This movie found it's way to me and I haven't even watched but the first 15 minutes of it and it hit me that this would be something that all American's might want to see right now. It's a tribute to the people of New York City and how they "Came Together" after the 9/11 events, using John Lennon's words and music. I can tell it is very uplifting and emotional. It was broadcast live on October 2, 2002. I don't know where I was then but I was asleep and too wrapped up in my own little life garbage problems to know it was happening. I'm wide awake now and I believe, as a nation, we could use a LOT of uplifting RIGHT NOW. It would be a huge reminder of what the people of our great nation did as they came together after 9/11 and we can do it again. Today, it seems that our nation is falling apart and we all need this reminder. I highly recommend to every American that they watch this video as soon as possible. Give it a shot, you might be happily surprised.
Peace, Love and Light,
Nancy Freemanilene@reikifree.com
Just very busy! I am living it up at a Hospice called "HospiceCareInc." and I'm doing very well, thank you! I post to a blog through their "blog" frequently.
For those who are interested in doing so, please go to:
www.carepages.com/carepages/HealingThroughHumor
Note that the addy is CASE SENSITIVE, please.
There, are the details regarding my daily life, what its like where I'm at, and so I'm told, many are amused by my rantings and ravings! I will try to keep blogging here if I can find the time!
Keepin it brief for now!
Steven Severson
We were privileged to participate in the first Obama-Biden event on Brighton, NY. Because of its Russian speaking population, Brighton Beach is known as "Little Russia by the Sea". The team discussed how the health care can be improved:
Make requirement for all press and information systems and sources to promote community outreach 10-15% of the time. Time must be in a table schedule where pick amount of the viewers can be reached. (We propose to give local and federal authorities powers to partially regulate content of local/community, as well as mainstream, media. Public service TV/radio programming, and printed materials, such as disease prevention education, community service announcements, and so on, should be made a mandatory part of content, for all broadcasters and publishers, as a condition for their licensing renewal. Public officials, health-care professionals etc. should be obliged to participate in such programming and announcements, again, as a mandatory part of their professional practice).
I am one of those "faceless" credit card users and I have every right to donate money online with my credit card if I so choose.Who do these people think they are? They sound very jealous to me. Or is that there are more people out here with $5 or $10 than there are millionaires with a million dollars to donate to McCain (not that Obama doesn't have his share of "rich" contributors).
Millions of people use their cards online every day to pay bills and conduct other kinds of business and transactions, including making donations to charities and other things.I'll tell you why Obama raises so much money. Because every time the Republican campaign 'smears' him or tells another lie about his campaign, we get emails from friends and family saying to donate anywhere from a dollar to $10, or more if we can, for every lie they tell that ends up being untrue: If the Republicans would stop lying, Obama wouldn't collect so much online. They need to stop the racism and the lies.He gets $5-$10 just from me alone every time they call him a terrorist, an Arab, a Muslim, say he's not an American citizen, or just plain outright says something racist -- and I don't mind sending it. I work part-time and I don't mind sending it, I'd send more if I could.Obama collects this money because the Republicans won't shut their nasty unscrupulous faces and stop calling him racist names. owadays, not too many people write hard paper checks any more. So what?No one should have to show up at an Obama headquarters in person wit cash just to donate money to his campaign. There is a jealousy factor in there "scrutinizing" his online donations and calling people like "faceless," as well as in that "birth certificate" mess.If Obama has to show up with a birth certificate with a raised seal after having worked in America and paid taxes here as a citizen all of his adult career life, then we want the birth certificates of every politician in this nation...raised seals and all.If someone dares to try to take away my right to donate online in whatever amount I please up to the campaign contribution limits, they will hear from me and hear well. As well as thousands of other "faceless" people like me.
They've tried everything in their power to stop the steam shuttle, but he just keeps rolling along. If they'd stop messing with Obama, people would probably slow down on the giving.Just because he's internet savvy and they are not, they are not going to make him an exception. He's worth more than John McCain. That ought to explain everything.
Honest truth is, Obama should not have to spend another dime on campaigning in the month of November: McCain and Palin have done all of his talking for him and spent THEIR money doing it. LOL!!!
Obama 08
To view this blog post with music and Barack Obama messages taped on his podcast in the past access this link
By Daniel Kurtzman, About.com
"They say I need to be seasoned; they say I need to be stewed. They say, 'We need to boil all the hope out of him -- like us -- and then he'll be ready.'" (Watch video
********************************
'Eye Without A Face' by Mark Bellinghaus, Copyright 2008
Life is all about signs...seeing the signs....understanding the signs...acting upon the signs
--Mark Bellinghaus
Extract & Photo caption/description posted on OUR MARILYN BLOG - you can find the entire blog article here: blog.ourmarilyn.com/2008/08/31/marilyn-monroe-would-have-voted-f .. and also here: my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/markbellinghaus/gG5W75 Ella Fitzgerald & Marilyn Monroe, in 1955 (above) and in 1962, (below), the year Marilyn Monroe passed away. In 1955, when racism was still a big issue in the United States of America, Ella Fitzgerald became the first African-American to perform at the Mocambo, after Marilyn Monroe had lobbied the owner for the booking. The booking was instrumental in Fitzgerald's career. Marilyn would promise the owner that she would appear every night (and be on time), and this way also fill the house--and she did, she was there every night, and she filled the house and: she was always on time! Their close friendship lasted for many years and Ella would sing Marilyn Monroe's famous 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy' in honor of her wonderful friend Marilyn Monroe, who died almost 34 years before she passed on in 1996, at age 79. Barack Obama Quotes: 'They say I need to be seasoned; they say I need to be stewed. They say, 'We need to boil all the hope out of him -- like us -- and then he'll be ready.' 'I have nothing to hide, I enjoy being myself. I'm not going to change who I am just because it's Halloween." -appearing as himself on Saturday Night Live as part of a skit that featured Hillary Clinton dressed as a witch at a Halloween party * 'It's like I was shot out of a cannon. I'm so overexposed that I make Paris Hilton look like a recluse.' 'Hillary is not the first politician in Washington to declare 'Mission Accomplished' a little too soon.' Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy, who was a Democrat
The essence of it is that while McCain was in captivity in Vietnam he was experimented on and he was brainwashed!
