Smiley & West deconstruct President Obama’s controversial comments at a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation event.

Smiley: The part that hurts the most is watching Black folk applaud as they're being insulted.

West: It was offensive, condescending, insulting, disrespectful. It had an arrogance to it, almost a cynicism to it that was profoundly disappointing.

 

 

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This was an all time low! What needs to take place (said or done), to move people to ACTION? He's my brother, but I've had to kick my brother's ass before-we're both better off for it!
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Yes. And when I read that the Mr. Obama told the Congressional Black Caucus,  "I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't have time to complain," I was taken aback. What in the world does he have to complain or feel sorry for himself about?!?! He has a good job and two fabulous homes. His kids are getting great educations. He is set for life. He doesn't get it. Maxine was too generous.

Now today I read that the Mr. Obama is proclaiming that America's economic crisis is a consequence of Americans being "a little soft." Mr. Obama says " Even before the financial crisis hit, one of the reasons that I ran for president was that wages - incomes had flat-lined at the same time that costs were going up." Oh please. At this point, I think it's pretty obvious why he ran for POTUS. As far as I can see it's an ego thing.

I would actually like to listen to the speech before I make a comment.
That is the best move...I listened to it in it's entirety and I'm not at all certain where this discussion is taking us.  It is worth hearing and watching outside of the minute and a half loop, the media has focused on.

Carol D. Durante-Spinner said:
I would actually like to listen to the speech before I make a comment.
Although I think the Dr. West is brilliant I think he missed the point here. Obama was't telling black people to stop whining, he was trying to get his constituency in the black community to shut people like you and other black critics up. You can expect this to generate a new wave of attacks in the embedded media.

THAT UNGRACIOUS, DISRESPECTFUL, IMPERTINENT, ARROGANT HYPOCRITE!  The nerve of him to try and publicly CHASTISE African American leaders at a CBC event of all places.  He only conducted himself this way because he knew that there would be NO CONSEQUENCES for doing so from his very blind-sided, waaaay too loyal and under-appreciated BLACK DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUENTS since unfortunately many of them are merely satisfied with the fact that they have their very first 1/2 Black President and require nothing more of/from him....IF ONLY OBAMA FELT THE SAME WAY ABOUT THEM!  

 

Now I just listened to Obama via CNN give a VERY POLITICALLY CORRECT speech at the Human Rights Dinner for Gay Rights, and he could not have presented himself any more respectful, accommodating and presidentially polite towards THIS AUDIENCE.  You guys should have heard him....he was back to his old eloquent/accommodating self again with these potential voters whom I'm sure would NEVER have tolerated him standing at the podium chastising them and their leaders and refusing to address their group's concerns, which is exactly why he didn't....SEE OBAMA KNEW THEY DEMANDED MORE FROM HIM AND IF HE DIDN'T DELIVER, THEN THERE WOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR HIM NOT MEETING THEIR RIGHTFUL EXPECTATIONS OF HIM.  

 

Obama would NEVER speak with such DISRESPECT and CONTEMPT at any other ethnic-centered event of any kind, except he arrogantly assumed it was OK and SAFE to do so at this CBC event....that's how little he really thinks of us!  Believe me I know as I use to be one of his most loyal supporters....voted and campaigned for him during his runs for President, U.S. Senator and IL State Senator.  THANK GOD I KNOW BETTER NOW!!!  AND WHEN HE SIGNED THE EXTENSION OF THAT EVIL ASS PATRIOT ACT,...well that was pretty much the last straw for me as I knew for certain then that he was NOT the same man that I had voted for. Today it is very clear to me, Obama lost his soul in D.C. OR PERHAPS HE FOUND IT THERE!  Below is his CBC speech and note that there was NO usual ELOQUENCE, GRACIOUSNESS, PATRIOTISM, PROFESSIONAL TACT & DIPLOMACY OR ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CHARACTERISTIC ONE WOULD EXPECT TO HEAR DURING SUCH A DISTINGUISHED EVENT WHILE IN HIS OFFICIAL ROLE AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF USA...note his tone, delivery, body language and not to mention the actual inappropriate dialect he CHOSE to use with this BLACK audience.

http://youtu.be/fvP281Q_jfw?hd=1

Mr Turchyn...that is also the understanding of the speech I got.  It is obvious who you turn to when you are at the lowest point, needing assistance, and realize you must encourage your warriors all at the same time.  I don't see it as a willful act of disrespect of the CBC.  That speech was nearly 30 minutes long and are we all hearing the same message?  I may have taken issue with other situations and things said by the President, members of the CBC, or even Brother Tavis and Dr. West in the past, and no one can question my love of Dr. West without a fight.  Truly I am not finding fault if others see this situation differently, but on this occasion, I don't see it as chastisement or disrespect.  (full speech available on C-SPAN...http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/RemarkstoCo

Michael Turchyn said:

I really don't think he meant to be insulting to anyone there. Sounded to me like HE is the one whos being accused of just complaining about jobs and the economy and not doing anything, and so he's saying he's going to press on.

