I will say this, Ralph Nader probably shouldn't have said what he said. However, I think Obama has got to get back to the issues. Nonstop, everyday he feels the need to defend himself and that only takes away from the job at hand. If he's elected President, he will have to do the job and ignore the insults and daily rantings of people who have critical things to say. He can't defend and respond to what he said, she said, every single day if elected President.

Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.

Nadar is destroying his legacy about as bad as Bill Clinton did this past year. Obama is correct when he said Nadar is saying this stuff because no one is paying any attention to him whatsoever. He runs for President to get the public financing to spend,spend,spend. Nadar is quite a spectacle..............but no dummy...........hey, just run for President and they'll give you 84 million dollars to blow................

I think Nadar's comments appear to be one thing on the surface, but there is a really sick, racist undercurrent going on here.

Obama said last week that there will be ads, etc. designed to "make you afraid of me". That's exactly what this is. Nadar is trying to put the thought in people's heads that Obama is SAYING that he wants to bring all people together......... but just wait until after the election....

Nadar is trying to get people to think, oh no, if Obama wins he will only be interested in African-American issues (for instance, the ones Nadar listed). He won't be interested in my problems as a white, latino, asian, etc.

It's a sick, manipulative ploy – trying to make people fear an African-American man. I trust people are smart enough to see through it.

Disgusting.

Nader is destroying his legacy about as bad as Bill Clinton did this past year. Obama is correct when he said Nader is saying this stuff because no one is paying any attention to him whatsoever. He runs for President to get the public financing to spend,spend,spend. Nader is quite a spectacle..............but no dummy...........hey, just run for President and they'll give you 84 million dollars to blow................

Nader's comments are some what right on, but somewhat wrong. I believe people are only going to vote for someone they can understand, if that's white talk, maybe it's too blunt for American ears. Obama has to use white guilt, would you blame any other politician using political ammo as a weapon?

I was hoping Nader wasn't going to get any attention this time so he would be marginalized and less likely to pull any significant votes his way. As far as his charge I'd like Nader to produce explicit examples of this to back up his charge. Until he does its just the ranting of a man who doesn't know when to quit running for an office he will never win.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

I think Ralph Nadar is a very unhappy man that wants nothing more than to make everyone else as unhappy as he is, without thinking what he might be doing to his country for the next 4 years.

With the remarks he's made about Berack Obama, I wouldn't want him as a friend.

Like it or not, I think Nader is just putting a voice to what many Americans are probably thinking but don't have the guts to say out loud.

I love how Obama slams Nader and then compliments him all in the same sentence!

well put, Lorie Ann. Obama has to put on the hippo skin = get tougher, brush of what he does not like, otherwise he will be haunted by people, and he cannot expect that everyone will love him.

also:
it is a lot of racism on the surface and under in these elections. This is first time for me being in USA when I hear so much about racism. Kind of disturbing, and I cannot relay to it. It is non familiar to me.

Obama has played the race card from the beginning. If its ok for Obama to play the race card so can white people. I am sick of Obama playing the victim.

Ralph Nadar knows in his heart, he could never win an election. He might be trying to make a name for himself that will go down in the history books as the man that kept an African-American from being the President of the United States, in 2008. I personally wouldn't want that kind of stigma to follow my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, in the history books. That would be a sick thing for a human being to do.

The purpose of Nader's comments, were, I believe, to put "a bug in the ear" of African-American voters. To provoke anger and resentment towards Obama, and as a result to sway their votes his way. He will , I think, try to remain relevent anyway he can

I believe that Ralph Nader needs to go back from where he came and stop messing-up important elections. Why now?

Too many soldiers with personal problems that ends up with somebody dead what is wrong? But not enough money in the government to help?

Prescription drugs for all! Even children could buy them? Parents of america needs to keep more close eyes on their kids. The drug companies better expect law suit in the future.

What I don't understand is how all the news networks are giving Nadar all this massive free exposure for his racist rant...yes, racist! If Obama is to be President of all of us, why doesn't he address McCain as well as Obama if he feels these are real issues. (And actually, they are, but to ALL people, not just black people) "Speaking white" indeed; Nadar is "speaking crap" to gather attention to himself, and you all certainly played right into it!!

I would have had more respect for Obama if he had responded to the issues spoken of by Nader, rather than attacking Nader himself. The more I listen to him (Obama) the more he reveals his lack of wisdom.

Blessings!

I don't understand the implication here. I'm a very confused African American.......what is he saying? What does "talk white" mean? Is he saying that Senator Obama is articulate and this is unusual.........I'm lost. What does appealing to "white guilt" mean.

White Americans have no reason to feel guilty today. CNN, can you ask for clarity, please?

