Tavis Smiley to Obama: while you are making effusive comments about Reagan, lets remember:

[IndianaJones]

Reagan announced his candidacy in Philadelphia, MS talking about states rights while trampling on the graves of slain civil rights activists.

Reagan opposed a holiday in honor of MLK and was so uncomfortable around Kings family at the signing ceremony, all he could do was crack jokes.

In his comments about Reagan, it may have been hard to determine what Obama was saying, but it was crystal clear what he was not saying.

[Fresh_Start]

1. thats a good way to put it

with Obama you don't know what he's saying because he's leaving it to the listener to read between the line

[IndianaJones]

2. so he can have it both ways. nt.

[ccpup]

4. and then bellyache that "that's not what I said"

when, in fact, it WAS what he said. I trust the American voters will choose crystal clear clarity over unnecessarily complicated and potentially confusing nuance any day of the week.

[truebrit71]

19. Um, no, that's NOT what he said....and Tavis smiley likes the sound of his own voice too much...

...to be taken seriously...

Carry on with the Obama-hate-athon...

[jasmine621]

6. How about: because, in the end, he isn't saying anything.

He is repeating feel-good press lines. He comes across to me, now, as being shallow, petulant, and elitist.

[Fresh_Start]

10. this is the first time I watched instead of read the candidates

Obama's speaking style wasn't inspiring

[redqueen]

14. He's much better in speeches than debates...

that said, I thought this was one of his stronger debate performances.

[Fresh_Start]

67. I would have thought his speechwriter would have

help prepped him for debate questions as well.
There really were no surprising questions raised during the debate.
Or at least none, the I was surprised to hear posed to the two leading candidates.

I was surprised the Edwards had any questions posed to him.

[calmblueocean]

12. Read between the lines? Get real! When people have an incentive to misinterpret you, they will

You have be a mooncalf not to understand Obama's point that the Democrats needs a similarly transformative president to get the whole country on board so we can accomplish Democratic goals. Now you can disagree with that, you can say, "No, I think we need fewer, louder, more strident people, and that'll get the job done," but you should at least in good faith address the freaking argument. Pretending that Obama was praising Reagan's policies is the mark of flat-out liar, and demeans the whole political process.

[peoli]

3. do you have a link?

[IndianaJones]

8. V-103 FM in Chicagoland. Tom Joyner Morning Show...give it a try...expand your horizons.nt.

[MethuenProgressive]

5. Obama won't listen to Tavis Smiley. Tavis is like, wicked old and stuff.

Barack "Vote for ME! And Hope I'll Change!" Obama, the choice of the Nickelodeon generation.

[xchrom]

9. ...

:spray:

[ellacott]

15. Tavis is wicked old?

You never cease to amaze me.

[IndianaJones]

17. If Tavis is old, I'm old. He's 43 or so I think. nt.

[ellacott]

20. Yes, he's 43

Tavis is definately not old.

[peoli]

18. Obama has been on Tavis Smiley for a full hour and Tavis Smiley loves him just so you know

[redqueen]

7. Tavis said that?

:wow:

[IndianaJones]

11. He'll have a followup commentary on Thursday.

Said he will give Obama the benefit of the doubt like he did for Hillary Clinton on the MLK comments, but was not happy.

[TomClash]

13. So when is Tavis going to say the same thing to Hillary? nt

[Hello_Kitty]

16. Good god people are being idiots about this!

Are people so stupid they can't put his remarks in their proper context? Obama wasn't praising Reagan's policies, he was praising his political strategy. It's self-evident that Reagan was a disaster, why did Obama need to spell it out?

The furor over this is starting to become dangerously McCarthy-esque IMO.

[truebrit71]

21. You'd think SOME people were being deliberately stupid...

...it is so easy to understand what was said, but instead the Wal-Mart Board members supporters choose to hear something COMPLETELY different...:eyes:

[Hello_Kitty]

23. With some people it's deliberate, definitely

But with some others it's an emotional kneejerk. Mike Malloy, who is no Hillary supporter from what I can tell, was literally apoplectic about it last night on his show. It was bizarre, listening to him scream about Reagan and Obama's comments. He really sounded like Joe McCarthy railing against the commies and castigating anyone who had the slightest whiff of association with them.

[truebrit71]

24. Sometimes Mike ain't all there....

..hearing faint-praise and Raygun in the same sentence is enough to send MANY folk around the bend, me included, so I had to double check what it was he had said first to clarify...

[maddiejoan]

22. You're right

He voted "present" instead.

