On the South Lawn of the White House this morning, President Obama introduced Jim Yong Kim as his choice to lead the World Bank, and in most corners, the selection is being hailed as an inspired move. Kim, the president of Dartmouth College and a renowned expert on global health policy, is also "an anthropologist and a physician who co-founded Partners in Health, a nonprofit that provides health care for the poor, and a former director of the Department of H.I.V./AIDS at the World Health Organization."
Though he will face other candidates for the World Bank post, Kim is considered the overwhelming favorite. Economist Jeffrey Sachs, who has been seeking the same position, announced this morning that he considers Kim a "superb nominee," whom he supports "100%." As for his own candidacy, Sachs thanked those who supported him and said his former backers will be "very pleased with today's news."
The president also spoke briefly to the press after the announcement, and fielded a question on the Trayvon Martin killing.
Though cautious because the matter is still under investigation, Obama said, "Obviously, this is a tragedy. I can only imagine what these parents are going through. And when I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.... If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."
The president added that the matter is under review from law enforcement on a variety of levels, including a Justice Department investigation, and referencing Martin's family, Obama said, "I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves, and we're going to get to the bottom of what happened."
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The comment is nothing short of pitch perfect.
I am sure the propagandists at Fox are rehearsing their criticism of the President. They can't have him make a statment that good unopposed.
Guarantee you they'll be picking up on the "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon" comment and try to spin it into some sort of comment about how he doesn't care about white people.
Bingo and Bingo!!!
I've heard some people on the Fox comment sections call Obama an arrogant narcissist for the "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon" line.
This page is rife with it's own Propaganda !
Go away.
No. He should have expressed regret and sympathy. Assured everyone the the case is being investigated and justice will be served. He should have asked everyone for some civility and let the process play out.
Seeing yourself in someone else is not narcissistic it's empathy. A thing many on the right can not comprehend. Especially Fox News.
33 years ago, Obama himself looked a lot like Trayvon. Today, as the father of two teenagers, he can imagine what it feels like, as a parent, to learn that your child is dead; No-one really knows, unless/until it actually happens, but he was speaking as a father and a human being.
I'm sure Trayvon's family was comforted, at least as much as people who have lost their child could be.
I hope someone on Msnbc covers Geraldo Rivera's comments about Trayvon. He said the hoodie was as responsible for the death as Zimmerman. This is the equivalent of rapists blaming the victim because "look at what she was wearing, she was asking for it."
I think it's disgusting that in the twenty first century you can excuse someone stalking and murdering a man because of how he was dressed.
I suppose Trayvon was guilty of being black and dressing casually.
I'm sick of conservatives and their desire to be praised for being paranoid. They think being scared is a virtue. They stroke their guns and brag about how "they don't trust anyone and they think the world is out to get them, but that's okay because they'll be ready."
It's about time they were ready to face the consequences of their indulgence in fear and aggression.
Geraldo's love of the GOP has always puzzled me, much like it does to see Blacks like Michael Steele and Herman Cain dancing jigs for their masters. It's just wrong wrong wrong.
As if no white people wear hoodies! They are considered hipster when whites wear them, but asking to be killed otherwise?
Even before this incident, you could go to ANY middle school, high school, or college ANYWHERE in America, and find a substantial percentage of the students, male & female and of all races, wearing 'Hoodies'! They aren't quite as common as jeans, but they come pretty close. Watch Rachel's spots on MSNBC - She's usually wearing a hoodie!
The only clothes that MIGHT indicate criminality would be Orange Jumpsuits, or wide horizontal Black & White Stripes!
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Maybe Geraldo is confusing the expression 'Boys in the Hood'?
Actually, wouldn't the Klan be the original 'Boys in the Hoods'?
Geraldo's career is hidden in Al Capone's Vault.
