Obama and Reverend Wright
Come on. Is this it? Is this all that they have? After digging in Barack Obama’s trash can for over a year someone has found “fiery” statements made by his preacher. Isn’t that what a Black preacher is supposed to do? Isn’t he supposed to get emotional? Isn’t the preacher supposed to try to get the crowd into his sermon?
Reverend Jeremiah Wright was forced to step down or to leave the Obama campaign. So ti seems that McCain can get an endorsement by John Hagee, who called Catholicism “the great whore,” but Obama has to let Reverend Wright go. I find it interesting that no one reported anything good that Reverend Wright might have done. The only things that we are seeing are the short sound clips of inflammatory comments. That is it. We are not even given any context for the comments.
So, this is how they will attack Obama. They have looked and looked and have been unable to find anything “shady” or “offensive” that Obama has done. They cannot find anything about him to attack They’ve tried the madrasa and the Muslim angle. That didn’t work. They’ve tried saying that his middle name Hussein. And that hasn’t worked. They have attacked his wife about a very benign comment. Now, they’re attacking those that are around him. The politics of destruction are clearly alive and well.
Keith Olbermann has an exclusive interview with Senator Barack Obama:
Well thats the way it works. Being genuine is a lost virtue. You have to have a shady past. Something which can be used to trash you a century later. If you dont, someone will probably just cook up one for you.
I’m sorry, but you can’t inspire with a message of change and unity and have a pastor and ADVISOR who spreads hate, bigotry and division!!! It makes Obama look like a hipocrite. It makes you wonder what he truly believes in. I voted for Obama, but I’m not sure that I would do so again. I’m worried.
Exactly. Barack’s bugeyed ex-preacher is all Hillary & the Repugs have, those joined-at-the-hip jackasses. Pathetically, the press plays along with it.
Edit out Wright’s rhetoric, the source of his sermons’ impact, and what he says isn’t only true. It’s obvious.
You might try Rezko Watch
or John Batchelor.
Seriously, there is a roundup of the Rezko Stuff at Rezko-Rama.
And as to the Catholic thing. Every good protestant knows that the wafer is not God, and a priest cannot forgive your sins. Only Christ can do that. As such, Catholicism is a false religion. Doesn’t mean we should kill them or anything. Just means we believe they are going to hell. I have as much right to my religious beliefs as they do.
What you are saying takes nothing away from Obama’s pastor cursing, and using blasphemous language in a sermon.
It is my belief that this is a Clinton Operation to weaken Obama into , both now, and for 2012. The worst is yet to come.
I have already downloaded clips and am burning them to DVD to distribute to people in my area, and at church who don’t have access to the internet to watch them. I don’t think you fully realize that this type of stuff will kill him for 2008, and perhaps in 2012.
I consider it Payback for the Mormon stuff from all the progressive blogs locally. (And yes, I consider Mormonism a false religion)
I’m not sure that you understand the Catholic faith. I don’t think that Catholics believe that a priest can forgive your sins.
Blasphemous language? impiously irreverent : profane language. I’m not sure that I heard the same things that you did.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff -
I think that you are 100% correct.
We need to keep our eyes focused on the real problems. Rev Wright isn’t the problem. The fact that we are still in Iraq that’s the problem. The fact that bank regulations were weakened over the past 30 years which lead to the sub prime craziness that we have now. The fact that our children go to school is substandard schools and are taught to a specific test, that’s a problem.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff and others,
I think you miss the point about the whole Wright controversy. He attended this church for 20 years. There is no way he didn’t know about the controversial ideas of his pastor. He even says his pastor was the inspiration for his book,the Audacity of Hope. He has had tremendous influence on his life. Once more, he lied about knowing about these controversial ideas. There is no way he didn’t know. There is plenty of evidence he did know. Barack Obama knew this would be a problem over a year ago. So why didn’t he distance himself from Wright, then. Sounds like lack of judgment to me. Also the Resko thing. He lied about that. It wasn’t $100,000.00 dollars he took form Resko. Turns out it was a quarter of a million dollars. He lied about that and showed poor judgment. Sounds like the corner stone of his campaign is falling apart. He lacks judgment, experience, and wisdom. He lied. He is a phony.
