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Kathleen Reardon: Was Barack Obama’s Response To Rev. Wright Persuasive?

Yes. There was true pain on Barack Obama’s face today and in his gestures. He’d been burned and we’ve all been there. Fortunately for most of us it is a private experience. For Barack Obama, it was all too public.This is learning the hard way. But is there any other way to learn or be reminded how despicable politics can become? Is there any other way to learn that those who appear to be friends - especially in politics — often are not?

We were reminded, too, by Obama’s shock and sadness over his former pastor’s recent speeches that competence is part of leadership, but only the entry cost. It is trial by fire that teaches us how to be strong and to endure pain personally and professionally.

How he comes through this will say much about him. And that’s where his focus should be now.

If he had it to do over, perhaps he would have inoculated voters - prepared them for what Rev. Wright might say and do. It’s usually better to prepare people with counterarguments if you sense a detractor may attempt to do you harm. Instead, Barack took what he saw as the high road. He ended up taking it alone.

He needs to anticipate if Rev. Wright will speak up again. And prepare those who’ll be listening. He didn’t do that yet. It remains to be done.

I’ll take a lot of grief for this, but this is where experience is a good thing. I get what he means when he asserts that experience can mean doing things the same way, but some forms of experience are truly critical to becoming a better leader - to becoming versatile and politically astute. I felt for him today, which may come as a surprise to those who prefer the choosing of sides on all matters political. I’d advise him to not be a purist in a pathological arena. What happened today is why most of us would never consider running for president. He’s chosen to do so. He has to watch his back. He can’t afford to be blindsided again. Being shocked once is understandable. Being so twice by someone he thought a friend will cause many to wonder if he is adequately prepared for the Republicans.

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Questions remain. But his eyes are more open now. He took a difficult stand today. He was specific about the offenses and, as he said, “unequivocal.”That’s to his credit. It must have been extremely difficult. Yet, he did it well.

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