Obama Speech

On Tuesday, March 18, Senator Obama gave his anticipated speech on race and religion. I heard most of it in a replay on NPR the next day.

It's hard for me to describe my reactions, but here are some:

• Finally, someone in America talks honestly and candidly about race, and his personal feelings about it. The obvious now occurs to me: at some level, white persons, and I include myself, simply can not know what it means to be black in America.
  
• I am delighted that Obama did not "disown" his pastor. What I am delighted about is that he is unwilling to sacrifice a close friend for his own political gain. He is unwilling to sacrifice someone whose overall life has had a major positive impact because of some mistakes.
  
• Obama is running at a level which is simply higher than any politician Americans have seen since (probably) Bobby Kennedy. I don't know if he will get the Democratic nomination. I don't know if he will win vs McCain in the general election. But I do know that I now have someone to support.