The Cincinnati Enquirer

Obama thrills NAACP crowd
Take more personal responsibility, Democratic candidate says
By Howard Wilkinson • and the Associated Press • July 14, 2008

It might have been the most historic speech in the 99-year history of the NAACP - the address of Barack Obama, the first man of his race to be one step from the White House as party's nominee.

But, in what was a moment of celebration for his personal achievement and the sacrifices of generations of African-Americans who came before him, Barack Obama had a strong message for the people of his race Monday night - particularly those who are raising children.

"Yes, we have to demand more responsibility from Washington and yes we have to demand more responsibility from Wall Street but we also have to demand more from ourselves," Obama told a crowd that met his appearance at the Duke Energy Center with unbridled enthusiasm and passion.

Obama's strong call for personal and parental responsibility came about a week after Jesse Jackson - who sought the Democratic presidential nomination twice in the 1980s and lost - accused Obama of "talking down" to black people when he speaks in public about the issue. Jackson later apologized for the remarks caught on an open microphone.

If the largely African-American crowd that crammed into every corner of the convention center's upstairs exhibition hall felt as if they were being talked down to, they seemed to take it quite well, applauding and shouting their approval repeatedly throughout his speech.

"Now I know some say I have been too tough on this responsibility stuff," Obama said. "But I’m not going to stop talking about it. Because I believe that in the end, it doesn’t matter how much money we invest in our communities, or how many 10-point plans we propose, or how many government programs we launch – none of it will make any difference if we don’t seize more responsibility in our own lives."

Many in the crowd stood and applauded when Obama vowed to continue talking about personal responsibility.

It was a message that Obama - the father of two young girls - was uniquely qualified to deliver, as the first African-American to be the presidential candidate of a major party.

And it was his uniqueness as a candidate that led to thousands of NAACP delegates and their guests to line up through the lower-level hallways of the Duke Energy Convention Center several hours before the speech for a chance to see and hear the candidates.

The 46-year-old senator from Illinois made it clear he believes there is much for the government in Washington to do - provide more educational opportunities, economic aid - but he insisted that African-Ameriucans must do more for themselves.

“If we’re serious about reclaiming that dream, we have to do more in our own lives, our own families and our own communities,” the Democratic presidential candidate said. “That starts with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework and setting a good example.”

But the message Monday night was not just about personal responsibility - it was about corporate and government responsibility as well.

He had message for Wall Street:

" Our CEOs have to recognize that they have a responsibility not just to grow their profit margins, but to be fair to their workers, and honest to their shareholders and to help strengthen our economy as a whole," Obama said. "That’s how we’ll ensure that economic justice is being served. And that’s what this election is about."

And he made it clear that the ongoing war in Iraq is draining the government's resources.

"If we can spend $10 billion a month in Iraq, we can spend some of that money making life better for people here in this country," Obama said.

Obama made one brief mention of his opponent, Republican John McCain, noting that the Arizona senator will be speaking to the same NAACP convention Wednesday morning, "talking about education."

"I’m glad to hear it," Obama said. " But the fact is, what he’s offering amounts to little more than the same tired rhetoric about vouchers."

By the time Obama took the stage at the convention center, he had been in Cincinnati for about three hours - first to attend a campaign fundraising event at the Millenium Hotel which attracted about 200 supporters, who ate turkey and roast beef sandwiches and listened to the candidate give a 20-minute pep talk.

"We have less than four months," Obama said at the fundraiser. "Trust me,I've counted. That's not a lot of time. It's pretty rare where you have this opportunity to put your shoulder against the wheel of history and move it in a better direction."

Later, at the convention center, Obama wound up a well-recerived, 24-minute speech with a promise that thrilled the crowd.

Obama brought the entire crowd _ every man, woman and child - to their feet with his pledge to return to next year's NAACP convention in New York - on the Organization's 100th anniversary - as president of the United States

"And at that moment, " Obama said, "you and I will truly know that a new day has come in this country we love."

JESSA JAY IS RIGHT.
WHY IS IT THAT BLACK LEADERS HAVE TO TALK DOWN TO THE BLACK FOLKS? OVER AND OVER AND OVER. TO CONTINUALLY REMIND THEM OF THEIR DUTIES AS PARENTS AND CITIZENS? AND THEM CHEERING HIM ON??? THERE ARE PLENTY OF HARDWORKING , FAMILY ORIENTED BLACKS.
WHY DO THEY NEED ""LEADERS"" AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO REMIND THEM???
WHERE ARE ALL THE BLACK LEADERS LIKE ALAN KEYES WHO TELL THEM YOUR GOV'T ISN'T GIVING YOU ANYTHING. YOU WANT IT , GO EARN IT.??

I FIND IT EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING AND DEGRADING TO THE BLACKS THAT OBAMA'S SPEECH IS BEING CALLED "HISTORIC". IT'S NOTHING BUT B.S.
LIKE OBAMA (AND THE REST OF THE SO CALLED LEADERS) REALLY CARE. YA RIGHT.

Lupo, I too am sorry that this problem still exists within the black community (and other communities as well, to varying degrees). Nobody within that community is proud of it. There is a historic basis for it, of course, that I am not really qualified to expound on. Not an excuse for it, but an explanation of why and how it happened. It is not a lifestyle that blacks suddenly found intriguing. It is to Mr. Obama's credit that he openly recognized the problem and pledged to work for its solution. It is also to the credit of the NAACP that it enthusiastically accepted his comments. Hopefully we will be a better society for it. There are many other pledges that we might make for the betterment of our society. I hope to see them as planks in the platforms of our political parties for starters.

quote:

Originally posted by LUPO:
JESSA JAY IS RIGHT. WHY IS IT THAT BLACK LEADERS HAVE TO TALK DOWN TO THE BLACK FOLKS? OVER AND OVER AND OVER. TO CONTINUALLY REMIND THEM OF THEIR DUTIES AS PARENTS AND CITIZENS? AND THEM CHEERING HIM ON??? THERE ARE PLENTY OF HARDWORKING , FAMILY ORIENTED BLACKS. WHY DO THEY NEED ""LEADERS"" AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO REMIND THEM???
WHERE ARE ALL THE BLACK LEADERS LIKE ALAN KEYES WHO TELL THEM YOUR GOV'T ISN'T GIVING YOU ANYTHING. YOU WANT IT , GO EARN IT.??

I FIND IT EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING AND DEGRADING TO THE BLACKS THAT OBAMA'S SPEECH IS BEING CALLED "HISTORIC". IT'S NOTHING BUT B.S.
LIKE OBAMA (AND THE REST OF THE SO CALLED LEADERS) REALLY CARE. YA RIGHT.

Leave Barack alone, Miss Wooly-Bully!

OH GROW UP!!!!! TELL HIM TO LEAVE THE BLACK COMMUNITY ALONE

quote:

Originally posted by LUPO:
OH GROW UP!!!!! TELL HIM TO LEAVE THE BLACK COMMUNITY ALONE

Say WHAT??

Are you tawkin' to me???