I am a minority and I see nothing racial about Tanner's comments. It's true that there are a variety of inequities in this country that affect the longevity of monorities. It seems to me that Barack is simply trying to create an issue where there is none.

What could Obama be thinking?If anyone with at least one working brain cell took as little as a nanosecond to think about it Tanner was actually making a strong case for the inequitable treatment of minorities.No wonder Obama is starting to lose black support as well as everyone else.He doesn't even know when somebody is actually trying to support the black community and other minorities by pointing out the deficencies in "the system".

"That's a shame, you know, creating problems for elderly persons just is not good under any circumstance," Tanner said, according to video posted on YouTube. "Of course, that also ties into the racial aspect because our society is such that minorities don't become elderly the way white people do. They die first.

^^^^That is why he should be fired! Read it and understand it. yeah we all know the inequalities behind health care. But to say blacks simply DIE FIRST??? Is retarded

I AM AN AMERICAN BLACK MALE AND I DO FIND HIS COMMENTS OFFENSIVE.I FIND IT OFFENSIVE BY THE CONNOTATION IN WHICH IT WAS DELIVERED.ALBEIT FACTS SHOW THAT THE LENGTH OF LIFE FOR BLACK MALES IS 5 YRS LESS THAN THIER WHITE COUNTERPARTS, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO EFFECT THE VALUE OF THAT EXTRA 5 YEARS IN REGARDS TO WELLNESS.WHAT I FIND OFFENSIVE AS AN AMERICAN, AS SHOULD ALL AMERICANS REGARDLESS OF RACE, THE BLANTANT ATTEMPT TO DISINFRANCHISE VOTERS. HE IS STATING THAT IT IS A FACT THAT THIS REQUIREMENT WILL IN FACT CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR CERTAIN GROUPS. NOW I MAY BE GOING OFF THE DEEP END HERE, BUT ISNT THE DEPT IN WHICH HE WORKS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT PROBLEMS THAT ARISE AROUND VOTING.

Mr Barak Hussain Obama is finally stirred up about–nothing–or perhaps about something that could have been spinned in his favor, if spinned the proper way.
What now!?! someone states that there are inequities and you shoot him down?
This leaves open the question of what idiotic Dem counsels you these days.

Just more of Obama playing the race issue. And, as an African American, I am so SICK OF HIM DOING THAT. This is the same man who says the black vote will go up 30% nationwide if he is the nominee. That is an outrageous statement; that somehow black people will vote for him just because of his race. That is why he is down 57-38 amongst black voters; He is a racial demegogue.

This is a pathetic attempt by Barack Hussein Osama to play the race card. It is very short-sighted because for every 1 black person who is attracted by this, 10 white people are totally repelled by this kind of "Politics of False Hope".

It is shocking ( but not surprising ) to see what Obama is becoming with every passing day. Because he has no substance, he is trying to sustain the hype.

Here's an idea! Let's fire everyone who says things we don't want to here! No one would be working! Let's stick to the issues, please!

Let's hear the outrage everybody and demonstrate the hypocrisy of today's democratic party:

Applaud Pete Stark who asserts President Bush takes "amusement" in the death of our soliders in Iraq. You all say "Good for him - speaking the truth".

Now - everybody climb on board the FIRE HIM bandwagon because a conservative stated what actuarily might be true.

I'll just sit back, pop some popcorn, and enjoy the show!

Mr. Obama seems to be making a misguided attempt to do something dramatic to wrest black support from Senator Clinton. I am a black man, who understands the difference in life expectancy. Tanner's comments do not rise to the level of deserving to be fired. Obama is being silly.

Obama is correct! This guy needs to go. I'm black and I understand exactly what Obama is talking about Ken and Jeff. If you learn a bit about how laws and government officials have keep minorities from the polls you might get it too. Think about how we were treated during the whole Hurricane Katrina fiasco!

We need equality and fair treatment for all no matter what the circumstances of their life expectancy might be. Believe it or not some minorities do live long healthy lives. To say that they don't is to say they don't count. My grandmother is 99 years old and votes every election!