What Geraldo was addressing was how to dress given the environment where you are. While hoodies are fashionable, if you have street smarts, you know how to dress, where to be, and at what time. A group of school children wearing hoodies during the day in a school yard are not suspicious. A group of young men wearing hoodies at night on a street corner in Harlem, NY late at night may draw suspicion. Wearing a hoodie inside a gated community at night may draw suspicion.
All Geraldo was saying, given his own NY street sense, is be aware of your surroundings and don't draw attention to yourself. I don;t believe he was blaming the victim
It is absolutely about blaming the victim.
All my life I have had to be aware of my body language in stores, so that people wouldn't accuse me of stealing. All my life I have had to be conscious of my body language dealing with people, because I was bigger than them and I knew that I would automatically be considered a bully, a threat.
Someone shorter and lighter decides to kick my ass, I get the blame because I'm the big dark guy.
This country has different justice systems for different people. Trust is apportioned out based on race and other demographic factors. It is not fair, it is not even close to fair.
It's extremely difficult to live in a world where you have to be constantly aware of your surroundings, because of the majority's shirking of their responsibility to not indulge in knee-jerk paranoia.
It's a burden, and of course, it's always a burden you should teach to your children, because they need to know how to behave in a way in public to keep people from attacking them or accusing them.
However, when it doesn't work, it is not the fault of the victim, you don't say, "he didn't do enough to placate the attacker's paranoia." That's cruel, senseless and ridiculous.
It's faulty logic, to say that "Because you should always do what you can to look non-threatening, it follows that if you get shot that means you failed and it was your fault."
It's the same faulty logic that makes people think "Because you should always do what you can to not get raped, it follows that if you do get raped, it was your fault."
That is what Geraldo was implying.
Have they no shame? Forgive them Father for they know not what they do. What is sad is their attempt to say something about this tragedy a young man has passed away and God is trying to explain to him why. He entered heaven not understanding why he was killed. Do you think God gave mention to the hoodie?or perhaps he told the young man the truth. The truth which is too hard for us to bear or even believe. There is a greater evil at work here. Rascism is a disease. My Dad was your typical Archie Bunker. But, he voted for Barack Obama. I am so proud of my Dad for denouncing rascism. He said he put his hope for the future and his family. We as humans naturally think you are different from me because you look different. What our ancestors did was to treat other human beings horribly just because they looked different. There has been some form of prejudism or rascism against almost every different culture or country. or lifestyle. Just because we are different We are all Gods' children. He probably hopes that one day we will embrace the differences.
In White Plains, New York we are working for an wider investigation of a police officer who shot and killed Kenneth Chamberlain, a 68 year old veteran Marine and former correction officer, in his home in response to a medic alert.
Mr. Chamberlain refused assistance and Medic Alert cancelled the call, but after one hour, White Plains Police (12, including a Lt and 2 Sgts, broke down Mr. Chamberlain's Door, hit him with a beanbag shot gun and taser, before putting 2 bullets in his chest. Relatives were not allowed to intervene. What happened in WP Housing Authority housing was recorded by hall cameras, by the taser AV, and an audio taken by Medic Alert. The family and their attorneys have heard the audio which contain expletives and the "N...." word in response to Mr. Chamberlain's request that police lea.
There was no criminal predicate to enter his home. Video shows Mr. Chamberlain dressed only in his boxers, arms at his sides. No police commands are recorded. To date the officers' identities are not known and none have been relieved from patrol assignment. Progress of a grand jury is not known.
This illustrates that racially based assaults are not limited to the streets or to younger Black men wearing hoodies. The community has organized an organization Network for Police Accountability. I sit on the steering committee as a lawyer and community activist. We have decided our activities will be state wide in view of other incidents and the scope of problems with implementation of police use of force guidelines. In Westchester, only Scarsdale is federally recognized as having a compliant protocol. Westchester County Public Safety recommendations have not been implemented in White Plains or other communities.
Westchester is also the site of a HUD fair housing settlement with a Judicial Monitor in view of lack of access to housing and failure to address racial bias as a barrier to fair housing. Our County Executive cut the entire budget for African-American and Latino constituency offices in the County.
