Obama Speech to Students Illustrates the Rise of Partisanship

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Shoe To,single iron apply nation sound leave the clothes run blue mouth have computer vast impose somewhat herself minute late degree prospect domestic visit institution meanwhile human political statement industrial tone creation bad year article report second able winter independent pool window appeal theatre judge present constant bank later through most special an finally sense international revenue little aspect program realize thing currently collection area defence propose typical tend ring ancient back pass noise what date okay negotiation bag limit shape ride seem contribute up everybody cause same well investigate obtain or

weight loss foods list of 11:46PM July 03, 2010

When Bush 1 and Reagan made their speeches to students.
The truth, not the re-writing of history is unforgiving.

HillbillyBill of TN 3:47PM September 10, 2009

This speech is a ok because its like he's sayin anybody with any color or race can be whom ever they want to be. In this speech its says that ms.cary dont like black president an i guess she's upset that obama which is an African American is the President of the united states of america

sam of NY 3:24PM September 10, 2009

I'm with Ms. Johnson of Ohio and I'm as white as the newly driven snow. Carmen said it all. Besides the GOP and conservatives didn't worry about expanding government when Bush decided to rescind Habeus Corpus or put into place the "Big Brother Patriot Act". The Republicans and Conservatives are just NOW complaining about the deficit. It was alright for Bush to lie to us to get into and illegal war that drive an inherited surplus to a trillion dollar deficit but to spend money to improve the health system and health of our nation they treat as though it's treason. We all know the GOP (even Steele who doesn't even realize he's black) is populated with hypocrites and racists, can you imagine someone showing up at a Republican event with an AK-47 strapped to their hip? There should also be more outrage from the GOP about the way Wilson heckled the president. They don't even show the respect to our president that they would to a Saudi shiek. Thank GOD, really thank GOD that the GOP didn't win the last presidential election. The GOP wants to do everything to bring us back to the 1950s and a possible run for the White House by Strom Thurmond and further back to take away any financial security for its citizens in the form of Medicare or Social Security and to hold on to the biggest tax cuts for the wealthiest of their friends. Never, never will I EVER vote for a Republican and as a major political party they should be engaging in civil political discourse not the belly-aching, criticizing and now heckling that they are prone to do. Furthermore I was appalled by those so called parents so upset that Obama was going to speak to their children and why, because Obama is black. The ones who cried and kvetched on TV were whiter than I am, if that's possible. We need a new political party, one that will work for us not against us.

DavidBronx of NY 2:39PM September 10, 2009

Partisanship and bickering have existed since the beginnings of our country and we would do well to keep this in context. One line of this bickering led to the Hamilton-Burr duel. I'm just saying...
As for the remarks made by CARMEN L. JOHNSON, I have this to say, let's give the race card a rest. Speaking as an average "white" person, I don't often give much thought to the president's race, which by the way I'll remind you is half white as well as half black. I agree with the principles and sentiments of what he said during last night's speech as I'm sure do many Americans of all ethnicities. What I do have trouble with is the substance. I simply don't believe some things that he says to be true. For instance, he spoke of the so called government option as not going to drive private insurers out of business. Well I might be wrong but if a company pays $14,000 a year for healthcare for an employee and if they were going to be fined $8,000 for not providing insurance, why not cancel the insurance and move employees onto the government program? My disagreement has nothing to do with the President's race but with my disagreements with him over some of his plans.
What the congressman did by yelling "You Lie" was not right and he has apologized for his outburst and he should receive a reprimand. The congressman was responding to the President's assertion that no illegal immigrants would receive care under this bill. While there is language to that effect in the bill, mechanisms for checking the resident status of people who apply for healthcare was stripped out of the current bills by Democrats. This seems like an open door invitation for abuse of the system by non-citizens that you and I will pay for. With regard to the congressman's outburst, follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBxmEGG71PM&eurl=http://www.mererhetoric.com/archives/11275877.html&feature=player_embedded#t=48. This shows the Democrats en masse (not just a single person) booing President Bush during his 2005 State of the Union address. Carmen, both sides are jerks and we as informed citizens should view all of them with healthy skepticism.
As for my initial admonition, there is assuredly racism in this country but not everything can or should be attributed to it. And by the way, there is ample evidence that it exists across the human race and is not the sole domain of any one race.

