One of the more controversial statements from Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday was his reference to his white grandmother's "fear of black men who passed by her on the street."
Curiously, his most recent account of her anxieties doesn't mesh with what he wrote about this subject in his 1996 book "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance."
As neatly identified by Steve Sailer (h/t NB reader Rob Reardon via Power Line):
Obama's white grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who was raising him and earning most of the money in the family while his own mother was off in Indonesia working on her 1067 page dissertation on peasant blacksmithing, rode the bus each morning to her job as a bank executive. One day, the 16-18 year old Obama wakes up to an argument between his grandmother and grandfather. She didn't want to ride the bus because she had been hassled by a bum at the bus stop. She tells him:
"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."
So why didn't Obama's lefty grandfather not want to drive his own wife to work? Because to help his wife avoid the hostile, dangerous panhandler would be morally wrong, because the potential mugger was ... Well, I'll let Sen. Obama tell the story:
"He turned around and I saw 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 right.'"
Think media will be all over this little inconsistency?
Yes, that was a rhetorical question.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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Comments Policy
The media has posponed the
March 20, 2008 - 00:34 ET by kgThe media has posponed the background of Obama for long time. Now new information and radical ties are starting to flow through the woodwork. It is only a matter of time when all the information flowing through the cracks will burst the dam the media has built.
Yes it is going to be an entertaining campaign in the next few months.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
Facts are facts
March 20, 2008 - 09:07 ET by pearlThe fact is, based on statistics, black males are 7 times more likely to be criminals. 5% of black men and 0.7% of white men are in the pen. Granny is not racist and she's not stupid.
Can't we just move on? Barack: Grandma is a typical white person
March 20, 2008 - 13:15 ET by Pasco ConservativeObama keeps stepping in it. This time in an early morning interview on a Philadelphia radio station. Notice how the interviewer fawns over all his answers at the end of the interview.
Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any
man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.
-Unknown
I'm sorry Noel
March 20, 2008 - 00:39 ET by shawn228I re-read your article three times. I don't see where the inconsistency is. Is it because his grandfather didn't drive his wife to work?
»→ I don't know Shawn
March 20, 2008 - 00:48 ET by Cool ArrowBut to me it reads like Barry's Grandfather doesn't think it's right for the Grandmother to be more scared of Black men than she is of Whites. That would be kinda like, racist, wouldn't it?
♣ a seal
Inconsistency is evident
March 20, 2008 - 06:03 ET by Gat New YorkAccording the book, his grandmother was alone when she was confronted by the black person and the grandfather was upset by her reference.
In his speech Obama said he was WITH the grandmother when a black man passed them by, she made a racial epithet, and he cringed. According to his book, Obama was not there.
In his speech Obama said he
March 20, 2008 - 06:51 ET by motherbeltIn his speech Obama said he was WITH the grandmother when a black man
passed them by, she made a racial epithet, and he cringed. According to
his book, Obama was not there.
No, he didn't. He said of his grandmother:
a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on
the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or
ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.
Unless I missed it somewhere else, didn't say she made the statement on the street when he was with her.
In his third person style I
March 20, 2008 - 13:44 ET by Gat New YorkIn his third person style I think the impression he was trying to leave is that he witnessed this.
If not, then the book is still different, because it is his father that tells him about those racial remarks in general and he did not say his grandmother said anything in front or to him of that nature which was in his speech.
Basically the guy is in a major corner, with no way out, and he is f - - ked.
one more thing
March 20, 2008 - 14:06 ET by mbuelThe other thing left out of Obama's account is that the bum (whether black or white) threatened her with violence. Now if gramma comes in and says the following:
"A black bum was down at the bus stop today, I gave him some money, but he kept harrassing me, I was afraid he would hit me over the head if a bus didn't come soon."
the "black bum" is simply a descriptor of the man. His grandma even through the 3rd party re-telling of his grandfather to obama, is being no more racist than the average American today.
Me too.
March 20, 2008 - 06:07 ET by WhoIsJohnGaltI'm no fan of BO, but I don't see why both accounts can't be true, occurrences at different times. If someone is afraid of black men, wouldn't it stand to reason that the fear would likley manifest itself more than once in BO's presence?