[Hello_Kitty]

26. People are being equally idiotic about those 'present' votes too

It's been fully explained why he did those things in the Illinois lege and you are either being dishonest or willfully ignorant by continuing this line of argument.

Having worked with legislators in my state for several years I can tell you that it's ridiculous and grossly inaccurate to look at someone's votes or non-votes in particular situations and make sweeping accusations about their positions based on them. The Clinton campaign knowingly perpetuated lies about Obama when they put out those flyers claiming he was anti-choice in Iowa and NH.

I received my early ballot yesterday and though my heart tells me to vote Edwards, I'm strongly considering throwing it to Obama because I am so thoroughly disgusted by the Clintons and their supporters. You people are starting to remind me of Bushbots. A lot.

[maddiejoan]

30. okay

How do you account for his similar habit of not voting in the US Senate?

[Hello_Kitty]

33. As my pen wavers toward Obama a little more...

Nice try at deflection when being called on your lies, Hillbot.

[maddiejoan]

60. you come across as very mature

when you call me "Hillbot".

Good on ya!

[Hello_Kitty]

64. You come across as a liar.

One can grow out of immaturity but dishonesty runs through to the bone.

[maddiejoan]

69. okay

bye

[RaleighNCDUer]

35. "Present" and Not Present are the same? nt

[maddiejoan]

61. politically?

absolutely.

[jeffrey_X]

65. People see what they want to see.

eom

[THUNDER HANDS]

25. why can't people be intellectually honest about this issue?

Clinton included.

[Hello_Kitty]

27. Clintons and any kind of honesty is an oxymoron. nt

[Iceburg]

28. Here's the videos ... you decide who Obama is complimenting and who is dissing

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HFLuOBsNMZA Obama on Ronnie Reagan

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mbaszmcpesc Obama: GOP is the party of ideas for the last 10-15 years

[robbedvoter]

29. Glad others remember too! because on DU, we're supposed to admire Ronny

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4140340

[RaleighNCDUer]

31. Obviously, Obama doesn't care about black people.

:sarcasm:

for the REAL dumbshits.

[ShortnFiery]

36. Nice, racebaiting is becoming a hobby for you?

:eyes:

[IndianaJones]

38. I think the last line in that post is for you. nt.

[ShortnFiery]

43. OK, you use sexism, race-baiting & now Personal Attacks on other members.

Yes, you are shameless. :thumbsdown:

[IndianaJones]

44. lmao. you personally attacked the poster for being sarcastic. nt.

[ShortnFiery]

47. It was tongue-in-cheek because it was Race-Baiting. Is that all you got?

This Middle School mentality of tongue-in-cheek race baiting?

That's just fucking pathetic.

Oh gee, it needed to be said?!?

It's not sarcastic, you USE it!

Why? Because you're shamelessly playing African Americans against each other so HRC can slide by. Hum? Yes, RACE-BAITING!!!

[IndianaJones]

49. so, you accused the poster of race baiting for being sarcastic? what color is the sky in your world?

Hint: not all of us minorities think alike.

[ShortnFiery]

54. Hint: You're rude and like your heroine, you don't apologize because you're PERFECT

or so you think. :eyes:

[IndianaJones]

55. hint: you didn't see the sarcasm tag and are backpedaling and tripping. nt.

[ShortnFiery]

57. Hint: With you - you spin racism. Hint! Hint! I own up to my mistakes even dumb-ass ones.

:shrug:

[Hello_Kitty]

39. My friend in Reno got a robocall from Hillary saying he wants to get rid of the minimum wage

So I guess that means he hates poor people too. Not that it should be needed but...:sarcasm:

[ShortnFiery]

50. I apologize for misinterpreting your response - I confused you with IJ.

On this, yes, I was a real dumbshit. :shrug:

[ShortnFiery]

32. Tavis Smiley is injecting himself into this debate. Very unbecoming because I remember him

as much more introspective and a person whe was skilled at "drawing out" others, not becoming part of the story. :shrug: ... an excellent interviewer ... what happened here?

What? Does everyone wish to be Dr. Phil?

I'm disappointed. :(

[IndianaJones]

34. Tavis has gotten uppity. He forgot his place I guess. nt.

[ShortnFiery]

40. Shameless! You mis-interpret my view of an interviewer - same said about Russert at the last debate

Nice fucking RACEBAITING!?!

All you can do is manipulate any negative to HRC as SEXISM ... It's all attacking for your "perpetual victim" - BUT - when that does apply you use RACE-BAITING to push your candidate through.

