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The Audacity of Us

Obama and Me, by Todd Spivak, February 28

The Audacity of Us

Whose grand idea was it to distribute this as journalism all over Dallas, with a red-eyed Obama on the cover, days before the primary? Visuals aside, however, this whole piece came off as whiny—like a disgruntled journalist who missed out on his chance to be in the inner circle because he associated speeches from a black candidate with "jive."

And the best that [he] could come up with is not rallying to every "black cause" in the state, or quotes from bitter politicians who admit they are upset solely because Obama is taking the spotlight from them.

K. Woolley, via dallasobserver.com

You've got to be kidding me. This journalist seems to be trying really hard to dig up dirt but comes up with nothing. If you think any politician doesn't have to work behind the scenes, you're nuts. All those legislators in Illinois who dislike Obama are what they call "playa haters." If the African-American community wants to advance, they should stop "hating" when an African-American gets ahead in life. Get a life y'all.

JC, via dallasobserver.com

Spivak strikes again. You should be ashamed for printing this crap.

This was a crummy hack job in 2004 when he traded on his "relationship" with Obama and scrounged a few grumbles from Chicago hacks who felt Obama had jumped ahead of the line.

A few things Mr. Spivak evidently forgot to mention:

Obama's signature ethics reform bill was passed in 1998 and the Earned Income Tax Credit in 2000, under Republican-controlled legislatures.

Obama chaired the Health and Human Services Committee in 2003-2004, which accounts for his sponsorship of most of the legislation passed in those years.

The work that Obama did to secure the video interrogation bill against vehement opposition is well-documented. Hendon's claim that he took the ball to the 1-yard line is risible.

The story about Obama gaining his Senate seat by legal technicality, challenging nominating petitions and so betraying his mentor Alice Palmer completely distorts the story. Obama was encouraged to run by Palmer, who was herself running in a special election for U.S. Congress. Days before the filing deadline (in December) and just a few months before the primary, she lost the special and decided to reclaim her state Senate seat. Obama refused to step aside, and she was unable to gather sufficient valid signatures to get on the ballot. Challenging nominating petitions is standard procedure in Illinois politics, and while Obama has indicated he regrets having displaced a distinguished progressive politician, he was certainly entitled to pursue a race he had invested so much in already.

Finally, when Spivak gathered all those nasty comments about Obama, he was the dark horse in a three-way race for the U.S. Senate nomination, and most of the Illinois machine was working for his opponents.

David Richardson, via dallasobserver.com

I am very interested in this story as it gives much-needed insight into the real Barack Obama. Nobody really knows who he is, and a lot of people are starting to realize that they may in fact have been duped by him. Obama is a very cunning, divisive character when you see the underside of the "hope" he preaches about all the time. He is certainly detrimental to the Democratic Party in the long run. No one person can bring transformational change to the White House. Obama is betting that people don't know this simple truth. The best any president can do is work hard and fight for the good of the people of this country.

Obama promises a lot and will no doubt be unable to deliver. Should he win, his promises of hope and change will not materialize, and the electorate will turn on him. Obama's buddy, Deval Patrick, ran for governor of Massachusetts with the exact same campaign of "hope and change." Deval won and has been a disaster for Massachusetts because he had no experience and didn't change a thing. Obama would fair no better than his friend Deval. Hillary is the real deal and will work her heart out for all Americans.

Henna, via dallasobserver.com