What is a community organizer? And is that fair criticism of Obama?

Question

Here is a fairly balanced description of what Barack Obama did as a "community organizer."

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070416/moberg

The most interesting part of the article is the following snippet, in which Obama himself admits that he may or may not have accomplished much:

"I can't say we didn't make mistakes, that I knew what I was doing," Obama recalled three years ago to a boisterous convention of the still-active DCP. "Sometimes I called a meeting, and nobody showed up. Sometimes preachers said, 'Why should I listen to you?' Sometimes we tried to hold politicians accountable, and they didn't show up. I couldn't tell whether I got more out of it than this neighborhood."

Saying that he was only a "community organizer" - does not imply that he is a bad man - it merely points out that his experience was not as an "executive" with actual responsibilities.

As a response to the Obama's charge that she doesn't have sufficient experience, I believe that it was a fair statement.

What say you???

Here is a link to the group that Obama worked for:

http://www.dcpincorp.org/

Looking at their website even today - it is hard to determine what, exactly it is that they do.

Answer 1

Of course mayor, and a 2 year Govenor is a lot more qualified than a 2 year senator. I say 2 years because he has been on the campaign for 2 years.  

Answer 2

community orgainzier are like girlscouts, but i for one wouldnt want a girl scout running my country

Answer 3

A community organizer is one of those morons that stand out on a corner with a home made sign and bullhorn, that people in their cars laugh at as they drive by!

Answer 4

Some "famous" "community organizers"...

1) Marin Luther King

2) Al Sharpton

3) Jesse Jackson

4) Jerry Wright

Those Community Organizers that she mocked gave literally tens of millions of Americans their right to vote and protect our homes, schools and neighborhoods.

Throughout our history, ordinary people have made good on America's promise by organizing for change from the bottom up. Community organizing is the foundation of the civil rights movement, the women's suffrage movement, labor rights, and the 40-hour workweek. And it's happening today in church basements and community centers and living rooms across America.

Meanwhile, we still haven't gotten a single idea during the entire Republican convention about the economy and how to lift a middle class so harmed by the Bush-McCain policies.

Answer 5

It's a fair criticism that he uses it as executive job experience on his resume. That's a joke. It's a volunteer job. He can't s***w it up. He can't get fired. He just does stuff to help, usually just talk to people.