home

Civil Rights Icon: Obama Too Young for Presidency

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 06:10:04 PM EST
Tags: Barack Obama (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Andrew Young, former U.N. Ambassador, "civil rights icon" and Martin Luther King "lieutenant" says Barack Obama is not ready to be President.

In an interview posted online, Young also quipped that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton has her husband behind her, and that "Bill is every bit as black as Barack."

....I want Barack Obama to be president," Young said, pausing for effect, "in 2016." "It's not a matter of being inexperienced. It's a matter of being young," Young said. "There's a certain level of maturity ... you've got to learn to take a certain amount of (expletive)."

The interview, on Newsmakers Live, is most likely a few months old. You can watch here. Another snippet:

"There are more black people that Bill and Hillary lean on," Young said. "You cannot be president alone. ... To put a brother in there by himself is to set him up for crucifixion. His time will come and the world will be ready for a visionary leadership."

< Chelsea Helps Hillary in Iowa | Destruction of CIA Tapes Could Threaten Prosecutions >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Civil Rights Icon: Obama Too Young for Presidency | 29 comments (29 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    "Too Young" (none / 0) (#1)
    by RedHead on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 06:29:43 PM EST
    He's older than JFK, T.R., and Bubba.

    Martin Luther King received the Nobel Peace Prize at age 35.

    These are the frames to use.

    correction (none / 0) (#2)
    by RedHead on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 06:31:26 PM EST
    should read: These are the wrong frames to use.

    Parent
    Let me add (none / 0) (#3)
    by RedHead on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 06:39:08 PM EST
    RFK was 42 when he won the California Primary on night of June 4, 1968.  (See Cover)

    It's a simplistic argument. Not only can't take somebody down on age alone, but this line can blow up in their face.  

    I'm really surprised how sloppy the Clinton strategy has been: KindergartenGate; Iowa Student voting; and now age.  Way to connect with the Stewart crowd.

    Parent

    the clinton campaign (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 06:44:17 PM EST
    Who besides you ties Andrew Young's comments to the Clinton campaign? Please don't spread misinformation here.

    Given his comments about Bill, I can't (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Geekesque on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 07:42:01 PM EST
    imagine there are ties now, if there ever were any.

    Parent
    you're right (none / 0) (#5)
    by RedHead on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 06:57:50 PM EST
    No proof Young's was asked to make these remarks.

    It will be interesting if the Clinton campaigned agrees or disagrees wth Amb Young.

    Parent

    Crazy-ass Andrew Young is not helping Clinton here (none / 0) (#6)
    by Geekesque on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 07:41:17 PM EST
    In an interview posted online, Young also quipped that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton has her husband behind her, and that "Bill is every bit as black as Barack."

    "He's probably gone with more black women than Barack," Young said of former President Clinton, drawing laughter from a live audience. Young, 75, was quick to follow his comment on Bill Clinton with the disclaimer, "I'm clowning."

    Nice.

    Crazy? (3.00 / 1) (#9)
    by andgarden on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 07:57:15 PM EST
    Maybe bad humor, but not crazy.

    Parent
    Talk about "spreading misinformation" (none / 0) (#10)
    by RedHead on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 08:47:44 PM EST
    ..to borrow J.'s term.

    What are you saying !?

    Parent

    Huh? (none / 0) (#18)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 07:22:51 AM EST


    Parent
    Okay. Senile. (none / 0) (#14)
    by Geekesque on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 11:15:07 PM EST
    Did you know that Obama is Chinese and studied in madrassas?

    Welcome to the peculiar reality of Andrew Young.

    Not crying about missing out on that old fool's support.

    Parent

    I don't see anything about that here (none / 0) (#19)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 07:23:28 AM EST
    just a bad joke about Bill Clinton and women.

    Parent
    You should see the video. (none / 0) (#20)
    by Geekesque on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 10:56:54 AM EST
    He goes on and on about Obama's Chinese heritage and how he studied in "Islamic schools."  Then he talks about how this is useful because China and Islam are our two biggest problems.

    Parent
    I didn't watch (none / 0) (#22)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 02:22:24 PM EST
    but that certainly isn't very becoming.

