Barack Obama is a true leader.

[kentuck]

It had to be very painful for him to say what he said today. He tried every way in the world to defend Reverend Wright when he said, "Goddamn America" and other inflammatory remarks. How did he get re-paid? With scorn? Obama is in the right in this argument. Wright is wrong.

There will be those that will call him an "Uncle Tom". They will say he threw Reverend Wright under the bus for political expediency. They will say that he just lost the election. They are wrong.

Barack Obama is a true leader because he recognizes the present condition of our nation. He is the only person running for President that is capable of uniting this nation. He may be the only candidate that recognizes the necessity of uniting this country?

Barack is trying to reach across partisan divides and do what is right for the entire country. He is face-to-face with the monster called status quo politics. Power doesn't surrender without a fight. He understands the power that the special interests hold on our government and on our ability to solve any of our problems. He is doing his level best to speak truth to power.

Let us not be so quick to dismiss what is happening as just politics. It is a struggle for our future. It is a struggle for justice. It is a struggle for humanity. Let us not surrender now. I am more proud to support Barack Obama today than ever before.

[parasim]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Great post.

[rwheeler31]

2. It is hard but I'm with you.

[David Dunham]

3. Excellent post

[babylonsister]

4. Love ya, kentuck, and I feel the same way. We NEED him. nt

[PseudoIntellect]

5. I think giving in to the political pressure was a bad decision for him.

The man will be seen as a flip-flop now, no matter what his real opinion on the matter is, and this may cost him those votes from the right-leaners he needs.

[kentuck]

7. He had to take a stand.

If he had done or said nothing, they would have said he was too indecisive to be President. He has already proven that he does not make hasty decisions.

[uponit7771]

12. They'll never be satisfied, if Wright was Jesus Christ the US media still would've demonized him and

...Obama.

[mattclearing]

16. He wasn't giving in to political pressure.

If you saw the whole press conference at the NPC, it was clear Wright didn't give a shit about Obama. Everything Obama said was justified even if you completely discount the political context.

[durrrty libby]

6. I disagree. Obama discovered the focus group was not happy.

What he did was prove he is just a run of the mill politician

"Words Matter" "Words Matter""Words Matter"

"I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother."

Never mind...words don't matter


There is no there there

[uponit7771]

9. Obama shouldn't try and make you people happy, that was his mistake.

[durrrty libby]

15. "you people"???

So it's not about him being genuine. He's just a pandering phony

There is no there there

[kentuck]

13. He defended the Reverend at great political risk.

And how did he get re-paid? Reverend Wright did not have to disrespect Senator Obama in such a way. I would hope that for one time Hillary supporters could put politics aside and look at the human equation of this story.

[NashVegas]

22. If Karl Rove & George Bush Taught Us One Thing - One Damn Thing

It would be the truth that caving into concern trolls (for lack of a better phrase) is political suicide.

[kentuck]

23. And which "truth" are you specifically talking about?

A couple of examples? Are you suggesting this was "political suicide" for Obama to take on the person that stabbed him in the back in a public forum after Obama defended him at great political risk and cost?

[NashVegas]

24. If Obama Had Real Stones

He would have held firm. Everything Wright said on Moyers Friday was VERY reasonable. Most of what he said Sunday and Monday was also reasonable - Pitt nailed it. For the things he was saying about Iraq and media consolidation and Guantanamo, he'd have gotten hundreds of recs.

Given the opportunity to defend someone for speaking out on the wrongness of the Iraq war, Obama folded. Consider the implications of that.

Given the opportunity to defend someone for speaking out on media consolidation, Obama folded - five days after the Senate voted to rescind the FCC's latest round of deregulation

People who think Wright betrayed Obama have been watching all too much MSM.

[kentuck]

26. And he could have just withdrawn from the race...

and handed it to Hillary or McCain and the dream would die. That's some far-sighted self-righteousness. The world is a complicated place. There are times that we must compromise smaller issues for the greater good of society and humanity. The squabble between Obama and Reverend does not and should not supersede the goal of putting this country on the right track. More divisiveness and "making a point" does nothing in the long run. Sorry, I disagree this time.

[NashVegas]

29. That's Circular Thinking, IMO

It tripped us up in 2004 and we're on track to do it all over again.

[kentuck]

32. I don't think it is the same as with John Kerry...

When John Kerry didn't respond to the SwiftBoaters, it hurt him. They stabbed him in the back. Just like Reverend Wright did to Obama. After Obama had initially defended him as best he could, the Reverend came out in front of the National Press Club and stabbed him in the back. How should he have responded? Should he have agreed with Reverend Wright? Or should he have just ignored it, like Kerry did with the SwiftBoaters?

[hokies4ever]

18. Hillary's political coffin is being prepped

and not a moment too soon. This campaign has been a stain on the Clinton legacy, much nastier and deeper than the stain on Monica's blue dress.

[Triana]

8. America does a good job of damning ITSELF and it does a better job than God ever could have

And I agree. Obama is a true leader. He showed the strength of his OWN convictions today and his ability and willingness to DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE even when it is painful and difficult.

Of course he will be slaughtered for it. So was Jesus Christ (if you believe in that stuff).

No good or sensible deed ever goes unpunished in this country.

[hisownpetard]

10. How does the term 'Uncle Tom' apply here?

"Uncle Tom is a pejorative for an African American who is perceived by others as behaving in a subservient manner to White American authority figures, ..."

Other than that, I agree with your OP.

Can't wait to vote for Obama for President.

[mattclearing]

17. I can see how people would take Obama's denunciation of Farrakhan that way. n/t

[hisownpetard]

20. I think you don't understand the term. "Uncle Tom" is applied to someone of color who is perceived

to behave in a way that's obsequious to whites, in order to curry favor.

So your example would not apply.

[kentuck]

21. Bt that is exactly what some people will say?

That he threw Reverend Wright under the bus to preserve his white support? I don't think it's a legitimate charge but we may even hear those words from the Reverend himself. Wait and see.

[kid a]

11. Agree 100% - K & R

[Cha]

14. That's so right.. it's more than

just politics at this juncture in time and Obama is the one person who has gotten this far who can take on the "power structure" and with us helping him we can turn our country into a positive force for our future.

Thanks, kentuck.

[MrSlayer]

19. The truly sad and painful part is that something so irrelevant has led to this.

Something that has absolutely nothing to do with him or his campaign. I could never be a politician, I'd be flipping out when they hit me with real shit but this type of nonsense I could never deal with. I would have come down from the podium and slapped the shit out of the moderators of the PA debate if I were either candidate.

[Hope And Change]

25. K & R!

:kick:

[knixphan]

27. K&R

[DemsUnited]

28. hear, hear! Kick & Rec.

[wowimthere]

30. K&R big time!

[TragedyandHope]

31. Obama did what he had to do

I understand and support his decision. Once again, Obama has shown that he is exactly the kind of leader the country needs. He is someone who is thoughtful and can swallow his pride and stand up to admit his mistake and change his mind for the benefit of the greater good. We don't need someone who is never wrong and just keeps on digging a deeper hole for him/herself and drags the country down along for the ride. Obama is someone who can reach beyond dogma and across the aisle if necessary, to fix the tough problems facing the country. It may not make everyone happy and it may not make him look good every time, but he will do what is necessary to get the job done.

[kentuck]

33. That's right.

If he wants to be President, he will have to be President for all the people, not just blacks or just not whites, but all the people. That is what he is trying to do. Unfortunately or fortunately, he doesn't fit into a lot of boxes that people are trying to put him in. I do believe that he wants to serve his country.