BlogHer EXCLUSIVE: Barack Obama answers policy questions from women who blog (Video)

May 18, 2008 by Lisa Stone in

Sen. Barack Obama sat down with BlogHer today to answer key policy questions developed by this community of bloggers for 2008 presidential candidates.

In an exclusive on-camera interview with BlogHer, Sen. Obama (D-IL) answers questions about the economy, Iraq, health care and the environment -- including a health-care screening process for every veteran and support for their spouses and families, health insurance coverage for birth control to avoid unwanted pregnancies, and working with China and other countries on climate change, a "major problem."

Sen. Obama is the first presidential candidate to accept our invitation to come on-camera to directly address BlogHer's audience, which now reaches nine million women each month via BlogHer.com and a publishing syndicate of 1,800 blogs. The interview was conducted in Roseburg, Oregon, by Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest, with input from Contributing Editor Kim Pearson.

BlogHer also has extended an open invitation to Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ) to discuss their presidential candidacies with this community.

What do you think of Sen. Obama's answers to your questions and his decision to participate in this community's discussion of Election 2008?

Comments

Time to make the world better

La Diosa May 18, 2008 - 12:07pm

Felicity @ http://www.ladiosadevino.com

I just hope everyone recognizes how important it is to make a change. This is the only world we have and we better take this chance and make it better, if not for us, our children, and their children.

This is so exciting.

lauriewrites May 18, 2008 - 12:10pm

What a remarkable opportunity. And having followed Erin's voice on this election over the past several months I'm even more pleased to see this. Great job!

Sorry you couldn't be there too, Professor Kim...much of what I've learned about interviewing over the past year has been from HER, not my journalism classes. Seriously.

Laurie

LaurieWrites

Great job, Erin!

Katy Chen May 18, 2008 - 12:23pm

Congrats on getting Barack Obama to speak to the blogher community. Doing this interview helps me see him as someone who really cares about women voters and issues. Now, Hillary Clinton needs to speak to us too! Erin, great job on getting the interviewing and conducting it! I'm thrilled to see it!!

An important statement about user opinions AND votes

Lisa Stone May 18, 2008 - 12:55pm

I agree Katy!

By answering these questions, Senator Obama has made an important statement about the value he personally places on voters, our questions and opinions, the communities we reach on our blogs and, ultimately, our votes.

That's a powerful message. Especially since BlogHer is a non-partisan organization that reaches nine million people each month via this site and our publishing network of 1,800 blogs, mostly by women, that span the political spectrum.

As I say above, this is an opportunity to speak directly to the voter that BlogHer also has offered to Candidates Clinton and McCain. We very much hope they will take us up on that offer.

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Go Get 'em Erin!

Shannon Nelson May 18, 2008 - 12:30pm

Great job Erin!

I sincerely hope that he can do everything he mentions here.

Actually accomplishing everything you campaign on--priceless.

A Girl's Gotta Spa!

Makeup Minute

Elite? Nope.

Marilyn May 18, 2008 - 12:33pm

As I tweeted at Twitter after watching this, how many "elite" candidates address high interest rates on PAYDAY LOANS? Barack has his pulse on the needs of everyday Americans in all income brackets.

Great job, Erin. And thank you, BlogHer.

MarilynM at Twitter

Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur

Great job, Erin & BlogHer!

arse poetica May 18, 2008 - 12:59pm

Marilyn, I completely agree. Sen. Obama's addressing predatory lending and the need to protect the economic interests of low-income Americans is as sharp a departure from the oligarchical practices of the Bush presidency as one can get. Change, indeed, and it can't come fast enough.

And I'm particularly grateful for his clear-headed policies about contraception and reproductive health. After the medievel thinking of the last 8 yrs, I'm almost weepy w/ gratitude.

Ayse
(@arsepoetica)

Well done!

Karoli May 18, 2008 - 12:43pm

I appreciate this interview all the more when I contrast it with the way Erin was treated during the blogger call with Senator McCain the day before. It's obvious that the BlogHer concerns are ones Senator Obama takes seriously as well, and that he respects the voices of the many women who are a part of the BlogHer organization.

