So I've spent several hours today listening to the media's commentary on Obama's speech. CNN, MSNBC, even right wing radio to see how they would respond. I've heard liberals and conservatives, Obama supporters and Clinton supporters, pastors and laypersons, whites and blacks. Not one of them heard what Obama was saying.
What were they talking about? Race, mostly, a little bit about religion, a good amount about the horse race and the effect of Obama's speech on the presidential campaign. It's exactly what Obama was warning against.
Remember what Obama said? That we should put aside the politics of division, conflict and cynicism, that we should avoid being distracted and talk about the problems we all need to solve and the goals we all want to achieve. I listened very closely this evening and not one reporter or commentator even mentioned this part of Obama's speech*, which I would argue was the main point of the entire speech. Instead, it was all distraction, all calculation.
Perhaps some of you would like to join me in pointing this out to the media.
(* except for Stewart and Colbert, of course)