Does a Man Running for President Deserve the Benefit of Doubt?
March 20, 2008 - 07:02 ET by allanfWell yes, both accounts could be true. But why give this man the benefit of the doubt? If Obama wants to be President of the United States, then let him state his case with precision. Right now, I don't believe Obama has offered up enough facts to support his assertion about his grandmother
The only story on the "record" which shows his grandmothers "fear of black men" is the tale of her being accosted at the bus stop. That is not very good supporting evidence for the broad claim that Obama's grandmother had a "fear of black men". It seems to support the conclusion that she had a fear of being accosted by bums and hoodlums at a bus stop.
Shawn - I think the inconsistency is that she was hassled it
March 20, 2008 - 09:01 ET by Dee Bunkwasn't just some man walking down the street minding his own business. People have reason to fear people who hassle them.
I personally don't think it makes that much of a difference because she can't control who she fears and it's not racist to fear someone. Black people fear white cops because they have seen and heard about bad experiences with them. That doesn't mean they are racist or that all white cops are bad. I'm sure black women don't feel all that comfortable around white men with shaved heads walking down the street either. Not all people who shave their heads or are bald are skin heads.
If a white woman fears Black men it's because they've seen and heard about them attacking white women. It's no different from being afraid of people in leather jackets with long hair and tattoos. Or a black woman being afraid of white men with shaved heads and jeans.
If his grandmother said that black people didn't have the right to walk down the street because they scare her - that would be racist. I can't help but be scared when I end up driving in a neighborhood that is all black and has large groups of people hanging out on the street corners. If it were a bunch of white people hanging out on street corners I'd be scared also, but in the case where it's all black people I stick out more as out of place and could more easily be a target. It doesn't make me racist for being afraid.
Again people can't control their fears - most fears are irrational in proportion to their likelihood of actually harming you. I'm afraid of heights, fire, flying, bugs & germs and I've never been seriously harmed by any of them. I ride chair lifts (but don't swing them), go to bonfires (but don't get too close), fly in planes (isle seat only), squash bugs (but I scream) and use public bathrooms (only when desperate) and I'll still drive through an all black neighborhood but I make sure my doors are locked and my purse isn't in view. That doesn't make me racist. Neurotic maybe, but not racist.
I don't see any inconsistency
March 20, 2008 - 00:58 ET by SupermanIt looks like Obama is making the same point in the book. He said in his book that his grandmother was bothered because the panhandler was black. At least that is how I'm reading it. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
So why didn't Obama's lefty
March 20, 2008 - 01:07 ET by R D HelmSo why didn't Obama's lefty grandfather not want to drive his own wife to work?
Because he didn't want to contribute to AGW? :-)
I really do not know which parts of Obama's offensively accusatory harangue I have the biggest problem with. For me, it boils down to his accusing a sizable number of Americans who supported Ronald Reagan of harboring racial concerns and voting accordingly, or his selling out his still-living and ailing grandmother in order to score a few minor political points.
I find both of these assertions equally offensive.
I do not appreciate his suggestion that race was the reason I voted for Reagan. I had entered the virtually non-existent job market before Jimmy Carter left office. I cast my first presidential vote ever for Reagan in '84 mostly because I liked the man, and I did notice an improvement in the ailing job market. Besides, Walter Mondale reminded me too much of Carter. As shallow as my reasoning at that time may appear, race was not even a remote factor in my decision. I was only 20 years of age, after all.
As for his now infamous grandmother story, I cannot help but think that this was conveniently contrived to balance out in some way the harshness of the rabid racism exhibited by his pastor. The fact that his story has apparently been altered since his book was published has only served to reinforce that belief.
We really do not know very much about Barack Obama, do we?
Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!
»→ RD
March 20, 2008 - 01:09 ET by Cool ArrowWe really do not know very much about Barack Obama, do we?
We know he's honkophobic.
