What Obama Has Learned

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 03:44:31 PM EST
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Update [2007-6-23 18:15:20 by Big Tent Democrat]:Chuck Currie has the full text of the speech.

Senator Barack Obama gave another speech on faith and politics. I like this one, as it has been reported at least:

"Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked," the Democratic presidential candidate said in remarks prepared for delivery before the national meeting of the United Church of Christ.
"Part of it's because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us," the Illinois senator said. "At every opportunity, they've told evangelical Christians that Democrats disrespect their values and dislike their church, while suggesting to the rest of the country that religious Americans care only about issues like abortion and gay marriage, school prayer and intelligent design," according to an advance copy of his speech.
"There was even a time when the Christian Coalition determined that its number one legislative priority was tax cuts for the rich," Obama said. "I don't know what Bible they're reading, but it doesn't jibe with my version."

This is the way to discuss the way the Right has exploited religion in politics. Good for Obama. More.

Last July I discussed another speech on politics and faith given by Obama:

Democrats, for the most part, have taken the bait. At best, we may try to avoid the conversation about religious values altogether, fearful of offending anyone and claiming that - regardless of our personal beliefs - constitutional principles tie our hands. At worst, some liberals dismiss religion in the public square as inherently irrational or intolerant, insisting on a caricature of religious Americans that paints them as fanatical, or thinking that the very word "Christian" describes one's political opponents, not people of faith. (Emphasis supplied.)

So Obama acknowledges the divide, acknowledges the Republican exploitation of this "status resentment" and chooses to respond by embracing it and "apologizing," so to speak, on behalf of Democrats:

We first need to understand that Americans are a religious people. 90 percent of us believe in God, 70 percent affiliate themselves with an organized religion, 38 percent call themselves committed Christians, and substantially more people believe in angels than do those who believe in evolution.

Obama has learned some lessons it seems. This is a very good sign. Obama becomes much miore viable in my mind with this change in political tone.

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What Obama Has Learned | 21 comments (21 topical)

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Very nice (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by tommyg on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 05:20:16 PM EST

Not only is he taking on the Religious Right, but he's almost forcing them to enter the debate. I hope he doesn't shy away from that debate when they inevitably come after him. This could be a good test of how far he's come along.

obama bothers me (4.00 / 1) (#1)
by profmarcus on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 03:52:41 PM EST

i hear him talking and i like what i'm hearing... anybody with mental clarity sufficient to say, "I don't know what Bible they're reading, but it doesn't jibe with my version," has my immediate attention... unfortunately i can't reconcile that kind of talk with what i see as a dearth of supportive and forceful action, and, now that he's cozying up to colin powell for foreign policy advice, i am backing even further away... i've experienced enough "talking the talk" but not "walking the walk" over the past years, particularly the past 6 1/2 years, to last me several lifetimes, and i ain't about to buy in to more words... charisma, beautiful, uplifting phrases, and an edifying podium presence doesn't add up to much for me any more...

And, yes, I DO take it personally

: Reading (none / 0) (#2)
by Alien Abductee on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 04:29:48 PM EST

his Audacity totally cured me of any remnants of obamamania. Your reaction is exactly what I took away from it - he's all about understanding, considering, philosophizing, not so much on taking a stand that might commit him to irrevocable action. Kind of a political Hamlet.
But sure, this speech is a great improvement on his strategy toward religious voters. Much better to try to pry them away from their hypocritical leaders than to offend his own base.

: I'm just cynical enough (none / 0) (#11)
by Molly Bloom on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 06:34:52 PM EST

to reach for my wallet (and not to give money) whenever I hear a politician or his supporters talking about not being a typical politician. Also I am not convinced the partisanship doesn't have role. There is a difference between partisanship and calling your opponets anti-American IMO.

again, (1.00 / 1) (#4)
by cpinva on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 05:18:07 PM EST

an empty suit, masquerading as someone with substance.

True, he lacks the awesome substance (4.00 / 1) (#7)
by Geekesque on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 05:37:37 PM EST

of Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson.

Time for the Free Republic to update its talking points.


I hope you better understand (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 05:47:27 PM EST

my point all these months.

I am very pleased to write this post.


I would have been disappointed if he (none / 0) (#9)
by Geekesque on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 06:09:32 PM EST

didn't sharpen it up at some point--I just didn't think it was the time way back when.

Primaries have a way of forcing people to invest more capital into their partisan bona fides.


I think (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 06:31:12 PM EST

Obama mayhave thought what you thought but I think that is wrongheaded.

Consider when the voting takes place. By the time of the elction Novemebr 2008, Obama will become the standard beaarer, if thing s work out for him, and it is NEVEr a good time to bash Dems if you are running to be the Dem standardbearer.