Question is Ken and Jeff, Would you like to be tossed aside by America if God allows you to live a a long life? Don't be ignorant! Put yourself in someone else's shoes for once in your life.

Minority? Do Red heads get special privileges as a visible minority?

Television is all that is required between two people holding degrees as linguistic or language majors to learn each other’s language. "The lion is running away' when the lion one screen is pointed out, the motion of directional vector is shown with pictured alliteration of temporal change, and the method of motion is shown as running not walking, riding…

Permitted to be written down in a digitally linked code of Linguistic root bocks and language based synonymous words, simile phases, Literal-Metaphorical full sentences, or paragraphs of Allegory.

Each sound must be found in the highest digital language, so clicking’s, and Coughing sounds must be placed into numerical logos along with other tones.

A computer simulated voice should be adapted to pronounce this script for learning or translating.

Mr. Obama me thinks thou dost protest too much.

Statistically white men live 10 years longer than black men. White women outlive us all. Is that a gender bias? It is a fact of life.

It's too bad that offends you Mr. Obama. Maybe you would be better served by working to eliminate the inequities Mr. Tanner spoke about instead of calling Mr. Tanner a racist. He spoke about a fact of life. That doesn't make him a racist. It makes him a realist.

Even though I wouldn't vote for Obama at least I had a lot of respect for him. That level of respect has greatly diminished after this latest political stunt.

It is true blacks (i am one) are under so much stress to perform in society from every angle. I don't let it bother me, I have many Jewish friends who have shown me how to get around silly whites, less stress, make 3-4 times the money and live a happy 75+ year life. Many Blacks die angry, I and NOT one of them

Hey Jesse I mean Big Al I mean Obama please stop with the race baiting its 2007 it doesnt work anymore and incase you havent noticed you are completely irrelavent.

That comment was insultive at it's best. These people hurting others with their words should go!
Go Obama, you have my vote!

People are remarkably sensitive to comments that generalize members of a racial minority. Any claim not backed by empirical data will be immediately interpreted as bias, and rightly so. I'm not saying Tanner is a racist, because I don't know the context of his comments. I'm just saying that people need to tread lightly with regard to public comments regarding race and ethnicity.

Let me guess…..was will go to rehab and be excused of all his stupidity….and this is coming from the head of the justic department's vting rights division….Well, now who was his boss again?

Obama is wrong on this one…for Obama to feel the statements were ""Such comments are patently erroneous, offensive and dangerous…" sounds like something Sharpton or Jackson (the poverty pimps) would say! Obama, please address the inequities in healthcare experienced by minorities, any solutions.

I am not American. I cannot vote.

Mr Barak Hussein Obama; Your new motto at the front of your lectern clearly reads "The Judgement to lead".
Everyone craves leadership, so: I let that pass as a common vice.
But what about "Judgement"? Where has your judgement here where you call for the dismissal of your "best friend"?

I know most will be focusing on Obama's comments, but take a moment to think about how ridiculous Tanner's statements were… I watched the footage for more context, and he was suggesting that the Voter ID laws create more of an undue burden for senior citizens, and that less minorities reach senior citizen age, so therefore the voter id laws are less discriminatory based on race than age… What?! It sounded like a Intro to Logic course book example for a bad argument.

Point is, why support and enforce a voter id law that makes it more burdensome for ANY citizen of ANY race or age to vote?

Exercising the right to vote should easier and more accessible, and the state voter id laws create conditions that can have the opposite affect (even according to the DoJ counsels).

Obama is making an issue out of nothing just so he can try t win some black votes.

"Obama also criticized Tanner for clearing a Georgia law that requires voters to show government-issued photo IDs at the polls."

It seems to me that one would oppose requiring a photo I.D. to vote only if you wanted to be able to count votes from people who are ineligible to vote. If you need an I.D. to get into a bar and to cash a check, why is it so terrible to ask a voter to prove who he is?

Um, exactly how do those elderly and poor cash their Social Security and welfare checks without an I.D.?

