Roundup: Jeremiah Wright spreads his wings
... and soars on hot air from the blogosphere.
After more than a month of studied silence, the reverend has stepped into the public spotlight to defend his controversial remarks on race in America -- and make veiled criticisms of Sen. Barack Obama in the process. On Obama's repudiation of his incendiary statements, the minister had this to say: "He's a politician, I'm a pastor. We speak to two different audiences. And he says what he has to say as a politician."
Obama reacted angrily to his former pastor's comments, calling them "a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in truth." Jonah Goldberg gleefully celebrated Wright's coming-out as "every bit as radical as his detractors claimed."
They're not the only ones with choice words about Wright's recent performances:
The Times' own Top of the Ticket blog asks, "Was Jeremiah Wright's speech set up by a Clinton supporter?"
... we should have been paying a little less attention to Wright's speech and the histrionics of his ensuing news conference and taken a peek at ... who was sitting next to him at the head table for the National Press Club event.
It was the Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds ... an ardent longtime booster of Obama's sole remaining competitor for the Democratic nomination, none other than Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. It won't take very much at all for Obama supporters to see in Wright's carefully arranged Washington event that was so damaging to Obama the strategic, nefarious manipulation of the Clintons.
Jeffrey Weiss over at the Dallas Morning News' religion blog wonders why pundits can't take Obama out of the equation:
After the NAACP speech, the all-news networks talking heads were mostly falling all over themselves to do political analysis about whether or not the speech would help or hurt Barack Obama, rather than attempt even a moment of thought about the meaning of what Wright actually said.
The Caucus over at the NY Times does a roundup of its own, observing:
Voices around the blogosphere say they’re tired of the media kerfuffle surrounding Barack Obama and his minister, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., but they certainly keep writing about it.
They also say they’re sick of the expression “thrown under the bus,” but they keep using it.
For some Wright-Obama commentary with both local and international flavor, Ha'aretz's Shmuel Rosner invokes the "Bradley Effect," but also snarks at the minister's comments about Israel:
At moments he came off as mocking and somewhat vain, but made an effort to soften the hardliner perception his speech had left behind. He was also asked about his views on Israel. "Apartheid?" he asked, adding that Jimmy Carter used this term, not him.
Israel, Wright said, "has a right to exist". His only desire was that the Israelis and Palestinians live in peace. He made no reference to the sermon in which he connected the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the September 11th attacks, but he did make sure to emphasize his "Jewish friends". As it turns out, Jeremiah Wright also has a couple of those.
Daniel Nichanian at the Huffington Post compares Wright's position to one of the 2000 presidential election's most beleaguered political players:
Wright has no obligation to put Obama's interest above his own; dragged through the mud for news, the pastor has an opening to make people listen to him and hear the full context of his theology. Those who today profess themselves appalled that Wright would throw Obama under the bus miss the point that Wright does not think of himself as having any allegiance to Obama or to his election, just as Ralph Nader had no any allegiance to the Democratic Party making it hard to understand why 2004 was "a betrayal."
Wonkette agrees, in an offbeat sort of way:
He's blowing open the racial politics that Obama wants to close and claiming that Obama is insincere when he rejects Wright's "extreme sermons"; he's trying to balance a deserved self-defense with the collateral damage that that brings on Obama. He has an ego. Most importantly, he's just some old preacher and not Obama's surrogate father. He can say whatever he wants and Barry will just have to deal with it. Individual people have a right to defend themselves, and politicians have a right to disown them. That's all, goodnight.
While Sen. McCain had the plug pulled on the North Carolina Republican Party's ad highlighting the Obama-Wright connection, it seems the state party leaders will be getting the airtime they wanted for free.
Obama is so slick, but here the evidence he can not deny. On the TV program THE VIEW, Obama declared that Reverend Wright accepted that his view were inappropriate and mischaracterized. Then weeks later Wright goes on a national Hate America Press Tour? Just goes to prove how immature and green Obama is. And this is being generous. Watching this video one can only conclude Obama simply lied. Go ahead check it out yourselves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6J7yJ9R5p0
Posted by: Kay Lani Ray Rafko | April 29, 2008 at 05:53 PM
Wright disgraces to all pastors by being called one. Sounds like he probably ran a cult instead of a church.
