I am a 29 white woman who grew up in Idaho, incredibly naive about racial difference and the legacy of racism. After college, I spent 3 years in rural Mississippi teaching at an all black high school in one of the most impoverished parts of the nation. I have lived and worked on both sides of the racial divide and have learned along the way how complicated issues of race, justice, & economic disparity intersect. Obama presents some of the most honest & difficult truths I have ever heard from a politician with candor, humility, & grace. He is not a perfect man — but he has enormous insight & wisdom. This was a courageous moment in American politics. I can’t conceive of voting for anyone else. Even if his campaign should somehow fail, I consider myself lucky to have heard this speech today & to be part of the generation that has witnessed & worked for his campaign.

Let's elect this man today. When have we ever had the opportunity to put our political future in the hands of such an authentic and honest individual. His speech was courageous, heartfelt and honest. making those of us in this household feel honored to have experienced his role in our history. I can't imagine the possibilities that we will be able to achieve with this man as our leader. The USA and the world can only be a more perfect place for all people.

Did'nt like the speech at all,just more lies I was listening to him and I noticed Obama said he knew about the remarks his pastor made,but 2 days ago in a interview he said something different,he said he did'nt know.Obama is like any politician give a good speech,and then the dumbs fall into line.I don't need some butt faced politician who lies with smooth words to represent me,I need a president who has been open to all.Would we elect David Duke if he gave some fancy speech,even though we knew his connections to the KKK,I think not.

Obama is toast. He embraced racism today and demonized the United States of America. We will not elect someone that hates America. It's time for Obama to leave and go find a country he likes.

If Obama were not a man, he wouldn't be where he is.

As a older, white, female, Independent voter Obama's speech brought tears to my eyes...at the thought of WHAT THIS COUNTRY COULD BE.
I hope our schools had it on, so our children could discuss it. I hope the discussion is brought home to the kitchen table, the office cooler and the neighborhood yard sale. I hope the discussion continues infront of our own mirrors.

if nothing else, Senator Obama opened the dialogue today. That is, the "politically" taboo topic from a politician on race . He addressed the fears, apprehensions and concerns of people; concerning the issue of race. It was a down payment on the risk a leader takes to establish unity.

Some folks don't seem to have heard the speech.

Those that have ears to hear, let them hear.

I just hope they vote.

George Washington own slaves. Disown him! Stop being ignorant of our racial history.

George Washington owned slaves. Disown him! Then I will believe you are a good person. It's silly right?

The comment regarding Senator Obama finding a country that he likes, proves that there are individuals who will use
any vehicle necessary to express resentment and distorted beliefs.
Let's start by saying this-Senator Obama is a Bi-racial man who has been titled "African-American".

What happened to his "White"
heritage that he confesses?
It just shows that you STILL are what you look like in this country. I don't think this is as much an issue with Blacks as it is with Whites.
He did not embrace racism; it would be a contradiction to himself.

In my lifetime, I have not noted to memory any politician that has captivated my political curiosity the way Senator Obama has. Mr. Obama has attempted and has now succeeded with overcoming those "Nay-sayers" regarding his relationship with Mr. Wright.
An apology for who he is and his personal affiliates is not as important as many other issues that exist in this country.
Additionally, many of us in society work with people who have racist views. How many of us have supervisors who are racists? How many of us quit the job or oopenly disassociate ourselves from our bosses?
How about some of our relatives with their "old ways" of thinking? Remember the '50's? Do we openly condemn them or disassociate from them? NO!

To sum it up for you, Senator B. H. Obama is the next well qualified, well spoken, well deserved President of the United States of America.

The quote from his book was pretty important - and it only added about a paragraph to the speech.

I've only read it - haven't seem the video - but WOW. I knew he was going to nail it, but that was one of the best speeches ever given during a presidential campaign - Obama's Cooper Union.

Elena ,

I am 28 blk male, Grew up in KY spent most of my life around white people while I traveled around the U.S. and just wanted you to know that beucause of people like and myself the campaign wont fail.
I do not know which specific dramtic event in my life with white people prove to me, it is not the people in the U.S. the seprate us but more a system and hsitory. I hope to meet you one day.

This speech was not too long and the part from Dreams was perfectly placed. We haven't had a chance to elect a candidate of Obama's quality in my lifetime. Forutanately so many people see him as their choice that he actually has the nomination won if the election plays out as the voters are dictating by their voting.