CNN, why don't you post an abridged version from Mr Martin here. I think it will be a smashing hit.

Obama is 100% correct. Anyone that reads Tanner's comments closely can see that Tanner is suggesting that elderly people are disproportionately impacted by the voter id law. He then says minorites die younger so they don't have to worry about it. That -is- a racial stereotype and it -is not- true. The average black lifespan is 73 compared to 78. Black people still live to be elderly, contrary to what appears to be a racist popular opinion by reading some of the comments posted so far. A man with a "civil rights background" would not be making those comments, and it's sickening that Hillary Clinton's supporters are defending Tanner just to spite Obama.

Again, we see that even white men who fight for civil rights, as Justice Department Tanner is said to do, can't get beyond the color of a person's skin when making statements of public policy. With regard to the flap over voting IDs, some blacks like some whites don't make it to old age. Because those with white skins make it to old age in larger numbers than those with darker skins, it should not matter inasmuch as they are all humans. Blacks are not monolithic entities as human beings and should not be treated as such. They are all just people and should be counted as such.

WOW, I really wish people would actually read Mr. Tanner's comments. He said,

"Of course, that also ties into the racial aspect because our society is such that minorities don't become elderly the way white people do. They die first."

Regardless of statics, his statements have lumped all minorities into a single group; the "dying early" group. I happen to know plenty of minority people who have out-lived their Caucasian counterparts. The problem of voter ID regestration is a problem for all elderly American citizens, not simply those of only a certain race.

I'm sorry my friends, THIS IS NOT MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING, it is stating that Mr. Tanner, whether consiously or unconsioulsly made a biased public comment and should face the consequences of such.

Oh, by the way….Tanner said nothing specifically about African-Americans, he simply said "minorities"; thus establishing his biased belief against all minorities. Cnn simply introduced the "black/white" argument into this discussion. Obama was making a stand for ALL minorities…not playing the "black card."

I worked with John Tanner for years. He is a man who frequently wears a cotton bushel tie to work fully aware of the fact that his minority staff has taken to calling the Voting Section a plantation due to the racial tension and inequities. He is patently racist. This is but one of the many offensive things that this man says daily. The only difference is that this time someone got it on tape (just imagine what he says when he thinks no one is listening). Many of you all need to read this article about him: http://www.epluribusmedia.org/features/2007/20070505_resurrecting_jim_crow.html

Here is what Obama ACTUALLY said in full context:
Such comments are patently erroneous, offensive, and dangerous, and they are especially troubling coming from the federal official charged with protecting voting rights in this country. Mr. Tanner has already demonstrated questionable judgment in overruling the decision of Justice Department lawyers that the Georgia photo ID requirement would disproportionately discriminate against African Americans. For Mr. Tanner to now suggest, in an effort to defend his erroneous decision, that photo identification are not necessary for minority voters because "they die first" shows just how far the Justice Department has fallen. This is a disgrace and yet another reason why the next Attorney General must demonstrate a strong commitment to civil rights.

But, until the next Attorney General is confirmed, you are in charge of the Department, and you are in charge of ensuring that our laws are enforced and that the civil rights of all Americans are protected. Through his inexcusable comments, Mr. Tanner has clearly demonstrated that he possesses neither the character nor the judgment to be heading the Voting Rights Section. For that reason, I respectfully request that you remove him from his position.

If there is anything more confusing than "values" it is "bias".
With regard to "values" I always ask 'whose values'?
With regard to "bias" the question reverses itself to become 'according to which values'?

I'm a white male, but I agree with Obama. I remember the saying "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."

Tanner's gotta go. This is the interim Attorney General's chance to differentiate himself from his disgraceful predecsor.

Obama should show some balls and denounce Stark. Until then, he is nothing but another Democratic liar.

It's no secret that minorities are treated unfairly under the law. And people like Tanner — who just group all minorities into one big stereotype and then discount them on top of that — need to be weeded out of the system.

Obama is right. It's time for a change. Let's get racist people out of the government.

