Jim's Notes

# re: Straight Talk

Hey Jim, what do you think of the Obama preacher angle? I find it disturbing - am I overreacting?

# re: Straight Talk

I just listened to the Obama You Tube speech. Even though
Rev. Wright's remarks still make me cringe and think of the underlying anger and perhaps hatred, I understand Obama's interpretation now. Sound bytes can be damaging.

# re: Straight Talk

Yeah, it is disturbing I guess, but racial tension in this country isn't exactly a new thing. It is definitely a blow to his campaign and I hope he'll be able to recover. There is a really good write up in this week's New Yorker that discusses the speech and makes the point that Obama does something in it that many politicians don't do. He talks plainly without underestimating his audience's intelligence. I think that says more about Obama than the views of his pastor.

Another thing worth noting is how Obama doesn't dismiss or renounce his pastor completely. If he had come out with a knee-jerk reaction and said that Wright was a fringe-case lunatic it would have been really disingenuous and everybody would have thought so. But Obama didn't panic and spoke plainly about a really intricate subject without dumbing it down or making it simple; which, if anything, makes me respect him even more.

# re: Straight Talk

By the way, who are you?