Then he was talking to everyone who knows washington is messed up. Trying to call them to support him against the people trying to put us back in the dark ages by telling them to not complain about washington but do something. Like go and campaign for him a second time is what he meant.

He didnt say that because he expects the black vote, he said it because he really needs the members of the CBC to be behind him like they were the first time with action. Not just votes.

I agree very much with smiley and west about the things obama has and hasn't been doing but I don't think they interpreted this speech the way it was meant.

What????!!!!!!

 

Does anybody really believe that obomber's speechwriters weren't savvy enough to know which of the expressions he used would end up as soundbites! C'mon!!!!!!

 

He sho'nuff told the niggers, didn't he? And while his granny's people are overjoyed with the message, his ?????s are trying to spin it in a way that doesn't make them feel so bad.


Identity politics has historically served the black community very well electing scores of black politicians including Obama. One of the limitations of this approach is that virtually anyone who can embody the identity is acceptable. This is basically a form of essentialism. 
Essentialism leads tokenism. Clarence Thomas replaced Justice Marshal without much of a fuss except for Anita Hill, but that was a separate issue. The fact that Thomas's politics were anathema to Marshal's was hardly an issue. Identity politics was created for very practical reasons. I am not advocating that it be abandoned, but there are clearly downsides. To have overwhelming support in the black community all Obama needs to do is be black and of course he knows that.  

 

Bennetta said:


THAT UNGRACIOUS, DISRESPECTFUL, IMPERTINENT, ARROGANT HYPOCRITE!  The nerve of him to try and publicly CHASTISE African American leaders at a CBC event of all places.  He only conducted himself this way because he knew that there would be NO CONSEQUENCES for doing so from his very blind-sided, waaaay too loyal and under-appreciated BLACK DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUENTS since unfortunately many of them are merely satisfied with the fact that they have their very first 1/2 Black President and require nothing more of/from him....IF ONLY OBAMA FELT THE SAME WAY ABOUT THEM!  

 

Now I just listened to Obama via CNN give a VERY POLITICALLY CORRECT speech at the Human Rights Dinner for Gay Rights, and he could not have presented himself any more respectful, accommodating and presidentially polite towards THIS AUDIENCE.  You guys should have heard him....he was back to his old eloquent/accommodating self again with these potential voters whom I'm sure would NEVER have tolerated him standing at the podium chastising them and their leaders and refusing to address their group's concerns, which is exactly why he didn't....SEE OBAMA KNEW THEY DEMANDED MORE FROM HIM AND IF HE DIDN'T DELIVER, THEN THERE WOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR HIM NOT MEETING THEIR RIGHTFUL EXPECTATIONS OF HIM.  

 

Obama would NEVER speak with such DISRESPECT and CONTEMPT at any other ethnic-centered event of any kind, except he arrogantly assumed it was OK and SAFE to do so at this CBC event....that's how little he really thinks of us!  Believe me I know as I use to be one of his most loyal supporters....voted and campaigned for him during his runs for President, U.S. Senator and IL State Senator.  THANK GOD I KNOW BETTER NOW!!!  AND WHEN HE SIGNED THE EXTENSION OF THAT EVIL ASS PATRIOT ACT,...well that was pretty much the last straw for me as I knew for certain then that he was NOT the same man that I had voted for. Today it is very clear to me, Obama lost his soul in D.C. OR PERHAPS HE FOUND IT THERE!  Below is his CBC speech and note that there was NO usual ELOQUENCE, GRACIOUSNESS, PATRIOTISM, PROFESSIONAL TACT & DIPLOMACY OR ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CHARACTERISTIC ONE WOULD EXPECT TO HEAR DURING SUCH A DISTINGUISHED EVENT WHILE IN HIS OFFICIAL ROLE AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF USA...note his tone, delivery, body language and not to mention the actual inappropriate dialect he CHOSE to use with this BLACK audience.

http://youtu.be/fvP281Q_jfw?hd=1

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