Mr. Obama is correct. Let's npt forget our country has a well documented history of denying minorities specifically African Americans the right to vote.

No need to pay the so called race card, just pick up a history book!

Going by Tanner's account, minorities should be not concerned about medicare, social security etc because they die first. Put in another format, because they don't reach old age.
The man is a racist to the core. And it is very unfortunate.

This is a pathetic attempt by Barack Hussein Osama to play the race card. It is very short-sighted because for every 1 black person who is attracted by this, 10 white people are totally repelled by this kind of "Politics of False Hope".

It is shocking ( but not surprising ) to see what Obama is becoming with every passing day. Because he has no substance, he is trying to sustain the hype.

Posted By John Waterford : October 19, 2007 4:06 pm
__________________________________

How ignorant are you? You twist his name so it suits your argument? What next, you state that he is a terrorist and must be dealt with?

Get off the computer, you arrogant hick.

Can we no longer state facts with out being called a racist? Voter ids are needed! why is there so many Democrats against it? There are old and poor Republicans too. The ids are offered at no charge to the poor. The Democrats load busses to take people to the pols Why cant they load busses to take people to get ids. I know a russian imagrant that registered his dog to vote. Come on, lets count every legitament vote!!!!

Posted By CMW Montgomery, AL : October 19, 2007 5:23 pm

Thank you CMW for posting Obama's full statement. It really helps clear up any "confusion" the CNN abridged version may cause… He explains it -very- well.

Aren't you the one who stated in your book, The Audacity of Hope that you feel frusterated when you have to have a translator to speak to a mechanic? Sad to have your words come back and find you isn't it????

Dennis Kucinich is the ONLY candidate that will give EVERYONE health care equally with HR 676, Medicare for All, the bill he co-sponsored with John Conyers. We already give billions in our tax dollars to the for-profit insurance companies. If we got rid of them, we could use that money to really give us health care, not give it to those that profit from NOT giving health care.

Dennis Kucinich is the ONLY candidate that will make health care in this country a RIGHT, and not a privilege, like it so unfairly is now.

Think about it people- he's right on every other issue (as far as I'm concerned) also. He's the smartest and could NEVER be misled by Bushco.

KUCINICH ~Strength through Peace~

WE DESERVE IT!

I think it's a wrap…Obama may not win the primary even though I will be voting for him…But he sure does have a majority of the detractors on these online CNN articles lol! You guys are so transparent…who are you trying to sway with your baseless opinions/Barack Hussein Obama subliminal messages???

John Tanner must go! NOW!!!!!!!

"That's a shame, you know, creating problems for elderly persons just is not good under any circumstance," Tanner said, according to video posted on YouTube. "Of course, that also ties into the racial aspect because our society is such that minorities don't become elderly the way white people do. They die first.

"There are inequities in health care. There are a variety of inequities in this country, and so anything that disproportionately impacts the elderly has the opposite impact on minorities. Just the math is such as that," Tanner said.

Tanner was doing pretty well at the beginning. If he had shut his mouth at "…a variety of inequities in this country" he would be a civil rights hero today. Health care too. But he had to keep going and stick both his feet in his mouth. He sets the elderly against minorities and says the system should be stacked to give the elderly the breaks! This from a guy that sets voting rights policy? Appalling.

Tanner, get a clarification and apology out there NOW!

Subtle racism

A lot of Obama supporters are extremely sensitive about Obama's middle name ( am I now a bigot for saying he has a midddle name ?!)

One merely has to say Barack Hussein Obama for these misguided fellows to come at you, frothing at the mouth. The most common charge is "you are racist/bigot/both for writing Obama's full name".

Let's consider this - Is this name not Obama's name ? Is he ashamed of this name ? ( then why keep it?)

Despite their self-righteous protests of racism, in actuality these Obama supporters are the ones being racist. Their basic idea that Obama's middle name is something to be ashamed of reeks of Islamophobia. Why, then, would you act as if Obama's middle name has to be covered up like a dirty secret ?

Can you put that solitary brain cell to work and answer the above ?

