Honest Obama Question (From a non-supporter)

[blue]

Blue,

Sorry if I misunderstood what you are looking for. I've seen plenty of youtube clips of people spewing hatred, I clearly heard the "terrorist" call at a clip of one of McCain's rallies, and obviously there was enough of that going on that McCain took notice and eventually spoke up about it. I don't really see yelling "terrorist" as any better than "kill him." None of it is good. That does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that all McCain supporters have those feelings. I don't doubt that the hatred exists. There has always been racism and bigotry, and when a man of a different race is running for the presidency it's bound to come out. Rallies tend to induce a mob mentality in a crowd, and it's really not that much of a stretch to think that in their fervor, some people have yelled out such things. I'm not one to blindly believe whatever the media says, but I don't find it implausible based on other things I have seen and heard.

I do not atribute someone yelling "terrorist" after the mention of William Ayres, an actual terroist, to mean NObama is a terrorist so its not the same as "kill him". Nor do I think race has anything to do with it. With all the media coverage of Palins ralies it should be real easy to type "Sarah Palin kill him" into youtubes search engine and find the appropriate video, the worst that comes up is the terrorist comment.

The actual video hasnt been posted by those who claim to have seen it, if they have actually seen it at all, choosing instead to make snide and insulting comments. Because of that, Im lead to beleive they are just blowwing smoke.

[Ginger's Mom]

I truly hope that the Presidential candidates do not allow themselves to be distracted from the issues. If it is as easy as calling a candidate a name in order to get him to spend time talking about something other than political issues, then they will not have time to focus on the issues. You may find this one to be the most important issue and the one that should be addressed. Someone else will find something else said by someone not connected with Obama to be the issue to be addressed, and so on. No, the candidates and their staff should be the ones who decide to which issues/comments they are going respond. If they decide some statements are not worth commenting on, that is their decision. Personally, I feel if the comments have no bearing on what he has or is able to do politically, they should not be addressed. I cannot tell you how strongly I believe that any attention to Mr. Farrakhan's statements are nothing more than misdirection of voters attention. However, having said that, if you don't like the decisions he makes do not vote for him. But the decision on what should or should not be considered issues to be addressed should be only his.

[NoahsMommy]

But the decision on what should or should not be considered issues to be addressed should be only his.

Not if it concerns the American people.

[Ginger's Mom]

Thank you for explaining this to me. While I didn't mean that his supporters were like sheep in any way, I do see what my comment implicates.

I guess my concerns were regarding CERTAIN supporters. Like Farrachan, Aires, Write, Jackson and EVERY freaking celebrity on the planet, with the exception of Kidd Rock .

I didn't mean to indicate that I thought you were saying that, I meant the people who are mockingly calling him a messiah in the media are belittling his political supporters. I didn't think that you were calling him that.

Not if it concerns the American people.

I am not sure if I understand this answer. Or it may be that we agree to disagree, which is fine. You do not believe that the candidate has a right to decide what issues he is going to respond to? You believe that Governor Palin should be responding to all of the stories about her because some of the American people want her to? I truly disagree with this. The candidates must decide what they feel is important to this country and focus on those issues. If they decide that not to respond to certain items in the press that I think are important, then I will let them know that on election day. But I cannot expect them to respond to every negative story about them ever printed. And I guarantee you there is going to be someone in the world that thinks something in every story is worth a response. So they have to stick to the issues they see as important to this country. Their choice of what those issues are will give you some insight into whether you agree with their values.

ETA: And let me say again, whether or not someone called him the Messiah or not, does not have any relation to his ablity to govern this country. I understand that you say it concerns you, I would hope that what someone unrelated to him or his campaign said doesn't concern you more than hearing about what he would do to improve the problems facing American people here and abroad. Since the candidates only had a limited amount of time to make a their positions known as to what they are going to do politically to stregthen this country, they should spend all of their public time addressing those issues. But again that is just my opinion.

[RICHARD]

The 'messiah' angle came up at that ALfred E Neuman roast they attended, also I heard two news programs refer to him as the messiah-Fox News L.A. and another cable news channel.

I do not follow any religion- But to think, suggest or speculate that any 'human' could possibly be elevated to god status is insulting and funny, to say the least.

This is another way that people are trying to ingratiate themselves to BO-by pushing their followers, be they a religion, race, economic segment to put him in office. They can come back to claim their part in a Dem win and pressure him to side with them on political/social/economic issues.

It happens all the time. An official put into a seat of government gets put on the spot with, "I helped you win, now do this for me!" And should they balk at the request they will get the "You aren't -------- enough" and dragged across the media as sell outs.

Just watch.

[Edwina's Secretary]

This is another way that people are trying to ingratiate themselves to BO-by pushing their followers, be they a religion, race, economic segment to put him in office. They can come back to claim their part in a Dem win and pressure him to side with them on political/social/economic issues.

And this happens in no other party?

And Ginger's Mom...well said. Far better than I could!