Obama is the one who has made judgment part of this campaign. Now let him reap his own punishment. Those who stand on the ground of moral authority and superiority as he has, are doomed to fall. No one human being can be the kind of person he is portraying himself to be. What a fairy tale.
Now he is being found out.
The only way he can square this lack of judgment is to stop going to that church, denounce Wright, not just his statements, pay back the $250,000 people and stand up at a press conference and apologize and answer questions truthfully. He must also support a redo at both Michigan and Florida so that the American people can vote. If not he will risk losing the election/nomination and splitting the Democratic party.
This is a man who has fallen from grace! The American people are no longer fooled and it is about time.
According to the most recent Rasmussen polls, his numbers have dropped 8 % against Clinton. It is having its affect. Obama has not yet been vetted and McCain will eat him for lunch. It is much too risky to put the nomination in the hands of such a phony. He will lose the election and then the Blacks themselves will be blamed. The Clinton supporters will move over to McCain. The Democratic party will be split over this and the Republicans will win again.
Let’s get back to reality. Lack of judgment and experience is the issue. Obama made this a central part of his own campaign. He has only himself to blame. Pride goeth before a fall.
Wow! Obama can’t do no wrong. You’ve drank the kool-aid! Twenty years in the same church and he didn’t know the Reverend was a bigot and hate monger? It’s true, “there is a fool born every minute!”
M. -
From 3 or 4 sentences you have concluded that Reverend Wright was a bigot and a hate monger? You are a genius. He haven’t heard the man speak a full paragraph and that’s your conclusion.
I think it is clear who the fool is.
Thanks for your comments.
D -
You are smoking some great stuff if you believe that Obama hasn’t been vetted yet. That notion is so far from reality I’m not sure that I should even comment.
1) Obama has more legislative experience than Hillary Clinton. This is a fact. It can’t be argued.
2) The national media has had over 2 years to vet Barack Obama. The local media in a small little town like Chicago has been vetting Barack Obama for the last 10 years.
3) Trying to motivate Blacks into action isn’t a controversial idea. The problem is that you haven’t been to a Black church. You haven’t sat in a pew. You haven’t heard a complete sermon.
No one is addressing Reverend Wright’s basic message in that “God Damn America” phrase that he said. What was his point? His point was that we have created far greater terror than those on 9/11. We have killed far more. America needs to look in the mirror before we point fingers. That’s his point. Is he correct? You decide. Could he have said it better? Of course, but he wasn’t talking to a national audience. He was talking to folks that understood that he loves America but as Americans we have to do better.
Thanks for your comments.
Your analogy is wrong. Hagee’s endorsement of McCain is like Farrakhan’s endorsement of Obama. Neither can control an endorsement of anyone who wants to get up in front of a microphone. McCain doesn’t attend Hagee’s church. Obama is not a member of the Nation of Islam.
Obama has been a member of Wright’s church for over 20 years. Wright has been an advisor and spiritual leader for Obama for almost half his life. The Obamas have taken their children to hear his divisive, hate-filled, factually wrong and anti-US messages. They go way beyond “fiery” rhetoric.
Obama’s answers do not appear to be truthful or forthcoming. He acts as if he has never heard any of it. So, the issue about his relationship will continue to fester until he comes clean. He is acting like a typical politician with something to hide. THAT IS THE ISSUE!
Obama renounced Farrakhan. So, it isn’t the same.
I will ask you to go to any Black Church in America for 4 weeks and you will hear this kind of stuff. Period. Welcome to Black America.
You have no idea whether this is off base or not because your reference is wrong. You are comparing what Rev. Wright said to your experience and not the experience of Black people and Black ministers.
