The influence of Obama’s mother and grandparents
His political opponents have tried every trick in the book: he’s a Muslim, he’s a Christian whose minister is as radical as Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson, he’s not black enough, he’s too black, he’s lucky to be black, and he’s anti-woman. But the reality is he was raised by an open-minded mother dedicated to public service, spent his high school years in his grandmother’s care, and with a sibling, spouse and children who are all women, much of his development and influences have been matriarchal, multicultural, international and he was pushed hard to excel and to pursue public service.
And rather than the confrontational approaches utilized by many of his black political predecessors, he’s established a tone opposed to division, pushing for change with the moderate temperament and inspirational rhetoric that Martin Luther King was known for, compared to, say, Malcolm X, Eldridge Cleaver, Bobby Seale or even Jesse Jackson.
Now I fully expect his political foes to say his mother was bad for leaving him with her parents in his high school years or for her two shortlived marriages. Because that’s what political foes do.
Will voters fall for all that they say? Or will they look at his choices made as an adult? So far, a majority of the voters seem to be responding to his message, his image and his record of achievement. He stands a good chance of being our next president despite all the things his foes fling at him.
As a liberal, I find his policies less than ideal because they’re too conservative. But his honesty about his personal life - even as an unmotivated teen - and his calm, unflappable tone, are things I find reassuring. So, too, is his mother’s story and the examples she set. He is not her mirror, but you can see a lot of her reflection in him.
By contrast, I can also see the conservative Republican parents reflected in Hillary Clinton. It’s in things like that - family influence and political record - that I find more influence than in any campaign spin.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:40 am
It is real boring to hear the same old line, not liberal enough.
He is as liberal as anyone out there. He passed bills co-sponsored with Feingold.
He meets with liberals. He met with our Pogressive Democrat of America group, and did every thing we asked.
So why not work on getting him on board your issues. He says many times he needs to hear from us.
What the hell liberal would make you people happy. I guess Edwards, although he found it late in life, in 04 and when he was in the Senate he was anything but a liberal.
And plus he sucks as a candidate, obviously.
So either get a liberal savior that can actually win something. Or, just give up that line.
You know, with Obama you can actually get things done.
But to many, not you, think supporting some ultra-liberal running in the Free Manson Party and getting 1% of the vote is getting something done.
So for the last FRICKIN time. Barack Obama is a liberal, deal with it.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Obama and the Race Debate
Obama has made racist comments and the media knows it. Hell, he had them published in his book “Audacity of hope” and no one calls him on it.
Actually, anyone that read Obama’s book called the “Audacity of Hope” would in some cases fall over because of the arrogance Obama expresses in at least one example of White Southern men that display race bigotry using the word Nigger, just by imagination alone. Here, Obama did not expressly hear anyone do this but he imagines, did he make this story up, or, was Obama told by someone it happened ? Obama needs to clarify this but no one in the media will challenge him they simply pass right over it because they said his book was great. From my perspective it is full of arrogance and flip flopping that is in constant debate in the all of the cable news.
Obama should be held accountable, since Obama’s political team seems to think everything Hillary Clinton’s team does is testy, and racist, this is a stellar example of Black hypocrisy, pulling the race card at every turn all the while guilty of the exact same bigotry. Barack Hussein Obama owes America an apology especially White Southern Men and their sons, or anyone else in his imagination of hope.
Just to imagine White Southern Men talk to their sons using the word Nigger, or Obama’s imagination, do white people of any demographic area express this type of bigotry using the word Nigger ?
Read for your self, that he, Obama uses the word Nigger to characterize white people. Hell from my view, I have felt guilty of using the word Nigger in private or in public conversations. Here, I will express my opinion just as Uncle Obama might, with something worse than audacity, more like arrogance in imagination, Obama writes and publishes in a national best seller endorsed by five large media concerns makes me wonder about the bias and pitiful favor to Obama. Yet these critics say he is great all the while Obama leaves doubt trailing his hope in a lot of his book. Sheesh.
Here is a paraphrase from that portion of Obama’s Chapter one, Republicans and Democrats, it’s near the end of the chapter.
