Barack Obama took some time on Father's Day to tell black men how to be better dads.
CHICAGO -- Barack Obama celebrated Father's Day by calling on black fathers, who he said are "missing from too many lives and too many homes," to become active in raising their children.
"They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it," the Democratic presidential candidate said Sunday at a largely black church in his hometown.
Reminding the congregation of his firsthand experience growing up without a father, Obama said he was lucky to have loving grandparents who helped his mother. He got support, second chances and scholarships that helped him get an education. Obama's father left when he was 2.
"A lot of children don't get those chances. There is no margin for error in their lives," said Obama, an Illinois senator.
"I resolved many years ago that it was my obligation to break the cycle — that if I could be anything in life, I would be a good father to my girls," added Obama, whose daughters, Sasha and Malia, and his wife, Michelle, watched from the audience.
Obama's appearance at the Apostolic Church of God was his first address to a church since he ended his membership at Trinity United Church of Christ, where he had worshipped for 20 years, following inflammatory remarks there by his former longtime pastor and others.
Obama frequently emphasized the importance of God in his life and ended the speech by asking the congregation to "Pray for me. Pray for Michelle."
...He said parents who proudly tell him their child gets great grades, all B's, should encourage them even more.
"All B's? Is that the highest grade?" Obama said. "It's great that you can get a B, but you can get a better grade. It's great that you've got a job, but you can get a better job."
Obama is asking for prayers. I suppose he wouldn't mind if people sent a little cash donation to his campaign along with their prayers.
So is the Apostolic Church of God going to be Obama's new church?
Maybe he'll hold off on becoming a member of another congregation in Chicago, planning on D.C. being his permanent residence soon.
I don't think it was an accident that Obama chose his first address at a black church since he left Trinity United to be one admonishing black fathers.
I think Obama wanted to send the message that voters should not associate him with the bigotry and hate speech that was preached at his previous spiritual home.
Although he was at a largely black church yesterday, he chose to challenge the congregation rather than woo them. I think he's trying to make up for ignoring all the prejudices and divisiveness he swallowed for so many years at Trinity United.
This certainly wasn't the first time Obama has told blacks to shape up.
For example, back in February, Obama had this to say while speaking to a mostly African-American audience in Beaumont, Texas:
"It's not good enough for you to say to your child, 'Do good in school,' and then when that child comes home, you got the TV set on, you got the radio on, you don't check their homework, there is not a book in the house, you've got the video game playing," said Obama while in Beaumont, in southeast Texas.
"So turn off the TV set, put the video game away. Buy a little desk or put that child by the kitchen table. Watch them do their homework. If they don't know how to do it, give them help. If you don't know how to do it, call the teacher. Make them go to bed at a reasonable time. Keep them off the streets. Give 'em some breakfast. Come on. ... You know I am right."
..."I've got to talk about us a little bit," said Obama. "We can't keep on feeding our children junk all day long, giving them no exercise. They are overweight by the time they are 4 or 5 years old, and then we are surprised when they get sick."
Obama -- who exercises and is careful about what he eats -- said obese children need to improve their nutrition habits, invoking the name of a chain that makes delicious fried chicken.
"I know how hard it is to get kids to eat properly," Obama said. "But I also know that if folks letting our children drink eight sodas a day, which some parents do, or, you know, eat a bag of potato chips for lunch, or Popeyes for breakfast.
"Y'all have Popeyes out in Beaumont? I know some of y'all you got that cold Popeyes out for breakfast. I know. That's why y'all laughing. ... You can't do that. Children have to have proper nutrition. That affects also how they study, how they learn in school."
Should Obama be Parent-in-Chief? It seems odd for a presidential candidate to give out such specific parenting advice.
I wonder if he delivers the same message to mostly white crowds. Does he tell them to feed their kids properly? Does he tell them to put their children to bed at a reasonable time?
Obama's message could be construed as condescending.
I can't imagine John McCain speaking to a largely African-American audience and saying the things that Obama did.
Obama is applauded for taking to task black fathers and the black community. If McCain said the same things, I think there would be a dramatically different response.
It's not easy being McCain.
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