I guarantee that none of the church members thought much about Rev. Wright’s statements. I will also state that if Rev. Wright said those exact words in 99.9% of churches in America he would not raise an eyebrow. These are the facts. I’m sorry if you don’t like them.
I love the way people read what they want into whatever a politician says. It is like my wife who tells me that she knows what I said but she didn’t think that I meant it because of my body language. What?
Thanks for your comments.
It seems like Obama’s true colors are starting to show. The fact that he continues to sit under Reverend “No Good’s” teaching just shows what character he has. This is definitely going to hurt him as he goes forth with his campaign and rightfully so. Obama has some quacked out followers. First Farakkhan and now Wright, I wonder who is going to be next. It’s shameful that although he said he denounced reverend Wright’s comments, he still said he would not leave his church. Just makes you wonder what is it that is in Wright that continues to awe Obama! I’m disgusted!
What really cracks me up is how Democrats try to cover something like this up and treat this situation like it is nothing but the majority of the people know how serious Wright’s words are. He sounds like a terrorist! If a Republican were involved in something like this the democrats would be crying foul and would be asking that person to leave the race. The facts are that Obama’s pastor is racist which isn’t Obama’s fault. I do hold Obama accountable for continuing to stay under Wright since he has said that he will not leave the church. I really hope he does stay so that the Republicans will have a field day with his problems. Pastor Hagee has endorsed McCain but hasn’t gone off the deep end like Wright has. Hagee has said things about the Catholic church but that’s what he really believes. I have heard him speak and he doesn’t “slam” the Catholic church he simply teached what he truly believes. Is he wrong? I don’t know for sure but I do know that he was not speaking foolishness like Wright was saying. For Wright to say that we brought 9/11 upon ourselves is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. What gets me is why is Obama so faithful to man that is setting a horrible example to the nation. Wright sounds like he is filled with hate and he sounds more like an activist than a reverend. He is spreading extremism. Maybe he should join Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and those other clowns! I am a hardcore conservative Republican and believe me when I say this; Obama is done if he doesn’t drop Reverend “No Good!” “McCain 2008″
I continue to be amazed at how 6 or 7 sentences out of hundreds of hours of sermons have White people’s panties in a wad. If you have been to a Black church for a couple of weeks and you think that Reverend Wright is off base then that’s your opinion. I can tell you that stuff like this is said in every Black church in America. This is a fact. If you want to call it racist. Okay. I think that it is less racist than it is a reaction to racism. The statements are clearly geared toward a Black audience. Is that wrong? I doubt it.
You, BigCee, are a hardcore nincompoop.
Geezis….
Diane, Mima, et al–
I was raised Episcopalian. Because R. Gene Robinson, a gay man, became a Vermont bishop, there’s now a worldwide Episcopal Church schism. Over one guy, because the church doesn’t like who he loves. All that notwithstanding, I’m still free to disavow the Episcopal Church’s formally expressed fear and hatred of Bishop Robinson.
Just as with Senator Obama, my church membership didn’t negate my ability to think critically or to oppose the views or statements of the church or those of any of its officials. With regard to Rev. Wright’s statements, Obama has done so, publicly.
Your holding Obama responsible for Rev. Wright’s words is no more valid, persuasive or fair than someone holding each of you responsible for my words. Or me for yours.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Surely you’ve heard that before.
To the establishments of both parties, Barack Obama poses the first real threat in a very long time. Because of that, the Clintons and the Republicans have found temporary common cause. Hence the anti-Obama barrage, with the corporate media joined in.
Obama threatens to dethrone all these people and do all of us a lot of good. Despite that, with your help they’re destroying his candidacy.
Try to get that if that succeeds, the Repugs will then destroy Hillary. By becoming part of it, you guys are the Democrats’ traditional circular firing squad.
Big Cee–
You’re squawking the squawk of the Repug chickenhawk. “Let’s you and them fight.” If that’s what you believe, put your ass where your mouth is. Enlist in the military. Today. They’ll take you up to age 42, older if you’ve served previously. While you’re at it, request to serve in Iraq. You can vote McCain by absentee ballot.