To borrow an observation from Dr Robin Smith (PhD - the Oprah Show): "There is a hole in the soul of our country, what we see manifest today is indicative of just how large that hole is".
After more than two centuries, one would expect that the only nation in history whose general population is made up of people from all over the planet would have resolved its pathology with "race", by now; Or is that expecting too much of a nation with so much excess to play with.

These Republicans have done just about everything to supress the minority vote in this country just shy of actually tackling and tying up minorities to keep them away from the polls. Voter IDs are nothing more than a 21st century poll tax. These RNC crooks know that its hard enough to get people to vote, much less get them to go out and get a new ID just to vote. Its not gonna happen and the vote will be supressed and thus the Republicants get to steal the world and the white house again.

Thank God there's Senator Obama out there fighting for the rights of those who need it. Most people, my self included, are barely even aware of all the crooked stuff going on to steal votes from minorities.

If you want all the details, educate yourselves by reading Armed Madhouse, by Greg Palast. It's the book the kid talking to Kerry was tazered over. It details out exactly how the RNC is planning to use Voter IDs as a poll tax to keep away black voters in the south and latinos in the west. They also use provisional ballots and then simply don't count them in the totals.

Your best bet to protect your vote is to vote early. People don't know that there are early polling stations two weeks ahead of general elections.

Vote early so if anything is wrong or crooked you can call attention to it and fix the problem.

Pay attention people. Obama can't do this alone. He can call attention to the issue but its up to us to make changes that stick and be vigilant.

Obama 08

I'm really annoyed.

Not because of what Tanner said; I think his only offense was to be wrong. There's nothing that seems all that racist in what he said; if anything, it was explaining just why the status quo is racist!

I'm peeved because I think Barack made a pointless mistake going after this guy, and I like Obama.

I think he simply miscalculated-by playing the race card, he hoped to win some votes the easy way. These days, some people only need to hear mention of racism, and they're off like a shot. Not that I approve of it; I think it's hideous that racism still exists, even in implicit forms. But it's more important to actually analyze what was said. The comment made can be seen in two ways. Obama chose to interpret it as racist, but he seems to have assumed that absolutely everyone would agree. Dead wrong.

What he is saying is that the law will cause problems for the elderly. It
will not cause problems for elderly minorities because they did early. So, therefore, if minorities lived longer it would cause problems. So the law he supports self-admittedly causes problems in voting. So what is the point of the law if the person responsible for it thinks it causes problems? Also, since will is 73 years old not elderly? It is not like minorities die at 50. He admits the law causes problems.

Can someone explain today's "racist"? Used to be if you generalized blacks as ignorant, lazy or incapable of doing certain jobs you were labeled a racist. Rightly so. However, today, if anyone suggests that there are any diferences between whites and blacks they should be "strung up". As much as we may want it not to be, there are differences between our two races. Blacks do have shorter life spans, they are involved in more crimes, they do seem to be better athletes. These statements are true when looking at the entire race, not necessarily at individuals. There are many reasons why these things are true, the effects of racism being number one on that list of reasons. But, just mentioning a difference should not make you part of the problem. Not every comment on the differences between cultures makes you a "racist".

I agree with Obama because it is essential that the Justice Department staff understand civil rights and that its leadership not perpetuate racial attitudes or fail to vigorously move forward on civil rights. I am even more concerned that in 2007, a strongly held opinion by an African American leader, draws such biased, insensitive remarks such as some of those posted on this blog. I am glad the bloggers are free to express these views, in part, because such speech reveals how far we still have to go in the area of civil rights.

With Tanner's logic then blacks should have to pay into Social Security or Medicaid since they will die before they can qualify for it. Tanner made a racist statement and for all you Hillary supportors who are bashing Obama, it tell me you guys are more like Bush and his appointee and black should be wary of supporting HRC.

I noticed that everytime the headline concerns Obama, first 10-15 comments are mostly negative. It never fails. Few times I responded in support of Obama immediately after a headline appeared. My comment was never posted or it was removed after a short time. Sometimes three times in a row.

