It's depressing to think the only way that speech wouldn't leave a sensible person utterly dismayed by the prospect of an Obama presidency is that they could safely assume it reveals more of his extraordinary ability to tell any audience (in this case, CANF) what they want to hear, rather than of what he believes about the politics of Latin America and the region's historical relationship to the US.

Look, it's not fair to Obama here, considering Hirohito had a couple of A-bombs dropped in his backyard before he said that. Nobody dropped a couple of bombs in Obama's backyard yet...

You're right, En Ming - the situation is exactly opposite. Obama is speaking on behalf of a nation that has bombed, invaded, and organized murderous genocides in nearly every country in Latin America. His scale tips 'tother way.

Hey, mistakes were made.

'At times'? The implication is that we actually engaged the people of the region with the respect owed to a partner at some point. When that was, exactly, escapes me. Perhaps Obama could provide an example.

What are you expecting him to say? "The U.S. has engaged in a multi-decade campaign to fuck over Latin America"?

Obama displays more honesty in that excerpt than any other U.S. politician has, yes?

The Hirohito thing is funny because:

a) the war has been ongoing and Hirohito and his subordinates have repeatedly talked about how great it was going, even though objectively, it was going poorly
b) now he's admitting that he was lying, but doing so in a very backhanded way

For the situation to be analagous:

a) Obama would have to have been making thousands of statements about how great the U.S. treated Latin America
b) and then admit he was lying in a backhanded way

This is roughly the first time he's ever spoken about Latin America. And he's more honest than other politicians when doing so, even if he doesn't go as far as you would like. So.... it's not funny.

No, Anon. It's still funny.

In a sad way.

yeah, as a [potential] presidential candidate, i'm not sure what you'd expect him to say?
'hey! we suck ass and we do it better than anyone else in the world. vote for me. i suck ass too, just like you.'
like nell says in the next post about meeting people where they are rather than where you'd like them to be, i'm not sure the best way to have the republican base rally behind you is by telling them americans have a tendency towards world domination through torture and murder. even what he says will be considered appeasement talk by some, even if they don't know why or what it means.
actually acknowledging the possibility that, as a group, americans could be wrong about anything is a dangerous position to take for someone in his..uh... position.

Yeah, anon, it's hysterical. I wish people would get it out of their heads that one has to be kind and understanding towards politicians. To me it's fine to support Obama and see him as the best of a bad lot, significantly better than the alternatives. But why get so defensive of the man when he says something so mealy-mouthed? So Obama doesn't go as far as Jon would like. What does that mean? That it's all about Jon's childish desire to have politicians admit just how arrogant and murderous our policies have been?

As for this specific statement, it's not unique. Bill Clinton admitted that US policy in Guatemala was bad. I also heard him admit this with respect to East Timor. Neither statement had any impact whatsoever, because they are isolated admissions that drew little notice. You'll know it means something if there is ever talk of criminal trials for high-ranking US officials who've participated in human rights violations, or at least something like a truth commission.

"And he's more honest than other politicians when doing so"

In fact, politicians routinely "admit" that "mistakes have been made" when such admissions constitute criticism of their opponents (or justification for new techniques--see Bush's "freedom doctrine"). So Barack's "honesty" here is hardly groundbreaking, or particularly valuable.

What an appalling speech. He obfuscates reality at every turn. But, of course, to admit that the US was never interested in democracy in Cuba, or elsewhere in Latin America, and actively worked to block the development of democracy there every time it reared its head, would be to admit that Jeremiah Wright was correct in much of his political analysis.

This bit from Obama's Colombia policy says it all: We’ll work with the government to end the reign of terror from right wing paramilitaries.

Good luck with that, pal.

In 1959, would his policy have been to work with the government(s) of Mississippi to end the reign of terror from the KKK?

I still miss Billmon,s Hirohito watch.

No, it's still inappropriate. Japan engaged in aggressions all over Asia, but was in turn given two A-bombs by the US of A. Therefore, the US of A must be getting a couple A-bombs dropped on it BEFORE Obama is fit to be compared to Hirohito!

En Ming Hee: YOU may have a point there, as I think WE can safely declare George and Dick as Emperor and Emperoress of Mesopotamia. (pick em how you like em, could be vice versa)(Hirohito being Emperor of Japan and all)

Surely Obama will inheirit all titles and honors if he gains the Presidency.

If Emperoress Hillary is his VP, he could dump the whole Mesopotatoes in her lap as a parting gift for being such a good sport and playing OUR game.

I'm with Obama. Sometimes You cann't say all you want to say 'cause there will be people who won't be ready yet, but could be ready latter.

if, for example, a litter girl ask her mom if
giving birth is painful, mom wont' say:
"i have to tell you the truth, always:
It's awful."