Oh yeah. Looks like you better read up on 9/11 too.
This is pretty much the worst I’ve seen yet, out of any of the candidates. What have any of the other candidates done that even come close to the beliefs of Obama. Huckabee was persecuted for his beliefs, I’m sorry but some people believe abortion is murder, and that being gay is wrong. The man that people are voting for to be the next president is a a racist bigot. He plays on peoples races and emotions. Which shouldn’t matter. Race and gender does show any qualifications on who the next president should be.
He is in attendance of this church and has never heard Wright say anything while he wen there? That’s a lie. He’s been going there for 20 years, that’s a little over 1,000 sermons. It’s far-fetched that a person in the congregation doesn’t have any of the same views, but still attends this church. His sermons have major affect on his attendants. Just like any church and preacher does. If you don’t agree then you should leave and find a church better suited for you.
Anyone who agrees with anything Wright has been saying is a racist and a traitor of this country. What gives him the right to express such hatred? The first amendment…no because if I say racist remarks to a black person or anyone of color, it’s a hate crime. Many people died in the 9/11 attacks. Parents, children, police, firefighters, innocent people. HIV isn’t something the American government came up with to kill black people. Wright is an ignorant racist who can’t stand having another white president. Obama being black doesn’t qualify him to run this country for the next 4 years. And with his beliefs I don’t want him to.
Democrats are trying their hardest to cover this mess up. It only proves how Obama is not meant to be our next president.
ecthompson - You keep saying that these things that Reverend Wright said are said in every black church in America and are geared towards a black audience as a reaction to racism. In other words, it’s a black thing, we just don’t understand.
Fine. But if that is the case, why is Obama distancing himself so much and renouncing the words? You seem to be implying that Obama really does hear this stuff all the time but is renouncing it now because he got found out. Is that what you believe? If so, I like that even less.
All this is soooo sad. Look at what the person has done pick apart his life NOT someone he associates with. Even if he goes to that church does it show in his actions or what he has done in his life.Romney was blasted because he flipped flopped on his issues not because of what his church teaches. The republicans are loving this and they will win if this continues. LOOK AT WHAT HE HAS DONE AND PLEDGES TO DO.
G -
A couple of questions for you. Where is John McCain’s or Hillary Clinton’s spiritual advisers?
Second, I love the way that equate several sentences of Barack Obama’s preacher to his core beliefs. As a surgeon, I can tell you that I have had several mentors who I truly love. These guys have taken the time and the effort to teach me surgery. I’m positive that you can find whole paragraphs of stuff on surgery, marriage, race and other topics that my mentors have said that I disagree with. It doesn’t mean that they were not influential in my life.
Mike Huckabee was not persecuted. That is crazy. He clearly wasn’t held accountable for what others had said. Instead, he was held accountable for what he said like changing the our constitution to fit his interpretation of the Bible.
Finally, I love how people just fly off the handle over things that don’t matter. The media has a way of focusing a white hot light on minor issues and blowing them up into something enormous. What Barack Obama stands for is clear. He stand for middle class Americans who have had a harder and harder time making ends meet. He doesn’t stand for corporate greed. He hasn’t taken money from lobbyists. He has written in his book the Audacity of Hope what he believes and how he got those beliefs. What more do you want?
Thanks for your comments.
C2 -
Clever. You are smarter than most. You also know that politicians live and die over perception. Reality doesn’t matter. The reality of life is that John Kerry is a war hero and own military has said as much. Bush and Rove painted John Kerry as someone who was a wimp. They turned a war hero into a flip-flopping wimp. That’s politics.
Politics 101 - you do not associate yourself with anyone who is harshly critical of America. Period. If you do, I promise you that those critical words no matter how correct that they may be will be blended with Osama Bin Laden’s words or Saddam Hussein’s.
