Then-state Sen. Barack Obama and wife Michelle voted, carrying their then-18 month old daughter Malia, at the Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park in the 2000 congressional primary contest with Rep. Bobby Rush. Obama lost. (Tribune photo by Jose More.)
by Mark Silva
Barack Obama's political career has not always been a meteoric tale.
Obama was viewed among activists in Chicago's black community "as a newcomer... a kind of do-gooder from Harvard... somebody who was biracial, who was not them, he was not one of them,'' author David Remnick says of a young Obama first arriving on the political scene.
In 2000, when Obama, a young Illinois state senator and Harvard law graduate, took on Rep. Bobby Rush, a onetime Chicago Black Panther leader and congressman seated since 1992, Remnick says. "It proved to be Barack Obama's political education, insofar as he had his head handed to him.'' Obama lost that primary race by two-to-one.
Remnick, the New Yorker magazine editor whose new book, The Bridge, The Life and Rise of Barack Obama, arrived today, spoke of Obama's failed contest with Rush and the role it played in the president's ultimate success in an interview that National Public Radio aired on Morning Edition today.
"I was in Bobby Rush's congressional office while doing research for this book,'' Remnick said. "I've never met anybody who felt better about the election of Barack Obama for president, because on the one hand, first African American president is a source of enormous pride... On the other hand, Bobby Rush knew that he was the only person in the universe who had defeated and really kicked the behind of Barack Obama by more than two to one. So that gave him a source of pleasure...
"At one point in our interview, Rush slowly ambled out of his chair and kind of did a very sinuous walk across his office and said, 'you know, Barack Obama, you see him walk now like this. He didn't walk like that back then.''' Remnick recalled, "which I thought was a pretty suspect way to challenge yet again, years later, Barack Obama's racial bonafides.
"It was an ugly race, Obama was deeply hurt by it,'' Remnick said. "A community that he thought he was part of had rejected him and rejected him soundly, and it was quite possible that his political career was over.''
So if that congressional contest was such a mistake, why did Obama make it?
"Because his options were so limited. He was stuck in Springfield, Ill.'' Remnick said in the NPR interview. "He discovered that being a state senator was dull.... That his ability to make any impact was extraordinarily limited. To be a state senator in Illinois is not exactly what he dreamed of at Harvard law School. This was not going to be the end of his ambition....
"He had to take a leap of faith, and he had to risk failure, and he failed.... And in any great career, failure is always an instructive moment. That was his. That was his crucible.''
(Then-state Sen. Barack Obama is pictured above campaigning for Congress, holding a prescription medication as he addressed a group of senior citizens at Montgomery Place in Hyde Park on Jan. 16, 2000. He was stressing his plans for better health care for all -- a promise which the recently more successful President Obama believes he now has fulfilled with the signing of historic healthcare legislation this year. Tribune photo by Phil Velasquez.)
Comments
I remember that 2000 election. Bill Clinton made ads urging the re-election of Bobby Rush.
Hyde Park of course went heavily for Obama.
But the outcome proved, as I've often said, that Obama was never a part of the Machine and in fact was opposed by the Machine.
Also gives you some insight into BillyBob Clinton.
Posted by: ornery | April 6, 2010 1:01 PM
And unlike GOPer Michael Steele, Pres Obama doesn't play the race card everytime something goes wrong.
Steele has demonstrated a pattern of hypocritically railing against Democrats who he claims have played the race card while playing it himself.
.
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republican-national-committee/michael-steele-suggests-criticism-of-his-tenure-motivated-by-racism/
.
Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 1:37 PM
Does anyone know if the President played basketball yesterday? I know he's a big fan and thanks to CBS and ESPN we know he likes basketball. Any idea how many free throws he made yesterday? Or layups. I need to know this information.
Posted by: Corie Blount | April 6, 2010 1:45 PM
He had to take a leap of faith, and he had to risk failure, and he failed.... "
And he continues to fail...