Wow, I have nothing to say but go you.
why didn't this splash all over the media. what kind of police state are we living in?
This President is ever elegant, cautious and fair in his statements. I must say that it is a pleasure to witness in comparison with the last devil-dog who disgraced the White House.
This is the MOST racist page I have ever seen!
So...you're saying, then, that this is the only page you've ever read? Hard to believe, but you'd know that better than we do.
@Nanette Gambone,
Rove, is that you?
Lol nice.
She was being sarcastic.
Read her extensive list of past posts, then try again.
Rivera got it wrong and the president got it just right.
Rachel & readers, I was basically raised in Lake City Fl and know how bigoted the South can be. It's not right and the critics are right if this was an African-American who was the shooter the cops would have simply said, "Tell it to the Judge." I am so very glad however surprised that something like this hasn't happened that has made national news since this law was enacted back in 2005.
We must not forget that our children are our future. Unfortunately this young man, by all accounts, was a smart and very talented young man that left this life way too early! Situations such as the lose of a child that does bring everyone's attention to the terrible consequences of laws that are passed without regard to those who would possibly abuse the law and the fallout of such a law.
If all of the Republican lead houses all over the United States that are trying to pass laws that would drastically effect it's citizens in a bad way then this should be considered first not later. Because you can prevent accidents from happening but you can't take back the consequences of not looking at the prevention first. Just a thought.
The President is correct. We need to get to the bottom of this.
Ms. Martin said, "This is a right and wrong thing."
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Off topic:
Mr President, how do you feel about the Oklahoma authorities ensuring the local Native Americans were literally caged miles away from you for their protest to have continued inclusiveness in possible route alternatives and monitoring of the pipeline from Cushing through their heritage sites?
Was it for your protection? Were you fearful of them?
I saw the original clip on yahoo news, and was shocked at the comments. About 40% of the comments slammed The President - he was "grandstanding", he was trying to take over state and local matters, and of course, he hates white people! Ye Gods!! Our boat is sinking and 40% of the passengers insist on drilling some new holes.
So far, the President is one of the few public people who has shown, up to now, that he values everyone and is seeking equality and justice for all. Overall, we are very lucky to have him.
Unfortunately, it is the nature for many of us to be prejudicial towards those we identify with on one level or another, with no second thoughts for those unlike us. If we ever get past that, we may be able to have some #realtalk #racetalk, and learn to overcome racism, as well as our own biases.
I watch it live and thought "Wow President Obama got it perfect saying in other words what people have been saying all along that being that it could have been our kids" and as people have posted already if you go to Glenn Beck's The Blaze website the post are reading like a White Supremacist message board one post even suggesting that Trayvon attacked Zimmerman and he was defending himself. I believe those post and The Blaze being a mainstream site should be covered at a full blown story
I clicked the "like" button quite by mistake.
New troll alert, born today, 3/23/2012. Katy264 re-reg?
Media looks like they refuse to let go of the need to dissect the laws that endanger us all. Thank God.
Obama addresses the killing of a black teenager while introducing an Asian man as his choice to lead the World Bank. How long is it going to take the right wing to use this as "proof" that the president hates white people?
Considering the shooter and his family self-identify as hispanic heritage, I hope not much.
The president has declared his kinship with Trayvon Martin. Hundreds of federal investigators will now descend on Sanford, making sure that a presidential kinship is not broken. Zimmerman and the Sanford authorities will be charged with enough civil right violations to imprison them for years. Zimmerman will become the star witness against those that helped him escape punishment; in return he will be put under the witness protection program and disguised as a peon in some suburban Mexican ghetto.
Is that how white people do it? I understand the non arrest of the white Z.immerman
A drunk driver faces manslaughter charges without question, and have their license pulled if they kill someone while driving drunk. To think if they only claimed self defense..........
