Barack Obama responded to Reverend Wright’s weekend long media blitz today and called a press conference in NC to respond to some of the comments Wright has made. He came out clearly and forcefully repudiated Wright’s National Press Club appearance by saying that this is not the person I met twenty years ago…
Seeing Wright go on Moyers Friday night—at first, I didn’t understand why he’s doing this. Why did he need to come out now and use such loaded rhetoric that the media would pounce on? In the middle of a ugly primary race, he makes himself the story for another three news cycles. Then after I watched his National Press Club appearance, I wondered if he was actually trying to hurt Obama’s chances of winning even the primary because his ego wouldn’t allow him to hang back until December to have his say. It seems Obama has the same feelings.
BO: I want to use this press conference to make people absolutely clear that obviously whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed, as a consequence of this. I don’t think that he showed much concern for me. I don’t — more importantly — I don’t think he showed much concern for what we’re trying to do in this campaign and what we’re trying to do for the American people and with the American people. And obviously, he’s free to speak out on issues that are of concern to him and he can do it in any ways that he wants. But I feel very strongly that — well, I want to make absolutely clear that I do not subscribe to the views that he expressed. I believe they are wrong. I think they are destructive. And to the extent that he continues to speak out, I do not expect those views to be attributed to me.
I know many liberals might not think that Rev. Wright was much of a problem earlier, because they could argue the snippets used were out of context, and McCain had his own pastor problems as well, but we’ve already seen how the GOP has generated nasty ads that they are using against him. Think how bad it will be by October.
By coming out so visibly now and without restraint, didn’t Rev.Wright understand that this can only hurt Barack Obama because of the sick right wing noise machine and a media that is not interested in covering the policies that will actually affect our lives? It’s the “gotcha” game and he’s only feeding the beast.
The NC ads are only the beginning and all McCain has to do is say that he’s against them. The media is McCain’s ally and will say he’s so wonderful that he spoke out against them while they continue to run them over and over again.
Obama: Yesterday we saw a very different vision of America. I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday. You know, I have been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ since 1992. I have known Reverend Wright for almost 20 years. The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate and I believe that they do not portray accurately the perspective of the black church. They certainly don’t portray accurately my values and beliefs. And if Reverend Wright thinks that that’s political posturing, as he put it, then he doesn’t know me very well. And based on his remarks yesterday, well, I may not know him as well as I thought either.
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How is he going to blame his twenty year tour of his pastor’s church on Hillary? Don’t worry he’ll find a way. He’s blamed her for all the other crap he has done. How in the world people and support such a person who continued to go to a church where the preacher damned America and urged his congregation to hate whites. And now the good old boys have their head up his butt and rant and rave about Hillary. Gee..what a crock.
“Didn’t Rev.Wright understand that this can only hurt Barack Obama because of the sick right wing noise machine and a media that is not interested in covering the policies that will actually affect our lives? It’s the ” gotcha” game and he’s only feeding the beast. ”
the interesting thing, though, is that really, beyond obama’s fortunes this political season or even who gets to be president, really, the underlying problem is that this sick right-wing noise machine exists and how we somehow find the way to cure the country of it.
but i think obama’s handled this really well, as usual.
I’m glad Obama is clearly stating that he’s angry. I’m not sure whether that will shut up Rev. Wright, or if it will egg him on. I too can only imagine that it’s his ego that is driving him to the spotlight b/c he’s clearly not stupid. I actually had a lot of respect for Rev. Wright when the “controversy” emerged, but not any more.
How convenient.
When this whole thing first reared its head, Senator Obama tried to be loyal to his minister. He gave him somewhat of a pass. Sadly, Rev Wright did not return the loyalty and instead he saw an opportunity to further his own ego and notoriety at Senator Obama’s expense.
I truly believe that Senator Obama is angry but more than that, he is hurt.
The sad irony is that a black minister has potentially crippled the chance of the U.S. electing the first black president because (extremely sad irony here) racist comments. Unbelievable.
So, the Republicans and the MSM got the Dem’s fighting against each other… now they have one fighting against their pastor. This is brilliant s*%#!
Just keep drowning the real issues while Rome (Iraq) burns.
Ya know what I find interesting……..I have no idea who George W. Bush’s, Dick Cheney’s, John McCain’s or Hillary Clinton’s Reverend, Pastor, Minister or Priest is. Have they all been invited to speak at the National Press Club? Have they all been asked to share their religious and political views with the American people? Have all of their past preachings, teachings and words been thoroughly vetted and characterized? Or is Barrack Obama’s Reverend the only one under the news media’s microscope?
Congrats Marge!
You’ve bought the right wing crap, hook line and sinker.
Guilt by association. Nothing more. Nothing less.
May I assume you have similar thoughts about McCain and Hagee?