♣ a seal
You know, grandpa, instead
March 20, 2008 - 01:25 ET by NazarethYou know, grandpa, instead of being concerned for the welfare of his wife, refused at first to consent ot driving her to work to support his sorry butt. Here she was, alone on the street, a small woman, vulnerable to assault, and all her hubbie can think of after the incident was that she was unjustified for fearing she was goign to be hurt by someone who was acting aggressive toward her? I wonder how many bullet holes it would have taken had she been shot to convince Granpa that perhaps she had a right to be fearful, and to move his pathetic butt off the couch and drive her to work instead of letting her have to rightfully live in fear of being assaulted? Regardless of the color of her accoster. What the heck is wrong with peopel like Granpa and Barack? Blame the victim, excuse the criminals must be their motto.
Posted in another thread
March 20, 2008 - 01:28 ET by NazarethI posted this in the other thread, but I think this thread is more appropriate instead (for those who saw it already, kindly ignore):
I'm writing my own book:
It 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.
Cool, honkophobic?
March 20, 2008 - 01:53 ET by R D HelmLOL-Sounds like a serious psychological malady to me.
I would assume the standard treatment for this phobia involves a cross-country road trip (say, Georgia to California) in a Mini Hardtop with three honkies aboard.
Or, in severe cases, treatment would call for the more drastic Key West to Anchorage round-trip run with four honkies along for the ride. And one bag of Cheetos.
The latter would be the perfect remedy for Obama. :-)
Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!
The irony of 21st century Black anger...
March 20, 2008 - 02:05 ET by Parker1227...as promoted by racists like Obama's mentor Rev. Wright, is that it is very arguable that this anger is itself a huge impediment to success in many Black peoples' lives.
It provides and endless supply of excuses and justifications to not give full effort in school or at work, or to quit or cop an attitude over the slightest obstacle or hardship, or in the worst case provides illogical justification for criminal and anti-social behavior.
Of course there are many other factors which influence the choices that Black people (or any of us) make. But how could anyone argue that "keeping the lack of hope alive" by Black "leaders" like Wright does any good except for fill the pews of churches by appealing to some of the worst of human tendencies - self pity, bigotry, anger and hate.
Well Said!
March 20, 2008 - 09:16 ET by IgnatzJFahrquarTo give up the past would be giving up a crutch. I remember my kids cried when their security blanket or favorite stuffed animal was "retired" due to being in tatters or lacking any apprecable stuffing but they got over it and learned to deal with their little lives without them.
"All generalizations are false, including this one.” Mark Twain
Noel, I feel like we're all
March 20, 2008 - 05:28 ET by motherbeltNoel, I feel like we're all jumping on you, but I don't get it either; am I missing something? (It's early and I haven't had a whole cup of coffee yet, so maybe I'm not cranking on all cylinders). Obama said his grandmother was afraid of black men on the street. Or is the point that she was afraid of them because this particular one had been "aggressive" toward her? That would be racist, to assume that all black men were the same, I guess. Or was it just that that man was black, and she thought he was being very pushy toward a white woman?
In the speech he did say his grandmother's attitude was wrong.
A little clarification for us slow-churners this AM might be helpful.
PS I've gone through all the links, and the only thing I can come up with is that Obama implied that his grandmother was innately afraid of black men, but her fear might have been because a black man accosted her. Was she expressing fear, surprise or disgust when she recounted the tale? I don't know.
motherbelt...What I
March 20, 2008 - 05:48 ET by Jermotherbelt...What I gathered is that "fear of black men passing her on the street" was arguably a misstatement by Obama since the reference in his book was [paraphrasing] to one black man who was a stationary pan handler. Other than that, I don't know what the ruckus is about.
Jer
Jer...K
March 20, 2008 - 07:51 ET by cheesegraterYou're a jerk
cheesegrater
March 20, 2008 - 09:36 ET by Noel SheppardCG,
Please refrain from calling anyone a jerk. If you want to prove his point errant, please do so without the insults. Thanks. ns
I think we can grant that
March 20, 2008 - 06:37 ET by Ruths husband BenI think we can grant that his grandmother had a fear of black men, no matter the reason. So my question is, how many times did she stand in a pulpit (or any other public venue) and contaminate other people's minds with this unreasoning fear? If less than several thousands of times before hundreds of people, than to say that her fear of blacks is equivalent with Wright's hatred of whites is disingenuous, to say the least.
