Analysis of Finding Hope and Reality in Obamas Speech at Selma by Gwen Ifil - Article Example

Annotation Entry Citation Article topic: Finding hope and reality in Obama’s speech at Selma Program Host: Gwen Ifil of publication: March 9, 2015
Basic website: pbs.org
Summary
Gwen Ifil engages Nia-Malika Henderson of The Washington Post and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report about President Obama’s speech at the 50th anniversary of the bloody protest at Selma, Alabama as well as the impact of Hillary Clinton’s use of personal emails on the 2016 presidential race. Gwen begins by acknowledging that the president’s speech had a lot of political impact even as he addressed the recent issues that have faced the country based on police shootings and racial biasness in the security and judicial systems. In his speech, President Obama acknowledged the fact that there is no need to have the Ferguson’s report to establish the truth that racial discrimination still exist in the current generation. Nia-Malika views that part of the speech as a way by which the president is making a call that people need to be cowards but focus on the past and not just the events of Ferguson to justify the existence of racial discrimination. Gwen reflects on the recent statement by the attorney general at the same event and asks if that is a responsibility or a burden to the first black president. In giving her response, Amy says that it is both a burden as well as a responsibility but admits that the speech by the president sought to offer hope and the realization not all is lost in the quest for a generation of impartial racial treatment. She admits that inequality still exist in the America society and it is closely tied to education and income.
Gwen proceeds on another part of the speech in which the president directed his statements on close to 100 members of the Congress in the wake of their call to renew the voting rights Act. The president acknowledged the fact that the voting rights Act was one of the greatest achievement of American democracy which was as a result of the efforts by both the Republicans and the Democrats. The act was signed by various former presidents such as Reagan and Bush while they were in the Oval Office. Henderson argues that the statement has a lot of impact among the Republicans whom she considers to be a bit different from those of the past hence they are likely to show a different view of the Act. Amy considers the Act to be partially partisan in relation to geographical distribution of the various races in the Unites States. On the part of Hillary Clinton using her personal emails for official duties, Amy comments that she has to stand out on her own to defend herself without expecting the help of anyone.
Evaluation
The interview by Gwen is very useful as it offers a deeper understanding of the speech by president Barrack Obama in the 50th anniversary of the bloody protest at Selma commonly referred to as the bloody Sunday. The interactive segment allows viewers to shape their opinion based on the key areas that the president of the United States sought to highlight. It offers a challenge to the prevailing issue of racial discrimination which is a very controversial topic in the nation currently. The voices involved in the speech offers a high degree of credibility since the two analysts being interviewed are well established in their respective fields and they work with reputable organizations. It is indeed very interesting to watch as it also offers some flashback of the speech by the president hence breaking the monotony. The journalist has clearly followed some of the ethics of the SPJ code of ethics which is evident by the manner in which she engages the panelists in the interview with a firm and direct approach.
Work Cited
http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/web-video/finding-hope-and-reality-obama’s-speech-selma Read More