Obama Responds Weakly As Wright Problem Worsens

Drudge links a WSJ item with some of the worst rhetoric from Wright, yet - 2006 at Howard University. Meanwhile, Wright came up in a Pittsburgh journalist's call with Obama yesterday. The response appears to be less than satisfactory. Does Obama really think he can wait this one out?

No black man will ever be considered for president, no matter how hard you run Jesse [Jackson] and no black woman can ever be considered for anything outside what she can give with her body."

Mr. Wright thundered on: "America is still the No. 1 killer in the world. . . . We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns, and the training of professional killers . . . We bombed Cambodia, Iraq and Nicaragua, killing women and children while trying to get public opinion turned against Castro and Ghadhafi . . . We put [Nelson] Mandela in prison and supported apartheid the whole 27 years he was there. We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God."

Obama questioned briefly on Wright:

Q: I don't know if you've seen it, but it's all over the wire today (from an ABC News story), a statement that your pastor (the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's South Side) made in a sermon in 2003 that instead of singing "God Bless America," black people should sing a song essentially saying "God Damn America."

A: I haven't seen the line. This is a pastor who is on the brink of retirement who in the past has made some controversial statements. I profoundly disagree with some of these statements.

Q: What about this particular statement?

A: Obviously, I disagree with that. Here is what happens when you just cherry-pick statements from a guy who had a 40-year career as a pastor. There are times when people say things that are just wrong. But I think it's important to judge me on what I've said in the past and what I believe.

Comments

[Aye Chihuahua]

"During the Civil Rights era, the Democrats do have better record on race relations and civil rights than the GOP."

Snicker.

I guess the "B" really does stand for Brain Dead.

[Cato]

I'll answer the original question in the post. (Forgive me if somebody else addressed it, I only had time to skim all of the comments.)

"Does Obama really think he can wait this one out?" In a word, yes. Rev. Wright has announced he will retire soon. (Though there is some confusion as to when, actually. Some reports say in May, but his Wikipedia page claims he retired as of Feb. 20, 2008, while the church's own website still lists him as "Senior Pastor"; his successor Otis Moss III is described as "Pastor... under the leadership of... Wright.")

In any event, I fully expect Rev. Wright to step down by May or before the Democratic Convention, at the latest, if only to allow Obama to claim that Wright is no longer the leader of his church, so anything he said in the "past" (even if it was only a few months ago) is now irrelevant. He will also respond to any continuing questions that he's already answered them (see Obama's handling of the Rezko matter); as far as he's concerned it's old news that's been thoroughly vetted and explained.

He'll further say that he won't waste any more time engaging in the old "gotcha" politics of smears and guilt by association, when the people want to hear more about what we intend to do about health care and other important issues. That's how he will wait it out.

[American Bumper]

The adage is, "you are what you eat" and I think that goes for spiritually as well as physically. Obama appears to have been nursed on anti-american bias and class hatred: It does bring up the question, why does this man want to be President? I made some slogans and put them on bumperstickers opposing Obama as well as Hillary, as I do not agree with the left, but this latest information about the opinions of the people Obama hangs with and must agree with to some point, should by all rights dispell the magic protection that the MSM has cast over him. =Or disqualify him for the highest office.
If you are going to be leader of the free world, expect to be examined critically. He seems to think no one is going to do it?
http://www.americanbumpersticker.com

[Bozoer Rebbe]

"Once again because most of you are slow. Obama's goal was to reach out and lead by example in a marginalized urban community. His goal couldn't have been achieved by joining a mainstream, middle class, mostly white congregation. He went where he could help and be with the people he served on a daily basis. He's supposed to abandon them because he disgrees profoundly with some of the Pastor's statements?"

Have you ever read Eric Hoffer's True Believer?

His goal was not to reach out and lead but rather to craft a political career starting with a power base. Mr. Obama is a very ambitious man. I'm willing to believe that he doesn't believe a word of what his pastor says because like most narcissists, Obama is only concerned with using people to achieve his own ends.

[The Ace]

"Since these hypothetical stituations are not populated by a people from a community that has suffered the legacies of slavery and segregation, marginalized by the economy and devastated by the "War on Drugs" then they aren't, even in imagination, close to equivalent."