Obama is smart.

I'm with Obama. Sometimes You cann't say all you want to say 'cause there will be people who won't be ready yet, but could be ready latter.

if, for example, a litter girl ask her mom if
giving birth is painful, mom wont' say:
"i have to tell you the truth, always:
It's awful."

Obama is smart.

Arvin Hill, "Obama's admission of failed U.S. policy toward Cuba...."

Though the U. S. has admittedly failed to overthrow Castro and replace him with a Pinochet clone, which was always its main goal, U. S. policy toward Cuba has largely succeeded in making Cubans' lives much harder than they need to be.

Is there any reason to believe that Obama actually knows better, and that he isn't merely pandering, as his devotees claim? None that I know of.

"My days of supporting the Democratic Party or otherwise participating in this political racket posing as democracy! are gone... at least until Obama changes the nature of politics - presumably, given his intelligence, sincerity and boundless charm, in the first hundred days of his administration." Heil Barack.

Though the U. S. has admittedly failed to overthrow Castro and replace him with a Pinochet clone, which was always its main goal, U. S. policy toward Cuba has largely succeeded in making Cubans' lives much harder than they need to be.

Very true.

What I meant was that it's a failed policy in the moral sense. But I'm less than articulate these days.

Is there any reason to believe that Obama actually knows better, and that he isn't merely pandering, as his devotees claim? Not that I know of.

Beats me. I'm faithless. But considering Obama cited Reagan's foreign policy as worthy of hybridizing as his own - combined with the rot of our political system - my expectations are low. As in, below sea level.

"My days of supporting the Democratic Party or otherwise participating in this political racket posing as democracy! are gone... at least until Obama changes the nature of politics - presumably, given his intelligence, sincerity and boundless charm, in the first hundred days of his administration." Heil Barack.

Sorry, I forgot the [sarcasm][/sarcasm] tags.

There is, basically, only one way to be a popular politician: to obfuscate, to prevaricate, to lie. It's just a matter of degree.

BACK IN THE 50's the CIA backed Castro, a HARVARD LAWYER, to overthrow Batista. It worked but Castro fucked them and pissed everybody off. He's OUTLIVED ALL the players even the Soviet Union, lived like a king for 50+ yrs, got OLD and sick and retired. THE CUBAN PEOPLE have paid dearly for another of OUR FAILED crooked foreign policy. Sometimes it really is better to let bygones be bygones as the threat dissapeared 2 decades ago. (the don't have oil, therefore no decent reason to punish them anymore for Castro's screwing the CIA in their ignorance, poor rubes that they are)

I'm with Obama. Sometimes You cann't say all you want to say 'cause there will be people who won't be ready yet, but could be ready latter.

This is what I don't get about Obama supporters. If the guy never says all he wants to say, how do you KNOW what he actually wants to say? It's voting for a simulacra. Maybe what Obama REALLY wants to say is: "Greetings! I am Lord Xypto, from the planet Korg in the Ztrog Nebula! I have come to enslave humanity and harvest your rich supply of biliary fluids to nurse our spawn with. Starting tomorrow, you will all be chained to a funnel in a vomitorium. Muahahaha!!" But he can't say that, 'cause there will be people who won't be ready yet.

But he can't say that, 'cause there will be people who won't be ready yet.

I think times are changing, though -- people want a president who'll be straight with them more than someone who claims to have exactly their position on every little issue. "I may not agree with President Obama about chaining me to the vomitorium funnel, but at least I know where he stands."

How do you know Obama? Look at his way of handling situations. He is not attacking Hillary for all the dirty tricks she uses. He is not using tricks, either. And his ego is controled.

Hillary can’t let go of her ego. If the delegate totals were reversed Hillary would be singing a very different tune when it comes to Florida and Michigan. She is being the most Divisive, and win at any cost, person I belive I’ve seen. This speech should convince the Superdelegates to throw all their votes behind Obama, to save the party from her.

I can’t believe Hillary Clinton. Didn’t she agree to the rules before the race started that Florida and Michigan would not count?

And now she speaks as if she cares so much about our votes counting....

What about people like me who didn’t vote because we were told it wouldn’t count anyway?

Counting Florida??? to destroy Obama with the pretense you are doing it for the women of the world.

I am one of your former women supporters, Hillary. Get out!

Hillary, Get Out.

Helen, in her mind Hillary is saying, “I’m Hillary Clinton and nobody will get in my way and I’ll win by any means necessary.”

She is looking to make a deal to benefit herself. She has an agenda and will do what she has to do to get it done. This is called politics.

By the way, if Hillary can’t run a campaign without debt, how would she run the country?

Go Obama, go!