Obama denounces 'bigotry' in veiled shot at Donald Trump

[webfact]

Obama denounces 'bigotry' in veiled shot at Donald Trump

Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama took veiled shots at Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump while marking 150 years since the abolition of slavery.

Obama said Wednesday that "we betray the efforts of the past if we fail to push back against bigotry in all of its forms," in remarks celebrating the 150-year anniversary of the Thirteenth Amendment, which ended slavery throughout the entire country.

It was an indirect reference to Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner who has proposed banning all Muslims from traveling to the United States in the wake of terror attacks in Paris and California.

Full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/09/politics/president-obama-donald-trump-bigotry/index.html


-- CNN 2015-12-10

[NeverSure]

Yawn. Who cares what Obama thinks anymore?

[DM07]

Yawn. Who cares what Obama thinks anymore?

You and your right wing fringe- friends talk a lot about him!

Makes one think, YOU actually care!

[webfact]

Obama takes veiled swipe at Trump at Capitol Hill ceremony
By MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday took a veiled swipe at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has called for blocking Muslims from entering the United States in the aftermath of terror attacks at home and abroad.

Speaking at a Capitol Hill ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery, Obama detailed the efforts of previous generations to fight discrimination, and said Americans today must be willing to do what they did — namely, "to remember that our freedom is bound up with the freedom of others, regardless of what they look like, or where they come from, or what their last name is or what faith they practice."

Obama drew a standing ovation for his remarks. He did not mention Trump by name. The GOP front-runner's statement has drawn widespread condemnation from lawmakers of both parties and several of his rivals.

The president said Americans will betray their past if "we were to deny the possibility of movement, the possibility of progress, if we were to let cynicism consume us and fear overwhelm us."

Joined by Republican and Democratic leaders, Obama recounted how slavery shaped American politics and nearly tore the country apart during the Civil War.

He said the country would do a disservice to "warriors of justice" like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, President Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., if it denies the scars of the "nation's original sin" are still there today.

"We betray the efforts of the past if we fail to push back against bigotry in all its forms," Obama said.

After the speech, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Obama has long promoted the ideas of equal opportunity and rejecting discrimination based on a person's last name, appearance, sexual orientation or religion, and that his comments Wednesday were not specifically directed at Trump.

"I think it's appropriate for you to notice the difference in those messages, but I would contest the notion that this is something that the president newly inserted into his remarks to respond to one individual," Earnest said.

On Tuesday, Earnest lambasted Trump as a "carnival barker" and called on his rivals to denounce their fellow candidate.

At the ceremony, lawmakers celebrated the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on Dec. 6, 1865 following approval in 27 states. House and Senate leaders read historical accounts of what happened in Congress and in the states leading up to ratification.

"When we read those 43 short and simple words, we should remember these men and what they did," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said of the amendment. "We should realize those words, like their acts, were gallant, noble and profound."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the values exemplified by Tubman "are a guiding light" in fights for higher wages, better education and criminal justice reform.

"Every day we must work together to raise our nation from the depths of its darkest chapters to higher expressions of our values," Reid said.
___

Associated Press writers Kathleen Hennessey and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-12-10

[khwaibah]

Bloomberg Politics Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds of Likely GOP Primary Voters Back Trump's Muslim Ban

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/bloomberg-politics-poll-nearly-two-thirds-of-likely-gop-primary-voters-back-trumps-muslim-ban/ar-AAgdlXD?li=BBnb7Kz

Edited December 11, 2015 by Scott
Font

[shaggy28303]

Anything coming out of Obamas mouth should be immediately directed to the nearest toilet for a flush

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Anything coming out of Obamas mouth should be immediately directed to the nearest toilet for a flush

Impossible, it is occupied by Bush and Trump for decades

[grumpyoldman]

All the Obama haters are just so embarrassed by what was the downfall of the nation (Bush 2 presidency) as well as the completely useless Republican congress that all they have are stones to throw from their glass houses. Feel better about yourself, now, GOP dufus?

I love Trump, he's going to personally hand the ticket to Clinton-Kerry (hopefully Kerry), rock on Trump chump!

[ezzra]

This man will get AA++ any time he append his mouth, but zero and big F++ in doing anything or backing his words

with actions....

[oneday]

"...namely, "to remember that our freedom is bound up with the freedom of others, regardless of what they look like, or where they come from..."

The trouble with these people Mr. Obama is if the government does not screen them carefully enough you could be letting killers into our country who will kill Americans. There are good reasons to discriminate.

[Jingthing]

Why veil this?
Trump is now officially and without any doubt a FASCIST.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Jingthing

[ggt]

"We betray the efforts of the past if we fail to push back against bigotry in all its forms," Obama said.

I could not agree more Mr. President...and one form of bigotry you are most familiar with is political bigotry...using every event...national and international as an invitation to use divisive rhetoric and political posturing...

You Mr. President will be remembered...not for what you accomplished...but for your inability to keep the promise of the Office of the Presidency...to keep America safe...you have failed...and history will not be kind...

Unless, of course, one of your peanut gallery minions is charged with writing a false narrative...

[JHolmesJr]

Wonder what he would say about his ex chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, now Chicago mayor, who has been exposed trying to suppress videos that show white cops using brutal force on blacks?

He'll probably say something like "we need to have a national conversation about this…"

Edited December 10, 2015 by JHolmesJr

[mrwebb8825]

I'm sorry but the civil war was fought to unify the states into the United States of America and the 13th ammendment was written to make all AMERICANS free, NOT every person in the world. I can see how this would not be aimed at Trump as 1 has nothing to do with the other.

Freeing enslaved people on American soil and banning America Haters and Terrorists isn't even close to the same train of thought.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

I'm sorry but the civil war was fought to unify the states into the United States of America and the 13th ammendment was written to make all AMERICANS free, NOT every person in the world. I can see how this would not be aimed at Trump as 1 has nothing to do with the other.

Freeing enslaved people on American soil and banning America Haters and Terrorists isn't even close to the same train of thought.

Trump is very good to make the people around the world think the Americans need to be hated and fuel terrorism

[StevieH]

Why veil this?

Trump is now officially and without any doubt a FASCIST.

he is, and he should be referred to as that in every instance.

people who back him and who would vote for him are fascists as well but also too stupid to see or understand that that's what they are.

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.