.. that this is indeed about race when one considers the myriad comments made publicly often on air by white christian leaders such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, etc... saying many of the same things and worse about how America is terrible and deserves and is getting god's punishment.

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"at 11:00 on a Tuesday, a prominent politician spoke to Americans about race, as though they were adults."

I didn't see that coming.... either.

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Talking about "The Speech" as if he were JFK incarnate is inherently racist. If a white politician attended a church, synagogue or mosque and the relevant religious leader made remarks of hate or religious intolerance there would be an uproar as to why they did not quit or denounce this supposed religious leader. I have always heard that Christianity preached forgiveness and loving their fellow man. Now everyone knows that the black people have been subject to horrible treatment for the last 300 years. It’s easy to say that now thing are changing and it is time for some reconciliation but this minister does not see that. He preaches hated of whites and supports hatred of Jews, who also have some issues with white Christian society.
Now why is this racist? Jessie Jackson had previously said when coming to New York that he was coming to hymie town, a anti-Semitic word pertaining to Jews. There was no long time recrimination. If a white politician said he was going to “N” town he would not ever be seen again.
Now I ask. Why are black politician held to a lower standard than whites on these types of issues. It’s a sort of racism and that they are doing the best that they can. It’s similar to the old story that although dogs walk poorly on their hind legs, it amazing that they can do it at all.

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All you have to read is the comments of some to realize that treating SOME people as Adults on the issue of race DOESN'T work . They are far too happy to find ANY excuse for their Prejudices . It is soo much easier than having to THINK or even follow the words of the Christ they profess to believe in .

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Finally we get the chance to ACT like adults! Thank you, Obama, for having the sanity and courage to do that.

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If there were valid measurements for evaluation, it would be interesting to know more about how "adult" or mature average Americans are. Without a such an assessment, we can only wonder if the nature of our politics, and what we value and celebrate in mass media and popular culture, indicates that we are a nation of ignorant, self-absorbed, and often very violent, adolescents.

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I normally am a huge fan of Jon Stewart and the Daily Show, but what on earth possessed him to do an extended, asinine mockery of that speech and its content? His luke warm damning with faint praise at the end didn't quite convey much of anything, other than that perhaps he was taken by a fit of embarrassment at his own idiocy and had to try to make a gracious exit.

Hey Jon, not everything is a fit subject of mockery, even on the Daily Show.

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in Rev. Wright's comments. If America makes racist policies and continues its hideous behaviour around the world, then god damn America indeed.

By the way, don't be so surprised when Jon Stewart doesn't represent your progressive views. I am a fan of the show, but I think the only reason he is really seen as a lefty is because the Bush administration has been such perfect fodder for him over the years. There are many times, especially recently, when he has exhibited a far from progressive point of view.

I think Stewart is better in a role of media critic than political pundit. I'm not saying he has to represent a leftist viewpoint; he doesn't, he's just a comedian and he'll make fun of anybody for a laugh. That's okay, that's his job. But people shouldn't look to him for leadership on issues or giving voice to progressives.

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rom the Democratic Party..."Nearly 24 years after voting against creating a holiday honoring Martin Luther King, John McCain is spending today at the inauguration of Alabama Governor Bob Riley who is a member of an organization that has been criticized for excluding African Americans. The "Grand Master" of the Grand Lodge of Alabama admits he knows of no African American members among the groups 30,000 plus membership. [AP, 9/30/2006] McCain's push to cozy up to far right extremists is not surprising, given his contradictions in the past. In the 2000 presidential campaign, McCain reversed himself on the confederate flag first calling it "a symbol of racism and slavery" but then pandering the very next day by calling it a "symbol of heritage." In past efforts to pander to a far right base that doesn’t trust him, McCain campaigned in Alabama for George Wallace Jr., a popular speaker at a white supremacist hate group, continues to employ a strategist who denounced the creation of a Federal holiday honoring Dr. King as "vicious" and "profane," and even hired the man responsible for the racist ads against Harold Ford in the Senate race in Tennessee in 2006. [New York Times, 4/20/00, San Diego Union Tribune, 1/18/00; Associated Press, 11/17/05, Southern Poverty Law Center, Intelligence Report, Summer 2005; AP, 6/6/05; New York Times, 10/27/06; New York Times, 10/26/06; Union Leader, 12/8/06]"

1983: McCain Voted Against Creating Martin Luther King Holiday.

McCain Flip Flopped On The Confederate Flag, First Calling It Offensive And Then Calling It A Symbol Of Heritage.

McCain Endorsed George Wallace Jr., Called Him A "Committed Conservative Reformer," Despite Speeches to Hate Group (CCC).

Racist Ad Against Harold Ford Approved By Terry Nelson, Senior McCain Strategist.

Richard Quinn, McCain's South Carolina Spokesman, Criticized the MLK Holiday as "Vitriolic and Profane.

Published on Thursday, March 2, 2000 in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
John McCain's Racist Remark Very Troubling
by Katie Hong

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On his campaign bus recently, Sen. John McCain told reporters, "I hated the gooks. I will hate them as long as I live." Although McCain said he was referring only to his prison guards, there are many reasons why his use of the word "gook" is offensive and alarming.

Jon Stewart Slams McCain’s Racist, Hypocritical, Disgraceful FL Campaign Chair
By: SilentPatriot on Thursday, August 9th, 2007 at 10:31 AM - PDT

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First Mark Foley, then Ted Haggard, now Florida lawmaker (and St. McCain state campaign manager) Bob Allen has been snagged in a gay prostitution scandal. What’s more, just like Foley, Allen authored legislation that would ban the very same lewd and lascivious public acts in which he was caught red-handed. I think it’s time to call it quits, Johnny. After learning that Allen blamed a fear of dark people for his $20 offer, Jon Oliver comes up with some better (and more clever) excuses.

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especially in red states.

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Stewart's mockery is generating the jarring effect that gives his real message its punch. His critique is hardly at Obama at all, but the would-be adults he so matter of factly calls out in the audience laughing at it. In other words, his especially ridiculous poking at Obama is not the point, nor does it actually make fun of him. To think it does is to take it too seriously.

They know that people will though, and get upset over what they see as mockery of Obama, which makes Stewart's switch into the serious tone more ambiguous than decidedly ironic. His point is constructed to affect the audience to be more provoked to ask of themselves, "could that be me?"

His serious tone doesn't just jabs the people typical Daily Show fans consider the typical objects of ridicule on the show--i.e. "six-pack Joe" or whatever. It jabs the self-confident liberals too ideological to consider that racism still exists despite significant positive change for which it regularly pats itself on the back. The ambiguity in who's being critiqued is just the irony of his serious tone feeding off the irony of his ostensible critique of Obama. It's Stewart saying to and of his own audience that the speech isn't too much for the would be adults the audience with whom member doesn't normally identify.

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It sucks, whether it parades in liberal or conservative rhetoric.

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What an image it was, to see John Stewart's lilly-white frightened face after the clip of Wright's sermon.

For the most part, Wright was right.

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