Translation:
You're an intellectual coward and a hypocrite.

It's funny to watch you (white) leftists in action. Just shout "slavery" and any, that is any transgression done by black (on the left of course) is ok.

You are simply an embarrassment.

[The Ace]

"there are reasons why controversial statements like those expressed by Pastor Wright have gained traction in the urban black community whether you chose to aknowledge them or not."

That doesn't make said reasons valid, valuable, sane, or acceptable.

Ask yourself this, clown, who would Reverend White be doing back in his home country of Africa? How about China?

Yes, you people are way too dim to see the ironies here.

"During the Civil Rights era, the Democrats do have better record on race relations and civil rights than the GOP."

Your ignorance of history is profound and breath taking. Of course that's why you're a leftist.

[templar knight]

Yes, The Ace, just look at what happened at Chapel Hill when a young woman was murdered by a black guy who had already been arrested for...are you ready...murder. And the guy had committed other felonies as well, yet he is walking the streets. Why? I'm sure Paul has a ready explanation. It most likely has something to do with slavery, segregation and marginalization. All involving a 17-year old who has had the same opportunities as most other 17-year olds. People like Paul stimulate my gag reflex.

[The Ace]

templar knight, exactly. Sort of like when the Duke lacrosse team raped and sodomized those poor brown girls. Taking advantage of them and all of that.

I wonder if paul could tell us which part of the "legacy of slavery" or economic marginalization Obama is experiencing. Or Oprah. Or the millions of other upper middle class to super rich black Americans.

[Mars vs Hollywood]

"By being members of such a congregation, the Obamas are living proof that their pastor is wrong. Do you think that the people attending that church do not know that they have a US Senator in their midst? Two Ivy League educated church members? Their simple presence and participation is a sermon in itself, countering the pastor's angst and hopelessness."

This might hold true if the Obamas had made it loudly clear that they don't buy into Wright's nutty rhetoric. In the actual case, the people attending the church are more likely to conclude, "The reverend MUST be right about all this. Look, even the Ivy League US Senator is here. He even gets advice from Rev. Wright."

[Joy McArthur]

Associations do matter, especially close and long standing ones. Obama now denounces Rev Wright's remarks. That is weak as water. Never mind the Rev Wright's obvious racism. What about the Anti-Americanism? According to the Reverend Wright 9/11/01 was America's chickens coming home to roost! That remark speaks volumes of a world view in which America has groveling to do, forgivness to beg, attonments to perform. A patriot hearing such outrageous remarks (or hearing of them) from the pulput would quit such a church immediately. Obama stayed 20 years and donated a sizable sum. Obama claims he was never present when such remarks were made. For a presidential candidate this comes under the catagory of KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. For any other candidate that would be the standard. I'm not buying this late denunciation of Rev Wright. If I sat in a pew for 20 years I feel certain I would have soaked up some of the beliefs and philosophy of the pastor, unless I spent that 20 years asleep. And to sit and listen to a pastor that long, I would have to share some pretty fundamental beliefs. I don't want this man Obama anywhere near the white house.

Joy McArthur RN
Magnolia Texas

[Joy Mcarthur]

Re this and other statements as evidence of Obama worship "Obama's goal was to reach out and lead by example in a marginalized urban community. His goal couldn't have been achieved by joining a mainstream, middle class, mostly white congregation. He went where he could help and be with the people he served on a daily basis. He's supposed to abandon them because he disgrees profoundly with some of the Pastor's statements?"
I think of the gospels in which Jesus visited the lepar colonies and preached among the poor in the streets. There really is a cult of Obama developing in this country isn't there. Could it be that this and similar congregations represented thousands of votes to an up and coming politician simply doing what politicians do? But zillions of rather spacy folks, not burdened by any logic see Obama as almost a messiah figure. Scary stuff.

[The Ace]

A great point by Tom Maguire:

"His wife is angry, his minister is angry - why can't Mr. Unity bring a little hope and reconciliation into their lives? What has he been waiting for?”

Either Obama is a closet racist or a incompetent boob. Or both.