I am a graduate student in Sweden in the field of Global Studies. I was happy and worried upon hearing his speech. There was so much truth to it in how our world is constructed, but I don't know if the American People were or are ready to truly understand his words and what they mean. I hope that the American People will break the stereotype of being ignorant that is rampant around the globe and elect this man. I also hope he holds true to what he intends for a country that really can be as great as it states. Being the most powerful nation on earth impacts everyone and we are all rooting for America to overcome divisions for the good of all humanity.

I'm sorry, have I been missing something? I'm hearing today how wonderful, how brave Obama is for directly addressing the problems and conflicts associated with racism. Really? This hasn't been addressed before? What about affirmative action? What about the push for diversity in large publicly traded organizations? What about minorities getting all kinds of preferential treatment for small business loans, etc? I don't dislike Obama...in fact, I haven't made up my mind about who I'll vote for yet. But, please...let's not idolize the man just for bringing up the subject of discrimination. He made some really excellent points in his speech today that I agree with. He also, unfortunately, justified the anger that some African Americans feel today despite the attempts by politicians to keep the system fair for everyone but progressive for minorities. Being angry over something that happened 200 years ago or even 50 years ago is so counterproductive when you can live in the present and take advantage of all the opportunities that are available to everyone, regardless of race, rather than feeling indignant for not getting bigger hand-outs.

What if his political maturity fall short of the eloquence and rhetoric. the sublime commanding oratory.
How could things be any worse in the USA; discredited in the middle east; soldiers fighting an unwinabale and thankless war, sent there by one who dodged it through his father's guile; a USA where the free world looked towards fro stability in global economy - yet we teeter on the brink of another wall street crash despite the robust intervention by the Fed.
Obama will be a fast learner in office. An office which Bush has shamed and betrayed.
Hillary would be almost as acceptable , but it is disingenuous to try to revile your opponent for imbalance when that imbalance pivots on the superiority of his delivery, his capacity to immediately engage and to have people of all persuasions gravitate towards the power of the charisma he exudes.
IT is the argument of the wailing mother who says to the drunken husband ' go on ; hit me now with the child in my arms'
It is a vapid and squalid defence.
So Obama truns now , at his own peril to the issue of 'Race'
How could he advance his campaign by not articulating that most fundamental and unreconciled part of the constitution.
Hillary talks about a conversation with America . But who is she conversing with and what is she saying.
She is also trying to curry favor with Bertie Ahern for the role she claims to have played in resolving the Northern Ireland conflict.
. - to give substance to her claim for the Irish American vote.
Funny,I live here and thought Mitchell and De Chastelain and Bill were the main players - along with Blair and Ahern ; all of whom worked tirelessly and indeed passionately - tho I sometimes wonder if the late night sittings were not agreed for the optics.
But Ahern's visits - in the tradition of all his presdesssors going to the White House on St Patricks day is as demeaning to the irish as it is to the Saint the ethos of our National day
Would the US President leave the US on Independence day - or the French president leave France on Bastille day-
No It's Paddywhackery in its most vulgar expression.
It's phoney fraudulent , pretentious , obsequious.
But to return to Obama .
Ostentation ,grace , eloquence , charisma , a first class mind ,
These are characteristics which have been absent from the White House for 8 years now.
The world awaits a new voice , It Yearns for passion of mind and commitment in heart.
It is time to cleanse that venerable building of the vileness it has been plagued with for the past 8 years.

But it was too long....

I think it was meant to be heard, not read. Play the YouTube clip and go about making yourself a cup of coffee. It didn't seem too long at all to my ears.

To Lila Blomgren:
I appreciate your support, as a foreigner, for Obama, and I support him in part for how he'd restore legitimacy to America's world image. However, it seems you share the stereotype you mention of Americans being "ignorant." What makes you think you understand the divisions and problems Obama speaks of better than we do? I truly doubt that you can feel the pain of these issues, the way an American can. The issues he speaks of are not about the "truth of how the world is constructed" as you say, not objective or universal truths, but ones specific to a specific culture with a specific history, that only people with specific attachments and emotions toward that country can truly understand. So, it's more than a bit condescending for you to worry that we won't get the meaning of his words the way you do. America is not an abstraction, as filtered through your media (as any foreign reporting must do), reflecting your country's concerns, but something that must be lived to understand in all of its complexity and contradictions.

