THE TELEGRAPH: A radio discussion in which Barack Obama lamented past failures to bring about "redistributive change" as one of the "tragedies" of history has reignited fears he plans to introduce socialist-style economic policies.
Excerpts of his comments, made in the context of discussing historical wrongs against blacks, were broadcast on a radio station in 2001 but emerged on the internet.
In the discussion with Chicago Public Radio, Mr Obama, then just 40 and an obscure state senator and university law lecturer, was speaking about the US Supreme Court and noted that its history meant that "I'm not optimistic about bringing about major redistributive change through the courts".
Although his remarks were heavily analytical and academic, he spoke warmly of the notion of redistributing wealth, suggesting that there were other vehicles that [sic] the courts to achieve it.
"One of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court focused I think there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organising and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that."
The comments emerged as Mr Obama cast himself as representing "hope over fear" and, in a reference to Abraham Lincoln, "a politics that calls on our better angels instead of encouraging our worst instincts".
With the race for the White House entering the final week of a gruelling 21-month campaign, the Democratic nominee, with a comfortable seven-point lead in national polls, sought to portray his Republican rival John McCain as a clone of President George W. Bush.
"When it comes to the economy ... the plain truth is that John McCain has stood with this president every step of the way," the Illinois senator said. "Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he once opposed. Voting for the Bush budgets that spent us into debt. Calling for less regulation 21 times just this year. Those are the facts."
But what aides called his "closing argument" was potentially undermined by the emergence of the 2001 discussion, which was seized on by John McCain's campaign as proof that the Democratic nominee is a dangerous radical. Barack Obama Interview Reignites Fear of Socialist Agenda >>> By Toby Harnden in Pittsburgh | October 27, 2008
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