HRC campaign has people assigned to respond negatively to anything "Obama related" and to divert any criticism of HRC. CNN manipulation of comments speaks for itself.

This only makes Obama's supporters to be more determined to fight the establishment. Just look how much money we raised in 3 days. SMALL DONATIONS. Good Day.

Depriving people of their voting rights is a basic founding principle of the republican party. It should come as no surprise that a republican administration would embrace republican ideology. It's not just the elderly and poor that are being deprived of ID by the dept. of homeland stupidity. That 20 million "undocumented americans" figure is not talking about illegal aliens you know. Coincidentally,that's the same amount of democrats there are more than republicans nationwide. I bet the vast number of those "undocumented americans" are registered as democrats.

I guess you can’t say the truth or you might get fired. If this epidemiology data is true then it is true; it’s not a racist comment. If an Ivy League professor had said this he would lauded for how he sticks to science and how “you have to report what the data says”. Here’s a preview of an Obama presidency complete with the race card.

Major blunder and wrong minded. We get enough of that from the idiot in chief. Tanner said the wrong thing and it may be from a bad outlook on the personality of the Country, but not offensive. It is maybe not PC, like saying that black sports persons are do not have skills generally superior to white ones. Tanner need not be reamed for it. Jimmy the Greek got crucified for that, but it is obviously so. Not to metion that the American black people are likely superior in those skills to African ones. Unpleasant facts remain facts.

Sounds like Obama is getting desperate.

ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com

What Obama SHOULD be doing is travelling around telling voters how he has successfully lowered taxes, managed budgets, saved the taxpayers money and passed laws to secure our nation and make the government more transparent in our every day lives. Obama hasn't done any of these things, so he's travelling around talking about crap like this.

Im not saying this specific incident isn't of import, but if this is the type of incident someone who wants to be President is talking about before he's even elected, what will his priorities be when he is in office? Is it all going to be political games. In other words, when does Mr Obama get down to issues?

If you are not a minority, you cannot relate, so please stay off this issue.

Hey, America supports free speach, fella, and neither you nor your high-falooting Dems are going to take it that right away from me and everyone else.

That was very offensive not just to minority but elderly people to. Sound's like he try to hit 2 birds with one stone and for that he should be fired and never be able to work for the public again. Obama has every right to want him fired and they are stupid if he isn't fired.!

My gosh Barack, settle down. You want to take everybodys job today. I am very dissapointed that you signed that stupid letter to Rush. I am voting for you but I want you to stop and think before you speak. Settle down and get back to your game plan.
Obama 08

THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN HAS RAISED OVER $2.1 MILLION DOLLARS TO COVER THE GAP BETWEEN HIM AND CLINTON FROM LAST QUARTER. OBAMA WILL RULE ALL LIFE ON THIS EARTH. I AM AN ALIEN, AND CANNOT VOTE. BUT I TELL YOU YOU MUST VOTE FOR OBAMA BECAUSE HE IS A MINORITY FULL OF GOOD, NOT REPUBLICAN EVIL!

I can’t wait for the next headline. “Administration official sneezes in the direction of a minority in the next room…Democrats call for his resignation.” This is absolutely ludicrous. It never ceases to amaze me how people can be so patently ignorant. So Obama didn’t agree with Tanner’s comment. Who does he think he is demanding Tanner step down?

I have to hand it to Obama, Clinton, and Edwards. They are about nothing, yet they have fascinated those who are unable to pay attention longer than it takes to play a soundbyte or You Tube video clip. For six years we’ve endured the ignorance that is the left accusing the Bush administration of every atrocity from 9/11 to global warming. We’ve heard baseless allegations and hateful name calling…all in the name of politics. And of course, there is the constant charge of the Administration eroding civil liberties. Part of me hopes the Democrats take the White House and keep both houses of Congress. Then, my friends, you will see some serious erosion of civil liberties. Seizure of profits from oil companies, forced government managed health care, rampant censorship (Fairness Doctrine anyone?), increased redistribution of wealth. You people have no idea what erosion of rights actually means. Individuals like Hillary Clinton share the same basic socialist beliefs as the Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castros of the world. The only difference is time…

Barack, Barack, my brother. This cat said what he said on October 5. Yet you don't express "outrage" until two weeks later? And your "outrage" conveniently spews forth immediately upon the heels of polls showing Hillary trouncing you among African-Americans. Coincidence? This black man thinks not.