    Parent
    Not clowning below (none / 0) (#17)
    by joejoejoe on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 03:44:59 AM EST
    More from Andrew Young (my transcription):

    When [Bill] Clinton decided to run Hillary set up a defense committee - that's what they called it, and you know what it was? To go around and neutralize all the women he had ever been involved with.

    That's some endorsement!

    Parent

    Long ago, I suggested an Obama/Clinton ticket (none / 0) (#8)
    by jerry on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 07:56:35 PM EST
    in 2020 when Chelsea is 40.

    Just think if Chelsea had been born in 1976 instead of 1980....

    Why is this news? (none / 0) (#11)
    by Jgarza on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 10:22:16 PM EST
    Maybe this big story is this civil rights icon is age-ist.  Really why should i care what this guy thinks?
     

    Why should you care what he thinks? (none / 0) (#12)
    by oculus on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 10:29:15 PM EST
    Because he is a civil rights icon.  

    Parent
    He's senile now. Saying Obama is Chinese (none / 0) (#13)
    by Geekesque on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 11:14:15 PM EST
    and studied in madrassas.

    Parent
    but this (none / 0) (#16)
    by Jgarza on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 01:29:27 AM EST
    is the most superficial criticism ever, and he is a civil rights icon, but discriminates based on age? come on.

    Parent
    Is this the best you can come up with (none / 0) (#15)
    by katiekat489 on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 12:05:33 AM EST
    So this is another Obama hit piece --expect it from Marsh and her psycosis.Come on here once in a while and twice in one day column following column-oh well there are other reasoned blogs that don't scrape this far in the barrel.Indeed it is apparent that there is no room for a primary if we were to follow this reasoning and these posts and certainly not for the likes of Obama who happens to be the same age as many of your hero's--but no room for him.Sad

    Wow! (none / 0) (#25)
    by RedHead on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 04:01:44 PM EST


     Is this the best you can come up with

    So this is another Obama hit piece --expect it from Marsh and her psycosis.Come on here once in a while and twice in one day column following column-oh well there are other reasoned blogs that don't scrape this far in the barrel.Indeed it is apparent that there is no room for a primary if we were to follow this reasoning and these posts and certainly not for the likes of Obama who happens to be the same age as many of your hero's--but no room for him.Sad

    see, Jeralyn, I'm not that mean.  I've never gone that far.  

    Parent

    Hillary (none / 0) (#21)
    by jondee on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 01:17:43 PM EST
    the wingnut talk radio created succubus, who makes the (already little) peepees of men terrified by assertive, articulate women shrivel to Venetian sausage size, carries a swing-state how exactly?

    Dont see it happening.

    Andrew (Working Families for Wal-Mart) Young... (none / 0) (#23)
    by tbetz on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 02:26:50 PM EST
    ... said something stupid?

    Quelle surprise!

    I'm sorry, but Young has sold his soul so many times, I'd be shocked to hear he had any left.

    Oh Man (none / 0) (#24)
    by BDB on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 03:18:00 PM EST
    I am definitely not an Obama supporter but even I cringed at a lot of Andrew Young's remarks.  I think you could argue over whether they helped Obama or Clinton more, but frankly I don't think they deserve that kind of influence.  It sounds like some weird rant from a drunk uncle.

    The only person who should be affected by these remarks is Young and he should be embarrassed.

    Andrew Young (none / 0) (#26)
    by diogenes on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 06:07:12 PM EST
    Of course "civil rights icons" feel threatened by Obama-he'll render them obsolete.  Who'd consult the icons for pronouncements about the black community when a black man is president?  

    Obsolete??? (none / 0) (#27)
    by squeaky on Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 10:26:40 PM EST
    Who'd consult the icons for pronouncements about the black community when a black man is president?  

    The same people that would consult white icons when a white man is president.

    Parent

    But andrew young (none / 0) (#28)
    by Jgarza on Mon Dec 10, 2007 at 04:34:38 PM EST
    his bases for Bill being more black was that he had "had" more block women.  Can the Clinton campaign get any more desperate, I can't see how these crazy people help.

    Parent
    You Sound Drugged (none / 0) (#29)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 10, 2007 at 04:54:34 PM EST
    Or like ppj et al. Everything is Clinton's fault.

    Parent
    Civil Rights Icon: Obama Too Young for Presidency | 29 comments (29 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment