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Obama delivers veiled rebuke to Trump in speech marking centenary of Nelson Mandela's birth

39 Comments
By ANDREW MELDRUM

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In the speech Obama also criticized the recent suppression of free speech by leftists and the exploitation of immigrant labor by globalist elites but the mainstream media is ignoring it.

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

Pres. Obama is out there trying to help the world. What are the odds that Dump won't be doing that when his term finishes?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

IMHO, there are no fewer racist, misogynistic, ignorant fools in American society today than there ever has been - it's just that they've been exposed. Also increasingly exposed is the inherent advantage held by a certain American demographic, which also composes the core of the GOP's shrinking number.

Yeah, it's ugly at the moment, but progress often is.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

LagunaToday  07:23 am JST

IMHO, there are no fewer racist, misogynistic, ignorant fools in American society today than there ever has been - it's just that they've been exposed. Also increasingly exposed is the inherent advantage held by a certain American demographic, which also composes the core of the GOP's shrinking number.

This is the kind of thing that's easy to say if you aren't the sort of person who the bigots have power to hurt. If you're someone whose child has been stolen from you by ICE agents, whose son has been murdered by racist police officers, whose livelihood has been taken by thoughtless billionaire capitalists, or whose right to bodily autonomy has been trampled by entitled sexists, it's a little bit harder to argue that we're all better off.

Remember, the bigots haven't just been exposed by Trump's hateful rhetoric, they've been emboldened by it. They're out in the open, but they are also more likely to act out because they think the majority has their back. The only way to stop them is to prove that isn't true. And unfortunately, far too many people who control communities where discourse is taking place would rather police tone than protect the vulnerable from those who deny their very humanity. It does no good for bigots to be exposed if pointing out someone's bigotry gets your post deleted, but denying the humanity of entire ethnic groups, sexes, sexual orientations, or religious communities is tolerated.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

It does no good for bigots to be exposed if pointing out someone's bigotry gets your post deleted, but denying the humanity of entire ethnic groups, sexes, sexual orientations, or religious communities is tolerated.

Aye. And well said.

He may be a liberal but Obama stands for a more tolerant world - he towers over the bigotry that Trump and his core supporters espouse.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I saw a clip of Obama speaking on my morning local news and thought ‘Damn I miss having a real president someone who can lift up without pulling someone else down’.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

As a general rule, retired Presidents are supposed to stay out of the political fray and avoid criticizing their successors. Seem this rule only works one way though. Bush junior had the dignity to retire and never to my knowledge said anything bad about Obama. Ditto Bush senior and Clinton.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As a general rule, retired Presidents are supposed to stay out of the political fray and avoid criticizing their successors.

As a general rule, presidents don't pledge their allegiance to enemy nations, betraying their country.

You're trying to apply old-world rules to Trump, who has been very clear he's not playing by the old rules. So let's not try to pretend the rest of us should when he doesn't, mmmkay?

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Hi Stranger;

Which president has "pledged allegiance" as you put it, to an enemy nation? That's a terrible accusation of former President Obama...

The old world rules were being violated before the current administration was elected. Like I said, Democrats just can't seem to get out of the game and go back to private life. Something about government power makes them crazy, they just have to keep sniffing around the edges.

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

Bush junior had the dignity to retire and never to my knowledge said anything bad about Obama. Ditto Bush senior and Clinton.

They might not have criticized Obama but Obama is not the only ex president who has criticized Trump.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Obama really is such a great speaker, people like to praise Trump for "telling it like it is", but I think Obama was much more relatable and he did a good job of speaking like a normal person and not an elite.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Obama really is such a great speaker, people like to praise Trump for "telling it like it is", but I think Obama was much more relatable and he did a good job of speaking like a normal person and not an elite.

I will admit Obama is a phenomenal speaker, Trump doesn't come close, most definitely, but having said that, brush all the wooing and wowing of Obama's verbal acumen, but other than that, that's pretty much it.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

“but the mainstream media is ignoring it.”

They ignore anything that goes against the anti-Trump narrative. People are being brainwashed. 

“Pres. Obama is out there trying to help the world.”