(Most Black preachers are harshly critical of America. I’m not saying that they don’t love America but they are … we (Blacks) are disappointed and frustrated that things in this country aren’t better.)
Thanks for your comments
Revisiting John McCain’s Hatred Towards “Gooks”…..Funny how people would like to blame Barack for something his Pastor said and noone has really said anything about John McCain with regards to comments that he actually made himself….
Imagine Hillary Clinton or John McCain being mentored by a “person of God” telling them how evil black people were. They would be expected to drop out of the race. And John McCain was held prisoner and tortured by “Asian people” for over 5 years. How long has Reverend Wright been held captive and/or tortured? And if this is the normal for a black church, no wonder blacks are so filled with hate towards whites. No wonder blacks feel like every other race owes them a debt.
Let’s face the facts. This year’s Democratic Presidential campaign is vicious, mean spirited, and coming mainly from Hillary and Bill Clinton. The mainstream media seems to forget this and most often discuss the mudslinging as if it is an even venture by both candidates. Reverend Wright’s comments are way out of line and have in the eyes of many fence sitting Americans, surfaced a major chink in Barack’s amour. In other words, Reverend Wrights’ extreme rhetoric may work in a black church, but not on the national political stage. Please note that the black church does not win presidential elections but can, in the end, lose them. Barack should have known once the microscope turned his way any little molecule of negative shrift would be surfaced, enlarged, and exploited by whatever means necessary by both the Clinton’s and the press. The bottom line remains, the Clinton’s will use whatever means necessary to regain the White House and Barack Obama is in their line of fire. It is clear that the media evaluates presidential campaigns through the spectrum of the white culture, which fails to understand that the black culture remains largely separate and different; both need to remember that fact.
Edward -
I can’t begin to tell you how off base you are.
The full sermon which Fox News didn’t feel fit to show. Yeah, he really seems like a major hatemonger to me.
Xmas 2007, Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdfbWSJINhg
Xmas 2007, Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVeK0JDPm8Y
Xmas 2007, Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o36KBeDXJ8
Xmas 2007, Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFQAQVcn89A
JLD -
I’m glad that you have put your mind at rest. BTW, did you include the fact that this man has been praised by Whites and Blacks alike? Did you factor into your “hate” equation the Christian deeds that this man has done in his community which help all races?
I’m just wondering. Thanks for your comments.
What’s amazing here is that Obama didn’t bother to distance himself not just now that it’s in the news nationally, but for all the 20 years he attended the church. Over the years he started thinking about becoming a state representative, then a US senator, then president. The fact that he could not see how extreme Wright is, not only now but over 20 years, demonstrates his poor judgement.
If this is a friend he doesn’t mind the whole world to know he is associated with, what kind of friends does he have that he does not want us to know about?
Phil -
Go to church.
Thanks for your comment.
I am a white 54 yo granny, who actually HAS black friends. I have heard many of the same concerns/complaints from some, not all, of them particularly about crack cocaine being introduced to the black community. If Mr Obama were more transparent, he would say this is a real concern in the black community (even it none of it is true) and of course there are many reasons why black Americans feel this way.
More plausable than not ever knowing his friend’s opinions,(since this old white lady has heard my friend’s opinions) he should have made clear he is bi-racial and being raised by white folk maybe he wanted the “black experience” even if through the eyes of persons raised in very different circumstances.
However from his words and actions it looks like he just wants to be on the winning side…it was good to be there while Illinois was his prize, but now that it is the White House…not so good, so he denounces and denies.
May I also say that it is disappointing when I hear of any black minister not including poor and disadvantaged white persons in their sermons, because many of us are in similar boats, and I am a fan of many radio and television ministers, whom happen to be black. Some include and some others act as if they, like Wright are stuck in the past, not realizing that a lot of whites DO listen, DO respect, and need the message of God,regardless of color.
Two sad things:
1. Wright’s words cheat his parishioners, by making them victims. No wonder Oprah quit.
2. Obama looks just like the white guys who only want to be on the side that is winning-NO CHANGE.
He shouldn’t disown he preacher he should explain.
