OK, I’m hopping mad and need to say so. I’ve never written a “rant diary” but feel the need to tonight.
What’s gotten my blood boiling? This article in the Washington Post. Its by Lois Romano and here’s the whole title: “Effect of Obama’s Candor Remains to Be Seen: Senator Admitted Trying Cocaine in a Memoir Written 11 Years Ago.
And here’s the opening paragraphs:
Long before the national media spotlight began to shine on every twist and turn of his life’s journey, Barack Obama had this to say about himself: “Junkie. Pothead. That’s where I’d been headed: the final, fatal role of the young would-be black man. . . . I got high [to] push questions of who I was out of my mind.”
The Democratic senator from Illinois and likely presidential candidate offered the confession in a memoir written 11 years ago, not long after he graduated from law school and well before he contemplated life on the national stage.
Then the article goes on to discuss whether this admission will be a political liability for Obama if he runs for president. What a load of crap!!
I read this book in 2004 after Obama’s speech at the Democratic convention and marvelled at his openess and honesty. His drug use happened in high school and college when he was struggling to put together an identity. It is a powerful and moving story. Here’s an example of what he wrote that’s quoted in the article:
“We were always playing on the white man’s court . . . by the white man’s rules,” he writes. “If the principal, or the coach, or a teacher . . . wanted to spit in your face, he could, because he had the power and you didn’t. . . . The only thing you could choose was withdrawal into a smaller and smaller coil of rage.
“And the final irony: should you refuse this defeat and lash out at your captors . . . they would have a name for that too. Paranoid. Militant.”
Now that’s putting the straight talk out there for everyone to see. Obama lives this kind of life, uses drugs temporarily during this time of confusion. But the story doesn’t end like it has for too many young black men in this counrty. He overcomes and goes on to contribute powerfully to his community and country. We should all be holding him up as a model and thanking him for his courage.
Instead, take a look at what the IDIOTS at Faux and Friends have to say. What a bunch of loosers.
Because of the kind of work I do, I know there are thousands of young black men in this country who need to hear Obama’s story. They need to hear the hope that he demonstrates to them. And the courage. These smearmongers better keep their hands off this one!!
ENOUGH ALREADY.
OK, I got it off my chest.
But now I need to add a couple of things. At this point, I’m supporting John Edwards for president in the 08 election. I was impressed with Obama after reading that book a couple of years ago, but not so much since he was elected to the senate.
Still…I can’t sit by and watch these smearmongers run free in distorting a story that needs to be told with all of the respect and admiration it deserves.
And one more thing, if you watch the video, the idiot on Faux and Friends says there are only 20,000 of Obama’s book in print. What a looser!! That’s how many were printed in the first round 11 years ago. Since Obama’s speech at the Democratic Convention, there have been over 800,000 sold. If he’d read past the first 2 paragraphs in the Washington Post article, he would know this.
I agree with you on both counts, Nancy. It was a dirty smear, and an unfair attack. And I too was far more impressed with the Obama who was on his way to the Senate than the one that’s been sitting there.
I’m waiting for him to show some form of leadership. There’s still time.
I’m not attached emotionally or financially to any candidate yet. But if Gore got into the race I’d put a check in the mail today. Which reminds me – I have to run and pay rent..!
Good rant!
What pond scum those folks are.
I also am leaning hard toward Edwards, and have many concerns about Obama’s readiness to be President as well as some of his positions, yet there is no way to not be impressed with his potential. His high visibility now may have all sorts of other very good purposes, like showing other young black kids there is a reason to hope the playing field could someday level out for them too.
Sad, huh, when truth telling is so rare it gets one killed by those who haven’t a clue what it IS?
For myself? Knowing this, and knowing that he has been up-front and honest about it all?
Kindof refreshing for a change… There is the real story.
.
US news broadcaster CNN has apologised to a US senator after confusing him with al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
CNN had put together a news report on the search for the US’s most wanted individual and was promoting it during Wolf Blitzer’s program The Situation Room.
However, instead of the headline: “Where’s Osama?”, the broadcaster ran “Where’s Obama?”
A screen grab from the CNN report"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."In my “rant haste” I forgot to include this quote from the article that sums up the importance of Obama’s story being told:
It worked for Junior, didn’t it???
Fine rant, here.
All I can say it this: If you don’t have a past, you haven’t lived. Make mistakes and learn from them. The only news here is that Obama has made admitted mistakes, BFD.
You’re so right.
As my pastor said: You’re so heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good. It really does apply to the cretins who are shocked, shocked that human beings make mistakes.
for the 150th time on the bar at Camp David in his youth?
We all need a good rant!
Edwards ay? I’m leaning in that direction, but really really thinking about (and trying to) stay neutral in the 08 President and US Senate race.
Love to chat some more with you about that.
We should chat about this. I learned a few years ago that NOW is the time for me to get involved. Once the primaries are over, I am so often disgusted with the candidate that has been chosen that I have a hard time getting my passions going enough to actually do anything but vote.
Its not clear enough who the candidates for US Senate are going to be yet. But some very interesting possibilities!! And as much as I love Al Franken, I’m not convinced that he’s the best choice for THIS job.
I’ll drop you an email.
I know where you’re at. I’m finding that my best contributions tend to be early on in the cycles when everythings in startup phase and in “the backrooms” if you will working for transparency and ways to bring more and more people in.
General election rolls around and I’m generally disappointed and pissed off about one thing or another.
and a great one at that! I was hoping someone would write about this. BFD. It was out there, for all to see in his published book and these idiots act as if he was trying to hide something. Having used a few drugs in my day, it probably made me a stronger, better person for having gone through it. He tried some drugs. So what? I am so tired of these moralists. Especially when they should be looking in their own closets for the “dirt”.