“There’s nobody on my staff who would still be working for me if they
made a comment like that about anybody of any ethnic group.” -Obama (talking about Imus)
"Oh, rrrreaaaalllllyyyyy!!!!!!! -RhB
Ben, I think it really
March 20, 2008 - 07:03 ET by motherbeltBen, I think it really doesn't matter to the MSM...this whole speech was a set-up. Obama very deftly turned attention from his hateful pastor to the "larger issue" (as it's usually described) of widespread racism in America.
IMO, it's more of the "We are all sinners" theology where no one is permitted to criticize anyone else because we are all imperfect.
BTW, in regard to your "no one on my staff" quote, Obama also was front and center, demanding Trent Lott's resignation for one stupid comment.
I agree. And I think that
March 20, 2008 - 07:09 ET by Ruths husband BenI agree. And I think that Obama did knock it out of the park in the speech. He said what he needed to say to the folks who are on his side. He didn't torque off the black haters (the New Black Panthers, Nation of Islam, etc.), he didn't torque off the useless idiots (read wild-eyed liberals) and he used all the platitudes that have gotten him this far (Yes we can). There is enough people who don't dig deep enough to see the lack of substance to understand what they are going to be voting for beyond a charismatic, smiling, man who will change stuff (and we all know stuff should be changed).
“There’s nobody on my staff who would still be working for me if they
made a comment like that about anybody of any ethnic group.” -Obama (talking about Imus)
"Oh, rrrreaaaalllllyyyyy!!!!!!! -RhB
NBers
March 20, 2008 - 08:51 ET by Noel SheppardNBers,
First, isn't it wonderful that we can disagree on this issue without the seemingly requisite crotch grabbing and genital waving at other websites? I'm very pleased.
That said, there's a reason why the headline is a question, and I made no definitive conclusion about this issue. Instead, I merely asked whether he misrepresented his grandmother's fears. Consider the entire quote of his:
Now, what if it turns out that her confession was about this bum, or related to him:
So, in a book he wrote 12 years ago, Obama said she was afraid once of a black man in the street that was aggressively panhandling her in a fashion that made her feel threatened he was going to hit her.
If this is the same "confession" he spoke about Tuesday, doesn't this make a difference? She wasn't just afraid of black men passing her in the street. She was afraid of a black man that she thought was going to hit her.
Now, let's assume her "confession" came some time after this incident. Having once been almost attacked by this bum in her view, would her future fear of black men in the street be simply racist or based on this incident?
Whichever, Obama presented his grandmother as having racist feelings about black men in the street without sharing her scary interaction with this bum. This was an important enough episode in his life as well as in his grandparents' lives to address with great detail in his book more than a decade before he was running for president. However, now that he's being questioned about his own racial beliefs, he brought up his grandmother without sharing the full context of what her fears may be. Make sense?
That said, it seems a metaphysical certitude media will ignore this inconsistency, and that he won't be asked about it. ns
Genital Waving?
March 20, 2008 - 09:27 ET by shawn228You would actually have to take the junk out of the trunk to do that wouldn't you ? :-) Thank you for clearing this up Noel, I was not sure what you meant by inconsistency.
If this is the incident that Obama was referring to, I understand. If it happenned on seperate instance I do not find it is inconistent. Obama cringed at the racial slurs. Does it really make a difference if they were said out of fear or not?
Shawn
March 20, 2008 - 10:07 ET by Noel SheppardShawn,
Sure it does, because then her fears are based on precedent in her life. If she had been panhandled by whites for years without feeling threatened, and then one day got hit up by this guy who she thought was going to hit her, wouldn't that impact her fears in the future?
Furthermore, isn't fear an irrational emotion? Most people's fears are rather absurd, correct? So, this whole statement by Obama was pathetic at best, and racist at worst.
I mentioned this in Mark's thread on the grandmother issue a few days ago: I've had many black friends, employees, co-workers, and teachers tell me that they are more afraid of a group of black teenagers walking toward them on the street than white teenagers. One colleague that said this to me was a 6' 7" former college basketball player.
So, is he a racist, too? ns
Not to mention having to raise a black grandson
March 20, 2008 - 13:03 ET by Daniel BakerShe was probably the victim of racism more than Obama ever was because of people giving her grief for having a daughter that had a son who was black, and then having to raise the child.