PS. re: Catholic priests forgiving sin, it is biblical that Christ left Christians with the power of forgiveness. Read your Bible. I am not Catholic, by the way.
Monica -
Thanks for finding my blog and posting your comments.
As a Christian, I try not to judge people but instead, let God be the judge.
Thanks
Catholics do not believe a priest can forgive sins. Only God is able to do that. Priests are agents of God. They hear your sins and absolve them in the name of God. Also, all protestants were once Catholics, hence the term Protestant, which means you are protesting against the original Catholic Church. Duh.
Therefore,if you believe Catholicism is a false religion, then you do not believe in YOUR religion, since it originated as the Catholic faith. All Christians trace their religion back to Catholicism, and then to Judaism and so on all the way back to polytheism and worshiping nature. (Judaism was once a polytheistic religion.)
Every one has a right to worship the way they believe. Our country was founded on this right. I may not agree with Mormonism, but they believe in God, so it is a religion.
I was raised Catholic. I do not go to church, but I am still offended when people criticize things they know nothing about. I have been to many Protestant services and also to synagogue. How many Catholic Masses have you attended?
Transubstantiation has been hotly debated in the Catholic church for centuries, and many practicing Catholics do not believe in it. The Pope will not change this as it is fundamental church doctrine, established almost two centuries ago.
BTW Obama’s minister is practicing Freedom of Speech. He is basically saying that the USA is hypocritical, because the govt is doing the same things that they denounce in other countries.
Thanks for your comments.
[...] Americans, ABC saw fit to ask about irrelevant and unimportant topics like flag-wearing and the Rev. Wright. Instead of a rousing debate on IMPORTANT public policy issues - like the war in Iraq, health care, [...]
I don’t see anything wrong with what pastor Wright said. NOTHING! Preach brutha, PREACH!
For those who are criticizing Barack for just plain “dropping” or “disowning” Rev. Wright, I taste a bit of sour hypocracy. Why? Well, for starters, you, the voters are “disowning” Barack over this single man. A single man whose words are meant to both shock and repel those who aren’t willing to analyze what he says.
I’m not little Ms. Factoid over here.. I’m voting for my first time ever this election. Until the freaking media can scoop out some dirt that’s worse than this.. stupidity.. Obama’s still on my ballot. Hell, I’ll write obama’s name on the ballot screen if I have to.
Barack did NOT just drop the Reverend out of his politics truck with a flip of his political wand; and he DID explain. Remember his speech on race? Something along the lines of, “I have not always agreed with what Reverend Wright has said..” and even going into how he knows that his words are harsh at times. What else do you people want from him? You want him to reach into Rev. Wright’s brain and turn off the “big mouth” switch?
He can’t freaking put a Muzzle on the Reverend! Plus- do you even GO to the Rev.’s church? Hmm? Have you ever been there to hear a 30 minute sermon; and not just the “shocking” 3-minute climax of his speeches?
No. You haven’t. You just turned on your television and saw an angry looking preacher spewing words. And you were appaled, maybe even disgusted.
Well, sorry. That’s all the media decided to show you. They didn’t follow reverend Wright around his church and film him every-single Sunday for a whole decade. Unless you attended church with the Reverend, you’ll never even know half of what he talked about, and how he delivered it.
Plus, I think we make WAY too many assumptions based on the words he chose for his sermon. “Oh my lord! He said.. the.. the N word!” Uh, is it just me, or do I hear that word murmered by people I know every day? But I’m not using that as an excuse; it’s a horrible word to say. But answer this;
Was Hillary EVER called a N**er?
Pfft, I think we ALL know the answer to that one.
N-
Great comment.
Thanks!
[...] that Obama (who is half black, beeteedubs) really wants to be associated with? I thought he already cut ties with the craziest member of his posse. Seriously Spike, if you wanna make a difference, you should [...]