Obama: I did speak up for the black community
by Michael C. Bender | August 1st, 2008Obama finished his stump speech and gave the second question to one of the men who earlier disrupted the townhall meeting.
The man wanted to know about “the attacks against the African-American community” by the “same U.S. government that you aspire to lead.” He pointed to sub-prime mortgages aimed at black and Latino communities, instances of police profiling, the Jena Six and the slow response to Hurricane Katrina.
“Why is it that you have not had the ability to speak to the interests or even speak on behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community, the black community, in this country?” he said.
Obama said disputed each of the man’s points.
I think you’re misinformed when you say not one time. On every issue you’ve spoken about, I actually did speak up. I’m going to go through the very specific examples.”
Obama said he fought against predatory lending in the U.S. and Illinois Senate; passed the first racial profiling bill and “some of the toughest death penalty reform” in Illinois; and plugged his background as a civil rights lawyer.
“On each of these issues I have spoken out,” Obama said. “I may not have spoken out the way you wanted me to speak out.”
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