I can almost hear the conversations in your campaign: "Oh my God! We've got to do something stop Hillary from taking all these votes that should be mine! Mine! Quick! Somebody find some black issue — any black issue — that I can be mad about! Hurry up!"

Your campaign advisors are nothing short of pathetic, as are you by extension since you don't seem to be able to see through to their ineptitude. Quite simply judging from the quote, the guy said absolutely nothing wrong and is undeserving of termination.

As odd as this may read, your problem is you (and your advisors if you will) don't seem to have the slightest clue how to connect with African-Americans, because like everyone else you seem to think we're all the same. I will say though, as a group we tend to get really angry about things like disparate treatment in Louisana, Nobel laureates suggesting we are inherently less intelligent, or police torture (a major issue here in Chicago about which I've heard little "outrage" from our esteemed senator and presidential hopeful). Someone saying we have a higher mortality rate? No. Because sadly it's true.

If the statistics are acurrate then get over it people. If Tanner was a minority no one would have a problem with what he said as long as it is statistically based.

I am ashamed that MSNBC is considering not allowing Mike Gravel to speak at the upcoming debates. There is no reason why this outspoken candidate should not be able to have his say in this debate! If this is how MSNBC allows its viewers to make sound judgments on possible presidential leaders…then I am going to have to say a big no thanks to MSNBC! It is disgusting that a candidate gets punished because he is not accepting payments from special interest groups. I am a young voter who is looking for someone that is passionate about changing the things that are wrong with this country and found this in Mike Gravel. MSNBC is letting me down in substantial way.

MSNBC is in a powerful position to change things.
Change begins with you.
If MSNBC does not allow Mike Gravel to speak in the upcoming debates MSNBC is a failure as a reliable source of news and information!

Isn't this a case of "shoot the messenger"? Mr Obama would better spend his energies addressing the causes of earlier deaths among minorities, wouldn't one think?

I think it's good that Obama speaks up. Free speech usually allows minority to speak up without fear, but nowadays, it seems people use free speech to tear each other apart with their words. Labelling people this and that. That's what get us into trouble.

I do not think Obama use the race card. The statement is mean spirited and could offend people and should be pointed out, and I am glad Obama pointed that out.

A public official is supposed someone who represents us, so he should pay more attention to how he behaves.

hes gonna be playing the race card somewhere this guy is getting goofier by the day,hes attacking hillary,he isnt accompolishing anything ,where is your meessage for America. keep that Gospel stuff out of your rallys,n speeches.Tired of that already.thats called no expierence.I've always been around blacks,they tell me he is not Black,some said there voting hillary. im keeping my eye on Dennis K.and J Biden.

HAHA! Barak has been caught RED HANDED! Barak Hussein (like Saddam Hussein) Obama is just another race-card playing minority! Chaucerian frauds like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton can give Barak company!

I'm with Ken. Tanner's comment could probably be worded better, but to create a big fuss out of it is inappropriate too.

I generally like Obama and his message. Sad to see this kind of P.C. out of him. A guy makes a remark that it true, however awkward, and you call for his job?

So the next time somebody puts me in the 'die early group' because of smoking, should I shoot them? That way, we can start to even the playing field.

Too much PC crap = loss of your 1st amendment rights. We already see that in the form of this BS PC hate speech legislation. What's next?

As a presidential candidate Obama has proved once again that he is too immature to handle the office by making such a statement about an individual of no real consequence.

When he first came on the scene I thought, alright, this is what we need…no way I could vote for him now!