Posted by: ted Cory | April 29, 2008 at 06:38 PM
Mr. Wright is the kind of person that screws up this world. How did he ever become a pastor? He has tons of ego and zero humility. I guess he ran his cult well and retired to his million dollar mansion. He’ll actually burn in hell, probably to his surprise. Probably call God a racist for sending him there, but he’ll get the reply of your chickens have come home to roost
Posted by: Jim Cummings | April 29, 2008 at 06:43 PM
I can't believe the hate and nastiness that has become the staple of political discussions. That Obama has friends and acquaintances with a rainbow of opinions is just the way life is. Make a decision on the man's abilities, judgment and reason instead of small minded scrutiny of flag lapels or comparing the minutiae of various sound bites.
Posted by: Scott Kim | April 29, 2008 at 06:57 PM
To plant the seeds of racial or nationality hatred is bad enough when its source might be the press or private individuals. But when its source is someone who is suppose to be a man of God, it is despicable. I have taken noticed of this so so called Mr. Wright's preaching before, so this is nothing new. If he has so much anger and hatred in his heart, he does not deserve the title of an evangelical Pastor. Hatred comes from Satan himself, that is his game, while love and tolerance torwards other races and cultures originates from the heart of a loving, forgiving God. May our Lord God have mercy on this man's souls.
Posted by: Marie Parker | April 29, 2008 at 06:58 PM
To plant the seeds of racial or nationality hatred is bad enough when its source might be the press or private individuals. But when its source is someone who is suppose to be a man of God, it is despicable. I have taken noticed of this so so called Mr. Wright's preaching before, so this is nothing new. If he has so much anger and hatred in his heart, he does not deserve the title of an evangelical Pastor. Hatred comes from Satan himself, that is his game, while love and tolerance torwards other races and cultures originates from the heart of a loving, forgiving God. May our Lord God have mercy on this man's soul.
Posted by: Marie Parker | April 29, 2008 at 07:03 PM
Obama sit in the church for 20 yrs every sunday(except when runing for office) and listened, appluded his preacher, screaming yes, yes, yes with the rest of them and now he 's claiming "he actually didn't agree ". yeah when elephants fly.
Did Obama really think people are so stupid that they beelive he sat in church and listen to all that racist, anti_white rethic and all at once has a change of heart ?
Posted by: ronnie | April 29, 2008 at 07:16 PM
WELL NOW !! SOME HOW IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN THAT YOUR PAST CATCHES UP WITH YOU. IF YOU ARE TOLD SOMETHING ENOUGH TIMES, IN ALL LIKELYHOOD YOU WILL BEGIN TO BELEIVE IT'S TRUE. BUT MAYBE OBAMA HAD HIS FINGERS IN HIS EARS FOR SOME TWENTY YEARS. I THINK THIS IS WHERE WE ENTER THE SELF DESTRUCT MODE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
Posted by: LEE | April 29, 2008 at 07:19 PM
Well it looks like the republicans alone with kennedys, sam nunns, and al o fthe other politicians in congress have really pulled one over the blacks of america or a large majority of them.
Does the black population reall think that all those republ;icans in 80/99% white states are going to back Obama in November. Their best choice was clinton and they knew it but jumped on the bandwagon and if clinton loses it's barack to the back yard.
It's clear to any fool that clinton would be the hardest to defeat in the general election and blacks are kicking their own butts over this one.
I see black folks at work discussing thsir mistake already.
But anyone who thinks the old battle hilery clinton and her philandering hubby are down and out are slightly well crazy.
Posted by: Ronnie | April 29, 2008 at 07:23 PM
Why is it that any mention of Barack Hussian Obama's middle name is taboo in the news media. Were this a white guy running even for congressional house seat or state house seat with the name Hussian the news media would crucify him.
