Substantively, the case was about whether the transaction in question constituted "interstate commerce" that Congress could regulate pursuant to the Commerce Clause. "[61], Historian Garry Wills, author of Lincoln at Gettysburg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning book on Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, compared "A More Perfect Union" with Lincoln's Cooper Union speech of 1860. Ch 18 Reconstruction . 85 percent said that they were disturbed "a great deal" or "somewhat" by Wright's comments. Fed'n No. "[31], Condoleezza Rice, the top ranking African American in the Bush cabinet, responded to the speech on March 28, saying, "I think it was important that he (Obama) gave it for a whole host of reasons." [73] By March 27, the speech had been viewed nearly 3.4 million times. The phrase has also been interpreted to support the federal supremacy clause as well as to demonstrate that state nullification of any federal law,[78] dissolution of the Union,[79] or secession from it,[80] are not contemplated by the Constitution. It is so far above the standard we're used to from our pols. [60] The judiciary does not have the authority to invalidate unconstitutional laws solely because they are unconstitutional, but may declare a law unconstitutional if its operation would injure a person's interests. He mentioned that he achieved primary victories in "states with some of the whitest populations in the country"[2] and in South Carolina, where he won with the support of white and black voters. [54] Stated in negative terms, the Preamble has been interpreted as meaning that the Constitution was not the act of sovereign and independent states. Speaking to journalist Joe Klein in October 2008, Obama said that he decided to make his response to Wright's comments "big as opposed to make it small", and added: My gut was telling me that this was a teachable moment and that if I tried to do the usual political damage control instead of talking to the American people like ... they were adults and could understand the complexities of race, I would be not only doing damage to the campaign but missing an important opportunity for leadership.[67]. Surely this is in accord with an objective of the United States Constitution: '* * * promote the general Welfare. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Obama's only remaining opponent in the race for the Democratic nomination, Senator Hillary Clinton, as well as past Democratic presidential candidates, offered thoughts on the speech soon after it was given. Former Arkansas governor and 2008 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee praised Obama's speech on the MSNBC program Morning Joe, while also commenting on the Wright controversy. This time we're going to higher ground. ", "Critics' Picks: The legacy of Obama's "race speech, "Groups Respond to Obama's Call for National Discussion About Race", "Obama Speech on Race Fuels Easter Sermons", "FOX News Poll: More Than Half Believe Obama Doesn't Share Views of Pastor Wright", "CBS Poll: Good Reviews For Obama Speech", "Obama Weathers the Wright Storm, Clinton Faces Credibility Problem", Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, "Finding Political News Online, the Young Pass It On", The Segregated Hour - Includes Video of Speech and Transcript, Obama's Speech to the NAACP on July 16, 2009, A philosophical interpretation of the speech, Joint session of Congress (health care reform), Illinois State Senate election, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2000 Illinois's 1st congressional district election, Republican and conservative support (2008), Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_More_Perfect_Union_(speech)&oldid=991107760, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with dead external links from August 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 November 2020, at 08:49. [2], Obama then shifted to an expression of what he called "a similar anger" in the white community based on resentments over busing, affirmative action, and the way in which fears about crime are often met with accusations of racism. "[69] The following examples help demonstrate the meaning of this distinction:[70], The phrase "to form a more perfect Union" has been construed as referring to the shift to the Constitution from the Articles of Confederation. Latest Episode Sue Kolinsky Talks Ellen and The Osbournes, Part 2 (Ep. United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp. "U.S. nationals born in American Samoa sue for citizenship", "How a weird law gives one group American nationality but not citizenship", Chi., Burlington & Quincy R.R. "[24], Senator and former 2008 candidate Joe Biden called Obama's speech powerful, truthful, and "one of most important speeches we've heard in a long time." On the one hand, the country could continue to address race "only as spectacle—as we did in the OJ trial—or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina—or as fodder for the nightly news. May 25, 1787, freshly spread dirt covered the cobblestone