[Mario]

It's becoming more clear each day that Obama really is antiAmerican. He and his wife believe most the world's troubles are America's fault; he follows a Marxist church that believes in every radical left wing tenet against the United States; he goes behind voters' backs by meeting with foreign governments and makes deals with them while lying to Americans; he basically follows every left wing tenet there is. He's from that generation that has been programmed to believe America is the Great Satan. It's their new religion. I shudder thinking this man could reside in the White House.

[JKDallas]

I'm a classically liberal guy who flirted with the idea of supporting Obama, but he's just got way too much dirt on him. How many more signs do voters need before we start really questioning this dude's motives? I'm starting to actually believe maybe he IS trying to be president so he can destroy the US.

[Gibber Doodles]

I don't believe a person is guilty by association... So I won't trash on Obama. But that aside, the Rev. Wright's comments are pretty stupid and pathetic. It's sad someone would get that passionate about something when they don't even know the facts. When he rants that the U.S. supported South Africa during apartheid, he couldn't be more further from the truth. In fact, the U.S. was one of the few western countries with the guts to constantly challenge apartheid and to even boycott South African trade. Furthermore, the U.S. was the only nation outside of Africa to appoint a black amabassodor to South Africa during apartheid. That was a monumental statement! Funny how the reverend and his sheep fail to acknowledge little facts like that. I won't even get into his banal comments about Hiroshima, Vietnam, etc. He sounds like a broken record from 1969. He basically goes down the list of what to blame America for written by the Communist Party. This guy is a total imbecile.

[HR]

The facdt of the matter is so many people are programmed to think America is to be blamed for every horror on earth---ligth years from rationality (I remembver hearing one woman scream that America is the most racist nation on earth since the beginning of time--wow, now that's racist!)--it is only a matter of time before one of these puppet heads becomes president. when that happens, whether it's obama or not, and it will happen, the free world is over. Enjoy it while you can folks. Let's face it, the socialists have won.

[foreigner]

I think that Obama lies when he says he knew nothing about Wright's ideas. I believe Obama is a double-faced person.

By the way, I am a foreigner and I can't why Americain people like Obama. I see no qualities in him. He adulates people, he gives a lot of promises, that's all.

I don't think Hilary is an ideal candidate, but in comparison avec Obama, it seems to me that she is acceptable.

[Heather]

Obama is just another cheating, lying, power hungry politician. They are all alike, Republican, Democrat, you can't trust any of them. Descent people do not go into politics. That's just the way it is. You haved to choose between the lesser of the two evils. In this case McCain is the obvious choice. I don't agree with him on some social issues, but he's better than two democrats who think the United States should emmulate Cuba.

[D. Pap]

What people don't seem to understand is the reverend's views are completely devoid of reason. That's what makes it

so scary. I'm not willing to hate my country because of views that I simply do not see as being based on reason

or fact. I see them as based on propaganada, mental illness, mass hysteria, intellectual laziness.... It's just the

way I see it. Like it or not!

[Guido]

If Wright seems to think that America's past and present actions warrant us being attacked, then I guess using the same "logic" whatever befalls Wright's church after his imflammatory rants is warranted as well. The chickens have come home to roost, Wright!

[Ron Wilson]

As followers of Jesus Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit, true Christians say and pray “God Bless America,” and many are now saying and praying “God Please Help the US.”

However, the Holy Spirit of God would never inspire a true follower of Jesus Christ to say or pray “God Damn American” in any context, much less as part of a taped public sermon in front of children.

Holy Scriptures say to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). Reverend Wright obviously has a fiery spirit that is condemning at times, particuarly when he curses our nation in public sermons. It is certaintly not Christ-like or characteristic of the Holy Spirit.

Sentor Obama apparently does not say or pray “God Damn America,” but the crutial point is that most of his life has trusted and tollerated this particular pastor. Although Reverend Wright is retiring, he will remain as Senior Pastor, and his replacement essentially agrees with him in spirit and truth, and Senator Obama must agree with him in spirit.

There is reason to not trust the spirit in which Reverend Wright said the things he said, and so there is reason to question the spirit leading the youthfull Senator Obama as a professed Christian and prospective president of our nation. May God’s Holy Spirit be our guide.

Hope Page: itsallaboutjesusnotme.blogspot.com