x4812k (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

i remember watching this four years ago. this time I cried. thank you, President Obama.

jeffreypalfini (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I think it is fair to say that minorities are still woefully underrepresented in U.S. politics. But to say the U.S. is terribly behind Europe in this regard ensures that no one will take you seriously. C'mon, dude, we all have work to do.

jeffreypalfini (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Last time I checked, law passing for most of the Clinton administration (from '94 to 2000) was the purview of a Republican majority in the Senate and the House. In any case, it was certainly not the government "forcing" financial institutions to lend to high-risk people that got us in this mess. It has been brewing in the mortgage lending industry ever since the late 70s, early 80s.

KRJ548 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

considering how fucked up our economy is, no. but obama is revolutionary nevertheless. he is respected not simply for his political ambitions, but the way he mobilized his campaign. he forever changed the way people (esp. minorities and youths) think about politics. regardless of what you think of him, you have to give him credit for being a historical leader on so many levels.

kryptonitebullet179 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

And this is how it all started...Way to go, Mr. President!4 more years!

TRBlom (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Of course I understand that you need to be patriotic, and my comment was purposefully a bit provoking. But it was actually intended to bring up a slightly different discussion. This man is to represent a country, currently highly impopular over here, because it seems to represent itself so superior (which is of course a fallacy).It is a shame though that politicians cannot 'show the impopular mirror'.

XdaymanX (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

TRBlom-Maybe he should have said that the U.S. is a dump and its people are the scum of the earth!?! What exactly do you expect him to say?Also, I'm sure that the Netherlands and other countries in Europe have had plenty of Heads of State that are black with Muslim names!!

JwebGuru (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

You don't get elected to high office in the US by talking about how far behind the US is, no matter what you believe. Criticism of the country, if you dare deliver any, must always be "constructive" and must be aimed at individuals (Bush) and their policies rather than the nation as a whole. Most countries work this way to some extent, but few take jingoism to the extremes the US does--Obama was accused of being "unpatriotic" for not wearing a flag pin and agreeing to meet with enemy leaders.

TRBlom (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

A man who, in this speech, said that in no other nation [than America], his story was even possible...A man who, apparently, regards the USA and its people superior to other nations and peoples. Or am I missing something here?

rasavirke (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Appology accepted :)