Your tactics above are SO FUCKING SHAMELESS!!! :puke: :grr:

Show me your stars and bars? :nuke:

[IndianaJones]

42. Tavis does a commentary, usually twice a week, on the Tom Joyner Morning Show...

on black radio. Sorry you don't listen or are not interested. You have placed him in a box that is comfortable for you. He has a mind and opinions, and he voices them. Its scary for many people, I know.

What are stars and bars? Is that an inside white joke?

[ShortnFiery]

45. I do listen, your behavior is just plain RUDE - regardless of gender or race

You TWIST my words - I'm not talking about commentary, but specific advice.

Your arrogant and rude behavior throughout this thread REFLECTS YOUR CANDIDATE'S CHARACTER well.

*BTW do you HONESTLY believe that the neutral people watching this "match" unfold are going to JOIN your, IMO, race-bating group if/when HRC gets the nod?!?

Nope, that's the blow-back from dirty campaigning in the primary, with as dirty as you have fought to help HRC to the top, GOOD LUCK UNITING THE DEMOCRATS for the general election if your "tin-god heroine" snags the Democratic Nomination. :eyes:

You ONLY know how to attack and slime - people will remember. :thumbsdown:

[IndianaJones]

48. aww

[ShortnFiery]

52. Ladies and gentlemen, I just apologized to NCevilDUer - for mistaking him for IJ, et. al.

IJ, et. al., you are behaving in a morally depraved way ... what is it you are going to do to get those of us who have been SLAMMED on message boards etc., to "come together" for your heroine if she wins? It won't happen - some of us are so disgusted with the DLC and HRC's surrogates here, that we will write in "Kucinich" before we'd vote for a 3rd DLC Clintonian Executive Branch.

What has Bill Clinton's two DLC Executive Branch terms done for CIVIL RIGHTS?

BTW I couldn't be more disappointed with a fellow DUer's behavior.

I thought we were better than this. :(

[IndianaJones]

56. sniffle...

[LSK]

37. CAN WE STOP TAKING OBAMAS REAGAN COMMENTS OUT OF CONTEXT???

:shrug:

[ShortnFiery]

41. No, that's what The Clintonian DLC operatives (and Rove's RNC) do best to WIN!

And ya know, winning is EVERY THING ... even if it gives us more of the same. :(

In this one thread, we've seen that HRC's supporters will use BOTH accusations of "sexism" and "racism" to get their "perpetual victim" elected. They are shameless and they don't care - it's all about winning - NOT FOR THE PEOPLE. :thumbsdown:

[Cha]

46. Link, please..nothing

against you, Indiana, but I would like to see the link of what Tavis Smiley said.

My candidate isn't perfect..a lot of us know that..we're not like hilarys who thinking she can do no fucking wrong when she's a sabre-rattler at best.
And you all twist what the other candidates do to build up hilary cause she can't do it on her own.

[IndianaJones]

51. It was this mornings show.

I don't know if TJMS has transcripts or not.

[ShortnFiery]

53. I have plenty against IJ's behavior and won't believe it without a link.

If we don't "buy into" the story, well, we're closet racists according to IJ.

If we attack HRC, well we're sexist.

You just can't lose that way, aye?

[Cha]

59. I have my own thoughts on

hilary which aren't printable here..so it's an act of reigning myself in constantly to not write what I really think about her oh so slick bloody road to the whitehouse.

And who cares what the locksteppers think..they're for hilary..couldn't be too bright.

:hi: Fiery!

[ShortnFiery]

62. Thanks zidzi

I think it's time for another few week vacation.

Have to admit, that I'm a little too sensitive for all these "head games" ... it's hard enough keeping the peace with friends and family.

*and just between you and me, I did mess up and mis-interpret NC's post.
How embarrassing! <blush> But I'll survive.

Have a good one bud. :-) :hi: zidzi

[Cha]

63. Misunderstanding

a post is easy to do..We've all done it. I took a 3 day break and then Sat when I saw hilary's face on my msn as the "winner" in Nevada..I said, "okay, that's it I'm outta here".."no more politics for me" and then somehow I got on DU again and saw Obama did quite well in Nevada, in fact he got more delegates than the annoited one.

Have fun on your vaca! There'll be time when you resurface and it'll be good to see your little fiery self again:) Just so you know they are head games and have nothing to do with reality..I'd never had anyone on Ignore before last week and now when I see Ignore I know I missing absolutley nothing. :pals:

[AtomicKitten]

58. You'd make Goebbels proud.

[Zynx]

66. You made the Nazi reference. You lose.

[AtomicKitten]

68. It the purposeful repetition of lies a la Goebbels that makes us all lose.

get that part straight