A picture, apparently from 1998, speaks a thousand words
Rev. Wright being cheerfully greeted by Bill Clinton
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
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give Uncle Rob a break.......you can never tell what Fox has been in the hen-house...........until you see what's stuck to the bottom of his tenni-shoes.......
Yours Truly
Ernest
by
Ernest (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 129 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 7:19:25 AM
Wow, this is big. The picture shows a lot of things about the Clintons:
It shows that the Clintons have been inviting the Rev every week, allowed him to speak in front of the guests (accompanied by CHILDREN), spewing hatred, racism and unpatriotic words.
It shows that the Clintons listened to the unpatriotic words and nodded in approval.
It shows that the Clintons surely lied that they never heard those controversial words spoken in the pulpit.
It shows that the Clintons did not exhibit leadership by arguing against the spewing of hate, racism and unpatriotic words in front of the children.
It shows that the Clinton exhibited poor judgment in inviting the Rev over and over again for twenty years unable to distance themselves from him because they agree with what he is saying and because the Rev is like an uncle to them. To top that, I am sure the Clinton will even make him a member of the African American Religious Leadership committee.
I am sure the Clintons are now asking their speechwriter to come up with an inspiring speech similar to the speech of Abraham Lincoln to convince the Americans to still vote for him in spite of all the above.
They really disgust me.
by
Raul Guttierez (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 9 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 11:04:54 AM
Are you saying that you are sophisticated enough to post a comment to an article here but not sophisticated enough to find the above on Obama's website?
by
Steven Leser (186 articles, 34 quicklinks, 31 diaries, 1243 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 3:25:55 PM
I want to hear it from his lipsMost of the posts here are an Obama Oped love fest.
Oh how wonderful is Obama. He gives great speeches doesn't he. Wow he can talk. Bush can't talk so lets make this guy president.
Not one of you have ever spent time with the man. Very little is even known about Obama. When someone brings up questions as to his racist life, he claims he is half white or whatever suits the occasion.I've seen the posts on web sites. I want to hear exactly how he plans to amend civil rights. Does he want more favoritism for blacks? Is this how he intends to solve discrimination in the work place? He has stated that America is screwed up. That is not new news. How is Obama not going to screw up America? That is what I want to know.
You may have guilt as to how you treated blacks in the past. I don’t have anything to feel guilty about and will speak my mind on the subject.
by
Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 462 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 5:22:18 PM
Reading about candidates on websites is dicey, including this one. But, if you are a thinking man rather than a reactive man, you might spend some time reading The Audacity of Hope. There is the man, his programs, his suggestions for all that "change' that is so easily bandied about.
Read! It's your country at stake. Then vote as you please.
by
Jim Freeman (107 articles, 40 quicklinks, 146 diaries, 323 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 5:46:42 PM
If he openly stated in a public speech what he claims he has done on his website, with the plethora of hand outs and special treatment for specific groups of people based on race, sex, religion etc... The true Obama color comes shining through. His legislation has been more divisive than any other politicians I’ve seen in a long time. So much for his claimed "equality". Just look at his record. The man is a Black racist. He seeks to treat races, sexes, etc... differently and believes this is equality and brings people together.
I can assure you that demanding preferential treatment through legislation based on race, sex, etc... does not bring people together.
by
Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 462 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 6:39:25 PM
I was once a black panther but I never hated anyone. I was a black panther in the New Black Panther Party because I wanted to make a difference in my neighborhood which was crime infested and they were the only ones addressing the issues that I had to look at everyday. I was a part of that organization but I was not a racist. I can understand where Obama is coming from, he is a member of that church and Rev Wright is his pastor but that doesn't mean he supports everything his pastor says. In this picture Clinton embraces Rev Wright but it doesn't indicate he embraced his beliefs, just the man. I embraced the survival programs and the comradry with many good people including Original Black Panthers like Sister Nzingha, Eddie Conways wife. I later left the NBPP and founded my own Black Panther group and then left it to devote myself purely to spirituality. Out of all that I've been through spirituality has given me my most freedom. Today, I refuse to be a part of anything that goes against my personal spiritual beliefs (which includes Clinton's campaign which seeks to pull in people by hook or crook). I don't want to be a part or help build something that divides people. I am a part of something that unites people, spirituality. If Obama was a spiritual person and not connected to any of these organized religious syndicates he wouldn't even have this problem. But such as it is I admire him for standing up and speaking the truth.