He is out there making lots of money for speeches. Would you like to know how much he makes from speeches? Would you like to know how much money Bill and Hillary made? Including speeches in Russia?Bashing Trump like that is just revenge. He kept saying Trump couldn’t win. He was wrong. He’s out for revenge. Especially now that black and hispanic unemployment is at record lows, and the economy is great. His successor lost the election, and the blacks didn’t vote. His Presidency was a failure. Even liberals say so. 

“there are no fewer racist, misogynistic, ignorant fools in American society today than there ever has been”

Maybe. Just watch black Trump supporters happy about record high employment figures get abused and vilified by liberals. 

“If you're someone whose child has been stolen from you by ICE agents, whose son has been murdered by racist police officers, whose right to bodily autonomy has been trampled”

Do you mean the temporary separation of illegal immigrants? Out of the separated children, do you know much about them and their parents? Racist police officers murdering sons? How many of these are there? And did it happen in Obama’s time? How many sons were murdered because of racism? Figures please. Right to bodily autonomy? I’m guessing that’s the latest way of saying killing babies in the womb? Or what do you mean?Sex change operations? They haven’t stopped. If its the latest trendy term for abortion, would you put 8th month abortion under “bodily autonomy.” Yes or no? If yes, there are many people in the US against that. 

“I will admit Obama is a phenomenal speaker, Trump doesn't come close”

Yes and no. In a speech contest, Obama is great. Get him to read a speech and he can light up the place. Great. 

But, could he just speak for hours without notes like Trump? No way. And if you want likes to him stuttering like crazy and making no sense, I could post many of them. 

Trump isn’t articulate, but if you think Obama or Hillary could do rally after rally, you’re wrong. And that’s why Hillary didn’t do it. She got celebrities to do it for her. And….she didn’t even know how to address her supporters when she lost on election night. Pathetic. Her excuse? She didn't have a speech prepared!!

Trump is amazing for still being around, when everyday people are just waiting to criticize.  Even Londoners won’t protest the weekly acid attacks, FGM, stabbings, but they’ll gather and and punch Trump balloons.

It’s embarasing. On the other hand, Obama just has to give a speech, and talk about love which is completely ironic because his supporters continualy bash, beat, abuse, and attack Trump or anyone in a MAGA cap.

Once again, Obama says some pretty words, gets a nice trip, and the lemmings shout “messiah”.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Who cares what the worst POTUS in history says?

"denounced the policies of President Donald Trump without mentioning his name"

Pussy.

"Pres. Obama is out there trying to help the world. What are the odds that Dump won't be doing that when his term finishes?"

Yeah, Obama is good at giving U.S. tax money to people around the world.

Trump is going to serve two terms and he'll have done so much to help Americans and, yes, people around the world by then he'll be able to take a well deserved break.

Sebastian Gorka criticizes Obama’s speech in South Africa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVa7fENr4_M

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

"denounced the policies of President Donald Trump without mentioning his name"

Pussy.

Don't think you get it, Serrano. Obama was not criticizing Trump as a human; rather, he was criticizing the mindset that Trump and so many others possess. As such, there was no need to mention Trump by name. (Nice language, by the way - perhaps you're one of those who possesses the type of mindset in question here.)

Katsu78, I agree to some extent, but at least these people - or at least their mindset - is exposed now and thus up to discussion. Previously, such thoughts were at least equally prevalent (likely far greater) but taken so for granted that they were internalized and never debated. Kinda like smoking: once was all thought it was cool, but when associated health issues were brought out and discussed, all the cool kids started to shun the practice. We're seeing a similar process here - though, sadly, like smoking, this mindset will likely never entirely be eradicated.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Obama: ""We see much of the world threatening to return to a more dangerous, more brutal, way of doing business," he said."

Unfortunately Obama failed to do anything about it. Trump is.

Oh my...

Mark Levin on media freakout over Trump-Putin summit

"Why would Putin attack America, the democrats do that." lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBjWBUiHDb8

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Trump is.

By extolling such dictatorships as Russia, China, and North Korea while simultaneously denigrating democracies? Nope.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

"Why would Putin attack America, the democrats do that." lol

lol hilarious xG. There is NO way the Democrat Party and libs and the left can counter that!

Keep it coming! Solid gold right wing humor, baby!

If I were a better person, I'd keep my sarcasm under my belt. That's why I look up to true leaders, and down on the one's who encourage my worst impulses.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

If I were a better person, I'd keep my sarcasm under my belt. That's why I look up to true leaders, and down on the one's who encourage my worst impulses.

