Cornell West on Obama's speech.............

[springhill]

He was on Tavis Smiley last night with another black woman (whose name escapes me) and they were both rather lukewarm on his speech because they said he did not relate well to the black community. I was rather shocked that they were so critical. They thought that he may have lost some of the black communities enthusiasm, because he did not once mention Martin Luther King or discuss the history of the black experience. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else saw this show and what your take is on their perspective is. Myself, I thought it was a fabulous speech, but being that I am not black, I don't know how accurate their analysis is.

[Captain Hilts]

1. The Obamas' speeches weren't aimed toward Democrats, but to a larger audience....

in theory I would have liked for him to have mentioned King - I'm a real history buff - but the speech wasn't for those of us already on the bus.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

2. But he did mention MLK, just not by name..........

"And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.
The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead, people of every creed and color, from every walk of life, is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.""

http://www.wbur.org/news/2008/79748_20080829.asp

edit: added link

[CherokeeDem]

3. He Did Invoke Dr. King....

he just didn't call him by name. Had he done so, the Repubs would have played that clip over and over, saying that Obama was comparing himself to Martin Luther King. The fact is, Obama can't get a break on some things and it is so unfair.

Edited because I apparently can't type today!

[Patiod]

4. What the hell was West smoking last night?

I thought he was a lot more politically savvy than that.

WTF. Would a Jewish nominee get up there and focus on Israel in a speech like this?
did Kennedy send out props to the Vatican and acknowledge his Catholic supporters and forebears? Yikes.

I did think he was a little vague about 45 years ago -- could have mentione MLK for the dopier in the national teevee audience, but that's a pretty small nit...

[SoCalDem]

9. He bugs me sometimes.. and Tavis still has a bug up his ass because

Obama did not show up for his special ...

These two don't "get it".. Obama is walking a tightrope, and he CANNOT over-embrace the racial stuff...yet..

Once he's president, he can and will do much more via legislation..that means a lot more than some rhetoric on tv.. all he would need would be for camerapeople to focus on a few of the overly dramatic people in the audience, and that would be IT for him..

I understand it, and so should they..

[aintitfunny]

5. From Transcript

"And it is that promise that 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream."

[springhill]

6. He specifically said that he did not mention his name..........

which I guess is accurate.

[EFerrari]

8. Yes, it is accurate. Yesterday was a pretty big anniversary

so I can see how Dr. West could have been disappointed. Obama did the right thing politically, imho but his frame isn't the same as West's.

I'm sorry I missed that. :)

[aikoaiko]

7. It was Drs. Julianne Malveaux and Cornel West...

Click on video highlight on lower left. http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/

I think its likely there are going to be Black intellectuals/activists who will be critical of Obama because he is transcending traditional Black politics/activism/dogma. Obama is the new way.

[alfredo]

10. He did allude to King in his speech, and hit on themes of his historic

speech near the end of the speech.