This picture has many lessons to be learned by all.
by
Sharon Roach (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 43 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 3:57:19 PM
Today I listened to Mr. Obama speak in Portland, Oregon. He did give specifics for ending the war, reinstating habeus corpus, closing Guantanamo, helping students attain a college education and more. I am sure this is not the first time he has given these specifics. Perhaps the naysayers just need to listen more instead of talking--and read the plans which have been written on his website and in his book-and listen to his entire speeches. It's all there if one is open minded enough to see and hear it. As for the picture-it's just a picture. Doesn't mean a thing, other than Clinton met the man--so what? Give it a rest, folks. We have more improtant work to do.
by
Ginger in Oregon (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 37 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 6:31:01 PM
How is he going to remove all the troops and keep gas in your tank and food on your table? If you and Mr. Obama think by picking up and leaving the Middle East everything is going to be hunky dorey, you have never been to the Middle East and should not be representing the U.S. here, there, or anywhere else. The snake charmer has the snakes weaving to the movement of his flute. You are so spell bound by his speaking ability that you ignore reality. You’re like a mob blindly following the ring leader.If the U.S. picks up and leaves all hell is going to break out in the Middle East between Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and gas will top $10 a gallon. I hope you have good walking shoes. Oh, that food you were so used to eating from the grocery store, I hope you can plow your back yard, if you have one. If not, you may die. The government will not be able to save you this time.A little news, I've been to the Middle East in peace time long before Bush senior screwed things up, and after. I don't see Obama even going over there to understand what is happening. I don't believe he even understands the people there.
He could legislate handouts but that will have little effect on the Arabs.
by
Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 462 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 7:01:22 PM
Then you know that before Bush took us there things were under control-- by tyrants and despots-- but there was relative stability. It was Cheney and Bush who put the middle east into chaos, the dollar into a dive and oil into a skyrocket. And it seems the instability continues to be worsened by the US presence in Iraq. THere are many in Iraq who want the US to leave, and I'm not talking about insurgents. There's no proof that if the US leaves Iraq, things will get worse. On the contrary, they may even improve.
We know McCain will keep us there for decades, even though the strain on our military and our economy is incredibly destructive. We don't have the luxury of staying there. We don't have the guarantee that if we stay, things will get better.
We know almost nothing about the efficacy of the surge. The number of journalist embeds is way down and those who do go are shown only the best, most well-behaved locales. The selling of the surge is a totally controlled propaganda phenomenon.
by
Rob Kall (718 articles, 3746 quicklinks, 304 diaries, 1461 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 8:05:37 PM
Can you tell what administration lost control of the Middle East? I’ll give you a hint, hostages were taken.
The Stability in Iraq was through respect of power, not because they were left alone to fend for themselves. Husain admitted this before he was executed. The U.S. was propping up Iraq in the early and mid 80’s to prevent Iran from taking over Iraq. Reagan never gave Iraq enough support for Iraq to overrun Iran. It was agreed that they would maintain the boarders. I fished Iraqies that were shot down out of the Gulf in the 80's.
I suppose if we left Korea to fend for themselves years ago, all would have been well there too? Or maybe like Vietnam when we left there? Things were just peachy after we abandoned that place. Every place the U.S. sticks its nose things only get worse or troops must stay there for many decades. This has happen in every modern conflict including WWII.
True we have no way of knowing what is really going on over there now. One thing I do understand we cannot just leave now like Vietnam or Somalia. This is a whole different ball game that does directly affect you here in America whether you want to believe it or not.
Sadly we stuck our finger in the bee hole. We can leave it in and get stung on the finger or pull it out and let the whole hive sting us all over. I do not believe for one minute that if we pull out of the Middle East everything is going to fall into place for the better. And I think you know this also but are having a hard time admitting it because you think it is a "Republican" belief.
Funny, I think Hillary was accosted for realizing this fact. Obama says the black man is mad and all is good. He is just telling the truth, right? Clinton says she is going to pull the troops out as soon as she gets into office, realizes the problems over there and then pulls back to removing them at the end of her term of office. At least she understands that we cannot up and run from this one and will tell the public the truth.
Funny how Obama can make all his wild claims, racist statements and legislation and it is OK because he is black. Yes, legislating preferential treatment is racist.
by
Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 462 comments)
on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 12:50:44 AM
. . . in a debate prior to the Iowa Caucuses, candidates Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton were asked if they would promise to have all American combat troops out of Iraq by the end of what would be thir first terms, January 20, 2013, and none of them would make such a commitment.
In 2006, the Democrats regained control of the Congress largely on public displeasure with the war, and the Democrats' promise to get us out; not only are we not out, but we have more troops in Iraq than before the 2006 elections.
Now, could you tell me why anyone should believe that the Democrats will simply pull us out of Iraq? The Democrats in Congress could have forced withdrawal, and they didn't; the presidential candidates could have promised withdrawal, and declined.
by
Dana Pico (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 133 comments)
on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 9:13:57 AM
First, using a baseless, unfounded, inane argument – that "Obama is a racist" – is pure provocative conjecture, specious and inciting, not insightful. I will remind you only once to keep your comments civil and stop the ad hominem or bigoted remarks. Please use greater circumspect when commenting as we have a zero tolerance policy for abusive diatribes whose sole intent is to disrupt.