I do mean this in the real sense of the word, see the article below, and it is just really tough. I don't want to discredit him, now that Barack is about to win the election my anger towards him has subsided. I feel very sorry for what happened to John and essentially I just want to understand why he acts more than strange sometimes. No I start to understand and I can pray from my heart for him.
Excerpts of article:
At that time, the Soviets were perfecting techniques designed "to put a man's mind into a fog so that he will mistake what is true for what is untrue, what is right for what is wrong, and come to believe what did not happen actually had happened.".........Psychiatric Journals are flush with reports concluding that former POWs may remain entangled in "harsh psychological battles" with themselves for decades after returning home including difficulty in controlling intense emotions such as anger and stress.....
....Psychologist have identified behavior in which a former prisoner emotionally bonds with an abuser as the Stockholm Syndrome.
Full article below, found on vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com
John McCain:The Manchurian Candidate connection:
McCain was subjected to 5 ½ years of Soviet driven "brain perversion techniques."Is he fit to be President and Commander in Chief of the military?
U.S. Veteran DispatchBy Ted SampleyMarch, 2008For years, the mainstream news media has refused to stop idolizing the so-called straight talking maverick John McCain long enough to question the mental health consequences of the years he spent as a "special" prisoner of the communists in North Vietnam.McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate for President, who could one day have his finger on the "red button," claims the communists subjected him to 5 ½ years of nonstop indoctrination sessions so intense that he attempted suicide.Unfortunately for McCain, after his bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire near Hanoi on October 26, 1967, he parachuted into the hands of an evil communist enemy who 7 years earlier had adopted Soviet methods of prisoner interrogation.At that time, the Soviets were perfecting techniques designed "to put a man's mind into a fog so that he will mistake what is true for what is untrue, what is right for what is wrong, and come to believe what did not happen actually had happened."Psychiatric Journals are flush with reports concluding that former POWs may remain entangled in "harsh psychological battles" with themselves for decades after returning home including difficulty in controlling intense emotions such as anger and stress.In political circles, McCain, sometimes referred to as "insane McCain," is well known for having a "volcanic" temper which his colleagues say often erupts into vulgar language and personal insults.Democrat Paul Johnson, the former mayor of Phoenix, experienced McCain's in your face temperament up close. "His volatility borders in the area of being unstable," Johnson said. "Before I let this guy put his finger on the button, I would have to give considerable pause." The Journal of America Medicine reported in an 1996 article that being a former POW is associated with "increased cumulative incidence rates of chronic disorders of the peripheral nervous system, joints, and back and an increased hazard rate of peptic ulcer."The 71 year-old McCain most certainly suffers pain and the weakening effects of chronic arthritis. He broke both arms when he was forced to eject after his bomber was hit. He says the Vietnamese periodically re-fractured his bones during years of interrogation and torture which rendered him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head.McCain has never been publicly vetted about what and how much medications he is taking. Aside from his anger and arthritic pain issues, McCain has had reoccurring bouts of malignant melanoma, a deadly form of cancer that can spread quickly throughout the body.These facts alone beg the question on how a President McCain, in the absence of his campaign staff handlers, would deal with a snap decision that had to be made "if the White House phone rang at 3 a.m."McCain's POW experience is unique. His communist captors considered him the "crown prince" of U.S. POWs because his father, Adm. John McCain, was commander of all U.S. forces fighting in Vietnam. Because the communists believed he was from a "royal family" and would when finally released return to the United States to an important military or government job, they held him for two years in "solitary confinement."In February, Reuters news reported that McCain's former captors are expressing delight in the news of his nomination as Republican party Presidential candidate. "In the past Senator McCain has conducted activities that had a positive impact in bringing the two nations [Vietnam/United States] closer. That is a point that Vietnamese people who follow the current affairs do recognize," said retired North Vietnamese Colonel Nguyen Van Phuong, representing retired and present members of the Vietnamese communist military.Since McCain was first elected to Congress 1982 (and later to the Senate), he and his staff have expended tens of thousands of hours pushing U.S. legislation favoring communist Vietnam. In 1995, McCain stood with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. to give President Bill Clinton valuable political cover he needed to disregard the issue of missing U.S. POWs in Vietnam and remove the U.S. trade embargo against Vietnam.No U.S. POW had any communication with McCain or knew where he was being held during at least 8 to 12 months of McCain's first two years of captivity. He has either been unable or unwilling to account for the months he was missing from the POW system.Within days of McCain's shoot down and after being told the identity of his famous father, the Vietnamese rushed him to Gai Lam military hospital (U.S. government documents), a medical facility normally unavailable to treat U.S. POWs. McCain was kept at Gai Lam for six weeks under the control of Soviet medical specialist anxious to test the use of their "mind and behavior modification" drugs on such an important prisoner. McCain said the communists were so effective with their interrogation techniques that he broke on the fourth day after being captured and began cooperating. "Demands for military information were accompanied by threats to terminate my medical treatment if I [McCain] did not cooperate. Eventually, I gave them my ship's name and squadron number, and confirmed that my target had been the power plant." Pages 193-194, Faith of My Fathers, by John McCain.U.S. intelligence agents concluded in the early 1950s that Soviet intelligence (KGB) agents were experimenting on their prisoners with "mind control" techniques and behavior modification drugsAllen W. Dulles, the newly confirmed CIA director acknowledged the dilemma in April 1953, when he told a gathering of Princeton alumni that "a sinister battle for men's minds" was underway. The Soviets, Dulles explained "have developed brain perversion techniques, some of which are so subtle and so abhorrent to our way of life that we have recoiled from facing up to them."During the Cold War, the Soviets and the CIA began competing with secret experiments on prisoners aimed at honing the use of "chemical and biological materials capable of producing human behavioral and physiological changes." The experiments included isolation, sleep deprivation, humiliation, alternating with long hours of interrogation.Since the Russians and Chinese (and our own CIA) have proven they can in a relative short time alter the basic emotional and behavior patterns of captives, it is fair to assume that McCain's unpredictable and often volatile temperament is directly related to his treatment as a 5 ½-year prisoner of the communists.The American