On a lighter note, Rachel, if you do cover the Kim nomination to the World Bank, please include part of this awesome video of him performing "Time of My Life" in the Dartmouth Idol competition.
Boycott any company that supports Geraldo Rivera!!
Are there any, other than Fox?
Nanette Gambone, (Post 4:1)
For a couple of reasons I do not engage in name calling with anyone or attempt to demean them in-any-way for voicing their opinions.
First, name calling in any discussion is rude, unproductive and would diminish or completely negate my opinions/observations. In addition, such behavior seems to be detrimental to my overall health. The few times I engaged in such childish antics resulted in irrational anger, elevated blood pressure and a lingering grumpiness.
My solution, when I feel compelled to respond a mean spirited statement is to calmly explain why I disagree or if the remarks are outrageously beyond-the-pale I simply deem that posting “rubbish” or in an extreme case “pure rubbish”.
Therefore:
Your #4.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:14 PM PDT posting stating “This is the MOST racist page I have ever seen!” is hereby pronounced “rubbish”.
Beautifully said!!!
I think she was being sarcastic.
This nation is becoming truly scary. I feel for the president, super moderate and yet people hate him, why? Is it because he is black? That may be some part of it, or is it the way party politics is played in today's age? I think college should be free (what a snob), that way more americans could be taught to think objectively. Now that I think of it, that would be the liberal agenda teaching people to be objective, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Proud of our President. He speaks so well off the cuff...this is one of those times he communicates multiple important, meaningful nuances of the situation effortlessly. It is hilarious to see him as narcissistic here...his primary focus is on comforting the parents...he says he is mainly speaking to them. He said...if I had a son he'd look like that....to remind them how much HE, the President of the US, can understand and empathise with them. He is thinking of the parents here and giving them that bonding.
In my graduate nursing education they called that the 'theraputic sharing of self". You share yourself, reveal self and feelings, only in the instances/for the purpose where it is good for the client/patient or the relationship, not for yourself.
It's amazing the "teleprompter' criticism still has legs on the Right. It proves where they're head is. They block out all data that does not match their preconcieved notions. It's one negative part of human nature, but how they do it in this example is so extreme. Et voila!
Great post. Thank you.
@ Nanette exactly what I would expect a racist to say.
I am a grandmother from the suburbs of Philadelphia. I can hardly breathe over the murder of this boy. It’s like a wound that is open and bleeding. My heart bleeds for his mother. Like a sleeping dragon, George Zimmerman has awoken the pain and injustice of bigotry that is no longer acceptable in this world. I have a son. He doesn’t look like Trayvon, but Trayvon Martin is my son. My children are not black. But my grandchildren are. Zimmerman is wise to stay hidden.
I am a grandmother from the suburbs of Philadelphia. I can hardly breathe over the murder of this boy. It’s like a wound that is open and bleeding. My heart bleeds for his mother. Like a sleeping dragon, George Zimmerman has awoken the pain and injustice of bigotry that is no longer acceptable in this world. I have a son. He doesn’t look like Trayvon, but Trayvon Martin is my son. My children are not black. But my grandchildren are. Zimmerman is wise to stay hidden.
I am a grandmother from the suburbs of Philadelphia. I can hardly breathe over the murder of this boy. It’s like a wound that is open and bleeding. My heart bleeds for his mother. Like a sleeping dragon, George Zimmerman has awoken the pain and injustice of bigotry that is no longer acceptable in this world. I have a son. He doesn’t look like Trayvon, but Trayvon Martin is my son. My children are not black. But my grandchildren are. Zimmerman is wise to stay hidden.
Has anybody questioned who raised the question to Obama, and why? Obama spent two and a half minutes answering the only question he took after spending four and a half minutes introducing Jim Yong Kim. Does anybody believe Obama and his staff are above orchestrating this photo opp? (This little "event" wasn't even on the official White House schedule, yet it sure got the right message in the press.