Posted by: Max Sherwood | April 6, 2010 1:47 PM
Don't forget that, at this moment, Barack is the most popular political figure on the face of this Planet.
And FYI he covered baseball and golf as well as BB this weekend....
Posted by: ornery | April 6, 2010 2:04 PM
Pres Obama doesn't play the race card everytime something goes wrong.
posted by HHH
This is the first correct thing you ever posted in here. Only you should have finished the statement by adding that his supporters (like you of course) are the ones that play the race card all the time.
Posted by: What A Joke | April 6, 2010 2:23 PM
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his supporters (like you of course) are the ones that play the race card all the time.
Posted by: What A Joke | April 6, 2010 2:23 PM
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Really?
And when would that be?
I'm guessing that you have some proof to back up this Teabagger fantasy of yours, right Bobby's Mommy?
Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 2:34 PM
It's pretty simple. If the Teabagger Republicans don't want to be called racists - then they should Stop Being Racists.
.
http://thejoshuablogs.blogspot.com/2010/03/teabaggers-chant-nigger-at-john-lewis.html
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http://washingtonindependent.com/73036/n-word-sign-dogs-would-be-tea-party-leader
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Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 3:29 PM
What Joke?,
I've watched and voted for Obama since the very beginning of his political career (about 16 years ago).
He has never played a "race card".
He was elected on his own rather obvious and manifold merits, and the demerits of his opponents. Period.
You can't cite a single instance where he or his supporters have "played a race card".
Posted by: ornery | April 6, 2010 4:15 PM
What "walk" by Obama is Rush referring to? Now, he walks like John Travolta in "Grease." How did he walk
back then?
Posted by: Darius | April 6, 2010 6:21 PM
HHH and Hornery did you guys forget BO and wife attended a Racist Anti-American church for 20yrs now ask yourself if any member of the GOP was a member of a racist organization like BO was would it have been swept under the rug by saying well I never heard anything racist or un-American in the 20yrs I attended my racist un-American church? Huh whats that "chirp chirp chirp" yeah thats what I thought
Posted by: LibTard | April 6, 2010 6:25 PM
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HHH and Hornery did you guys forget BO and wife attended a Racist Anti-American church for 20yrs now ask yourself if any member of the GOP was a member of a racist organization like BO
Posted by: LibTard | April 6, 2010 6:25 PM
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Bobby's Mommy sock puppet,
Whatever right wing white supremists like you may think of Rev Wright, you can't take his words and put them in Barack & Michelle Obama's mouth. And by trying to do so it only makes you look like even more of a cretin than you already are.
Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 7:04 PM
Whatever right wing white supremists like you may think of Rev Wright, you can't take his words and put them in Barack & Michelle Obama's mouth Posted by: HHH. check and mate!!! you know BO and wife sat through countless racist anti-American "sermons" If you dont care that they are racist and hate America thats on you but to call anyone that disagrees with the dumbest President ever racist is laughable even for a Libtard like you. BTW you misspelled supremacist moron typical illiterate BO supporter
Posted by: LibTard | April 6, 2010 7:40 PM
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If you dont care that they are racist and hate America thats on you but to call anyone that disagrees with the dumbest President ever racist is laughable even for a Libtard like you. BTW you misspelled supremacist moron typical illiterate BO supporter
Posted by: LibTard | April 6, 2010 7:40 PM
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Bobby's Mommy sock puppet,
It's pitiful the way Wingnut haters like you go out of your way (just like petulant 5 year olds do) to create BS false equivalency memes to excuse your racism.
Nothing you or your fellow Teabagger simpletons do or say excuses your racism, bigotry and hatred towards Pres Obama and Democrats. Nothing.
Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 8:01 PM
For the Teabagger goons on here who still haven't figured out that two different words can still have one meaning:
Main Entry: SUPREMIST
Part of Speech: n
Definition: one who takes supreme authority for him/herself; one who believes in the supremacy of one race, sex, or social group; also called supremacist
Etymology: supremacy + -ist
.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/supremist
Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 8:11 PM
Ornery,
I know you are a big BO kool-aid drinker, but ask yourself how many sitting presidents will go against a sitting Congressman, who has been very loyal, in a primary battle? As for BO's baseball participation, he should not advertise his pitching arm. As a matter of fact, next time he takes the mound, he needs to wear a Cub hat.
Trickled On,
BO doesn't play the race card everytime something goes wrong, he plays the Bush card.
Posted by: Terry | April 6, 2010 8:33 PM
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BO doesn't play the race card everytime something goes wrong, he plays the Bush card.
Posted by: Terry | April 6, 2010 8:33 PM
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Poser Terri,
And seeing as how the Bush Republicans basically destroyed our country, it's a great point to make.
Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 9:23 PM
Right-o, T. BillyBob must've thought Bobby Rush was far more talented than Barack.
I think Rev. Wright was suffering from "Ronald Reagan syndrome" as he got older.
Anyway, I doubt your favorite sermon was the norm for 20 years. And I doubt Barack was sitting there during that Jerimiad that was re-run on Foxx in Chicago over and over on Election Day. I think he would have walked out.
In any event, the UCC is a mainstream American protestant denomination and I don't think Barack's membership in their South Side church was "playing the race card" particularly since he resigned
Posted by: ornery | April 6, 2010 9:48 PM
limptard,
Do you have proof that Obama was in the church for those sermons, or are you just trying to play the association game again. I'll wait for your proof. *crickets chirping* How does that go....check and mate? No I think Biden would say efing checkmate.
Posted by: Xcellentform | April 6, 2010 9:49 PM
Trickled On,
President Bush gave us an economy with 73 months of economic growth, low unemployment, low interest rates, and low inflation. He also tackled the terrorist problem that had been kicked down the road by his predecesor.
Posted by: Terry | April 6, 2010 11:05 PM
"Libtard" is a hateful and offensive post name, will you please not let Bobby Mobbie use it on here anymore?
Posted by: HHH | April 6, 2010 11:43 PM
Xcellentform,
If we were to go with the bogus false equivalency arguments that wingnut droolers like "Libtard aka Bobby Mobbie" like to make then I guess that means we can start calling Republican Senator Jeff Sessions a full fledged member of the KKK from now on.
I find it hilarious when privileged doughy white Repugs try to make the pretzel argument that minorities are being racist towards them now that we have a Democratic president who happens to be a black man.
"Check Mate"?......Hahahaha!
http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/closed-sessions?id=8dd230f6-355f-4362-89cc-2c756b9d8102
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/sessions-colleague-i-thought-id-be-fired-if-i-objected-to-being-called-boy.php
Posted by: HHH | April 7, 2010 12:02 AM
Poser Terri,
Other than clownish "true believer" wingnuts like you, no one believes the fake "good" economic numbers from the Bushco era anymore. They've already been exposed as being a fraudulent.
Posted by: HHH | April 7, 2010 1:28 PM
Trickled ON,
What is your proof that those numbers are fraudulant? These numbers or from the NBER, the BLS and other gov't agencies.
Posted by: Terry | April 7, 2010 8:13 PM
HHH
Yes we all know about the spitting that did not happen. Or the name-calling that there is no proof of even though it was supposed to have happened in front of hundreds of cameras. Or the rockthrowing at a Democrats district office even though that office is on the 30th floor. Or how Stupak and his family were living in hell before the healthcare vote because of liberals calling to threaten his family but, the propaganda ministers in the mainstream media reporting it in a way where you would thank it was a Tea Party member doing it. You liberal loons are so pathetic and predictable in your lies and propaganda. Actually trying to use a far left wing blogger as a source that is like using MSNBC.
Posted by: Crooks_In_DC | April 10, 2010 9:31 AM