public was first exposed to Soviet "brain perversion techniques" during Korean War when the communists launched a propaganda offensive featuring filmed and recorded testimony of captured U.S. servicemen confessing to war crimes including the use of germ warfare.By the end of the Korean War, "70 percent of the 7,190 U.S. prisoners held in China had either made confessions or signed petitions calling for an end to the American war effort in Asia. Fifteen percent collaborated fully with the Chinese, and only 5 percent steadfastly resisted."Military officials were especially alarmed when a significant number of the U.S. prisoners refused to recant their confessions as soon as they returned to the United States.Beginning in 1960, KGB and Chinese agents directed the Vietnamese in establishing Vietnam's original interrogation guidelines for U.S. prisoners. They suggested interrogation techniques and issued specific intelligence requirements to be extracted during prisoner interrogations.Official American position on POW confessions was that they were false and forced while privately expressing grave concern that the collaborations proved the communists had developed techniques that could "put a man's mind into a fog."Psychologist have identified behavior in which a former prisoner emotionally bonds with an abuser as the Stockholm Syndrome. McCain was a strong advocate for prosecuting Bosnian, Yugoslavian and Iraqi war criminals and is adamantly opposed to any form of normalized relation with Cuba until it allows "free elections, human right organizations and a free and independent media."Yet, McCain has resisted any kind of war crimes investigation of his former Vietnamese torturers. Prosecution and subsequent trials could bring to justice the Vietnamese torturers known by the American POWs as the Bug, Slopehead, the Prick, the Soft Soap Fairy, Rabbit, the Cat, Zorba and many others who were responsible for the murder in North Vietnam of at least 55 U.S. POWs and the brutal torture of hundreds of others.In November 1991, Tracy Usry, chief investigator of the Minority Staff of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, testified before the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, that the Soviets interrogated U.S. prisoners of war in Vietnam. McCain became outraged, interrupting Usry several times, arguing that "none of the returned U.S. prisoners of war released by Vietnam were ever interrogated by the Soviets."Former KGB Maj. Gen. Oleg Kalugin testified during the hearings that the KGB did interrogate U.S. POWs in Vietnam. Kalugin stated that one of the POWs worked on by the KGB was a "high-ranking naval officer," who, according to Kalugin, agreed to work with the Soviets upon his repatriation to the United States and has frequently appeared on U.S. television.Col. Bui Tin, a former Senior Colonel in the North Vietnamese Army, testified on the same day, but after Usry, that because of his high position in the Communist Party during the war he had the authority to "read all documents and secret telegrams from the politburo" pertaining to American prisoners of war. He said that not only did the Soviets interrogate some American prisoners of war, but that they treated the Americans very badly.McCain stunned onlookers at the hearing when he moved to the witness table and physically embraced Col. Tin as if he was a long, lost brother.In 1949 Dr. Andrew Salter authored Conditioned Reflex Therapy, a pioneering work in the field of psychoanalysis. Ten years later, as Richard Condon was writing The Manchurian Candidate, he asked Dr. Salter to help "design" the brainwashed character for the book and subsequent movie.More than 40 years later, in 1992, during the C-SPAN broadcasts of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, Dr. Salter watched the hearings from his New York City apartment. Salter became fascinated with McCain's overly aggressive and angry behavior toward witnesses, especially family members of men still missing in action. After a few hours he called a friend telling her, "the signs are all there, I'm afraid Senator John McCain has been brainwashed."During the Senate Select hearings, McCain opposed all efforts by the POW/MIA families and activists to have the Select Committee expand its investigation to study how successful the Vietnamese, Soviet, Chinese and Cuban interrogation apparatuses were at exploiting American prisoners of war.News pundits have elevated McCain to "the most popular national political figure in the country" by repeatedly describing him as a "war hero" based on his refusal accept a communist offer of "early release" from captivity.What the media has carelessly refused to acknowledge is that the camp's senior ranking U.S. POW (SRO) had issued unquestionable orders that if a POW was to be released, "it would be the longest held prisoner" Because McCain was not the longest held POW, he would have faced a military court-marshal if he had accepted the offer.It is incumbent upon McCain to prove to the American people that the 5 1/2 years he spent at the mercy of communist interrogators did not leave him with mental health issues that could hinder him in making snap decisions "if the White House phone rang at 3 a.m."Is McCain taking any kind of pain or "nerve" medicines? If so, do the medicines cause emotional and physical reactions?McCain was once treated for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is said to get worse over time for former POWs, what is the status of his treatment?Does McCain still harbor stress triggered suicidal tendencies?Where was McCain and what was happening to him during the months he was missing from the POW camp?McCain implies that he made only one propaganda broadcast for the communists, but Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffers say he made over 30. How many did he make and what did he get in return?Why does McCain still deny that the Soviets were involved in the interrogation of U.S. POWs in Vietnam?Does McCain's former interrogators, the communist Vietnamese, Russians, Chinese and Cubans have anything in their secret intelligence files about his behavior as a prisoner with which they could blackmail a President John McCain?
......Cannot understand anything but anger.
Or so it seems after the debate. Euphoric over what I perceived to be Senator Obama's clear victory, I searched the web for early press responses. The first one said he'd lost. "No, that can't be right," I dismissed, and searched around some more before finding the Reuter's blog wherein I was completely lost.
Each person was convinced that their candidate had won, with very few changes of heart. That may seem to say little more than that people's expectations color their perceptions, (and Sen. McCain's astounding ability to smile and turn one of his obvious verbal defeats into a win) but I think there's more to it than that.
At some point in the past, we had states. Now, there are red and blue states (or, like my home state of North Carolina, where rural folk and academic types share a state, purple ones). The last two presidential elections I was living in New York City, a place proudly isolated from the rest of the world and arrogantly assured of its own rightness. In both elections we were amazed that anyone would have voted for Bush (some people actually must have). After the last election I remember a professor standing at the podium the morning after the results were finalized, actually speechless and hanging on to the podium for dear life. And this was a political science professor. A hawkish one. We were all so sure. Complete strangers would start commiserating each other about it, coming up with outlandish conspiracy theories that were somehow more palatable than the truth: that many many of our fellow countrymen/women believed differently than we. Believed things we couldn't ever understand.