My initial thought when I saw the latest ranting was that Wright is trying to PROVE he’s right about the status quo of the racial divide within this country and that it isn’t going to change without vitrol, so that what Barack is doing to try and change it is going to fail. Like Wright is the only one that can fix the problem and some upstart named Barack Obama isn’t going to steal his limelight. It seems to be deliberate sabotage to me…and add the fact a Hillary supporter is sponsoring all this…well…its fishy.
I need help!
I need to know if Barack admitted to smoking crack in his biography?
A vicious rumor is circulating, and I have not read his book yet, and cannot find anything credible on the intertubes to confirm or debunk this smear. I’ve heard he admitted to using cocaine, but did he smoke crack? I’m trying to defend him.
suz: yeah, it strikes me as weird too. wright seems to be deliberately trying to sabotage obama for reasons that aren’t totally clear.
How is he going to blame his twenty year tour of his pastor’s church on Hillary?
Huh? Obama never blamed anyone for the affliation. In fact he took responsibility for the relationship and until now he didn’t throw Wright under the bus. Although, Wright did look pretty cozy with the Hillary supporter at the National Press Club.
With that said, Wright’s recent tour has given Obama a prime opprtunity to now disavow any current ties. Convenient yes, but even Wright indicates that Obama is a politician. Let’s hope that it will soon run its cycle. A one day story has been dragged out for months and it is making it nearly impossible to watcg cable news. MSNBC has about 5 hours coverage of this a day. Huh again?
ProJecKt2501 @ 11:
Whey don’t you spend your time bringing to light beer slut heiress Cyndi’s addiction to and theft of narcotics. That would be easier to research on the “intertubes.”
Marge @ 1:
I really don’t know what to say, your brain must work entirely different than mine. He has “blamed all the other crap on Hillary”? Rev Wright “urged his congregation to hate whites”? I don’t know, you should seek some kind of help with your dilutions.
It’s darling how John makes it clear that anyone and everyone who would dare criticize His Holiness The Second Coming is part of the “sick right wing noise machine.”
Jeremiah Wright Plays ‘The Dozens’
Black man A says X. Therefore, Black man B says X. Transitive property.
ProJecKt2501
Did you hear the one about Hillary being a lesbian? Did you hear the one about Hillary making a contract with Bill that he could fuck around as long he did not destroy their political aspirations….
The problem with rumors, is that they are like chicken feathers. once you have scattered them all over town, it is very difficult to get them back, after the winds get a hold of them.
Suz in KS @ 10:
Yes, the sponsorship by a Hillary supporter is ugly, but hey, better now than in October. deal with it now and let it sink down the memory hole long before November.
I’m afraid Rev. Wright is a douche bag. He seems to enjoy being center stage and entertaining us with his vocal impressions. However, he had to know that opening his mouth could do nothing but hurt Obama.
Obama may actually benefit from this if he plays it correctly. Guess we’ll see.
Of course the talking heads are saying did this come too late. They can’t seem to see anything through any means other than politics.
The speech came today because over the past few days Obama realized that the man he defended was now happy to destroy him. Hell yes he should be mad. But when your minister lets you down, that really does have to hurt. I mean seriously.
As for his doing drugs, I have his book here with me and I remember he did some drug, but I can’t remember what it was. Very well could have been coke. He’s very very frank in his book about what he did in his younger years.
I have no problem with Wright, but I’m a little annoyed with Obama for caving to the Right Wing Smear machine.
“really, the underlying problem is that this sick right-wing noise machine exists and how we somehow find the way to cure the country of it.”
Interestingly the previous post is titled “Re-framing The Debate On Patriotism”. But here we are, minutes later, buying into a Republican/MSM frame that “It’s the ‘ gotcha’ game and he’s only feeding the beast” because honestly, don’t we all know by now that if it wasn’t this it would be something else as trivial as a politician’s pastors comments - which, as we all know, somehow never apply to the right.
Every time we are playing defense, they are winning because then they are the ones setting the agenda and the topic(s) of discussion.
Rove didn’t waste his time on this shit, he went after his opponents’ perceived strengths - right for the jugular every time.
rustedspear @ 19:
Stop reading the grocery store tabloids.
“When you’re doing business with a religious son of a bitch, _get it in writing_. His word isn’t worth sh!t. Not with the good Lord telling him how to f*** you on the deal.” –William Burroughs
Chesco Res @ 9:
Marge sums up her own post with her last sentence.
Happenstance @ 16:
That’s not what I mean…In political campaigns you see real nastiness from 527’s. People can criticize, but I’m talking about them.
You know what sucks about this is every one of you, including the talented bloggers on C&L, are missing the big picture. 1- Rev. Wright is right. Everything he says is true. Was he arrogant? Yes. Cocky? Of course. But after years of pandreing to media lies and playing the public, can you blame him? 2. As Barack and Wright have already said, they are close, but in public have to “do what they do.” Obama can’t afford not to dsitance himself from Wright BECAUSE of the dirty politics and lies on the Right. The Right live in their own little world and it unfortuneately has to be pandered too because they have power. If the media machine wasn’t so good, we could have an honest discussion about the truth that Wright speaks. But until we wake up and as a collective society stop trying to live in denial about the truth that Rev Wright speaks about, we will have to countinue to play politics and lie in order to win political office and power.