street in front of the Pennsylvania State House, protecting the men inside from the sound of passing carriages and carts. That anger is not always productive ... it keeps us from squarely facing our own complicity in our condition, and prevents the African-American community from forging the alliances it needs to bring about real change. Co. Murray's Lessee v. Hoboken Land & Improvement Co. Richfield Oil Corp. v. State Bd. The response to the speech from Democratic politicians and activists was largely positive. Seventy-one percent felt that Obama had effectively explained his relationship with the controversial pastor. Courts have referred to it as reliable evidence of the Founding Fathers' intentions regarding the Constitution's meaning and what they hoped the Constitution would achieve. Ry. Co. v. Sys. With Craig Wasson, Michael McGuire, Morgan White, Bruce Newbold. Some characterized the speech as "honest", while others speculated about its possible significance for race relations in the United States. However, Kettl questioned "whether the message will resonate with white working class Pennsylvanians" (Pennsylvania being the next state to vote in the Democratic primaries) and argued that Obama needed to "couple his portrait of race to the broader challenge of economic opportunity" in order to connect with white voters. "[51] The phrase has been construed as affirming that the national government created by the Constitution derives its sovereignty from the people,[52] (whereas "United Colonies" had identified external monarchical sovereignty) as well as confirming that the government under the Constitution was intended to govern and protect "the people" directly, as one society, instead of governing only the states as political units. "[51], CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs commented: "... a speech long on history was shorter on solutions. A More Perfect Union: America Becomes A Nation is the first comprehensive recreation of those stirring, heated debates during the sweltering summer of 1787. "[39][40], Jonathan Alter of Newsweek said that "Barack Obama didn't simply touch the touchiest subject in America, he grabbed it and turned it over and examined it from several different angles and made it personal. Ch 12 The Jackson Era . Of those who had seen or heard the speech, 55 percent were satisfied with Obama's explanation of his relationship with Wright, and 44 percent said they were reassured about Obama's thinking and beliefs on the issue of race. To that end, he called for the African-American community to "[bind] our particular grievances—for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs—to the larger aspirations of all Americans" and for the white community to acknowledge the "legacy of discrimination ... and current incidents of discrimination." In earlier documents, including the 1778 Treaty of Alliance with France, the Articles of Confederation, and the 1783 Treaty of Paris recognizing American independence, the word "people" was not used, and the phrase the United States was followed immediately by a listing of the states, from north to south. Lot 4 J A Jance J P Beaumont Lying in Wait/A More Perfect Union/Trial by Fury+. These people are a part of me. "[75] By May 30, the speech had been viewed on YouTube over 4.5 million times. Donate. [57] These same principles apply to corporate entities,[58] and can implicate the doctrine of exhaustion of remedies. Introductory statement of the US Constitution's fundamental purposes, "We the People" redirects here. Wills argued that "Jeremiah Wright was Obama's John Brown" (Brown was the radical abolitionist from whom Lincoln made a point of disassociating himself). [2] Speaking before an audience at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Obama was responding to a spike in the attention paid to controversial remarks made by Jeremiah Wright, his former pastor and, until shortly before the speech, a participant in his campaign. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table ... occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews. Throughout history, these events have served as markers which one can pinpoint the start of a major event or change. Examples include the "plain meaning rule,". [16] However, this focus on historical understandings of the Constitution is sometimes in tension with the changed circumstances of modern society from the late 18th century society that drafted the Constitution; courts have ruled that the Constitution must be interpreted in light of these changed circumstances. He noted similarities in the political contexts of both speeches: "The men, both lawyers, both from Illinois, were seeking the presidency, despite what seemed their crippling connection with extremists. [77], To know what has come before is to be armed against despair. The poll also found that 35 percent of voters (including 25 percent of Democrats and 27 percent of independents) had doubts about Obama because of his relationship with Wright. "[29], Donald F. 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