In full disclosure, my name is Theresa and I have been an Obama supporter from the beginning, but did enthusiastically vote for Bill twice. I am a self-proclaimed feminist, very liberal, married, 37 year old mother of one. I encourage you to read my profile to learn more about me.
I joined this group to connect with Hillary and Obama supporters willing/ wanting to heal the wounds our campaigns have inflicted upon each other...offer an olive branch, so to speak. Please email me directly if you wish. Although I have tried to keep a civil tone when dealing with the Obama - v - Clinton "competition", I am too guilty of a tiny bit of mudslinging. I spent 2 decades adoring the Clintons and am trying to get back there in my own mind and heart. I've found the split in the Democratic party over the past several months heartbreaking, but am passionate about healing that divide - and I believe we will heal that divide for most Hillary and Barack supporters.
I don't see that the policies of Obama and Clinton are really that far apart, so I can't even begin to comprehend why people supporting either of them would vote for McCain. What am I missing? If you truly supported either candidate, you would not vote for McCain...neither Hillary or Barack would want that from their supporters.
I choose to believe the former Hillary supporters that are going to vote for McCain represent a minority. Engaging them will not change their minds. I believe we rebut lies with facts, but otherwise we ignore them and work toward our goal of putting a Democrat in the White House. We work for the Democratic party and against McCain...otherwise, we get caught up in distractions that weaken our ability to get the end goal in November (Obama in the White House).
Have a great day!~Theresa
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. ~ Gandhi
I work for a national nonprofit organization that is working to prevent marital disintegration through education and community development.
In our 3-day intensive workshop for couples in marital crisis, we talk about research by Dr. John Gottman, one of the foremost researchers on marriage in the world today. Gottman uses a helpful model that can predict within a 5-minute conversation - with 90% accuracy - whether couples are going to divorce. He helps couples recognize the patterns of negativity that destroy relationships, and I thought I'd share those with you as a way of promoting positive dialogue.
Here are what Gottman calls "The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (the following information is available in Gottman's popular book, 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work):
1. Criticism
2. Defensiveness
3. Contempt
4. Stonewalling
Gottman says that couples tend to get into a blame-defend cycle that is unproductive and increases marital discord. The two parts of this cycle are criticism and defensiveness. Criticism is a global complaint about a character defect of the other person. This is different from a complaint, which focuses on the specific issue at hand. (Some therapists talk about the "kitchen sink" problem, when couples start piling on the current problem by talking about past history and other problems that aren't related.)
For instance, a complaint might be, "I feel upset that you didn't take out the garbage when you said you would." A criticism would be, "You are so irresponsible. How many times do I have to tell you to take out the trash!?"
The problem with criticism is that it almost always leads to another of the 4 Horsemen - defensiveness. Defensiveness keeps problems from getting solved. The person is unwilling to admit blame or accept responsibility. Defensiveness can include counteraccusations, denials, excuses, etc. One of the things that can stop defensiveness is allowing your partner to influence you. Accepting even a part of what the other person says as valid can be a great way to sidetrack the blame-defend cycle. For instance, you could say, "I know it's frustrating that I haven't followed through on the garbage. I wasn't being responsible."
(By the way, in the heat of the moment, that's a really tough skill to learn!)
The problem that really destroys relationships, however, is the presence of CONTEMPT. Contempt is an attitude that says, "You're a defective person. You're hopeless." Usually, contempt is not expressed verbally. It's expressed with an eye-roll, or a nonverbal. (You might be doing it right now if you are sick of reading this!) The problem with contempt is that it is a conversation stopper. If you believe that a person is hopelessly defective, then you won't have any positive dialogue or constructive communication. Learning to see the person with value is essential to restoring the relationship. (see my previous post about forgiveness.)
What happens with relationships toward the end is that the conversations get shorter and shorter. Contempt leads to stonewalling - a blank expression and total lack of responsiveness. Stonewalling can also take the form of the silent treatment, or a decision to leave the relationship. Once stonewalling takes over, it is very difficult to repair the relationship unless you have some way to make a point of contact - humor, common concerns, etc.
I hope this information helps as we're trying to reconcile with Clinton supporters (and undecideds) and heal this country.
To read the original article visit: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/05/hillarys-concession-speech-pla.php
I do believe that it is time for the Democratic Party to commence the healing process but I have to disagree with the article's suggestion of chanting Obama is the nominee because he is not. We did win a "battle" yesterday in reaching a majority of pledged delegates but Obama is not the nominee until the DNC signs and confirms that Obama is the nominee. Frankly even if we get the superdelegate support between now and soon after June 3rd a signed confirmation won't happen until the convention. So, in the spirit of the book The Secret, yes put up that sign or picture in your house that says Obama Presidente 2008! but don't forget to keep "fighting" to assure that your vision comes to pass because people in power don't like to give up their power...but nothing can stand in the way of millions of people calling for change. DNMP
~::~ Greetings And Namaste! ~::~ ~::~ I *LOVE* the positive, loving, enthusiastic, universal, peaceful, hopefulness and good vibes of Barack Obama!
Our Barack Obama is a Spiritual Being of Higher Consciousness, inspired profound Wisdom, Pristine Character, Goodness, Compassion, Empathy, Action, Intuition, Unselfishness, Virtues, Visionary, Humility... and he is eager to CHANGE the horrendous all~destructive course that our pathological insane USA government {and shadow government} is diabolically addicted to. Barack Obama will vanquish The New World Order and its evil agendas. Barack will Blossom Into Manifestation the Vision of a peaceful, healthy, happy, organic, clean green Mother Earth and freedom from fear for all precious animals, creatures, beings, humans, trees, seas, forests etc. Barack Obama will invoke the highest goodness in beings... by his spirit energy and example. Deadly GMO crops need to be banned. Food and products should all be organic for beings to LIVE! ~::~ OM Shanti! ~::~ PEACE! ~::~ ~::~ Ambrosial Light! ~::~ Celestial ~ Shivani ~::~
Barack Obama has just done a difficult - and necessary - thing. He has ended his relationship with Rev. Wright. I watched most of Sen. Obama's press conference (missed the very beginning but heard most of his opening remarks and all the questions he took) and am now listening to Chris Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, and others analyze this developing story as I write.