The Truth Will Set You Free!!!! Wright is more free than anyone else at this point.
Marge @ 1:
Marge,I don’t support Obama either but I think your comments are at best uninformed.You should watch the Moyers interview with R.Wright before you accuse him of inciting his congregation to hate White people.
My own impression of the Reverend is that of an extremely bright and talented guy who unfortunately harbors some extreme opinions.That said,much of what he has to say is the truth whether people want to hear it or not.
mike @ 12:
Well the right wing theory on that is that militant blacks don’t want a black president because then they would be unable to blame whitey for their shortcomings. Something along those lines. I don’t think that is the reason here.
I think Rev. Wright is a preacher, who by trade is therefore a huckster, and a human being, and he is having a tough time admitting that a good part of his career needs to be apologized for and retracted. He is sticking to his guns because that is what has kept the lights on.
Would you be able to walk back dozens of things you’d said earnestly and publicly because those statements were purportedly proving inconvenient to one of your friends?
Geraldo i wholeheartedly agree with you.
Where was the outraged msm when Bush was meeting with his cabal of right wing preacher nuts, to help craft his campaign.
I don’t remember loops of falwell, or hagee, running continuously. I guess guilt by association only works if you’re black….
And that 20 years argument is bull… a man who occassionally says dumb things is not disqualified from being an overall good model.
Where in the world are obama’s surrogates to point this out…
Ps. patriotism is over-rated. we should be loyal to the truth and to justice not to anything else before that…
Is Michelle ready to scratch his eyes out?
Marge Says: How is he going to blame his twenty year tour of his pastor’s church on Hillary? Don’t worry he’ll find a way. He’s blamed her for all the other crap he has done. How in the world people and support such a person who continued to go to a church where the preacher damned America and urged his congregation to hate whites. And now the good old boys have their head up his butt and rant and rave about Hillary. Gee..what a crock.
I dont know, how in the world can people support the millions that continue to go to Catholic Churches today after 50 years of child rape cover-ups? I guess you think some tough words that Wright spoke are much worse than Catholics making excuses for their priests banging young boys huh? You pathetic ahole, go spew your BS somewhere else!
Why should Reverend Wright muzzle himself? I don’t see how he’s under any obligation to hide his opinion. He doesn’t work for the Obama campaign. Indeed, as a reverend, his role is to expose to light the injustices he encounters.
I don’t agree with him on everything, but what’s so wrong about what he’s doing?
Michael Z @ 29:
There are a couple of prominent evangelical pastors who agree with what you’re saying.
Here’s Martin Marty: http://chronicle.com/free/v54/i30/30b00101.htm
and Frank Schaeffer: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....91774.html “Obama’s Minister Committed “Treason” But When My Father Said the Same Thing He Was a Republican Hero”
Chesco Res @ 9:
I think you miss the point. Obama just did what every single POLITICIAN would do. Political expediency anyone?
I don’t believe in guilt by association though. And Rev. Wright should just STFU and go away.
Michael Z. Well said Dude!
Maybe it was actually Wright throwing himself under the bus, a plan to give Obama something to forcefully object to and sever all association with him. What better way to put the whole thing to rest and make it stupid for opponents(news organizations) to keep bringing up that,”Oh noes! Obama hasn’t repudiated Wright severely enough, yet, so we have to question his judgment!”
I have no problem with Wright, but I’m a little annoyed with Obama for caving to the Right Wing Smear machine.
But it was that same Right Wing Smear machine that was putting Wright’s heated words into Obama’s mouth. That could not be allowed to continue (but it will…). Obama had no choice and this won’t be his last word on the subject.
Olly McPherson @ 35:
Because he says the media is attacking him and the black community all the while he is saying this at the National friggen Press Club.
The guy is a hypocrite and a fool.
what’s the big deal? i thought he was wonderful. i wish we had more people in public life who did so much and didn’t shut up.
oh, and by the way, while we talk about whether obama love the US, the real enemy…dick cheney is going to bomb iran. have any leaders talked about that? that’s a little more important to me
Goddamn it!
It’s a simple question, did he admit it in his book or not. I do not believe it, unless someone who has read the book can confirm it, then my tactic is to change the subject to Cyndi McSame or something, and downplay the irrelevant.
Can someone who has read the book answer the question http://www.crooksandliars.com/.....ent-641416
Or not?
rev wright has climbed up a tree out on a limb hanging over a cliff.
his rantings are not what Afro-Americans think and he is definitely
lost his bearings. his rantings now are beginning to sound like
a call for civil war and that is not good for Afro-Americans or America.
Olly McPherson @ 35: