The Atlantic - Latest Comments in Crazy things are happening

Re: Crazy things are happening

SB Ryan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:35:53 -0000

Today I feel anxious and excited... I feel like the the Texans are going to the Superbowl... I feel like I felt when I got my 1st copies of the book I wrote... I feel like I felt when I got a phone call and a voice on the phone said, "You have a Son" (I know I should have been there)... Why, maybe because I drank a Redbull and some tea today...

Not sure but it may also have to do with Tuesday, Nov. 4th 2008... today.

Are the polls correct... will I get a chance to cry because I am so happy for one man and so proud of a country that is really trying to get beyond race and prejudice?

I am anxious and excited and I hope you are too and that ain't no bull.

Romans 8:24-25 (New International Version)

... But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

This country has hoped and waited a long time for a highlighted point in history where we as a nation can say that this day was the day a new hope was born for true equality of all men.--SB Ryan

Re: Crazy things are happening

Phoebe — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:59:21 -0000

I've read two or three jaw-droppingly idiotic pieces from Wilenz at TNR, so this doesn't surprise me one bit. He's been a totally consistent, braying jackass since the start of this campaign season.

Re: Crazy things are happening

Pesto — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:02:36 -0000

When people say, "Freedom isn't free," I think of people like Rev. Lowry. He's one of many (but not many enough!) who've kept paying and paying and paying for all of us to be free.

Re: Crazy things are happening

renegademom3 — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:47:11 -0000

I love that good crazy.

Re: Crazy things are happening

Incertus — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:05:30 -0000

I'm not a believer anymore, to say the least, but I can still be moved by a good preacher, and he was preaching righteously. And he's right about the good crazy and the bad crazy, and I have never in my life felt the good crazy like I've felt it for the last five years years, from the moment I saw Howard Dean challenge Democrats to be Democrats in California to when I discovered the blogosphere and started blogging myself, to the victories in 2006 to where we stand at this moment, on the doorstep of unprecedented victory.

At first it was only a little of the good crazy--a voice in the wilderness that called some people together and helped us understand that we weren't alone--and now it's a full-throated roar of good crazy that we need to keep going for as long as we can sustain it, because we have a lot of work to do in this country. Tomorrow is the first step on a long, long path.

Re: Crazy things are happening

The Grand Panjandrum — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:55:07 -0000

The CSPAN video of the entire event is copyrighted and not available for free download, but you can watch it here. The piece in the Youtube video starts at about 32 minutes into the event.

Re: Crazy things are happening

glockenspieler — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:46:35 -0000

I love that man Joe Lowery. I mean really. I love that man. I know this video by heart. I must have watched it 30 times during the primaries. Godless atheist that I am, by the end of it, I'm on my feet "Praise God! PRAISE GOD!!!"

I was lucky enough to hear him preach 15 years ago and the combination of his story, his courage, and his good good nature just bowl you over.

Good Crazy!!!

Re: Crazy things are happening

Colin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:21:55 -0000

Thank you for the video!

Re: Crazy things are happening

rikyrah — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:40:30 -0000

Wilentz is a HATER.

Plain and simple.

A clowning HATER.

Re: Crazy things are happening

BillB — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:37:03 -0000

TNC, as a history prof, I can only say that Wilentz has really been a disappointment during this election season. His pronouncements on race have been jejune at best, and more often just deeply offensive in their cluelessness.

He offers a cautionary tale to any academic who gains proximity to power: check yourself, lest you embarrass yourself.

Re: Crazy things are happening

dbt — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:30:07 -0000

His line about Pfleger/St. Sabina made me giggle. He was one of those people who had a lot of crazy aimed at him for no reason during the primary.

Re: Crazy things are happening

ligedog — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:25:03 -0000

There was an article by Wilentz on TNR back during the primary basically asserting that it was really the Obama campaign that was racist and the Clintons (and supporters like Johnson) were completely innocent. It reads like a Marvel "No-Prize" explanation.

Re: Crazy things are happening

klg19 — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:16:24 -0000

Is that your lovely laugh in the background near the end? Made me smile just listening to it. Well, made me smile more than I already was.

Re: Crazy things are happening

Lizzy L — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:09:58 -0000

I voted by mail in CA. We're going blue for Obama, no question, no problem. I don't know if there will be lines at my polling place, but I'm planning to swing by during the day a bunch of times with sandwiches and drinks for the poll workers and, if there is a line, donuts and stuff for folks in line.

I was in Chicago in 1968. I voted for President for the first time in 1968. This is the first election I've really cared about -- although I always vote, always -- since Bobby Kennedy was shot. I'll never forget, but I'm ready to move on. We're going to do this thing.

Re: Crazy things are happening

Kate — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:56:57 -0000

That warmed the cockles of this agnostic's heart.

I love how you can hear Obama laughing along at various points. He has a fantastic laugh. It's a striking contrast to McCain's high pitched whine.

Re: Crazy things are happening

anonymous — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:54:47 -0000

I talked to a woman today, works for a VIP. I laughed with her, cuz it's hard to get VIPs on the phone this week. She laughed back -- gee, I wonder what's the big deal this week? So I said it's been hard to get my 15 year old to appreciate it -- I mean, he thinks he knows it's a big deal, but well... I'm old, and I doubt he really quite gets it.

She told me she's had the same experience with her grand-daughter, who was watching the news on the couch with her and asked: Why are you going to vote? It's going to be cold, and there will be a long line, and you're always telling us that you've got a bad back. Why vote? It won't change anything.

So she said she tried to explain about growing up long ago in North Carolina to her granddaughter, and then later on she planned ahead, went to a store this weekend to get one of those folding chairs that people use for outdoor concerts. When the clerk was ringing it up, she said what it was for.

And the owner of the store came over, to stop the clerk. I won't take your money for that, ma'am.

Mark my words: there will be people singing in those lines tomorrow.

Re: Crazy things are happening

marcus — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:52:21 -0000

bob johnson is a clown. period. but the cat i want to see interviewed a nanosecond after they call it for Obama is Shelby Steele.

Re: Crazy things are happening

dwhite10701 — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:49:02 -0000

Who in the hell respects Bob Johnson? Certainly no one who's spent any time watching BET.

Re: Crazy things are happening

Apsaras — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:47:48 -0000

What a shame about Barack Obama's grandmother. Death be not proud, especially of your cruel-as-shit sense of timing.

Re: Crazy things are happening

RD — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:45:18 -0000

MSNBC has announced that Obama's grandmother has died.

Re: Crazy things are happening

Joel — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:42:38 -0000

"Expect to see more of these kinds of articles, especially from older, white liberal type people. What kept Wilentz, Judis, Blumenthal, Lanny Davis, and Bill himself in a lather about Obama's electability was the fact that their political souls were seared in 1968."

I'd take it one step further: Many of these guys are worried about their own irrelevancy. Especially Bob Johnson.

Re: Crazy things are happening

T Harris — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:40:08 -0000

I... really can't read anyone say good things bout Bob Johnson and take them seriously after that. Jesse 'n em- ok, but not Bob "tits n ass" Johnson.

Ugh. I'm with McGruder on that one.

Re: Crazy things are happening

Shine — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:36:31 -0000

To: TNC

Re: "Generational Struggle."

Don't get mad because Wilentz's article was more about himself, rather than Jackson, Johnson, Young, et al., and where he now fits in this realignment. It's gonna be a struggle for a lot of folks.

Expect to see more of these kinds of articles, especially from older, white liberal type people. What kept Wilentz, Judis, Blumenthal, Lanny Davis, and Bill himself in a lather about Obama's electability was the fact that their political souls were seared in 1968. Whatever else this election is about, one of them will be the realization from many elder-statesman progressives (as well as many older journalist types) that an Obama election means the County has finally moved past 1968.

Re: Crazy things are happening

In GA — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:26:55 -0000

Down here in the ATL - just saw a Wright commercial during a local news commercial break.

Re: Crazy things are happening

lizkdc — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:19:26 -0000

Damn, have you been saving this up? This should be as famous, wel, more famous, then some of the other crazy preacher vids we've been seeing for the last twelve months.

Made me happy.