“Maybe the critics are right. Maybe there’s no escaping our great political divide, an endless clash of armies, and any attempts to alter the rules of engagement are futile. Or maybe the trivialization of politics has reached a point of no return, so that most people see it as just one more diversion, a sport, with politicians our paunch-bellied gladiators and those who bother to pay attention just fans on the sidelines: We paint our faces red or blue and cheer our side and boo their side, and if it takes a late hit or cheap shot to beat the other team, so be it, for winning is all that matters.
But I don’t think so. They are out there, I think to myself, those ordinary citizens who have grown up in the mist of all the political and cultural battles, but have found a way – in their own lives, at least – to make peace with their neighbors, and themselves. I imagine the white Southerner who growing up heard his dad talk about niggers this and niggers that but who has struck up a friendship with the black guys at the office and is trying to teach his son different, who thinks discrimination is wrong but doesn’t see why the son of a black doctor should get admitted into law school ahead of his own son. Or the former Black Panther who decided to go into real estate, bought a few buildings in the neighborhood, and is just tired of the drug dealers in front of those buildings as he is of the bankers who won’t give him a loan to expand his business. ”
Obama goes on and on about abortion and low pay. However I can not print the whole book here you need to buy a copy and see for yourself. I purchased my copy in a Sears, BK, store book section for $11.21.
And another part jumps out for me anyway.
“They are out there, I think to myself, those ordinary citizens who have grown up in the mist of all the political and cultural battles, but have found a way – in their own lives, at least – to make peace with their neighbors, and themselves”.
I feel I am one of those ordinary citizens who have tolerated and embraced the black culture when I was young and innocent of life. But now realize the black culture needs the white man to survive, the black man on its own, would highly and likely diminish in turmoil. What’s shameful is the exploitation that exists that Obama does not know how to engage.
As it is in Africa and the Middle East, change into a new life for those in power is not acceptable by its core leadership. America would truly loose the divide when white people feel comfortable to migrate and move to black neighborhoods, if that is what Obama means by making peace with their neighbors. Or, even a free Iraq, where, do you think it might be possible some day an American would be able to move to Baghdad enjoying the peace and personal divine believes in the cradle of civilization ? All that very remote now, and on balance to move peaceably to the west side of Chicago is also slow. However, that cultural clock is ticking slowly melding to one at a random rate. Its happening perhaps not as quickly as Obama describes, “ We can’t Wait “. Well perhaps powers greater than all us are saying “ Yes We can “.
My motivation to make these suggestions is personal and is my opinion. I don’t know if it strikes cord with anyone else, hopefully it does. For I have no important political connection to Hillary, Obama or McCain. Foremost my personal political believes ‘can not’ support any form of torture, water-board or other.
From my perspective I would argue the point that our Commander and Chief in this age and moving forward need to adjust conflicts in war that do not present the ideal that justify torturing one person to save a thousands in a good war strategy . Simply put don’t place our military in a position to have to torture one man to save a thousands. That’s why I prefer not to vote for McCain. Here, a man once a prisoner, and the son of the European Commander did play a lot in the fall of Vietnam and agree to America’s pull out to save one mans life. You have to have rocks in your head not to think that didn’t happen.
I am just a Joe six pack.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Obama’s mother was a virulent anti-American who indoctrinated her son to hate his country as much as she did. Obama wants to change America alright, but you’re not going to like it. His mother’s greatest dream was to see the US destroyed. Like many extreme radical liberals she blamed all the world’s ills on the US. Before you make a decision about Obama you should research all about him, and in particular, her. You’ll come away understanding how he can go to such a rabidly anti-American church and how he could have married such an anti-American woman. The reason is very clear - it’s because he harbors the same anti-American feelings himself.
Here’s a more honest appraisal of Obama’s mother than the NY Slime’s propaganda piece -
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/JB26Aa01.html
March 28th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Ah yes, Spengler, the author of the hit piece, should be given credibility why? It fits your distorted image of an Obama family that has never been. Try again, after your therapy has restored your sanity.
You insult my intelligence with propaganda like that, Mandy.