Hey Tweety: Why was it important for you to "remember he was black" in the first place?

[ddeclue]

I mean.. REALLY... what does THAT have to do with a State of the Union address anyways?

:crazy:

FAIL for gratuitous racial commentary!

:eyes:

[RoyGBiv]

1. Precisely the point ...

The "what's the big deal" shrugs are really irritating.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. He made an effort to explain his comment when he appeared on Rachel.

He said that race was a factor during the campaign, but that Obama has transcended it, that it's no longer an issue, especially tonight...

[Skittles]

4. LOL TWEETY

if it's no longer an issue, why are you mentioning it? What a tool.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Maybe I'm wrong, but I got the feeling that somebody called him on it

And told him that he'd better damn well get out there and explain away that remark... I was pretty shocked when I heard it.

[Skittles]

13. I thought about what that remark could actually mean

all my scenarios came down to one thing: racism

[Rhiannon12866]

14. That was what I thought, too, until I heard his explanation.

My thought is that Tweety's mouth sometimes works faster than his brain... x(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=158745&mesg_id=158745 :shrug:

[Captain Hilts]

3. It's like the "My Vote Made History" bumper stickers. So what. nt

[Behind the Aegis]

12. It isn't really the same.

The installation of a mixed-race, FAIAP, an African-American, president is "historical." To say "I almost didn't remember he was black.", implies two things; he remembered he was black (an OK thing, because it is true...there's your "so what?"), and the idea that a black president could be just a "president." He can hem-haw about the racial issues of the campaign, but that was a year ago. He also is confusing the concept of racism with being African-American. Obama didn't make his run about his race, any more than Clinton made her race about sex.

IMO, his comment comes across as a variation of "she's pretty for a black girl."

[Caliman73]

6. exactly my reaction

WTF?? If race had nothing to do with anything why point it out? Given our history and present, race will continue to have much to do with many things for the foreseeable future. The President is a great speaker and that is not a racial thing, but to say that he transcends race is naive.

[Faux pas]

7. So true and so sad. Some of us haven't evolved enough to

know that people are people.

[dmr]

8. I couldn't believe he said that

Of course the president's black. Everyone knows that! The thing is, when I look at Obama, neither the first thing or the last thing I think of is black. I see a president I love and respect: and a president I can get very angry with from time to time.

I don't think Mathews is racist, I think he was trying to be clever in that strange Mathews' way. But clever and Mathews should never be used in the same sentence.

PS: I also see an adorable looking man who's got a nice butt.:blush:

[Behind the Aegis]

9. This falls along the "she is pretty for a black girl" line.

Is the person saying such a thing a rabid racist? Probably not. However, the person is clearly not 'cultured' in regards to issues of race. It was more likely an unintentional racist remark, but it doesn't change the fact it was a racist remark and he should be called on it and should learn from his mistake.

[jbnow]

10. I got what he meant. It was clumsy but he was excited that

race didn't enter his thoughts as he listened to the speech. He wasn't saying at all that it important for him to "remember he was black". What felt important to him was he didn't think of it at all. This wasn't the excitement of the first state of the union by the first black president, he was caught up in the speech of this president sounding so much like a great leader (or however he put it).
Later he realized- hey, I didn't think of him as first black president, just as president
Now he says it was Obama who transcended race... but no, it was Chris who finally did

I'll explain it with a couple of things he has said. He's often pointed out how race isn't a big thing to younger generation and talks about a first trip he made to see his son at college. He met several of his son's friends and professors that his son mentioned often and he was so surprised that many of them were black and his son hadn't mentioned it. It dawned on him that his son hadn't mentioned it because it was no big deal, they were just friends or professors whatever their color. To his kids there'd be no more reason to bring up race than to bring up hair color.
It was a revelation to him and a sign of great hope.

That sounds dumb too but I got that too. I'd bring up my best friend often when casually talking about what I did that weekend or whatever to coworkers or family I didn't see often. When such people would meet him over the years the older ones especially would later say "You didn't tell me he was black". I'd tend to tease them by then telling them the race or nationality of other friends I mentioned a lot and that would usually make them laugh at themselves and get the point.

OK, the other thing is Chris's very emotional reaction when Obama... I think when he won Iowa ... that he just felt to good imagining newspapers around the world with pictures of Obama... that America had chosen him. That his would be the face that would represent us and even his name and that he'd lived overseas in part of childhood. He said something like it was like Obama was our gift from the world and to the world and he would change the image of America around the world.

Now that wasn't him being prejudiced... but it was him being very moved by his race as far as we had chosen this black candidate.
A lot of America felt that when white Iowa gave him that victory, when America elected him president, when he was inaugurated

But last night the thrill was that he was listening to this 'great leader' and later realizing... well that he was more like his kid now, race was just beside the point now.

Of course he thought that was true for the room and he thought it was Obama.

Obama never transcended race but he gave others the opportunity to if need be. Obama is simply Obama who is a member of the human race and he is darkish skinned with graying hair

Don't be too hard on Matthews. However silly it seemed he was coming from a good place in his heart and sometimes he just bubbles over.

[Half and Half]

11. Maybe...

because last year was the "you lie!" outburst and a lot of people decided that only happened because a Black President couldn't get the respect a President deserves from everyone during the SOTU.

This year, nothing, huzzah Obama has transcended race! lol..