In addition, this statement, "I want to hear it from his lips," is utterly hypocritical. You complain about Obama's speeches and then proclaim you want him to speak or to "hear it from his lips." I am not necessarily advocating for Obama, but trying to keep the dialogue in the realm of a substantive debate – not merely suspicions of reckless bias – perhaps uninformed or even vacuous opinions that are not substantiated by any evidence.
Before dismissing and mocking the man (Obama), perhaps you should become informed about the candidate as a person. There is a litany of information available starting with his website, the 20-plus debates he has participated in, and moving on to reading his book, "The Audacity of Hope" for answers readily available to your questions, if you wish to find them.
Knowledge is a powerful tool when you are willing to set upon the path of enlightened discovery and place your own sentiments, prejudices, and views aside. A little introspectiveness, and a lot less vitriol, may help you to recognize that a Manichean though process will do little on the road to nuance and greater understanding.
Obama, like all people in general, and the three remaining candidates specifically, are not monolithic, they contain far more vagaries and subtleties than you do seem willing to address or recognize.
If you are willing to read his book, review his 64-page progressive platform, then come back and discuss the merits of the candidate as whole, then I am confident you will be met with a lot less hostility. People will be more inclined to engage in meaningful – not mean-spirited and counterproductive – deliberations that actually might produce a better understanding from opposing standpoints.
-Frank J. Ranelli Senior Editor OEN
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Frank J. Ranelli (59 articles, 141 quicklinks, 25 diaries, 322 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 7:11:09 PM
I judge a person based on their actions. Obama does not want to believe he is a racist or he is a closet racist. He has hung out at an all black church for 20 years that blames whitey for the world’s problems. I guess Sec. ot State Rice is a whitey and so was U.S. Ambassador Powel and U.S. Ambassador Young.
The changes he has delivered in his very short carrier as a federal public servant have been legislative hand outs based on race or sex. Does this sound like equality?
by
Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 462 comments)
on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 1:26:59 AM
Actually, 90% plus of African Americans agree with every word Wright said. I am white and say, no problem. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE. Almost 4,000 Americans have died in Iraq -- 30,000 wounded -- hundreds of thousands of Iraq people killed or wounded........ THIS IS AN ISSUE!
by
David Diderot (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 9 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 7:47:38 PM
I don't see Obama even going over there to understand what is happening. I don't believe he even understands the people there.
Please provide OEN readers with proof of this specious remark.
If the U.S. picks up and leaves all hell is going to break out in the Middle East between Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and gas will top $10 a gallon. I hope you have good walking shoes.
If this is true, and I make no claims that I agree with it, then the time to find energy independence is far more critical than even now.
A little news, I've been to the Middle East in peace time long before Bush senior screwed things up, and after.
As have hundreds of other experts, former, very high-ranking military officers, scientists, humanitarians, diplomats and a plethora of other highly-skilled authorities who vehemently disagree with your effete urges. Bravado is not an admirable trait.
What are your proposals to solve everything from our economy to the Iraq war, to health care to our nine-trillion dollar debt run up by Bush's misbegotten adventure in the Middle East?
by
Frank J. Ranelli (59 articles, 141 quicklinks, 25 diaries, 322 comments)
on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 7:52:15 PM
Have you asked Obama to prove he can change the world with hope?
I'm not the one running for the highest office in the world claiming I can solve these problems with HOPE and claiming there will be CHANGE.
When was the last time Obama went to Iraq? Has he ever? He has spent his time in office going to his countries he has professed his allegiance. Guess where they are?
The changes he has delivered in his very short carrier as a federal public servant have been hand outs based on race or sex. Is this the change you want?
by
Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 462 comments)
on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 1:09:16 AM
Mr. Gallaher seems intent on being mad at the world over the Obama campaign, the views of the ex-preacher of his church, and the (now spoken) issue of racism.
I am not a psychiatrist, but it appears that Mr. G. is particularly annoyed by Mr. O, to the extent that he will dredge up the media's inappropriate focus on aspects of O's personal life to insist that the entire campaign is a sham.
I will speak for myself here: it is unsettling that the next president might be younger than me. In this presidential contest, none of the contenders truly reflect my views. In fact, I feel I am actually better informed on certain crucial issues which might be mishandled (again) for some time, no matter who gets in. Furthermore, I see people surrounding this (and all of the other) candidate(s) whose views are extreme and somewhat polarizing.
That said, I am not a member of a minority race or religion, nor am I a well-heeled white male who is used to calling the shots.
For better or worse, there is an expectation and an anticipation which pervades Obama's candidacy which is as real a factor as the man himself.
Mr. Gallaher might understandably feel some displacement from his own accustomed clout in view of this phenomenon. His whiteness is a liability among the young and newly empowered electoral surge, and this causes Mr. G to lash out and accuse racism. But he is not the candidate, nor are his opinions in great demand or under extreme scrutiny.
The statements of Wright, most of which make perfect sense to me, are immaterial, and the hyper-ventilating media focus is inappropriate, in my opinion. Where is the press' reaction to Hagee, the hate-mongering