Who's a true leader? And please not someone that believes robbing Paul to give to Peter is the way to prosperity or taxing people into oblivion.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

As far as obama himself, I don’t miss the identity politics that comes up every single time he speaks. It’s always about what somebody looks like. Don’t miss the holier than thou attitude either.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Just watched a few excerpts from this. Obama can actually string coherent sentences together.

After watching Trump’s bluster, arse-kissing, idiocy and general shitgibbonry on his European/Russian travesty, it was quite refreshing.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"Just watched a few excerpts from this. Obama can actually string coherent sentences together.

Yeah, Jimizo, he sure can string sentences together - like this one he strung together for former Russian President Medevev:

"After my election I have more flexibility."

Oh my...

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Oh my what? You gave a single statement out of context with no explanation.

Please tell us more. Why is said statement a problem?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Yeah so why didn’t the media ask Obama what the context was? He of course will not answer unless forced, and he wasn’t.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Apparently Jimizo and Stranger aren't familiar with this Obama gem - oh my...

Obama open mic slip: 'After my election I have more flexibility'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsFR8DbSRQE

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Yeah so why didn’t the media ask Obama what the context was? He of course will not answer unless forced, and he wasn’t.

And you still haven’t told us what the problem with the statement is. I literally see nothing wrong with it as it stands.

More manufactured outrage with no basis in reality.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The point Blacklabel and Serrano seem to be making is that, when Obama suggests better relations with Russia (and remember, this was before Crimea, eastern Ukraine, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, multiple overseas murders, and the whole US election fiasco), that's bad, but when Trump suggests better relations following these incidents (remember, not a single one Russia has admitted to), that's good.

It doesn't make any sense, but that seems to be the point.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Stranger - just for you, haha

Oh my...

NYU Russian studies Professor Emeritus Stephen Cohen says President Trump had no choice but to meet with Putin, blasts 'pornography passing as analysis' in the news coverage of Trump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW2EtFsBndg

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

You really don't see anything wrong with Obama's "After my election I have more flexibility" statement to Medvedev? Really? Think about it.

Theres nothing wrong about it at all. All politicians do it. No one is going to propose major changes right before an election.

The Obama talking point was fed to weak minded followers to give them a response to their president's humiliating performance. You cling to it so you don't have to face reality.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It’s sad to think that chump could hand the USA to russia on a silver platter and some so called Americans would be perfectly fine with it.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Theres nothing wrong about it at all.

The comment looks absolutely fine at face value. These guys are manufacturing outrage in an attempt to deflect from the pathetic performance Trump put on for Master Putin in Helsinki.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Obama’s legacy is about 80% wiped out. Not much left for him to talk about now.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Isn't it treasonous for a past president to go to a foreign nation and slander a sitting president?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

OldSkool So, it isn't treasonous for a former president to go to a foreign nation and slander a sitting president? Yes or no, please. This is what Obama did in his usual politically correct way.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Obama’s legacy is about 80% wiped out.

Trumpists have nothing better to do than dismantle positive measures implemented by the previous POTUS. They're motivated by animus and nothing more.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Socialism isn’t a positive.

And yet so many socialist countries rank much better than America to live in, both in quality of living, and happiness index.

You guys can try to pretend that your comment is true all you want. Americans have been brainwashed into accepting without questioning. The rest of the world just shakes our head at Americans denying reality.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Americans have been brainwashed into accepting without questioning.

I would argue that it is the Socialists that are brainwashed (many of them now Americans). Socialism has nothing but contempt for each individuals desire to live their own way if it is against ideological imperatives. America was founded on the idea that the government should not have control over a persons life. Liberty and responsibility were meant to be two sides of the same coin. That idea has eroded significantly since the 50’s and 60’s. Socialism is to obey the ideology - your labor, wealth, personal choice, and liberty are subject to the whims of the mob. Personal responsibility has been de-emphasized in favor of society’s responsibility for the well being of “marginalized peoples.”

Socialists see their version of equality (ie equality of outcome) as preeminent over the individual natural right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness as each person sees fit. Obama said that if you have a business, you didn’t build that. Such inane thinking makes my stomach turn. No thanks!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Oh my...

The Return of Barack "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep your healthcare plan." Obama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAFDEpJp9QI

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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