Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Obama's Big Speech(es)

Senator Obama gave a moving, excellent speech today. In a notable examination of the pathway of racism through the American dream, Obama addressed the long shadow and breathing reality of discrimination in our country. He tied well his personal history, American history, and its ideals so wonderfully captured at its birth. Obama spoke lucidly and well of a topic that has clearly followed him (and every African-American) since day one. It truly felt that a collection of wise thoughts that Obama has collected over his lifetime, and a speech that was meant to be delivered at a moment when it could truly move America. A noble discourse.

And mixed in with it, candidate Obama wanted to explain why Reverend Wright said what he did, that actually Obama knew more about Reverend Wright that he said before, and that he realizes he's in trouble on the campaign trail. In short, it was a staunch-the-bleeding campaign move.

The injection of this ripped-from-the-headlines pandering felt like a handprint on a Picasso, and it took away from the whole thing. I deeply wish that Obama had tried to put the Wright Affair behind him now, and saved those noble remarks for down the road.

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