Thanks to BlogHer and Erin for making the effort to get the interview and all the work in getting it posted. :)

karoli (odd time signatures and bang the drum)

perfect example

macewan May 18, 2008 - 12:43pm

He already gets my vote, but it's nice that he participated in the interview.

Wow... Way to go - both BlogHer & Obama.

GeekMommy May 18, 2008 - 1:37pm

As Erin could tell you - I'm still one of the great "undecided" voters out here.

This interview goes a LONG way in demonstrating Senator Obama's commitment to bringing about change that will incorporate solutiuons for the problems this community (and many others) hold dear.

Congrats - great interview Erin. Great job BlogHer.

Lucretia (aka GeekMommy)

Raising a child in a digital world, still a digital girl

AWESOME

Jill Miller Zimon May 18, 2008 - 1:47pm

Can't wait to watch!

Posted it on my blog and will post at The Moderate Voice as well - I'll link to this post from there.

CONGRATS!

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Great Job Erin and Professor Kim

Megan Smith May 18, 2008 - 1:56pm

Come on John McCain and Hillary Clinton. We won't bite!

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube
Megan's Minute
Video Runway

Great Interview! Thanks for

debdebtig May 18, 2008 - 2:07pm

Great Interview! Thanks for the reminder as to why I voted for Barack Obama. Great questions chosen, thank you.

Deb
Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. ~E.L. Doctorow

It's no secret that I'm not

Staci Schoff May 18, 2008 - 2:09pm

It's no secret that I'm not really that in awe of Obama as many of his supporters are, but it was definitely politically expedient of him to agree to this interview and it's unfortunate if Clinton and McCain squander the opportunity. As a Clinton supporter, I'm particularly disappointed if she refuses.

Code you can use to embed the Obama YouTube video on your blog

Lisa Stone May 18, 2008 - 2:32pm

Hi everyone,

If you're one of the people who has emailed or called me, unable to get the YouTube embed code, try this: Refresh your page and the embed tag should show up at the end of the video

OR just copy this code below:

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EswSmbfhseo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EswSmbfhseo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

I used it...and Erin did a GREAT job.

Catherine Morgan May 20, 2008 - 3:11pm

I used the code and video on my political blog, thanks.

Erin did a GREAT job...way to go!!!!

:-)

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election Blog

Congrats on setting this up

Mary Clare Hunt May 18, 2008 - 2:33pm

I want a president who understands that blogging voices will continue to matter long after the election.

I'm Impressed, w/Obama and BlogHer!

Mama 2 3 Texans May 18, 2008 - 2:41pm

I am so impressed by BOTH Senator Obama and BlogHer. Good for you (and us all!)! I think that Clinton and McCain would be foolish to squander the opportunity to talk to BlogHer.

Jae, Mama 2 3 Kiddos

Erin -- you took it to the hoop!

Kim Pearson May 18, 2008 - 2:45pm

I couldn't be more proud to be a member of the BlogHer political team right now. Erin, Elisa, Denise, Morra, Julie and Lisa put the pedal to the metal to make this happen, and I was honored to be invited aboard.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Very impressive

Liz Rizzo May 18, 2008 - 3:31pm

All around.

I particularly appreciated the thoughts on birth control, education, and the banking industry.

Thanks Erin & BlogHer!

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess.

What a great interview!

MomsFavoriteStuff May 18, 2008 - 4:12pm

I loved it, and how great for Obama to agree to be interviewed by BlogHer.

Jodi

http://www.momsfavoritestuff.com

Some want their vote back!

i_am_pauls_mom May 18, 2008 - 4:32pm

I find this place that we are in in our country the saddest I’ve ever
experienced. I NEVER knew that black preachers actually taught/preached about
whites in their churches. Never. I had NO CLUE.

I saw Obama for the first time and I’ll never forget it. I thought … wow,
what a wonderful well spoken man he is. A fresh face, someone new to Washington,
someone that really seems to ‘get it’, someone that seems like he will really
try to HELP the American people. I was SO THRILLED to find a person that I
really thought BELIEVED in truly helping others and uniting our country. BOY was
I ever wrong! I was shocked to hear the rants of Wright and then to know that
Obama sat in that church for 20 years and his kids - it floored me. Saddened me.
However, like you I am grateful to Obama and Wright to have opened my eyes. Now
when I go shopping and see a black person I look and say ‘hi’ but then…I can’t
help but wonder…”does he/she hate me because I’m white?” I’m not alone..and
neither are you.

I have a link: http://elect2009.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/obama-book-review/
that actually is where his books have been reviewed. It’s a great read and it
truly shows how Obama ‘really’ feels. I’ve researched endless hours actually
trying to figure out HOW in the world did this country ALLOW someone with these
kind of associations run for Commander In Chief.

I know what will make YOU feel better..it did me. It’s an article that “tells
it like it is” is the way I see it. Here’s the link: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25634 it’s an article
that truly “tells it like it is” -

This country truly is in the worst place it’s ever been
racially.

I really don't wish...

nelle2nelle May 18, 2008 - 4:53pm

to be sucked into this thread, but your post highlight prompted my curiosity.

I have no idea if I'm alone... but nope... I don't ponder whether someone hates me for my skin colour. I don't even ponder whether they hate me for being gay, or because of my gender, or anything else - I just work for change.

I *will* ponder the issues that create our human condition, be it the collective condition, or some subset down to the one. I will ponder how to improve lives, how to best advance all of us on things like education, health care and the like.

I'm not out to count my vote in terms of black or white. I'm not out to look at the presidential election with such a divide in place. Not out to say 'OMG, did you see what (insert name here) said, and then act like that is tied squarely to whatever candidate someone perceives they are associated with.

Well, we've all got family, and we've all got friends. Hell, I've even written a blog post titled 'I Am The Problem Relative.' Must others wear our faults or issues around their necks when in public - 'see what my associations hath wrought?'

Each of us stand on our own merits. That I might say something stupid or insensitive or mean does not mean those who are my friends have to live me down - or explain me away.

I'll stand with those who wish to move past skin colour or gay or gender as issues and start looking at all of us as human beings with real concerns, with our having real ability to make change happen.

nelle

I'd encourage you read and watch Obama for yourself

Kim Pearson May 18, 2008 - 4:59pm

The article you cite doesn't make me feel better, because it is not factually accurate.

You are certainly entitled to your feelings about Wright and Obama, but you are not entitled to your own facts. Rather than rely on reviews of Obama's books, why not read them yourself? Rather than rely on others' characterization of his church, why not watch their services -- they are streamed online here: http://www.tucc.org/home.htm. Wright has books as well that detail his views on a variety of subjects, including some of his sermons. I am sure that you can obtain these books through your public library if you don't want to pay for them.

Just so you know my perspective, I wrote this about Trinity United Church of Christ in 2007, and this in 2008. I think this is a good analysis of the most recent episode that led to the final break between Wright and Obama.

Finally, if you want to know what this child of the Black church and occasional online attender of services at TUCC thinks of people who describe themselves as white, perhaps this will help you.

Peace.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

I'm surprised, too

suebob May 18, 2008 - 5:00pm

Given our history of treating black people badly in this country, I am not surprised that many black people don't like or trust white people. What I am surprised by is that so many black people have it in their hearts to trust white people at all.

I disagree

Laracolvin May 18, 2008 - 5:16pm

To IamPaul'sMom,

Before I respectfully disagree with everything you just wrote, I want to applaud BlogHer and the entire political team for working so hard to get this interview accomplished. The points Obama made were succinct and prudent. And I thought he was more specific than he had been in the past. I am already an Obama supporter, but the fact that he was (once again) making history by embracing this interview with BlogHer is icing on the cake for me. If I could "super-size" my vote, I'd order the largest available!

Now, there is one quote of yours I'd like to address:

"This country truly is in the worst place it’s ever been
racially".

It isn't. We do indeed continue to be in a treacherous position, but it would be so much worse if we were still in a place where we couldn't voice our disagreements, our anguish, our doubts about race relations in America. And we certainly need to take a long, deep look at the role our mainstream media plays with this conversation. Yes, some of the snippets we see on TV of Wright may seem crazy. But not considering the context in which they were said (which is difficult for ANYONE to ascertain unless one was there in the pews at the time) is even crazier.