Frank Tsai,
I'm glad that Obama's speech on divisions have opened up this dialogue even if in the end we don't share the same ideals....At least we are honestly communicating about our thoughts and opinions in a constructive manner. What you wrote was very insightful and I appreciate you giving me the chance to clear up any misunderstandings. It seems as if the main issue you addressed was that as a foreigner the words came across "more than a bit condescending" to worry about how the American People would receive Obama's speech. To clarify, I actually grew up in the United States of America and so as you eloquently put it, "can feel the pain of these issues, the way an American can" because I have "lived to understand it in all of its complexities and contradictions." I agree that the media differs around the world, but my thrive for knowledge does not stop at the T.V. or a paper. My field I am pursuing is Global Studies and I currently am learning in a multi-national (as well as cultural) environment from an American Professor. I would never discredit a fellow colleague or view them as "ignorant" for having an educated analysis or care for a situation that they did not share a national identity with. I had never stated that I "understand the divisions and problems Obama speaks of better" than anyone. America and the world are comprised of individuals with a spectrum of experiences that share an array of perspectives and opinions. I apologize if my words came across as condescending to you as that was not my intention. I am still happy as the happiness comes from hope because of the openness of Obama's speech and I still worry as the worry comes through caring about people of our world. America's divisions are not isolated to its domestic situations. As a super power it has historically and currently projected itself onto the globe as exemplified through economics, politics, social issues as well as through military presence. Many countries look to the U.S. because of its grave impact. We must try to overcome our divisions of "us" and "them" mentality within and outside nations' boundaries. Our ability to care about people should not stop at where one neighborhood ends and "another one" begins. I believe that United We All Can Stand.

P.S. Yes, I have two last names in a personal attempt to honor gender equality within my family. :)

A speach nothing more. Only made when his lies caught up with him.
Be real Obama chose this church for politcal gains when he started running for local politics in IL.
He threw his poor white grandmother under the bus in front of the world, but still blames us for not understanding why he stays with Rev Wright
Probably because he,s looking at an OBAMA-WRIGHT
Ticket.

Obama needs to bow out of the race now, with dignity, instead of insuring that the President is” more of the same McCain”. The Republicans will run this “Obama pastor’s “Hate America” words from the pulpit”, relentlessly and rightfully so if, and that is a big ”IF”, BO was to get the Democratic nomination. Please Senator Obama quit now and save our Democratic party. He opportunistically turned this "firestorm of his pastor’s ranting" into a free, nationally televised campaign speech. A little unfair to the other candidates, don't you think? Hillary Clinton is right for America now, because we have very serious issues facing “US” now and we need a credible, intelligent President who will cross party lines to settle the bigger issues we face in America, land that we all love. It’s questionable to me now, and has been since he so suddenly seized the opportunity to inject himself in the race for President, if Barack really does?

Obama needs to bow out of the race now, with dignity, instead of insuring that the President is” more of the same McCain”. The Republicans will run this “Obama pastor’s “Hate America” words from the pulpit”, relentlessly and rightfully so if, and that is a big ”IF”, BO was to get the Democratic nomination. Please Senator Obama quit now and save our Democratic party. He opportunistically turned this "firestorm of his pastor’s ranting" into a free, nationally televised campaign speech. A little unfair to the other candidates, don't you think? Hillary Clinton is right for America now, because we have very serious issues facing “US” now and we need a credible, intelligent President who will cross party lines to settle the bigger issues we face in America, land that we all love. It’s questionable to me now, and has been since he so suddenly seized the opportunity to inject himself in the race for President, if Barack really does?

Dear Ms. O'Bryan you aren't dazzed by any chance because you actually heard a word of truth instead of your far more easily digested Hillary-spin? Here you presumably have heard the greatest most honest dialogue about race in America from BO and you still have the nerve to keep insisting that our country needs Hillary as POTUS so John McCain doesn't win. I pity you Mary some people spend so much of their time adoring false ideas so that when the truth hits them they still don't even see it. It is obvious to me that you support Hillary and that's okay she's a capable Senator. What disturbing is that you cannot see Obama is one of the rarest things ever someone who can unite this country. You don't care about that however forget the possibility of a racially unified America; we don't need that. Like Hillary herself you will do say or ignore anything to win. Even the truth. What a horrible excuse for a person you are. Do you even care about this country or just the HRC ego?

Lila,

It's Iva! I just wanted to see how you're doing so I googled you and found you're still the same, strong, outspoken woman whom I knew back in college. Way to go! Best of luck to you in your studies.

And yes Frank, She has always been a full-blooded American fighting ignorance and for empowering people.