Barack Obama
The Associated Press

Did he make his case?

Featured Topic | Posted 36 weeks 6 days ago

Obama's speech: Can we overcome the legacy of racism?

After days of controversy about his connections to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama today went to Philadelphia to give a speech on race relations in America.

Listen to Ben and Joel discuss the speech in today's podcast.

"The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked through - a part of our union that we have yet to perfect," Obama said. "And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American."

How well did Obama make his case? Can he put the Wright controversy behind him?

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Ben likes: Obama in Philly

Drew Cline/The Corner

What first strikes me in Barack Obama's speech today is the image of a black American standing across the street from where the Constitution was negotiated in part by slave owners — and not condemning the Founders, but praising them. Here he was noting the stain of slavery, but not letting it become the story of the Founders, but only a part of the story, not letting it press out the reverence the Founders are due.

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Joel likes: The speech

Andrew Sullivan/The Daily Dish

It is a speech we have all been waiting for for a generation. Its ability to embrace both the legitimate fears and resentments of whites and the understandable anger and dashed hopes of many blacks was, in my view, unique in recent American history.

And it was a reflection of faith -- deep, hopeful, transcending faith in the promises of the Gospels. And it was about America -- its unique promise, its historic purpose, and our duty to take up the burden to perfect this union -- today, in our time, in our way.

Bill Clinton once said that everything bad in America can be rectified by what is good in America. He was right - and Obama takes that to a new level. And does it with the deepest darkest wound in this country's history.

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