"Furthermore, isn't fear an
March 20, 2008 - 14:54 ET by stratman"Furthermore, isn't fear an irrational emotion? Most people's fears are rather absurd, correct?"
Noel:
No. Fear is not necessarily absurd nor irrational. One can be rightfully fearfull if someone points a loaded gun at them. Fear is even genetically useful. A well known study from the 1960's I believe used babies old enough to crawl demonstrated fear of crawling across a tabletop that changes from a solid colored surface to a clear see-through glass/top positioned a few feet off the ground. Human babies innately know to fear crawling off a ledge/cliff. Fear can also be a tremendous motivator - I'm sure you had fear at some point in your schooling of performing poorly on a test and that fear help motivate you to study more.
More to the point, fear can be learned, where previous experience shapes one's thoughts/behaviours in future encounters. In America, a group of children dressed in coat and tie walking home from school probably elicits less fear than the same group dressed as thugs no matter the color of their skin. Furthermore, if there were someone totally unfamiliar with the outfits of street thugs, for instance the too big pants, riding low and showing underwear, then, unless there were other visual stimuli alerting the person to what they have learned previously as potentially menacing cues, this person would not have fear of the poorly dressed children.
To put it another way, if you could transport someone from 100 years ago to the present, would they recognize the urbanized appearance (that's where the sloppy pants look started) as potentially menacing immediately, and if not, would they learn to associate it with a menacing posture eventually after interacting with the culture/society (even if just by television)? My answer is YES and for self preservation - an innate behaviour.
Of course fear can be overridden in some circumstances, but it requires education and exposure. In the case of menacing appearing individuals, getting to know them would help to alleviate fear, though it might also reinforce it as well. All bets are off if an aggressive posture, language and/or action is performed. Then fear is appropriate and should be heeded.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The issue you have illuminated seems to be whether Obama has altered the narrative to fit his purpose. He "irrevocably" stated the fears of his grandmother in his book. This week in his speech, Obama references a different scenario, one he has not detailed previously, I assume since I did not read his book. Both stories may be true. But I find it odd that his two "tell-all" books did not mention this pan-racial fear of his grandmother before. Did he morph the original story to make a larger point this week? This would be a lie and a compounded character flaw since it also involved throwing granny under the bus for his political gain.
Time and investigative bloggers will tell!
RRAM Tough!
Noel - I think both stories from Obama are equally ignorant
March 20, 2008 - 09:41 ET by Dee Bunklike I said to my reply to Shawn above, people can't control their fears, only their actions. His grandmother's fear was certainly more traceable if she had been aggressively bothered by a black man before, but even if she hadn't she can still have the fear and not be racist.
Most fears are irrational and involuntary. If I'm afraid of you and you know it you can do one of three things. You can try to put my fears at ease by being extra nice to me, you can ignore me (and write me off as a nut or racist), or you can try to foster my fear by giving me a dirty look or hassling me.
Which of the three actions would make me less likely to fear you in the future?
If people feel misunderstood because of how they dress, the color of their skin, or the color of their hair, then they need to take some responsibility for changing the perception. You don't change the perception by running around calling everyone racist and ignorant, you change the perception by drawing attention to your contrary actions. In the case of African Americans, they will have a lot less white people fearing them if they make an effort to be nice to white people.
I'll never forget back in the early 90's I think, I went to see the movie Higher Learning in the theater with a friend. The theater was packed and there were only a handful of other white people in the theater. It didn't bother me at all in the beginning. Then the movie started and it was about racism on both sides. It took place at a University and their was a group of white supremacists and a group of Black Panther types. They were not just fighting each other, they were committing crimes against innocent people of their opposite race. My friend and I were equally horrified at both groups actions, but the audience clapped cheered loudly when ever the black panthers types committed some horrific crime against a white person (even when innocent).
We started to fear for our lives and ended up walking out of the film before it was over. Does that make me racist because I was afraid of racists?
Dee
March 20, 2008 - 09:47 ET by shawn228Dee,
It does not make you racist being afraid if you are walking down a dark street and you see 3 black men dressed in gang colors. I would be afraid as well.
