A Vulnerable Obama: ‘There Are Times When The Words About Me Hurt’

by Joe Coscarelli | 1:41 pm, January 17th, 2010

» 24 comments

Despite appearances to the contrary, “there are times when I am not so calm,” President Barack Obama said this morning at an African American congregation in Northwest Washington where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke on February 7, 1968. Today’s largely personal speech during a session of Sunday worship, not coincidentally just before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, may signal a shift for Obama back to the impassioned and personal rhetoric we’ve come to expect from the president, as he admitted pain and impatience.

My wife knows,” he continued. “There are times when progress seems too slow. There are times when the words that are spoken about me hurt. There are times when the barbs sting. There are times when it feels like all these efforts are for naught and change is so painfully slow in coming and I have to confront my own doubts.

“But let me tell you, it’s faith that keeps me calm. It’s faith that gives me peace.”

This particular section of Obama’s speech seems especially important at a time — one year into his presidency — where criticism has intensified and even supporters have begun to show signs of impatience, exemplified in slipping polls numbers and the media narrative of the impending midterm elections. Starting Tuesday in Massachusetts — with the contest for Ted Kennedy‘s Senate seat — Democrats could face a tough year, making governing even more difficult for the president.

The result may be President Obama at his fieriest — emotional, vulnerable and inspiring — in a way we haven’t seen him since some crucial moments in the 2008 election. Is this a sign of things to come, rhetorically? See the clip for yourself:

TfT

So, he is not only “light skinned” (quote Harry), but he is thin-skinned too. Oh my
Fidoohki

This may be ‘phase one’ of Obama’s plan to keep Dems in their seats. We’ll have to see.
sarainitaly

I wonder if he realizes how he and others have made Bush feel?
blueblogger

sarainitly, I disregard all of your comments because I believe you are a PUMA. I understand your anger. On the other hand TfT have you ever even considered that Obama (even thought he is president) has feelings. Maybe you are of the group that doesn’t believe in being human. I am sure now that Obama walks in Bush’s shoes he more than understands how Bush felt.
ChrisNH

It is widely said that Bush was more hated than Obama is now. With that in mind, I don’t have a scintilla of remorse for hating Obama’s policies and the direction he’s taking the country. None whatsoever. I can always point to the Left and how they were more hateful than I’ll ever be.
germ

Question to Pres. Obama:

“What statements about you have stung?”

Otherwise, I believe it is all rhetoric, the only thing the Big O is good at. I haven’t heard half the bad things said about him that I heard about Pres. Bush.
Thrasher

Then he should stop attacking Black folks at Black venues and go to white, arab, asian, hispanic venues and demonize thier parenting .. I have no pity for Obama at all..I am tired of his selective posturing on the souls of Black folks for sure..
TfT

If that were the case BlueBlogger Obama wouldn’t be trashing Bush and everyone else he trashes on a daily basis.
http://www.nukethefridge.com MartiniShark

@ blueblogger
“have you ever even considered that Obama (even thought he is president) has feelings. Maybe you are of the group that doesn’t believe in being human. I am sure now that Obama walks in Bush’s shoes he more than understands how Bush felt.”

The question is, do you Understand? Bush had to absorb far worse language, for far longer. I cannot feel a any sympathy for the man. He’s in the highest office therefore he’s going to receive the highest criticism. This attitude that he should be above rebuke contradicts all the advance praise we were sold on the man. How can he be such a high-powered mind who transcends traditional politics when simple criticism affects him so deeply?
http://www.nukethefridge.com MartiniShark

Oh, and @ TfT
Great brevity with that line.
Fidoohki

“treat others as you wish to be treated”. Seems so right a phrase don’t it?
sarainitaly

MartiniShark says:
January 17, 2010 at 6:22 pm
He’s in the highest office therefore he’s going to receive the highest criticism.

And he got in that office one way – trashing Bush. How many times did we hear he was the anti-Bush? Didn’t Obama’s new church just trash Bush RIGHT before Obama spoke?

blueblogger says:
January 17, 2010 at 3:40 pm
I am sure now that Obama walks in Bush’s shoes he more than understands how Bush felt.

And like I said, I wonder if he now feels bad for trashing Bush so bad, now that he feels how it is to walk in his shoes.
timzank

Sara, that’s when I turned the channel this morning, when the “Reverend” (I use that term loosely) began his tirade about “how he wished the folks that screwed all these things up for the last 8 years would stop hollerin’ and give YOU Mr. Precedent a little more time to fix it”…etc etc etc….

2 times in a year this empty suit shows up in church (this time because of Haiti, no other reason) and he (and his Reverends) can’t just worship, they have to make more freakin’ speeches.

Please, for one day, just STFU.
http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Guo/100000649950349 James Guo

hehe, as a president, you’ll have to live with it
Snipzor

Obviously he is not talking about dissenting opinions, otherwise he wouldn’t have mentioned it at this time. Considering the location of which he gave this speech, he was obviously referring to the racist conspiracy nuts. You know which ones. How one can conclude that those criticisms against him are not as bad as the conspiracy claims against Bush clearly have never actually bothered to listen up to the arseholes on their own side.

(The insanity against both Bush and Obama are equal in stupidity)
blueblogger

Snipzor (The insanity against both Bush and Obama are equal in stupidity) Excellent point. I comes with the job. It is the same each party is in office. Nasty people always say nasty things about the other side. Too bad there are more people who have have objective opinions without throwing things in each others face. Too much to ask I suppose. At least people have these blogs to beat up each other instead of their wives, children, cats dogs and so on.
m

> Bush had to absorb far worse language, for far longer

Stop comparing everything to Bush. He’s not President anymore.
m

Well, he’s our President. We need to support him in these tough economic times and in two wars. I don’t like the dissent expressed here. Criticism is fine, but there comes a time where you cross the line into actively working against the President and this country, and I think a lot of commentators on this blog have done that.
sarainitaly

m says:
January 18, 2010 at 12:31 am
Well, he’s our President. We need to support him in these tough economic times and in two wars. I don’t like the dissent expressed here. Criticism is fine, but there comes a time where you cross the line into actively working against the President and this country, and I think a lot of commentators on this blog have done that.

Impeach Bush: http://tinyurl.com/ydjhe95

Stop Bush: http://tinyurl.com/yagf5s3

f*ck Bush: http://tinyurl.com/ycrlb7v

Bush Hitler: http://tinyurl.com/yezgsej

Google results for K*ll Bush: 43,000,000
sarainitaly

m says:
January 18, 2010 at 12:31 am
Well, he’s our President. We need to support him in these tough economic times and in two wars. I don’t like the dissent expressed here. Criticism is fine, but there comes a time where you cross the line into actively working against the President and this country, and I think a lot of commentators on this blog have done that.

Impeach Bush.

Stop Bush.

f*ck Bush.

Bush Hitler.

Google results for K*ll Bush: 43,000,000
sarainitaly

m says:
January 18, 2010 at 12:28 am
> Bush had to absorb far worse language, for far longer

Stop comparing everything to Bush. He’s not President anymore.

We’ll stop when Obama/Dems stop.
http://www.nukethefridge.com MartiniShark

@m

You realize that before the President spoke they was a lenghty tirade about the previous administration, right? Hell, this past week I have seen Bush get blamed for the condition of the movies at the Academy Awards, and he was invoked during rallies at the Mass. Senate campaign. Cash for Clunkers failing is about due to dropped in his lap as well.
pyrope

Mr. -Obama should know by now if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen.
Thrasher

Hey Obama then stop pandering to white folks all the time..Get of your bended knees and start acting like a Black man not some castrated negro/colored wimp….