WHY ARE SO MANY POSTERS WHO REPRESENT THEMSELVES AS BEING BLACK HAVE SO MUCH CONTEMPT IN THEIR WORDS. STEP BACK, TAKE A BREATH,RELAX, AND THINK! THE CASE IN POINT IS THAT THE HEAD OF THE VOTING DEPT AT THE DOJ GAVE CREDENCE TO THE POINT AT WHICH MANY HAVE SUGGESTED; A REQUIREMENT SUCH AS THIS WILL INDEED CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR CERTAIN GROUPS. HIS STATEMENT IMPLIES THAT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS IN PLAY WHEN CERTAIN GROUPS PUSH FOR VOTER ID LEGISLATION. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. BY TRIVIALIZING OBAMAS COMMENT(WHICH ARE NOT POSTED IN ITS ENTIRETY) IS ONLY DOING A DISSERVICE TO THOSE OF US WHO DONT WANT A SPECTACLE OF AN ELECTION AS WAS THE CASE FOR THE LAST TWO. YOU CAN'T TRUST THE JUDGEMNT OF A MAN WITH THE POWER TO OVERSEE VOTING IF HE HAS THE GAUL TO PUBLICLY ADMONISH HIS PREJUDICIAL THOUGHTS. IF ONE KNOWS WHAT EFFECT CERTAIN ACTIONS WILL CREATE, ONE WHO IS TRULY FOR THE PEOPLE, ONE SHOULD BE PROACTIVE IN CORRECTING THE SITUATION(AS IN OBAMA) OR WAIT TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT AND THEN CRY FOUL.

If Barack and the democrats were as worried about the minority inequalities as much as they are about the partisian politics. There would be alot less inequality..

Anyone who doesn't find Tanner's comments offensive and racist, I have a bridge I want to sell you — cheap. Obama is right. Anything laws set up for the elderly should be across the board for ALL and not say 'minorities' aren't included because they don't become elderly the way white people do, that they die first. I have family members who lived beyond 100 and they were black. History proves blacks die late as well as same rate as whites. If this isn't discriminatory and wrong to use as a lawmaking springboard or criteria, nothing is! Also why should registered voters show photo IDs at the polls? This is just wrong. As a registered voter, I've never showed photo ID at the polls, I just give my name, they look it up, I sign and that's that. Many people don't have drivers licenses or government photo IDs so this is just another discrimination disenfranchsing ploy and should not be made into law.

it's horrifying the world is so divided and racist that barack's comments were so misunderstood where our people meaning black which i am do not educate themselfs enough to know and to understand things that are really threating to us…and as a whole to all people

UNREAL…..It seems there are a certain minority (no offense) in America that reads every statement in the media and newspapers twice. They want to ensure they didn't miss a racial slur and the opportunity to fire up another media blitz with Al or Jesse at the helm!

When is the Racial issue ever going to end in America?! All Nations have different ethnic backgrounds but none that I know have continued throwing the spears for centuries!

Xtina, Chicago, I agree with you. Obama hasn't done any thing about his political view and did crabbing. Obama is getting desperate and no substance of speech. He is no longer fresh and he couldn't change anything because he is playing dirty games more than Republicans.

If you are not a minority, you cannot relate, so please stay off this issue.

Posted By Seam, Philly, Pa : October 19, 2007 10:29 pm

I'm not a minority and have plenty to say about this issue, as it effects the rest of us. Why dont minorities have ID's like the rest of us? Everyone should have an ID card. Which is more important cashing a check or electing the folks who run our nation? No one is stopping minorites or the elderly from obtaining ID's.

I'm glad Barack is not my boss!

I'm tired of the race card. OJ got acquitted using it. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I think reverse discrimination has come to a head and I do not think the President's office should be used in that manner.

It goes both ways. I see black commedians using the "n" word like its the only word they know and the primarily black audiences laughing at them. Where is the message? What is the message? Why can we forgive nations who have waged war against us, criminals who have stolen from us but we cannot forgive and forget some words that we find "offensive"

I find Mr. Obama's words offensive. I do not think he should be fired, just not hired!