In today's great minds think alike moment, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and NewsBusters' Mark Finkelstein observed the same oddity in Barack Obama's much-publicized speech Tuesday.
For those with short memories, Finkelstein noted that Obama's reference to his white grandmother's "fear of black men who passed by her on the street" was eerily similar to a statement Jesse Jackson made in 1996.
On Wednesday's "Morning Joe," Scarborough was concerned about the very same thing (video available here):
First of all, his grandmother being afraid of African-American men walking near her on the street, that's just what Jesse Jackson said in the past and got in trouble for saying that.
Nice catch, guys.
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More proof that ole Joe
March 19, 2008 - 23:53 ET by RESTLESS 1More proof that ole Joe reads Newsbusters.
Jesse Jackson quote
March 20, 2008 - 00:42 ET by candanceAnn Coulter made a reference to that in her new column.
The story was also in Obama's "Dreams From My Father".
March 20, 2008 - 00:47 ET by LibraryLadyI took her into the other room and asked her what had happened.
“A man asked me for money yesterday. While I was waiting for the bus.”
“That’s all?”
Her lips pursed with irritation. “He was very aggressive, Barry. Very aggressive. I gave him a dollar and he kept asking. If the bus hadn’t come, I think he might have hit me over the head.”
I returned to the kitchen. Gramps was rinsing his cup, his back turned to me. “Listen,” I said, “why don’t you just let me give her a ride. She seems pretty upset.”
“By a panhandler?”
“Yeah, I know — but it’s probably a little scary for her, seeing some big man block her way. It’s really no big deal.”
He turned around and I saw now that he was shaking. “It is a big deal. It’s a big deal to me. She’s been bothered by men before. You know why she’s so scared this time? I’ll tell you why. Before you came in, she told me the fella was black.” He whispered the word. “That’s the real reason why she’s bothered. And I just don’t think that’s right.”
The words were like a fist in my stomach, and I wobbled to regain my composure. In my steadiest voice, I told him that such an attitude bothered me, too, but assured him that Toot’s fears would pass and that we should give her a ride in the meantime. Gramps slumped into a chair in the living room and said he was sorry he had told me. Before my eyes, he grew small and old and very sad. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him that it was all right, I understood.
We remained like that for several minutes, in painful silence. Finally he insisted that he drive Toot after all, and struggled up from his seat to get dressed. After they left, I sat on the edge of my bed and thought about my grandparents. They had sacrificed again and again for me. They had poured all their lingering hopes into my success. Never had they given me reason to doubt their love; I doubted if they ever would. And yet I knew that men who might easily have been my brothers could still inspire their rawest fears.
yikes
March 20, 2008 - 00:51 ET by candanceThat reads like a cheesy script for a Lifetime Original Movie. I'm glad I never wasted money to buy the book.
»→ candance
March 20, 2008 - 00:55 ET by Cool ArrowI was thinking "The Waltons"
♣ a seal
You know Cool
March 20, 2008 - 01:02 ET by candanceI'm a freelance writer. I network with other writers. I spend most of my time either writing or reading, good writers and bad writers, amateurs and professionals.
And I recognize this as bad writing. His wording, his phrases - it all smacks of the same cheesy narration I've read in a hundred other places.
»→ yes, candance
March 20, 2008 - 01:13 ET by Cool ArrowI understand what you're saying. That passage from his book made me think of something with a picture of Fabio on the cover.
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I'm writing a book myself
March 20, 2008 - 01:55 ET by NazarethIt will be titled "Why an Ex-President (who shall remain unnamed[although his initials are Christ-like in nature = B.C, and who called himself America's first black president), endorses a racist preacher, and denies his bi-racial herritage" (Long title I know, but it's catchy enough once you've said it a few times)
**(Somewhere around page 2 or 3)**
....That’s because my adopted african american grandma nicknamed toots once told me how she was beaten to a pulp at a bus stop, robbed of $90, left for dead, and then confessed that she was afraid as soon as she saw the man approaching her with a baseball bat in his tattoed, gnarled, unclean hand, a crack pipe danglin from his cyst-covered lips, and a knife in his belt the size of a Samurai sword. When I asked what color the attacker was, toots replied that he was white, and that's when my knees grew weak, the ground shook beneath me, and I hung on to my limo's hood until I was able to regain consciousness, knowing, with great dread and confused certainty, that my tootie had just confessed to being a blatant racist. I, Bill. C. never felt so alone in all my life....
...I don't regret refusing to give Toots a ride home that afternoon. After all, she brought the whole situation on herself by not believing in people, prejudging them, and fearing someone just because of their skin color. Had she just had faith in people of different color, none of this would have transpired. Perhaps, as time wears on, and her gaping wounds begin to heal, she will understand just how important it is to trust people instead of holding onto her irrational fear of people who look different. It sickens me to this day knowing that my Toots was nothing but a hater.
»→ Nazareth
March 20, 2008 - 01:55 ET by Cool ArrowPerhaps I could give you some constructive criticism.
Encapsulate the entire scenario succinctly with "Suddenly a Pirate ship appeared on the horizon"
But you've got lots of promise there, kid.
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lol, thank you for the
March 20, 2008 - 01:58 ET by Nazarethlol, thank you for the encouragement
See Toots? Someone beleives in me! I'm not alone, I'm not alone!
Nazareth, LOL
March 20, 2008 - 02:02 ET by R D Helm"Why an Ex-President (who shall remain unnamed[although his initials are Christ-like...
You mean, you're writing a book about Jimmy Carter?
LOL-Sorry.
Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!
lol, weren't B.C and J.C
March 20, 2008 - 02:13 ET by Nazarethlol, weren't B.C and J.C the same fellers, just different hairstyles?
Ugh,.,,
March 20, 2008 - 08:08 ET by dronetekIt would be nice, but he always prefaces this kind of thing with how much he loved the speech. He gushes over it, than is critical of it. It makes my stomach churn.
Joe Scarborough Obama Speech Comments
March 20, 2008 - 08:25 ET by NKurucCharles Krauthamer summed this issue up best on Brit Hume's Fox show last night. The panel was questioned about their thoughts on the speech and it's possible impact.
His first words were "this speech was pure rubbish"..... enough said.
The Hume show was in sharp contrast to Chris Matthews who is still having an orgasm over Obama, and the greatest speech about race in the history of this country. I still question what this guy brings to any rational conversation about both sides of the political picture. It's no wonder that his ratings are in the toilet.....no one cares enough to watch!
I over slept this a.m. and
March 20, 2008 - 10:11 ET by marpelI over slept this a.m. and didn't really get to see Morning Joe; only Mika's Dad, who I thought Mika's gonna look just like when she's in her 70's. Nonetheless, I appreciate that I got a chance to read that exerpt from Barack's book. It's pure soap opera, and it shows he has a talent to moonlight as a Harlequin Romance writer if the Presidential thing doesn't pan out.
I'm happy if Joe S. reads Newsbusters. To me, it's only here you get to take the true pulse of the American people.
And even though I like Willy, I'm glad to see Tucker Carlson.
Was it me, or was Mika extra quite this morning? Did I miss anything?