I think both Chris and Andrea are correct in saying that - in starting what may now be an on-going fight with Rev. Wright - Barack is clearly telling the American people "I believe the opposite of what Rev. Wright believes". While Barack touched on this in his Philadelphia speech on race, he is now making it crystal clear: Those religious leaders who look backward and only see the problems of the past - without seeing the progress we've made AND the opportunities for continued healing and progress in America - have beliefs that are the opposite to those of Barack Obama.
Chris Matthews thinks that the Rev. Wright will take to this fight because - in Matthews' opinion -the Rev. Wright sees Senator Obama as the young upstart who is looking to replace him as the Black leader in America.
To those who say (as Pat Buchanan just did) that Barack Obama should have known that the Rev. Wright was "always like this" (given their relationship over the last 20 years), I would offer the following parallel:
People respond to levels of stress they haven't experienced before in different ways. It's called "reaching the breaking point". Bill Clinton has - in my opinion - experienced a similar extraordinary level of stress in recent months, as he has experienced this "young upstart" replacing both his wife and him as the leader of the Democratic Party. That's why the Bill Clinton we see today is so different from the Bill Clinton most of us have known over the years.
As this extraordinary level of stress and anger has led Bill Clinton to say the crazy, hurtful things he has said (such as "They played the race card on me."), I believe the incredible stress the Rev. Wright has been under - from seeing his words taken out of context and his 40 years of work being trashed in the court of public opinion to hearing Senator Obama say that the Rev. Wright's teachings are obsolete (my choice of words) in their frame of reference - has caused him to reach the breaking point... leading him to become someone who Senator Obama did NOT know he was.
Based on what the Rev. Wright said at the National Press Club, Senator Obama has seen clearly that the Rev. Wright has a very dark side... a dark side which has now come out. It may have been there all along, but it wasn't controlling Rev. Wright's behavior. Sadly, it is now.
Senator Obama, you have made a wise choice. You may be in a fight with Rev. Wright for the duration of your campaign, but you will be seen as being on the right side... the progressive side... the side devoted towards bringing America together - rather than pulling American apart - of that fight from now on.
I believe today will be seen as a landmark in Senator Obama's campaign... a positive turning point in which he finished defining himself in the context of what religion can be in America (and has been in the case of the work of other, constructive religious leaders).
Religion can be - and already is to many - a healing force in America. Sadly, that does not appear to be what Rev. Wright believes. But fortunately, that IS what Senator Barack Obama believes.
I'm idealistic, probably to a fault. I believe in hope and the goodness in people. I believe that we can change from the intolerant, hate-filled, egocentric people that we mostly have become. I believe that politics really can be about the American people and their needs instead of about corporate America and its needs. And I believe that America can find its place in the world again, as a leader, as a healer, as the "good guy" and not as the self-centered, self-righteous, bully that we have become. I've had faith in candidates before. I've even done a little bit of work campaigning for candidates before. But I'd gotten really cynical on the outside, a hard shell protecting me from the fallout of the last two Presidential elections. I think that was to protect that little idealistic soul on the inside that had been disappointed too many times. I remember going to bed on the night of George W. Bush's last election thinking, "How could the majority of the American people possibly have voted for him again?"
I heard of Barack Obama first when he introduced Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. I'm a good Democrat. I was going to support the nominee no matter who it was. But I really had no enthusiasm for the election. We had a group of Democrats over at our house that night. We had brought a third TV into the living room for the group in there to watch, and we had the TV in the kitchen on for those in there, and I was with the group in the den watching on the larger screen. It was as close to being at the Democratic National Convention as I could get. We all had our Kerry/Edwards buttons on. But my heart still wasn't in it. Then I heard them introduce Obama, and I watched the crowd go wild with applause, waiving their Obama signs and chanting "Obama." I thought, "Who is this guy? Why is he getting more attention than Kerry?" And then I heard him speak, and what a powerful speech it was. I don't remember the words. I just knew that he was someone special, something special. I knew I was listening to someone great, and I felt the words inside me, firing up the idealist in me, and I wondered why we couldn't get him to run for President. I remember being excited for him when he won the Senate election. I didn't follow his career, though, and I didn't really think much about him anymore.
I had been so disappointed that last Presidential election night when George W. Bush won his second term. I had been very upset when Gore was cheated out of the Presidency the first time W. was elected. Gore had received more votes from the American public; all the votes didn't even get counted; it was not fair. But the second time, whether fair and square or not, the majority of the American people had voted for Bush again. I really closed up politically after that. I hid my little idealistic soul and told myself that it didn't really matter.
Then one day I was watching Oprah when she had Barack and Michele Obama on. If she had any other politician in the world on, I probably would not have watched. But I just lit up when I saw him come on the set with that beautiful, genuine smile. And when I heard Michele speak, I liked him even more. What a wonderful woman he chose. What a wonderful man she chose. I saw the magic in them. Oprah asked him then point blank if he would consider running for President, and he shyly said that he would not. He was only interested in fulfilling his duty as a US Senator for Illinois. Oprah asked him if he was sure, and he said that he was sure. And I thought it was a shame, but maybe it just wasn't the right time.
In the meantime, I got his book The Audacity of Hope, and I was so excited again. He just stroked my little idealistic soul and made me come out of that shell I had created and start to hope again. I told my husband that he had to read the book. And he was a little skeptical because he always is a little skeptical when I get all idealistic on him, but after he read the book, he was smitten, too. I could tell.
I started listening and watching for Obama in the news, and when he announced that he would run for President, I knew that I wanted everyone I knew to know about him. I started putting Obama quotes on the bulletin board outside my office. I started talking to my students about him. I even bought Obama shirts for me and my husband and Obama bumper stickers from a non-official Obama site because Obama's site was backordering everything, so I have an Obama bumper sticker that says Obama: Hope, Courage, Vision on the back of my car instead of the official campaign 08 one. Now, I'm not supposed to campaign at the college where I teach, but I got brazen and put a part of Obama's "Yes We Can" speech on the bulletin board outside my office right next to the Martin Luther King, Jr. poster I had put up earlier. It's not really my personal bulletin board; it belongs to our department. But I keep it filled up with positive and inspirational quotes and posters because I like students to have positive things to read. And what better source of inspirational thought do I have than Barack Obama?