It does make you a racist if you said stuff like those **gger* are no good. They are responsible for all crime or "there goes the neighborhood" if a black person moves in the area.
It all depends on what comments were made in the Obama household.
Shawn - I seriously doubt she used the N word when her grandson
March 20, 2008 - 10:21 ET by Dee Bunkwas black.
I also disagree with the "there goes the neighborhood" thing also. People have a right to fear their property levels going down and unfortunately that is what happens and has happened to many people when minorities move in. It's not the person who fears their home value declining, but the buyer who won't buy if a black person lives there who is racist. Even that buyer may only not want to buy because they fear the property values won't hold.
I could care less what the race, religion, or sexual orientation of my neighbors but I care about my property value. Maybe when the government gives special loans to people they should guarantee the neighborhood's property value for all the people who didn't get that special loan.
This is another issue where rich white liberals look down on the working class whites for not wanting black people in their neighborhood. The reason rich White liberals don't care is because it doesn't affect their property values. For most working class whites, their home is their only significant investment. They have a right to be concerned about it. It's not racist.
Shawn
March 20, 2008 - 10:28 ET by candanceSomeone posted about this on a thread last night. Obama wrote about the incident in his memoir Dreams of My Father and basically, his grandma came home shaken up about a scary man who asked her for money, and she let it slip that she was more scared of him because he was black.
In Obama's recounting of it, his grandpa got upset at her for feeling that way and quickly apologized to Barack.
That was the entire incident.
A lifetieme of feeding and clothing him, out the window because of one comment.
»→ Dreams of a Deadbeat Dad
March 20, 2008 - 13:25 ET by Cool ArrowBut his book title should be:
DREAMS OF YET ANOTHER DEADBEAT DAD
I'm sure there's a psychological term for seeking the approval of the parent who hates you.
Grandma wouldn't be under that bus right now if she'd hated little Barry more.
♣ a seal
Hi cd... I keep wondering
March 20, 2008 - 13:31 ET by bigtimerHi cd...
I keep wondering how the heck do we even know if any of this is even true about his grandma saying anything racist whatsoever...or his recount of what his grandfather did and said.
Because Obama says so?
Regardless, what he did was unforgivable when it comes to the woman who did most of the raising and loving him.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Noel, I think a lot of us
March 20, 2008 - 12:15 ET by motherbeltNoel, I think a lot of us just thought we had missed something in your post.
That sai,d I think i depends on if she was afraid of black men before that incident. However, if she was one to occasionally make racist comments, she may have had an attitude about black men that caused her to be fearful. That's not clear.
Also, I think it depends on how one reads it. Re-reading Gat New York's comment above and my reply to it, I realized that he perhaps had connected the "fear of black men on the street" and the "occasional racist remark" to those occcasions...saw a black man, made a racist remark. I took those descriptions as separate: she was fearful, and she made racist remarks on occasion (not on the street).
Now I see your point...
March 20, 2008 - 13:27 ET by WhoIsJohnGaltThat perhaps the reference of his grandmothers' confession fear of black men is the same incident recounted regarding the nutcase at the bus stop, correct? And perhaps Obama exaggerated/embellished that incident into a "fear of black men", instead of what it perhaps truly was, a fear of a wing-nut, regardless of color? Sometimes I'm kinda slow on the uptake... Or maybe the original article lacked some of the verbal crotch-grabbing ;^D needed to get the point across. Verbal genital-waving...hmm, I'll need to think about that...well, perhaps not!
Aggresively Pan Handling is a Black Nation of Islam Trait
March 20, 2008 - 12:58 ET by Daniel BakerAnyone here ever been harrased by these newspaper people asking for donations. They do not go away from your car window easily
what a waste of an article
March 21, 2008 - 02:50 ET by chuckoAll that, and there's no inconsistencies, Noel. I'm disappointed. Obama's grandma "feared black men on the street" like he said in his speech. And his grandfather, according to Obama's book, confirms it! She feared the black man/"bum" at the bus stop! What is inconsistent about that? Just because he didn't go into detail about the whole incident (from his "Dreams" book) in his speech doesn't mean he was inconsistent, if that's what you were trying to get at.