Posted by: hunter | April 29, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Any idea that a serious presidential canidate believes the stuff that Rev. Wright is spewing is absurd. Wright has found a public forum for his paranoid ideology, such as, the US government purposefully infecting minorities with HIV. Wright's rants are so far off the chain that only someone absolutely terrified of Obama actually winning the White House would even believe the canidate seriously entertains these crazy notions.
Posted by: John Guzowski | April 29, 2008 at 08:58 PM
MY FELLOW "BITTER", STUPID, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE :-)
If you think like Barack Obama, that WORKING CLASS PEOPLE are just a bunch of "BITTER"!, STUPID, PEASANTS, Cash COWS!, and CANNON FODDER. :-(
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think Barack Obama with little or no experience would be better than Hillary Clinton with 35 years experience.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience can fix an economy on the verge of collapse better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) led the greatest economic expansion, and prosperity in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience fighting for universal health care can get it for you better than Hillary Clinton. Who anticipated this current health care crisis back in 1993, and fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds to get universal health care for all the American people.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience can manage, and get us out of two wars better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) went to war only when he was convinced that he absolutely had to. Then completed the mission in record time against a nuclear power. AND DID NOT LOSE THE LIFE OF A SINGLE AMERICAN SOLDIER. NOT ONE!
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience saving the environment is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) left office with the greatest amount of environmental cleanup, and protections in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with little or no education experience is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) made higher education affordable for every American. And created higher job demand and starting salary’s than they had ever been before or since.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience will be better than Hillary Clinton who spent 8 years at the right hand of President Bill Clinton. Who is already on record as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that you can change the way Washington works with pretty speeches from Obama, rather than with the experience, and political expertise of two master politicians ON YOUR SIDE like Hillary and Bill Clinton..
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think all those Republicans voting for Obama in the Democratic primaries, and caucuses are doing so because they think he is a stronger Democratic candidate than Hillary Clinton. :-)
Best regards
jacksmith... Working Class :-)
p.s. You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you don't know that the huge amounts of money funding the Obama campaign to try and defeat Hillary Clinton is coming in from the insurance, and medical industry, that has been ripping you off, and killing you and your children. And denying you, and your loved ones the life saving medical care you needed. All just so they can make more huge immoral profits for them-selves off of your suffering...
You see, back in 1993 Hillary Clinton had the audacity, and nerve to try and get quality, affordable universal health care for everyone to prevent the suffering and needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of you each year. :-)
Approx. 100,000 of you die each year from medical accidents from a rush to profit by the insurance, and medical industry. Another 120,000 of you die each year from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don’t die from. And I could go on, and on...
OBAMA AIDE: "WORKING-CLASS VOTERS NOT KEY FOR DEMOCRATS" :o
DEBATE! DEBATE!! DEBATE!!!...
Posted by: jacksmith | April 29, 2008 at 09:19 PM
Barack Obama is always preaching about how what matters most is being right on day one, not ready like Hillary is. Well Obama is NEITHER, Obama is not right for America and he wasn’t right about Reverend Wright either! Wright was Obama’s mentor and spiritual adviser of 20 some odd years, 20 years, nearly half his entire life people., hello? Wright was the pastor that married Barack and Michelle Obama and Wright baptized Obama’s children! fact. How wrong could Obama be staying so closely associated with this racist, hate mongering preacher for 20 whole years. Those who know Wright have said he has always been like this, so it is safe to conclude Obama was not only WRONG about associating himself with Wright, he also knew all about Wright’s very wrong views of America, Catholics, Italians, Jews and all the others Wright has slandered and denounced. ENOUGH, Vote for Hillary Clinton, it is the only actual right thing to do!