I'm working for Obama now. I work something he's said into every lecture or class discussion I can. I'm asking my students to register to vote if they haven't registered before. I've always encouraged them to vote, but my heart wasn't really in it until now. I will keep asking as many as I can to register, and I will give them the application and take it to the Obama headquarters up until the deadline on April 11. And I'll keep filling my students with the hope of Obama for a long time after this election is over. Will he win? I hope so. I'm counting on it. We need him for so many reasons. This country really needs Barack Obama to help us heal. I don't think anyone else can do it. I think he's the one.
I have to believe that the goodness inside people will recognize that he's the one, and they will vote for him, and then they'll work for him and with him to bring the dignity back to our country and the dignity back to our citizens. I could have stayed hardened. I could have been nonchalant about this election. But Barack Obama reached me just as he has reached hundreds of thousands of others. So, not this time. Not this time.
It was a beautiful summer day in Anchorage. Kids were out enjoying the neighborhood, the sun was brilliant, and though I was four years old it was a day I will never forget. As the child of very ambitious parents I spent much time in the care of my teenage sister. On this day she left with her friends and I was alone in our house with not much to do. I decided to walk in a new direction and soon met a girl my age. We had a wonderful day. We were best friends immediately and when I went home it was with the joy of knowing we would play together again. That afternoon my mom and dad returned from their business and we shifted into evening activities. Later my parents received a call and then brought me in talk with them. A neighbor had told them that I had been playing at the black families house. My parents reprimanded me harshly and then went on to explain the differences between blacks and whites. It was a defining moment for me as I recalled my playmate and knew in my core that what I was being told was wrong. I thought about my heart and knew she had one too and it beat just like mine. I could not think of any difference that I had noticed and made a decision not to agree with my parents.
When I was about 25 I moved into low income housing in my community. There were families from Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City, who had relocated and were living in the apartments. Many, if not all, of these families were black. In time I became aqainted with some of my neighbors and eventually formed a close friendship with a family form K.C. During our friendship their children stole anything of value that they could get from my place. I finally had to restrict them from coming over because I could not prevent the thefts. Later, when my friend was in a difficult financial spot I lent her around $150.00 to get them through to payday. She chose not to repay me. Eventually they moved away and I never heard from them again. Some years went by and I developed another close friend who was black. She was struggling with poverty due to being 100% disabled and we spent much time running her errands as she did not have a car. We also spent time reading scriptures and talking. Occasionally however, my friend would begin to yell at me that I did not understand black heritage and would scream the ordeals experienced by slaves and early black citizens at me. I felt disrespected during these episodes but was aware that I had not experienced the bigotry and internal anger that she had and usually just rode it out. Then one evening my friend stole my grocery money knowing it was all I had to feed my children with. When challenged she acknowledged the theft and we got through it. Once her husband landed a high paying position I asked her to begin repaying me. However, they felt that since she took the money (which he also benefited from) she would have to repay it without his help. She has not chose to pay me back. Sadly, with their increased budget they were able to get a car and no longer needed rides from me and began to decline my calls. Now, we rarely talk. I have another close friend who is black. Do you know why I do not go to the store with him? He is forever stealing from the store, even with money in his pocket. Both of the friends I discussed above frequently stole from stores as well.
As I have contemplated what it will take to unify America, I have concluded that we must begin with forgiveness. In order for deep hatred to be resolved resulting in true unity there must be healing for our wounds. I believe that healing will truly take place as blacks and whites forgive one another the wrongs which have been committed. As a white person I can speak from white experience. I am not trying to dismiss the pain and suffering of blacks rather I hope to express the hurt that whites experience, in order to foster understanding or at least communication. I do not believe that it is coincidence that all the blacks I have been friends with have stolen from me, or blatantly used me, or been habitual thieves at local markets. There is a mind set that is common in the black community that I have been exposed to along the lines of 'take what you can without getting caught because they owe it to us'. Now as a disabled person, raising four kids without the benefit of support, I do not think I owed either of my friends the money they took. I didn't owe my friendship or time either, yet it was taken, and used, and discarded.
Have my views towards blacks changed since that day when I was four? Yes, and I am deeply disturbed by that. Yet I hope. I know the hatred between our races is not an immovable mountain. Change is possible but will only happen if we let go of our pain. I believe that the healing of our races will hinge on collective decisions to forgive those who have harmed us. If we do not first forgive we will not begin to resist the habit of rehashing our wounds. If we do not stop rehashing our wounds they will not heal. Without healing we will only be unified imperfectly, failing to achieve that true unity which will empower us to be instruments of change and reform.
There is a purpose within all things and this controversy with Rev. Wright is a timely opportunity for Barack Obama to address the racial divide in this country. We have buried our heads on this topic for so long and the festering wounds will continue to ooze until sincere and meaningful healing takes place. Barack Obama by Universal Design is positioned perfectly to do so. You were born to both black and white parents therefore, you ought to impress upon America that any notion of denying either race would be an act of denying thine own self.
It is time to shine a light upon the darkness of our misconceptions and fears regarding this issue, as most whites feel that because slavery is over, black folks ought to "get over it". Unfortunately, it is not that simple, as the scars cut deeply in the soul of the black race. It is somewhat like a child who has endured abuse in his upbringing, and will invariably grow up to continue the cycle of abuse with his own children which will continue until he seeks therapy to help him understand the conditioned nature of his behavior.
The anger of many blacks is a legitimate response to the pain still lingering in our hearts.... America has yet to apologize to the black race for it's history of abuse. We cannot change the past but we must find the most valuable way of transforming the pain and anger to forgiveness and a love for the self.
I ask Mr. Obama to embrace what has come to light as this opportunity may not come again for quite sometime. I ask that you assemble a brilliant panel of psychiatrists, sociologists, behavioral therapists and other brilliant minds to try and help explain to white America the lingering consequences of centuries of mental, physical, emotional and psychological abuse on the black psyche. We seek understanding, not anger … we seek compassion not pity. We ask to show us the ways to love ourselves as we have been programmed for inferiority and self-hate.
