This sentence really pisses me off..

[AGirl]

Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country... a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam. - Obama

[LSK]

1. I think America will get past racism well before it will even touch the Israeli/Palestiinian issue

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

You are right there

I've come to the conclusion the Israeli/Palestinian issue has become so muddled and so hate-filled that I wish we could deport everyone from the area for about a five year "time out" and then have them come back if they promise to behave in a civilized manner.

[Mooney]

4. We will also solve gender issues and pay off the national debt before that ever happens.

I voted for Obama, but I'll be the first to concede that he's pandering here. When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict however, there's a lot of that going around.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. At least people can admit coverage of racism is slanted in the media.

No one cares to admit how utterly biased it is for this issue.

[PFunk]

2. You're not the only one pissed off by that line.

But it will take a major crowbar to get america to stop kissing isreali butt. Something like a depression-or worse.

[jasmine621]

3. Me too. Obama is good at pandering and smearing in ways people

don't discern. If I were a Muslim, I would be greatly offended.

[Sulawesi]

5. Read Sam Harris', "End of Faith"

[UALRBSofL]

6. Not Again, Not Again, Not Again

AGirl, do you support Hillary today? :rofl:

[goldcanyonaz]

7. We need to setup a dating service on here for all the flip floppers.

They need love too.

:grouphug:

[DerekJ]

12. I support Obama, and she is right.

[Armstead]

9. It pissed me off too -- Was pandering I guess

[goldcanyonaz]

11. This is where I agree with him. Radical being the key word.

[DerekJ]

10. I agree with you Agirl

It was the only time I cringed during the speech. But it's one issue you have to "keep the course" and can't afford to mess with now. We all know why.

[boobooday]

13. Also my least favorite line

But everyone has to do the symbolic flailing of the "radical Islam" trope.

[rucky]

14. Special interest groups ask to be pandered to.

and raise hell when they're not. And we know who the most influential hell-raisers out there are...

He was heading off the next attack - from AIPAC. It seems he had to include that in there, though I personally disagree with it.

I have a certain amount of tolerance for pandering, given the reactions we see from special interest groups when politicians don't pander. Many of these issues are best addressed after one's in office, and I hope this statement is not as much an indiciation of Obama's Mideast policy and more of just a way to get AIPAC (and other Islamophobes) off his ass until the election.

[IndianaJones]

15. I love it. nt.

[DeadElephant_ORG]

16. agreed. But to suggest ANY culpability of Israel would be political suicide

[Bonobo]

17. So Israel is to blame for the conflicts in the Middle East? Please explain why you think so.

[LSK]

19. let me help you a little

http://books.google.com/books?id=ark8iAkzcxwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:Jimmy+inauthor:Carter&sig=dsfHk2uZ48xRmmd7jkvCzCBm7GU

[Bonobo]

20. Actually, I am well-versed, thanks. I was trying to test the person I was responding to.

[butterfly77]

18. I notice when it is a black person..

running for president he has to denounce everything about himself and answer some of these bullshit questions that now or never will be asked of a white candidate. We are lookin at what is in the whitehouse and now want to question Barack's patrotism why isn't it asked to Bush about all of his associates and if he really loves this country when he seems so bent on trying to destroy it...

[RYOMYO]

21. Who is "they"? n/t