MyDD :: Is Barack Obama Talking Down To Black Male Voters? (+)

Is Barack Obama Talking Down To Black Male Voters? (+)

by AAPPundit, Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 06:48:57 AM EST

Barack Obama was heckled and accused of not focusing on black issues. Obama appeared in St. Petersburg, Florida and was interrupted when 3 black men stood up, put up a banner that said, "What about the black community, Obama?" and hollered, What about the black community?

Obama told them they would have time to ask questions after the speech was over, and they did. They asked why he was not focusing on issues like the sub-prime mortgage crisis, Jena Six, Sean Bell and "the numerous attacks that are made against the African-American community." Obama responded twofold: telling the hecklers that he had, in fact, been focused on these issues and explaining that there would never be 100% continuity between his agenda and that of the voters.

"Listen, I was a civil rights lawyer," Obama said. "I passed the first racial profiling legislation in Illinois.

I passed some of the toughest death penalty reform legislation in Illinois.

That doesn't mean I am always going to satisfy the way you want these issues framed... which gives you the option of voting for somebody else, it gives you the option of running for office yourself, those are all options.

Did Barack Obama have say all that? Did he have to say, "which gives you the option of voting for somebody else."

AAPP: I wonder why Barack went there on the brothers? why did he have to give the riot act on voting to the brothers? Was Jesse Jackson right, but just said it the wrong way? Is Barack having issues with black men, or is it a tight rope he is walking on? Candidly, i don't think he needed to go there on the brothers.

More at: http://tinyurl.com/6m2j27

Tags: Barack Obama, John McCain, Talking Down, Black Male Voters, Black Voters, Black Community (all tags)

Permalink :: 6 Comments :: Post a Comment

i'd strongly suggest that he was way too nice... (2.00 / 1)

let's just assume that the "brothers" were politically naive and they thought we were electing a president only for black men. if that's what they thought, then they might have a point.

but they'd be wrong. sure, they probably just want to reiterate the old saw that barack isn't black enough. you can't be intelligent and be black, can you? you can't speak "proper" english and be black, can you?

we aren't electing a black president, we're electing an american president. someone should have told them, because they don't seem to understand that. every frickin' voter in america -- not just a couple of black men -- thinks that there problems are the problems in most desperate need of attention. EVERY SINGLE ONE. that these men think barack is ignoring the issues they raised demonstrated a lack of thoughtfulness. maybe they are black enough. but barack certainly handled this exchange with grace and tack. which is certainly more than can be said of the protesters...

"I can't change things overnight, but I think I can get us on the right track." -- Barack Obama

by bored now on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 07:57:07 AM EST

Re: Is Barack Obama Talking Down To Black Male Vot (2.00 / 2)

When you ask an intelligent person a question based on incorrect facts it is only natural that the response you will receive will not be coming back to you in a lets say, "non-condescending" tone.

The mere fact that they heckled him during his speech, but then asked a question that had within them factually inaccurate assertions.

Obama has every right to "talk down" to them. In the the black community what Obama did was respectfully "read" the "brother".

by Justin Pugh on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 08:17:16 AM EST

By the reponses of all the black folks (2.00 / 3)

sitting around us at the event, I'd say the concensus was that he said what he should have.

My video of the exchange was not as clear as the news coverage so I used that in my diary instead. I post my video below.

What may or may not come through in it is the reaction of those sitting around me (none of whom were non-black). They had quite a lot of pointed and specific things to say about how the protestors behaved and what the Senator said. There was unanimous agreement in both cases, and they sided with the Senator.

(The video is "not processed yet" but should show up shortly)

-chris

Motley Moose: Progress Through Politics

by chrisblask on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 09:25:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is Barack Obama Talking Down To Black Male Vot (2.00 / 1)

Oh come on. He was heckled by a couple guys from the African People's Socialist party. These guys are running around claiming that Obama is a tool of White Supremacists and trying to drum up interest in their annual conference. This year's theme? "What about the Black Community Obama?"

Obama isn't talking down to us, he isn't insulting us, our support for him isn't cracking, fading, failing, tanking or anything else. All the people out there asking those questions and making these claims are just clueless. It's like asking if a candidate's support amongst union families is tanking because a couple Wobblies showed up at a rally with a banner and some insults.

I've spent all week having to explain this stuff to clueless White bloggers, I shouldn't have to explain it to you.

by Whash on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 09:41:12 AM EST

Re: Is Barack Obama Talking Down To Voters? (+) (none / 0)

Since when is defending one's self and speaking the truth "talking down" to someone?

I'm riding the Low Road Express. Join me at www.lowroadexpress.com

by LtWorf on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 09:57:48 AM EST

Is Barack Obama Talking Down To Black Males (none / 0)

No. But you must talk up even to fools and knaves.

by Glaurung on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 11:32:17 AM EST

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