Please, feel free to disagree with those of us whose opinions differ from yours, but do not claim that reading the article you suggested will make everyone feel better. I do NOT want my vote back.

Again, congrats to BlogHer. I'm so excited to be a part of this community.

Notions of Identity

Well said, though I fiind it more and more evident...

KristySF May 19, 2008 - 8:45am

...that the same cannot be said of sexism.

it would be so much worse if we were still in a place where we couldn't voice our disagreements, our anguish, our doubts about race relations in America. And we certainly need to take a long, deep look at the role our mainstream media plays with this conversation.

While I completely agree with you about race relations, I can't help but feel that concerns about sexism in this primary have been silenced or written off. I see precious little discourse on the subject, and the posts/articles I have read seem to be met with ridicule or a "so what?" attitude.

I don't know why this is, although I suspect it has something to do with sexism being more ingrained (and supposedly non-existent?) and therefore harder to identify than racism.

I luuuuuurved this article about it.

(And sorry, I realize this is a bit O/T! Go BlogHer! Go Obama!)

---
Kristy Sammis
BlogHer's Conference & Event Planner
e. kristy@blogher.com

oh seriously...

GeekMommy May 18, 2008 - 10:55pm

Now when I go shopping and see a black person I look and say ‘hi’ but then…I can’t help but wonder…”does he/she hate me because I’m white?”

Are you kidding? Do you think that knowing that the KKK still exists and that there are white supremacist groups all over this country should make every black person who would look at you and say 'hi' back should make them wonder ”does he/she hate me because I’m black?”

Yes I followed your links - and it was pretty clearly slanted material.

Yes, there are racists in the world. There are bigots of all stripes. If we knew more about what most of our friends, family, church congregations, and acquaintances thought, we'd probably be appalled to discover how many of them hold beliefs that we disagree with vehemently.

Sen. Obama has addressed the Rev. Wright issue. It falls about on par with the current Vice-President denouncing homosexuality while still loving his gay daughter.

Now can we get back to the substance of the interview and the points Senator Obama addressed? Hell, I've not voted for him (yet) and may not still... but it was a good interview and he said some pretty amazing things.

This was not the right place for this type of fear-mongering post.

Lucretia (aka GeekMommy)

Raising a child in a digital world, still a digital girl

Having read both books ahead of my vote...

Karoli May 19, 2008 - 2:55am

I can attest to the bias in those book reviews you linked to.

Yes, there are still racists in this country. Yes, there are still old school angry black preachers who call their congregations to take care of the sick, poor and hungry in their own neighborhoods.

My father in law, a fine upstanding, calm, non-shouting white preacher will tell you that the Reverend Wrights in this world served their communities well. He will also tell you that Obama was exactly right to terminate the relationship when he did.

Churches are not about preachers. They're about community. I am a member of a church (and have been for 20 years) where my preacher still preaches against homosexuality from the pulpit. I leave church disagreeing with him as much as I did when I went in on that one issue.

I would no more turn my back on the church community I belong to than I would repudiate gay and lesbian people. Because it's not about the preacher; it's about the community, which has moms of gay guys and sisters of lesbians within it. And yes, I push back whenever he goes down that road, too, by the way.

There are many legitimate reasons to not support Barack Obama. I am not trying to campaign for him. But in a time where we are facing at least one, if not two Supreme Court appointments in the next president's term, in a time where McCain threatens to privatize Social Security, in a time where our sons and daughters are being sent away to a country that didn't attack us and had no means with which to attack us, yet we still make war, Reverend Wright is no criterion upon which to make any decisions.

If I've been harsh, I apologize, but really, people can say anything on the Internet, a la your book review site. Isn't this election year important enough to do your own reading and homework?

karoli

odd time signatures (life)
bang the drum (politics)

Amazing job Erin

Morra Aarons Mele May 18, 2008 - 4:53pm

Obama explains his health care policy and dealing with scarce resources in a very succinct, powerful way here. This is just a great snapshot into his platform. Straightforward, clear.

Brava!

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