: I didn't take what he said to be Dem (none / 0) (#14)
by Geekesque on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 08:40:41 PM EST

bashing. Did he overstate the case? Maybe. But one of the things I like about Obama is that he's willing to say things his friends don't like to hear. Doesn't mean he's right in every instance, of course.

no, nitwit (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by cpinva on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 09:58:08 PM EST

more like hillary, who actually has a resume'.

geez, are you really that stupid, or do you just play the part of an idiot on the net?


Your "last july" link is broken. n/t (none / 0) (#3)
by andgarden on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 05:04:43 PM EST

: Fixed (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 05:34:01 PM EST

thanks.

I would have been much more impressed if... (none / 0) (#12)
by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 07:01:33 PM EST

He had said this...

"We first need to understand that Americans are a religious people. 90 percent of us believe in God, 70 percent affiliate themselves with an organized religion, 38 percent call themselves committed Christians, and substantially more people believe in angels than do those who believe in evolution. WHICH IS WHY Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SUCKERED SO BADLY OVER THE YEARS BY POLITICIANS. I'll make it plain: most Americans are idiots, devoid of scientific knowledge and looking for an easy non-mathematical approach to understanding the universe...more interested in fairies and special effects than in actual reality, which they find boring. So let me spell it out for you; religion is a load of C-R-A-P. Maybe it was needed to explain things back in the Dark Ages and maybe some people need it now as a crutch, to stop fornicating or get off drugs and whatnot...but otherwise it is only being used to keep you dumb and voting for people who are going to f--- you over every time in favor of their godless corporate sponsors. Including me! So keep smoking your opium of the masses whilst I appropriate the God Hustle from the wingnuts and make it my very own God Hustle. Thank you, and God bless you."

I'm so sick of religion and politics (none / 0) (#13)
by Militarytracy on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 08:38:53 PM EST

Can't we go back to the rules I was raised with, Don't Ask Don't Tell.

I guess... (none / 0) (#16)
by demohypocrates on Sun Jun 24, 2007 at 12:41:24 AM EST

the Religious Right, as evil as they are, are standing outside of the Big Tent hoping for an offer of an umbrella.

Diversity to the left means:

- any skin color or hue
- any language, race or creed
- any cultural heritage, shared, combined, or melded as otherwise
- any indigenous peoples
- some non-indigenous peoples who pledge their allegiance to the supremacy of the indigenous peoples

SO LONG AS THEY TOW THE LINE.

: Not quite (none / 0) (#21)
by Molly Bloom on Sun Jun 24, 2007 at 10:38:20 AM EST

The religious right has to abide by the constitution and other applicable laws just like everybody else.
This means respecting the establishment clause.
This means respecting the constitutional rights of others.
The religious right is free to lobby to change the constitution and other applicable laws and we are free to oppose those changes.

Hmm (none / 0) (#17)
by chemoelectric on Sun Jun 24, 2007 at 01:53:42 AM EST

I've got to say, that as a former Jew and now an atheist, I don't remember there ever being a time in which I felt 'faith' bringing me together with whoever it is that Barack Obama thinks it is, and I'm just about the same age as Mr. Obama and have spent my whole life in major metropolitan areas of these very United States. To the contrary, I've always felt left out. In elementary school I was even made to sit in the corner when I refused to sing Christmas carols because they were 'blasphemous'; this in the New York metro area.

Bah, we shouldn't pretend that 'faith' brings us together; it only brings allied factions together, with the allied factions varying according to the circumstances. What can bring us together is civic spirit--actually this leaves out the right-wingers, but that's how we should want it.

it would be interesting if (none / 0) (#18)
by Stewieeeee on Sun Jun 24, 2007 at 07:00:28 AM EST

the first speach had a specific purpose. to establish some democratic party culpability for the exodus of religious people from the democratic party aver the last 40 years. this shows he's not speaking from strictly the perspective of partisanship.

then, once that's established, the next speach he can give will focus ONLY ON the abuses of religion, the crimes perpetrated on religion by the so called religious right.

who knows if this was by design, but bringing a specific audience around, INITIALLY, to your point of view by admitting your own failures, by admitting to them that they weren't complete idiots to abandon you in the first place, is not such a bad idea.

one other thing (none / 0) (#19)
by Stewieeeee on Sun Jun 24, 2007 at 07:05:25 AM EST

I just noticed this:

"Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked," the Democratic presidential candidate said in remarks prepared for delivery before the national meeting of the United Church of Christ.
"Part of it's because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us," the Illinois senator said.

i think you noted above that it was an improvement AS REPORTED by the AP.

lets keep an eye on the full speech once it arrives at barackobama.com.

i'll want to know what the other part it.

: oooops (none / 0) (#20)
by Stewieeeee on Sun Jun 24, 2007 at 07:11:31 AM EST

missed the update.
he doesn't say what the other part is.
hmmmmmm. smart move.