then, he has improved infrastructure, championed greater educational opportunities and fought for reforms that have utterly erased corruption and incompetence from the television industry. Since Mr. Kronke has ascended to power, Television is a far better place.
If John McCain's pastor and top advisor had given multiple sermons demonizing America and calling for the killings of black folks, I think you wouldn't be as forgiving. Being an African American, I am astounded every day how Obama gets a pass, while others (read: Geraldine Ferrarro), gets demonized for an innocent observation. If she was in Obama's camp, maybe you would be writing this apologist blog about her.
"Tough, personal, galvanizing"? Give me a break. What has this man actually ACCOMPLISHED exept shown his astounding poor judgement is having this bigoted America hater advising him?
Hi Dave,
I wrote a similar (but not as good) column to yours the same day. Funny how we see eye to eye on the subject of Senator Obama and the (I assume) gentleman above does not.
John McCain *does* in fact have advisors and pals who have said stuff every bit as upsetting as what Reverand Wright said, but gets a pass for it. In fact the entire right wing gets a pass for saying incredibly anti-american things, and it just gets shrugged off.
If a prominent Democrat advocated, say the assasination of an elected foreign leader, or a sitting supreme court justice, can you imagine the uproar? There was hardly a blip when Ann Coulter and Pat Robertson did those profoundly unamerican or even anti-American things.
Anyway, it's now 2 media cycles later and all forgotten.
Drop a line sometime,
Jon.