May Divine Light guide us to a place of healing and grace…
I've been thinking, Senator Obama has a lot going for him, but his campaign needs, something, a certain something. I know, it needs a campaign song!
Something easily singable. Not a Fleetwood Mac song. Something suggesting basic values & the need for change.
So I came up with this. I'll bet half the nation is singing this within a week.
Well, maybe not. But I had fun doing it. Then I had to take out all the bashing. LOL.
Still, it was fun. What do you think? Please, use the comments section to tell me what you think!
(to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" Lyrics © 2008 by PJF and The Peter Files Blog of Comedy, Satire, Jokes, Commentary, and Videos, http://ThePeterFiles.Blogspot.Com - All Rights Reserved)
I'm Going to Vote for Obama
he's our next President
I'm sick and tired of the same old rut
they took our money and spent, spent, spent, spent, spent.
What we need is a leader
who can steer us right back on course
'cause if we don't - make some kind of change -
things in America could get still worse!
So first, he needs nomination
then, he needs our support
then, we get out voter registration
So in the end we won't fall just sho-o-ort.
Obama can heal the nation
join the Obama campaign,
get - on - the Obama bandwagon - you'll be - glad - you came!
© 2008 PJF and The Peter Files Blog of Comedy, Satire, Jokes, Commentary, and Videos, http://ThePeterFiles.Blogspot.Com All Rights Reserved
Important! This song has not been endorsed by Senator Obama.
Peter, Chief Editor and Spelling Wrecker
The Peter Files Blog of Comedy, Satire, Jokes, Commentary, and Videos
I wanna share this blog on here and I thank GOD Barack SERVES THE LORD THY GOD,
In the world we live in if we do not get a leader in THE WHITE HOUSE that serves GOD In Truth and has the ability to cross the barrier of Divide and reunite us as a people and a nation we will fail as a people and a nation. I have studied Barack and have had it shared with me in the spirit that Our Brother Barack is THE ONLY CANIDATE that promotes the healing of an un-unified nation.
When he takes THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA we will grow in prosperity and THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL KNOW as he spoke, "AMERICA IS BACK". We are not back to RULE OVER THE WORLD but the HELP THE WORLD WITH LOVE and remove the pains that have killed us all from sea to shining sea. I pray you all understand this truth in this blog and I pray you glady accept it as TRUTH. We MUST CHANGE and Barack Is The Only Chance In Change We Have In Truth.
THE BLOG:
THE KINGDOM OF GOD - THE CLOCK QUIT TICKING
Before you read this I must say I thank you all for reading and I thank you all for the patience you have shared with me. I have noticed that My friends have many blogs that I must continue to catch up on and I will. Rest assured I learn from you all. God Bless You All and keep the faith.
Dear Heavenly Father THY NAME IS HALLOWED today throughtout the "Kingdom Of GOD" and thanks be to you we have seen and we have heard from your son Jesus The Christ. Let his teachings, the teachings of your very own mouth come into our ears today, so let it be, AMEN
In the Kingdom of GOD there is no time, there is no tomorrow, there is no yesterday, what we have is "today". The teachings of Our Lord Jesus The Christ confirmed this understanding in the Lord's pray. After he taught us to echo the name of GOD throughout the Kingdom of GOD he made it clear that GOD can and will give unto us this day what is suffice for us this day.
Matthew 6:11 Give us today our daily bread.
If you continue with The Lord's prayer you see that today we must forgive those who have sinned against us and GOD will forgive us of our sins. His teachings included the release of debt and gain of no more debt. What we should serve is GOD and not mammon.
Mammon is the spiritual side of filthy lucre. I have stated before in a blog that this mammon is what drives the world we live in. It is what all the world seeks. It is what is taught in the church that if you give more will be given unto you. It is what is consider "your substance". It is called "MONEY" and it is called a tithe of your paycheck.
My friends, that is what the evil one himself, the devil and satan, would have you to think is your substance.
There is a saying amongst men of old and even the young today that goes like this.
"I clocked himout" or "he got clocked".
A clearer understanding of this is to punch out someone with your physical fist.
However we must go a step higher. We must have faith in what is above, The Lord of Lords, The King of Kings, The Living GOD, concerning all things and teach his truth about being "clocked".
We must share THE WORD OF THE LORD and let that devil and satan know that he has just been "clocked out". His ticker works no more in this world we live in. We will do this with the mouth that GOD has given us to speak and to teach his word in truth.
At one point in time the devil and satan ruled this earth. However when Jesus arrived he taught us that the devil and satan time had just be cast out. What man did not understand was Jesus told them this and he as well told them that he would try to sneak back in and we must have "FAITH IN GOD" to keep him chained in chains of darkness. If we allow them chains to be loosened he will make war with THE SAINTS OF GOD and try to over come them.
With the teachings of Jesus being more powerful and more abundant than the whispers of satan we have the ability to descerrn right from wrong and overcome the evil around us.
This is the Time we call upon the name of THE LORD and we are saved from this whisper. This is the time when The angels are hedged around us with THE SWORD OF THE WORD that GOD speaks to our hearts. We can trust in the lord with all our heart, all our minds, all our soul, and all our strength not only because we have faith but because The Example in Christ Jesus The King showed us it WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE. Heaven is Above all things and all things are in subjection By GOD and for GOD.
I wanna state this right here. If you have never understood THE KINGDOM OF GOD because no one has cared to stop and teach you these truths I must say I know your feelings. I have been in your situation. However each and everyone of us have known since we were "little children" that GOD is real. The problem is the church teaches fragments of THE KINGDOM OF GOD and this is not good. If the church would start teaching the Truth About The Kingdom Of GOD in power and above all things then we would see the pews filled to capacity and THE GATES OF HELL WILL NOT PREVAIL.
When a man, woman, or child walks out of the church and he is not taught THE TRUTH he walks right back into Hell on Earth. The evil one comes at him with so many things he does not know how to descern a whisper from THE VOICE OF GOD, The word of GOD, The Seed GOD has placed in us.
If you are taught the truth when you walk out of the church you will have a burning desire to teach others about THE KINGDOM OF GOD AT HAND. The seed that GOD gives you is planted in every man, woman, and child you speak to or come unto. You may share the seed or water the seed another has planted and never even know it. You may be speaking to one person and another pass by and hear the truth and then it is planted in them. This is biblical and it does happen. I have seen it many times. People have stopped to hear me teach The Kingdom of GOD and they get truly inspired by it.
