Obama's Speech

Hussein Obama gave a speech today both to address his 'former' pastor's outrageous, racist, hate-speech sermons and to give his own 'state of racism in America' address. I have not heard the entire speech but I have heard all of the hi-lites that all of the media think that I should hear. Based upon what I've heard and the reaction to it - here are my thoughts.

First, there is an obvious double-standard when the same media that drums a guy out of town for 'nappy headed ho' is willing to cover, question, but not DEMAND apologies and restitution from a man who preaches hate and racism, not off-handedly but from a written sermon text, not one morning but Sunday after Sunday. It's amazing to me that the 'former' pastor has not been interviewed, that TV trucks have not stalked his home, that he has not been required to give any much less a daily statement.

What of Obama attending this man's church for twenty years? It would be like John McCain going to a weekly lecture by David Duke. Would one speech absolve him?

As for the speech itself, as usual Obama can deliver a speech. He picked the right audience, the right back-drop, the right tone and pace. He is an orator for sure. I thought that he was pretty straight-forward as well. He has of course a trump card being the son of a black father and a white mother. He played it. A good play given the cards on the table. And as a pastor I had to appreciate that while he strongly disagreed with and distanced himself from some things his pastor has said, he nevertheless did not 'throw his pastor under the bus' to save his own political fortunes. Why, I have folks that I have led to Christ and baptized who have left the church because a new one was built a block closer to their home. Almost certainly McCain voters.

I agree with Bay Buchanan who said that in a political crisis the first order of the day is to be sure that you shore up your own base support: this speech did that. Plus, Obama is getting props from all of the media that matters to him and his possible voters. I think that the 'mainstream media' will begin to back away from challenging him directly on this - unless a lot more comes out. They will cover the story but not continually ask him to comment on it.

Will he continue to get skewered on the internet via youtube and such? Absolutely.

Will the right continue to fire away? Most certainly.

Will McCain take him on? Not a chance! McCain apologized for a guy using Obama's given middle name!

So, unless there are racist statements by Obama himself that are found and aired, I believe that he will come out of this on his feet. The main reason is this: Obama does not come across as racist (and remember that trump card).