Patterico's Pontifications

7/29/2008

Obama Speaks at Unity ’08, Part I (Updated)

Filed under: 2008 Election,Media Bias — DRJ @ 7:09 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin published an article about Barack Obama’s recent Unity ’08 speech in Chicago to a group of minority journalists. According to the Star-Bulletin, the speech was notable for two reasons:

First, Obama called on America to “acknowledge its history of poor treatment of certain ethnic groups” like Native Americans as well as “other persons of color” and to offer reparations:

“I personally would want to see our tragic history, or the tragic elements of our history, acknowledged,” the Democratic presidential hopeful said.

“I consistently believe that when it comes to whether it’s Native Americans or African-American issues or reparations, the most important thing for the U.S. government to do is not just offer words, but offer deeds.”

The Star-Bulletin article noted Obama did not mention native Hawaiians in this context. Nevertheless, the journalists – some of whom “waited 3 hours for the 40 minute appearance” – were described as receptive:

“When Obama walked on stage at the McCormick Center, many journalists in the audience leapt to their feet and applauded enthusiastically after being told not to do so. During a two-minute break halfway through the event, which was broadcast live on CNN, journalists ran to the stage to snap photos of Obama.”

The Star-Bulletin stated Obama was given another standing ovation by some of the journalists when he concluded his remarks.

On the other hand, the Tribune’s The Swamp filed a report regarding the same speech but there was no mention of Native Americans or “persons of color” and it had a completely different take on reparations:

“He also expressed reservations about making reparations to African Americans and other groups for past deeds. “The best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people that are unemployed,” Obama said.”

Furthermore, instead of media love, the media’s reaction was described as “restrained” despite two standing ovations and a rush to the stage after his speech:

“At UNITY, the applause was restrained, after organizers reminded conference participants that the appearance was being nationally broadcast and they should make every effort to maintain “professional decorum.”

Still, Obama received a standing ovation from many in the audience at the start and end of his appearance. There was also a rush toward the stage after his speech, as Obama shook hands and signed autographs.

One journalist was also overheard wishing him luck, while another squealed, “He touched me!” as she left the ballroom.

Before Obama arrived, a panel discussed the question of journalistic objectivity, including whether journalists should clap for politicians when they appear.

“The mainstream media loves John McCain. They cheer for him all the time. And now we’re going to tell our black journalists, our Hispanic journalists, that they can’t clap for Obama?” African-American columnist Les Payne responded.”

Interesting, isn’t it? I can’t tell if this proves Obama is all things to all people or different things to the same people.

UPDATE 8/2/2008: Obama now says he opposes paying reparations to the descendants of slaves.

— DRJ

16 Responses to “Obama Speaks at Unity ’08, Part I (Updated)”

  1. My jaw drops. My heart surges.

    Deeds? Reparations?

    Has the first “trans-racial” candidate actually just endorsed forced income redistribution based on the color of one’s skin?

    Beldar (0bd1bc)

  2. I’m sure that by the time his campaign is done with this issue, he’ll have boldly adopted both sides of the issues as he did with Jerusalem’s status.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  3. “Obama called on America to “acknowledge its history of poor treatment of certain ethnic groups”
    Wow what a novel concept. Thanks to this brilliant, original, never-before-heard idea, we may actually start to see this amazingly stunning bold new initiative actually start to happen in schools, the media, and politics.

    Minister Jack X Klompus Muhammad (b796b4)

  4. “trans-racial” means one thing to Obama . . . him personally achieving a first for African-Americans. That’s it. Simultaneously, he will call for affirmative action for all of the people who have yet to transcend race the way that he has.

    The fun part will be when we the taxpayers have to pay for all of the DNA testing & genealogical research in order to determine who is due these reparations.

    Icy Truth (f54eb3)

  5. Hey, I voted for the white half!

    Pablo (99243e)

  6. Look to the cookie!

    Minister Jack X Klompus Muhammad (b796b4)

  7. This is a big find. If anyone in the news business ever follows up on this, Sen. Obama will say he meant “reparations” in the general sense, not as in compensation in cash. Maybe he’ll slip up and say he does mean “cash”. That’s a very loaded term and he is an idiot for using it.

    Wesson (f6c982)

  8. Aha- some of ‘professor’ obama’s academic paper trail: Inside Professor Obama’s Classroom. Link provided over at Chas. Johnson’s LGF blog, including final exams from ’96- ’03.

    If 1/16 black can be black, then I think I should be able to claim blackness because of my rhythmn and soul. I’m sure someone in my family’s distant past as Dutch and Lituanians had a smidgen of African blood, even if you have to go back to B.C. era.

    You neocons got feeelthy rich off of the backs of my ancestors and must pay a steep price. We demand raparations for mistreatment of homosexuals also and I will now avow that I am here, queer and in your face. Plus a communist since you dudes were also unfair to that segment of populations. Repent and seek rapproachment now! Change! Hope! fresh fruit! Or else expect rampant riots, rage and recidivism. And don’t forget to learn French and Spanish also.

    madmax333 (0c6cfc)

  9. 8. Damn that soul has got you on the gravy train. I wonder if I can show up at the cash-in window with my collection of Miles Davis and Curtis Mayfield CDs. My sister’s boyfriend is black too so I think my cred is going through the roof.

    Minister Jack X Klompus Muhammad (b796b4)

  10. #10 Jack- check out his exams. That’s what this country needs:Afrcian socialist model. Imagine the great judges in the ‘Ujamaa’ mold Urkel would appoint? Umgawah, bang, bang, beep, beep, our own watermelon jake. At last black role models for rest of America to emulate…with a gratuitous ’68 Mexico City black power salute….

    madmax333 (0c6cfc)

  11. Here’s a link to the LittleGreenFootballs’ post mentioned by madmax333 in comments 8 & 10, as well as the original article by the NY Times’ The Caucus Blog.

    DRJ (e4b6ac)

  12. Any word if Obama mentioned cannibalism in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and whether Randall Robinson has signed on as one of his campaign advisers yet?

    daleyrocks (d9ec17)

  13. Hey there, HObama. Why not have your church “acknowledge its history of poor treatment of certain ethnic groups” first. Then maybe bite off something big like America and its past.

    The post-race candidate and unity for all B*LLSHIT master of hate.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  14. Reverend Wright’s friend, ‘Bow-tie’ Farrakhan still advocates for a separate black nation-state within the US (African-America, Blackistan, Poorifornia, Why-yo-dissing, Illin’-ois, Hohio, Louisiana [think about it], Michigun, or some other such self-pitying label). President Obama could make some people happy by giving away — say — Georgia.

    Icy Truth (4be48a)

  15. It is the duty of white Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, European Americans, arab Americans, Indian Americans, American Indian Americans, Mexican Americans, South American Americans and Russian Americans to give money to black people because there was slavery in America 150 years ago.

    Kevin (834f0d)

  16. “This is a big find. If anyone in the news business ever follows up on this, Sen. Obama will say he meant “reparations” in the general sense, not as in compensation in cash.”

    http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=13055

    SUZANNE MALVEAUX: When it comes to reparations, would you take it a step further, in terms of apologizing for slavery or offering reparations to various groups?

    SEN. BARACK OBAMA: You know, I have said in the past, and I’ll repeat again, that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed. And I think that strategies that invest in lifting people out of the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow, but that have brought applicability and allow us to build coalitions to actually get these things done, that, I think, is the best strategy.

    afall (45d14f)


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