Posted by: Hillary All the Way!!! | April 29, 2008 at 09:43 PM
Try listening to the full speaches from wright, the media is twisting his words;
http://worcesterright.blogspot.com/2008/04/wright-speaches.html
Posted by: cameron | April 30, 2008 at 12:14 AM
Obama is simply a human being. Nobody's perfect! It sad that the America people is nick picking at this man. Everybody makes mistakes. There are far more issues to worry about than dwelling on who Obama was once associated with. This is exactly what the media does. They talk about issues to cover up more severe ones. Probablly, ninety five percent of the America people had a long time friend whom they are no longer friends with for what ever reason. At least his pastor never been accused of sexually abusing children like these priest out here and there is a number of those. What about those church goers that continue to attend the Catholic church after their priest has been revealed. Americans can be such hipocrites. And furthermore, people are overlooking Pastor Wrights comments. RESEARCH YOUR HISTORY! America has been doing other countries wrong for decades. AND YES RACISM STILL EXIST! SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH BRINGING IT OUT ONTO THE SURFACE? I do not think Obama should have said he was outraged by his pastor's comments. He should have reiterated what his pastor meant. By him saying he will now distance himself from his pastor, he does look like a hipocrite, like some of you. But at least Obama did not go along with the ones who agreed to send the troops to fight in the war that should have never been in the first place. NOW THAT'S MURDER! LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES!
Posted by: Nicole | April 30, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Ordinarily I wouldn't comment here, however I was compelled to comment after reading the posting below:
"Make a decision on the man's abilities, judgment and reason instead of small minded scrutiny of flag lapels or comparing the minutiae of various sound bites."
Posted by: Scott Kim | April 29, 2008 at 06:57 PM
For whatever reason Scott doesn't seem to understand the vast majority of us, being completely dismayed and disgusted by Dr. Wright, among others, are already performing the exact analysis he suggests! Not only do I question Obama's "judgement and reason", but also his associations with certain nefarious individuals.
All entry level politicians develop a web of contacts in order to climb the political ladder. However, few politicians associate with people who are bottom feeders in order to achieve this success. I've somewhat lost track if Obama is on explanation number six or seven, as it pertains to his relationship with Dr. Wright. Let's not even get into his "friendly" relationship with Bill Ayers.
It's not just Obama's judgement here Scott. It's also the fact that he now has zero credibility with a large percentage of the American public based upon the multitude of questionable relationships he's developed. Beside the word "Change", which I believe in his case is an ideology, and not a statement for the countries future, his campaign has touted Obama as the only candidate who could create unity for all. It's just my opinion, but this campaign may very well have created a greater racial divide in this country than existed only one year ago.
I have only one question: How can Obama unite a country, when he can't even find unity with his own Pastor?
It seems the only people who want to discuss "Issues" are those who don't want to face the magnitude of what's transpired over the past six weeks. While issues are very important, Clinton and Obama are a virtual stalemate on issues. The stance on issues will be important when a Dem faces McCain.
We better get the integrity "issue" absolutely correct here, or do we impeach Obama two years down the road because it's discovered he's lied to the American people about something much more important than a pastor, snippets, or sex in the Oval Office?
Posted by: Curt B. | April 30, 2008 at 09:59 PM
Yeah, shame on a guy for invoking all the bad shit that America tries to sweep under the rug. How could he ever think that our bombings and bullying of the world and the middle east could ever come back to haunt us?
But seriously, it is time for the US empire to end. Individual Americans don't oppress people, but the government and the big corporations sure do. Bravo to the man for letting his voice be heard.
Posted by: Dave | May 01, 2008 at 12:42 AM
When Reverend Wright was damming America he was referring to the 3 strikes law. This law jeopardizes everyones civil rights. It is double jeopardy, cruel and unusual punishment, ineffective counsel, and kangaroo courts where the law is applied to the poor and oppressed.In no way does it deter crime, instead it imposes life sentences or death penalty, on people for as little as stealing a piece of pizza, We need to stop worrying about China and worry about our own human rights violations right here in California in our state prisons.
Posted by: jane rahn | May 01, 2008 at 09:50 AM
Prediction: If Obama is elected to the office of President, there will be a full and immediate reconciliation between him and Rev. Wright. Or maybe he will wait until April 1st, 2009.
Posted by: Ron Ryen | May 01, 2008 at 12:39 PM