Interesting strategy-Obama blames Wright and Ferraro on the 60s

[Freida5]

Obama blames '60s for pastor's comments
By Bob Secter and John McCormick | Tribune reporters
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-pastor_satmar15,0,6042250.story

8:48 PM CDT, March 14, 2008

Barack Obama Friday blamed fiery 1960s-era conditioning for racially inflammatory remarks by his former pastor and a prominent backer of Hillary Clinton.

In a wide ranging interview with Tribune editors and reporters, Obama denounced controversial sermons from Rev. Jeremiah Wright in which the just-retired pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago called on blacks to condemn the United States and accused U.S. leaders of state-sponsored terrorism that invited the Sept. 11 attacks.

At the same time, Obama sought to explain the context of those and other controversial Wright statements by drawing a connection to recent comments by Geraldine Ferraro, the former New York congresswoman. Ferraro recently stepped down from Clinton's campaign after saying that Obama enjoyed an electoral advantage over Clinton in the Democratic presidential contest because he was black.

Both Wright, who is 66, and Ferraro, who is 72, were products of the often violent and racially divisive '60s and were stuck in a time warp, Obama explained.

[mediaman007]

1. An explanation that allows both sides to move on...

[andym]

2. Very astute

[AX10]

3. Obama likes to blame everything on the times before himself.

Just like that stuck up wife of his, the world was all bad until they came along. :puke:

[Drunken Irishman]

You don't think it's true?

I definitely see a generational gap when it comes to racism and sexual orientation.

[GoldieAZ49]

15. do you think your soul needs to be healed by Obama before this country can move forward?

That is what Michelle said in her stump speech right before super tuesday

after seeing their brand of religion my soul is just fine, thank you very much

[virtualobserver]

6. yeah, why would anybody be angry.....

just because black people were being killed for trying to vote in the 60's.

Can't they just get over it?

[KittyWampus]

10. you contribute NOTHING worthwhile to any discussion. It's sad

[izzybeans]

4. It's like fighting the 60s all over again. MLK was demonized by the MSM

for similar, but way, way more eloquent statements.

[Noirceuil]

11. False Analogy

To paraphrase one of my heroes: I knew MLK. MLK was a friend of mine. Obama is no MLK.

R.I.P. Senator Lloyd Bentsen

[JohnnyLib2]

5. I've come to think I was lucky or blessed to have been there (60s).

In some ways, being a precocious politician has its disadvantages.....
:hippie:

[Pirate Smile]

7. It is definitely what he thinks - we are stuck in a cycle of continuing to re-fight

the battles of the 60's over and over again.

[madaboutharry]

8. He makes a good point.

They are in a time warp and in a sense we all are. We all are the product of our times and live with our own frames of reference.

[Freida5]

18. Ya time warp- We need Mr. Spock (wasn't that the 60s)

[Barack_America]

9. I actually believe there's truth to that. There is a lot of inherent anger and distrust...

...in members of the pioneering civil rights movements.

I can't pretend to understand the situation in the African American community, but I do have my opinions about the women's movement. I don't understand the anger of the so-called "old guard" feminists. I did not grow up experiencing what they did. As such, I define what it is to be a "woman" differently and don't see the need for the skepticism I see in them.

[BeyondGeography]

12. He's right; just about everyone who has made an ass of themselves in this campaign is older

and essentially formed and/or deformed by the 60's and 70's. Every ham-handed racial or gender-based overreaction (remember Marcia Pappas/NOW?) has been almost without exception made by the older culture warriors. Moreover, older white voters have been more inclined to vote their identity and younger voters have been more open to a candidate who doesn't look like them.

It has been a fascinating election in that respect. Individuals of good will in the 60's went through hell to open the doors that people like Barack have walked through, but much blood was shed in the process. It has been messy, but the Obama candidacy and the reaction to it among younger Americans, who are the future after all, confirms that it has been worth it.

[JohnnyLib2]

19. Good points, especially the second paragraph.

I want to point out that part of the "60s experience" was the godawful assassinations. The stark reality of losing all those leaders makes us forever wary of placing all hopes and expectations on one person.

Touchy territory here, older vs. younger outlooks.

[meow mix]

13. wow, i didnt know Obama was a explosives expert. bomb is neutralized

very masterful defusing job there.

[Freida5]

14. Don't fool yourself- the media is going to have a field day with that comment.

we will see.

[angie_love]

16. Yeah sounds right? wahts so bad about it?

[amandabeech]

17. But Obama hates the '60s and the boomers.

So why does he go to a church where the senior pastor is a victim of the '60s and has flashbacks at the pulpit?

I would think that Obama would seek out a church with a post-60s feel.

I really just don't get it. Obama hates the '60s, but he doesn't. What's his inner conflict here?

[Rageneau]

20. PLEASE buy this spin, Mr MSM. Please let me off the hook like you usually do.

BO's supporters seem to think this interview settles everything and ends all discussion of this explosive issue.

Don't they wish.

[anigbrowl]

21. Actually, that's sort of how I feel as well

I think that's one of the country's problems. The 'culture wars' are deeply rooted in the 60s and constantly refer to them - to the point that the distinguishing feature of the 2004 campaign was an argument over what John Kerry did in 1968 (while Dems were too polite to run counter-ads saying 'Bush was a hometown hero and Cheney was a wuss'.

Personally speaking (and aged 37, thus born in 1970) I am sick to the back teeth of the fucking 60s. They were very important for the history of the country but have become something of a historical and cultural albatross - it's been hard to move on from those political struggles in many ways. everything (I speak hyperbolically...) is referenced back to the 60s, Nixon and so on.

Interesting topic.