Let me share with you what happened last night. I went to "Incrediable Pizza" with my friend John and his daughter. I have never been in this place in my life. I now call this the place "The place you must wash your hands before you go to the restroom". I had so much pizza and cinnamon roll on my hands when I walked into the rest room I didn't know what to do. Praise Be To GOD he said, "wash them hands".
Anyways, John and his daughter were playing mini golf and I just felt the need to start teaching THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I set down on this bench next to a African American man and The Word started pouring out. This man was being engulfed by The Words of Christ and the Truth of his power. You could see it in him when he raised up off the bench and started asking me things and the answers were coming back with THE LOVE OF GOD. After about 10 minutes John and his daughter walked back by and I said, Brother I am Manny and this word is gonna be taught all throughout The Kingdom. I taught him things he had read but did not understand. However is was not me, it was inspired and only GOD can inspire a man to do GOOD. I shook his hand and told him I would see him again someday and started to walk off. What I noticed was the men and women around us were listening in. They kept staring at me as I walked off. I had to stop and greet these people with a good ole HOW YA DOING and GOD BLESS. They all smiled and said great and thank you. Not that they were thanking me for anything I had done but They were joyed and you could see it in there eyes. They had just heard someone speak The Kingdom Of God in truth.
From that point on I started walking through the palor teaching The Kingdom Of GOD and not one person got fussy or argued one point with me. That was an awsome moment in GOD'S TIME. It was suffice for the day. We all had our daily bread and His Will Was Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven Above.
Please understand my friends, THE KINGDOM OF GOD never left when Jesus ascended on high. The offspring of the seed has been "clocked" but it has never been "clocked out". Water the seed and watch it grow.
The Lord Thy GOD said in The Book of Genesis that the seed of the serpent would bite the ankles of GOD'S Children but The Foot will "Clock Out" the head of the serpent.
Genesis 3:14-16 (King James Version)
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
It is right here where I must give you understanding of Translations and why we must TRUST IN THE LORD for descernment.If you look at verse 15 you notice that GOD put's enmity between the serpent's seed and the seed of "the woman". The seed of The woman is the seed of the Tree of LIFE. The man in the flesh called Jesus The Christ is THE ROCK the church is founded on. When Jesus was speaking to peter he said unto peter, Upon this rock I will build my church. Jesus was not meaning upon peter but upon himself. He was pointing to himself and teaching that He is The Rock and The Foundation of The Church.
Once Jesus ascended up on high The Church began to take root and She was to have a desire for "The Husband". The Husband of this church is "The Rock" , "The Foundation", "The Lord Jesus Christ". We all know this by what is taught all throughout the New Testament.
In verse 16 we see this clearly that Jesus The Christ, The Son of The Living GOD had been given the authority by GOD by signs and wonders to rule over The Church. We the people, The Children of The Living GOD and the church have failed to keep this commandments.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Because we have failed to do such things we have greatly had sorrow multiplied from see to shining sea. We must get back to "The Desire" that GOD made in us and GOD will reduce that sorrow and "CLOCK IT OUT" We will live in The Truth and In GOD'S Time, The time that is perfect and Just For Today. Tomorrow will only come if GOD allows it to come and the tears and sorrows of yesterday will be wiped away.
We can see clearly in Rev 12:17 how the serpent has tried to make war and with The Seed of GOD and almost overcome us all. However we all know that "almost" is not good enough. We must keep The Commandments of GOD and GOD Will Rule Over US. Praise Be To GOD We Can, So let it be, Amen
Revelation 12:17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 14:12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 22:14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S AND THE FULNESS THEREOF
THERE IS NOTHING MAN CAN DO
IT IS GOD THAT DOES!!!
GOD BLESS US ALL,
Manny,GodSpace By SoonerManny ,Your Brother In Christ The King and Thanks be To God we are The Family Being Called Home.
This is from Lark News, which could be best described as The Onion of mainstream Christianity:
AUSTIN — Ginny McCallum, 43, who has been confined to a wheelchair for much of her adult life, came to hear presidential candidate Barack Obama speak at the University of Texas. Afterward she found herself in a wheelchair access breezeway as Obama and his entourage exited the arena. The candidate spotted her, came over, grabbed her hand and pulled her up. She found herself standing for the first time in eleven years. "He smiled at me and said, ‘Yes, you can,’" she says. "I was so stunned I didn’t know what to do." McCallum is among hundreds of people who say they have been healed by the Democratic candidate, in one of the most surprising and little-acknowledged aspects of his campaign. Reporters have shied away from the story, chalking it up to "Obama-mania" and people’s feelings of elation. "We don’t talk about it a lot, but yeah, it does happen," says one staffer who says he has seen multiple people healed on a rope line. "We don’t know exactly how or why it’s happening, and the Senator won’t talk about it. He usually insists that people keep it quiet and just report it to their pastor or priest." Greeting supporters after a rousing speech in Houston, Obama stepped into the dense crowd and spontaneously began touching people: a legally blind woman, a man deaf in one ear, a cancer sufferer and a lame man. "Yes, you can," Obama said as he laid hands on afflicted bodies. The people’s reactions were so joyous as to be almost frightening. They jumped and shouted and wept. Before they could thank or embrace the candidate he was well down the rope line healing others. Their excitement was lost in the general din of the crowd. Aides acknowledge that the phenomenon is occurring with greater frequency. "His power goes beyond simple inspiration," says one aide. "There is something developing here that I’m not sure any of us fully understands." They say Obama has told them privately that his time has not yet come, so it would be inappropriate to talk about the healings right now. He says he will wait until the convention to speak publicly about the "special calling" he believes he has to lead the country. They do expect him to start alluding to "the providential nature of what is happening on the campaign trail" in an upcoming address, mostly because word is getting around. People have begun bringing relatives by the score to campaign events in hopes of a healing touch. "It’s not the speeches that are drawing people anymore, as good as they are," says a senior staff member. "It’s people wanting to get better, and wanting their friends and relatives to get better. It’s the belief that there’s something more here."