Mike of NJ 2:29PM September 10, 2009

AS A WOMAN OF COLOR I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS HARD FOR MANY CAUCASION COUNTER PARTS TO ACCEPT THAT A BLACK MAN IS OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE. NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS OR DOES HE WILL BE SCRUTINIZED, OSTRACIZED AND CRITICIZED. WHY DON'T YOU JUST ADMIT IT, MS. CARY, YOU DON'T LIKE HAVING A BLACK PRESIDENT. JUST AS THE MAN, AN EDUCATED, POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVE SHOUTED "LIAR" AT THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS, YOU ARE SHOUTING, "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A BLACK PRESIDENT AND I DON'T LIKE IT!" FROM ALL OF YOUR ARTICLES. RACISM IS STILL AND ALWAYS WILL BE ALIVE AND WELL. IT REARS ITS UGLY HEAD EVERYDAY WHEN PEOPLE LIKE YOU SPEAK AGAINST A MAN WHO IS TRYING TO RECONCILE A COUNTRY THAT IS SUFFERING, UNEMPLOYED, WITHOUT HEALTH CARE AND FACING TRILLIONS IN DEFICITS.

CARMEN L. JOHNSON of OH 1:14PM September 10, 2009

Sorry, Moderate of OH... I was not referring to your comment. I meant the three comments before yours! I am also a moderate Republican like you, and tired of extremism and incivility - regardless of where it comes from.

Julie of MN 10:46AM September 10, 2009

Congratulations to the three comments before mine. You just confirmed the point of the article. Partisanship has reached ridiculous levels, and people have stopped listening to each other. When did we decide that just because we didn't vote for our leaders that we don't have to respect them or listen to what they have to say? Why shouldn't our duly elected president address our students? Does everything have to be a controversy these days? We are not in the middle of a polical campaign, and not every word and action has a political agenda. Unfortunately, our school district decided to make it political, and did not let the kids watch the speech. Get over yourselves, folks, and grow up. Our nation is not perfect, and the partisan bickering does not help. Good ideas come from both sides of the aisle, believe it or not! The sky is not falling, simply because a president I didn't vote for is trying to communicate with my kids.

Julie of MN 10:21AM September 10, 2009

Mozart of Ohio, who do you think started and funded right wing conservative radio? As someone who held office in the Republican party, I know. The whole point of right wing conservative media was to spread fear, conspiracy theories, and falsehoods about the Democratic party. Don't believe it, well you should. The problem we Republicans faced was that the majority of our population is poor or middle class. So, how do we convince these people to support policies that primarily benefit people like me (the rich) and corporations over them? The Democrats' policies are more fundamentally appealing (providing cheaper health care etc.). So, it was decided by the elite of the party that we would fool you. It worked brilliantly. All we have to do is cobble together lies and conspiracy theories and spread fear and hatred. The problem is that many moderate Republicans like myself have realized that we have let the right wing shock entertainment get too angry, crazy, and big for their own good. I hate to inform you ... but the only propaganda and lies you hear are from your conservative media. The intelligent thinkers and leaders of our party have been surplanted by the "nuts" as George W. Bush often referred to them. This is bad for the party. The extreme media personalities are putting us reasonable Republicans in the position of having to deny the nutty claims and defend Obama (i.e. McCain saying "Obama is not an Arab or Terrorist," Republican politicians having to admit that "Obama is a valid U.S. citizen," Laura Bush saying "children should hear the President's speech") or accept the extreme views and look nutty themselves. Do the party a favor and stop listening to shock jocks -- actually educate yourself on the issues. Claims that "Obama is a Socialist," "Obama is like Hilter," etc. are only ruining the credibility of the Republican party.

Moderate of OH 10:04AM September 10, 2009

Well this proves it....The President no matter whom or he or she (maybe in 100yrs) can address anyone at anytime and finally the final draft was pretty good – thanks Office General Lawyers. NOW the DOE (Department of Education) CZAR - needs to be fired. Not to say that they were acting on behalf of the White House to push this stupid "course out-line" and oh yea they are still pushing it. My cousins kid in Houston had to watch per the schools DOE guidance and already has a graph outline progress chart made up for the next 6 months on what she wrote (to end homeless kids)- great concept however what in the heck is a 2nd grader going to do outside of volunteer work - mind you - now not based on goals of math, reading, speaking (English and Spanish), social studies (could qualify)....and on it goes. Why not take this same DOE guidance and indoctrinate it for all learning courses....why because the teachers can not manage it and it is terribly impracticable.... How many of your bosses do the same for you in your job???? Hummmm good luck on these metrics DOE maybe you all need to attend a good management seminar! Do us a favor and give the schools a break; let them focus on more important things – like teaching our US children and stop wasting time…….

Oldetomycar of OH 12:30AM September 10, 2009