I really don't believe that anyone needs to do anything to point out that the nature of what Ralph Nadar is doing is just plain wrong and unhelpful to all the people of our country. No one needs to do anything to help him sink his own ship, and it's going down for good this time. He made some good contributions long ago, but his recent comments on Obama and race are the last straw: He is creating his final legacy right now (and the one that he will be remembered by forever). Let the U.S.S. Nadar sink.

I also agree that Ralph Nader should not have made those racially divisive comments. However, I am glad he did. It only shows his true colors. It's interesting that he chose to single out Obama for issues that not only concern black people but Americans in general. Why didn't he aim those comments towards McCain? What is 'talking white'? For the life of me, I could never understand what it means to talk white. Let's not forget that Obama is running for the American Presidency, not African American Presidency. I would love for Obama to focus on the issues at hand. However, it is very difficult to talk about what's really important when the media, etc. are constantly badgering Obama about his race. Obama is not constantly bringing up his race, everyone else is.

Nadar go home...you are an impediment to restoring an accountable government to the White House. Keep up the comments and you only undermine our chance to have an accountable government without the shameful baggage GWB and gang have left behind.

Nader is wrong and is wasting his money and those who support him all what 300 people, everybody is talkin about race and religion in this election and some issues here and there, but never forgetting to as they say play the "Race Card" or the term I heard today "Post Race Card". People want to know who Obama is ,he is letting you know yes I am black and a American before he is attacked in negative ads for being so. Nader run this back to your supporters I am running against the first African American in the history of this nation who wants to change how Washington is run so that we can get things done and move in new directions that have been cut off or just ignored by the Bush Administration.

Nader is right. Candidate Obama has said nothing about the plight of inner city populations. He has no first hand knowledge of how very desperate are the “wonder years” of Black youths.

Why isn’t anyone defending Ralph Nader’s constitutional right to express his opinion. Remember Freedom of Speach? Are we at the point in our society that we can no longer say anything that isn’t politically correct? HORSE HOCKEY. We have gone too far. Ralph Nader has nothing to apologize for.

What has happened to Nader? I once respected his defense of the American consumer, though often wished he would opt out of presidential politics and quit spoiling the election...

But to insinuate that being black and running for president comes with some requirement that you have to speak "ghetto" and root for "black power" is ludicrous and so disrespectful! The office of President is for ALL the people, whatever your color is as a candidate.

What would a Nader presidency equate to? Shame on you Ralph Nader!

Obama is half white and was raised by whites, therefore he does not see black issues, he sees america's issues. I do not care that he is
multi ethnic or bi-racial, as long as he attempts to resolve the issues
affecting America on a domestic and global scale, that will be good enough for all of us in this country.

He probably thinks it's a bad idea to have a President with divided loyalties.

He also implied that BO's an Uncle Tom.

This is the most entertaining election season ever. With McCain proving his senility with "EBay is the future" and other assorted gems, it won’t be long before the Great [Black/White] Hope gets to work his “magic.”

Ralph Nader needs to be on antidepressants, as well as take a vacation and do some yoga. Maybe then his senses will be restored
and he will have some semblance of coherence and lucidity.

Obama has nothing to worry about except winning the hearts of the
American people.

While Senator Obama needs to defend smear tactics, the media needs to ignore Nadar completely. The more we discuss it, the more attention he gets.
While I agree Obama cannot respond to every comment by detractors, this is what did in John Kerry in 2004. . If he had responded strategically to the Swiftboat accusations, perhaps history would be different today. This has been the most scrutinized, analysed and exaggerated campaign in the history of the US. By now the average ciizen would be fed-up with the plethora of smears on the candidates, especally Obama. The media only adds to this when they pick up every nonsensical story in their quest for ratings and viewers. Fox is the worst! The are actively doing their 'worst' to ensure Obama looks bad in the public eye. AC, I dare you to agree...:))

Here is a history Lesson for All America:

Beyond Barack Obama: The Revival & Rise of The Amazing…Shirley Chisholm- Presidential Candidate of 1972, The Original Catalyst of Change and Our Political Leader Forever.

factxchange.wordpress.com

Ralph Nader is an idiot. He basically called Obama an "Uncle Tom". I think Obama is the greatest person that has run for president in my lifetime and I'm no spring chicken.

The meaning of talking white, Nader means obama is white-washing the issues of Black america.

On the Issue of Race, let us not just promote the latest political celebrity .

Although Barack Obama is the latest Black American political figure, he is very, very, very, very far from being the greatest…Shirley Chisholm gave America the change to become a united country so let us not keep the country divided covering up her magnificent, ground breaking and unprecedented campaign

Nader is the reason why we (USA) is lacking in knowledge when it comes to the race war. There is a place for people like him – ALONE!