Obama Preaches in Harvey, IL

Barack Obama spoke passionately about Dr. King's legacy, weaving in themes of war, poverty, and justice, at the St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Harvey, IL this morning.  He received a rapturous, raucous reception, as you can hear for yourself in this rough MP3 audio.  Listen to him with this audience, and you hear his humor, charisma, and intelligence all shining through.

Allison Hantschel of the Daily Southtown reviewed the speech, and her comments would probably be of interest to the Obama skeptics on this blog.

The Obama who took to the pulpit at 10:45 a.m. to thunderous applause sounded more like the man who called the Iraq war "dumb" and "rash" than the one who has been speaking in measured terms about phased troop redeployments and foreign policy seriousness.

(continued below)

"There are a lot of things Harvey needs," he shouted. "We can send ten billion dollars to Iraq; we should send a billion dollars here to Harvey. We love our troops, and we should send them back here to be doctors and lawyers and teachers and rebuild Harvey like they want to rebuild Baghdad."

He railed against the president for failing to live up to his promise to eradicate poverty after Hurricane Katrina, and pointed out that victims of flooding in New Orleans were still living in trailers with no hope of coming home.

Over and over, Obama called out, "What are we doing for others?"

"Come on, senator!" a woman yelled. "Come on, come on, preach it!"

"Bring it, Obama!" another man shouted.

The audiences, of course, were different: A group of sedate policy wonks looking for discussion versus a riled-up church crowd calling for sermons. But even accounting for that, there was a marked change in his words, in his attitude: a man prepared to lead himself, instead of telling others how to do so.

Give the speech a listen.  Do you hear a triangulator, pandering to his audience?  Or do you hear the voice of Martin Luther King, Jr, preaching justice and peace?

I hear a little of both... the same winning mix most recently heard in the voice of William Jefferson Clinton.

•  Tip a canoe & Tyler too n/t

  by jab on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 01:27:22 PM PDT

•  I''m glad Obama is bringing up these issues.

  I support Edwards, but if he does not prevail, I hope Obama does.  

  Speaking out about the war will help end it sooner.  

  Good diary.  Thanks.

  by TomP on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 01:31:00 PM PDT

•  I like this part of the write up

  Outside the church, ankle-deep in mud, Obama took questions about his presidential run and the Chicago Bears, and when asked about that Foreign Relations Council speech four months ago, when asked if it was now time to begin that redeployment he had predicted would begin right about now, he answered yes.

  He had hoped, he said, to work with the president and Republican leaders after the results of the Iraq Study Group were released, to build a bipartisan consensus on a way to constrain the growing violence in Iraq. But the president disregarded the group's report, and instead called for more troops to be sent into the war zone.

  So, he said, it was time for Congress "to constrain the president."

  Yes, it's time.

  by demondeac on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 02:11:27 PM PDT

•  Thanks for pointing this out

  With a potential announcement this week (rumors of an Oprah appearance on 1/17 abound), I can't wait for a definitive answer as to whether he is in.

  by turneresq on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 02:16:51 PM PDT

  •  No Oprah

    The surprise Wed. Oprah is the parents of that boy who was kidnapped for four years. It was diaried last night.

    I think he will announce soon. If he does it on Oprah, we'll probably hear the definitive leaks, unless they do a surprise live Oprah. She's gone live a few times (airs at 9 a.m. in Chicago) and could do it again.

    by kath25 on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 02:50:44 PM PDT

•  The audio really sucks, but ...

  I think this should put to rest the idea that African-Americans won't vote for him.

  by leevank on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 03:32:48 PM PDT