Huckabee Defends Rev. Jeremiah Wright

Via Ben Smith:

An assist from an unexpected quarter:

"[Y]ou can't hold the candidate responsible for everything that people around him may say or do," Huckabee says. "It's interesting to me that there are some people on the left who are having to be very uncomfortable with what ... Wright said, when they all were all over a Jerry Falwell, or anyone on the right who said things that they found very awkward and uncomfortable, years ago. Many times those were statements lifted out of the context of a larger sermon. Sermons, after all, are rarely written word for word by pastors like Rev. Wright, who are delivering them extemporaneously, and caught up in the emotion of the moment. There are things that sometimes get said, that if you put them on paper and looked at them in print, you'd say 'Well, I didn't mean to say it quite like that.'"

Later, he defended Wright's anger, too:

"As easy as it is for those of us who are white to look back and say 'That's a terrible statement!' ... I grew up in a very segregated South. And I think that you have to cut some slack -- and I'm gonna be probably the only conservative in America who's gonna say something like this, but I'm just tellin' you -- we've gotta cut some slack to people who grew up being called names..."

Watch the video:

Comments

[oracle99]

I saw him yesterday on Morning Joe and I applaud Mike Huckabee...his remarks show that he is a true Christian. Of course Joe Scarboro didn't approve of Huckabee's remarks. It's too bad that an honest , poor person can't run for president in this country. I'm for Obama but Huckabee had a lot of good common sense ideas.

[realpolitic]

Scarborough is usually dumber than cornflakes.

[Independent007]

Huckabee was the poorest person in the campaign(700,000), with Obama being the second poorest(1.2 million). If you call that poor, but again its relative to those who were running.
Romney was the richest by far.

I did not really care for Huck before his comments. But I have a new respect for him.
I hope Obama gives him a position in his cabinet, he would do a great job.
We need guys like him to counter the hate of guys like Hannity and Limbaugh who want to divide and conquer.

[jakie]

THANK YOU GOV HUCKABEE I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WHERE A RESPECTABLE MAN WHEN I WATCHED YOUR SPEECHES. YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT REPUB CANDIDATE . REPUBLICANS ALWAYS NOMINATE THAT HATE THE POOR PEOPLE

[realpolitic]

THANY YOU, TOO.

[ObamaSeeChange]

This article out of the Boston Globe today is the first balanced investigative story I have seen on Obama's history with the Trinity church and proves that since the mid 90's that Obama has consistently advocated for a race neutral America and a love of country even within the Trinity congregation and beyond. How do you advocate uniting the American Community by disowning or leaving one side because they have become hostile to the other side. He has been a honest broker and consistent uniter from day one. Fair minded people should read this story and those too closed minded to give it fair consideration shouldn't of course waste your time cause your anger will never let you "get it'.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/20/obamas_odyssey_on_race/?page=1

[bhyman]

The last 5 candidates that remained in the race have all been accptable to me and I have always ranked them as follows: 1) Obama, 2) Huckabee, 3) McCain, 4) Edwards, 5) Clinton. To me, this election has always been about our country rejecting the current political system and accepting a new approach to politics. I can agree and disagree with many of the policies of each candidate, but the most important thing to me is electing a proper statesman that can represent this country with intelligence, compassion, and dignity, and to stop the influence of PAC's and special interest groups which are destroying our country.

This is neither a democratic or republican position. Senator Clinton, while smart and politically saavy, is just too "mainstream democrat" for me, pandering to the 50.1% that she needs to become the next president. John Edwards' message towards the end of his campaign was starting to resonate with me, and I am sure he was passionate about his positions, but I had to take his entire career into account. McCain is flat-out WRONG about the war and many other issues, but I truly admire his service to our country and his willingness to think for himself (immigration, campaign finance reform). Huckabee is WRONG about evolution, but he plays gutar, supports tax reform, and is not afraid to stick his thumb in the eye of the right-wing. And, as witnessed in this clip, he has a firm understanding of right and wrong, and a true moral center.

Barack Obama is clearly the best candidate right now. His speech of race made me cry, and I have never had a politician do that to me. I actually feel good about this election. Our country will be okay no matter which candidate gets the nod. McCain is not a George Bush, and we rejected the disingenuous campaigns of Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson. Thank you America!

[SouthCentralDel]

Good post bhyman,

But McCain has 'turned' and is not the man standing tall he once was.

[brwnizofmine]

Thank you Gov. Huckabee, when you were in the race, you and Senator Obama were my favorite two. God Bless!

[mrdontplay]

It really just shows you how riddiculous the idea of religion is.

No one wants to discuss what all of these folks believe which is when you die GOD is goind to send you to HELL for not being a devout christian.

...How is this piece left out of the discussion?

[truesoccermom]

Thank you Huckabee. You have gained my respect. Please go on the Hannity show and quiet these white patriot kooks down a bit.

[SaddieMcCall]

Huckabee is a man of integrity. I also liked how McCain responded as well, he said "I know Senator Obama, and I know that he does not share those views." Hillary - your silence is telling.

[Thad]

Strange bedfellows indeed. I would never in a million years vote for Huckabee, but I think he's a decent person; here he has once again shown that the phrase "compassionate conservative" can be used without irony.

[Tejano1]

wow, my opinion of huckabee just shot up about 50 points.

[bluegreen]

huckabee's response was just what i would expect of a good reverend. he's a thoughtful, decent man.

and those crass morning show people aren't half as witty and charming as they seem to think.

[alexcharner]

Very classy statement by a man who had everything to gain by piling on, but instead chose to follow his faith and judgment.

I can't think of many (or any) issues on which Governor Huckabee and I agree.

It's time we embraced the true definition of sincerity and morality. The media should do some soul-searching.

[Buddhabman]

Like someone said earlier DittoHeads are exploding all over the place on the Hucks comments. It was very courageous and human of Gov. Huckabee to cross the political line to defend someone on a topic where there would be no benefit to himself. The Gov, I have always found personable and because of his humanity and might even have been tolerable with his different policy views as he seems to have rational and pragmatic sense. Finally a Republican who breaks the mold. Props to the Huckster.

[JTyroler]

Huckabee comes off looking like a humanitarian while that other famous person from Hope, Arkansas looks the other way. Huckabee's political stances on many issues should scare most Americans (changing American laws to reflect God's laws). Huckabee's a Christian and, incredibly, is acting like one.

Many white Americans are afraid of blacks talking about some of the problems of being a person of color in the United States. Most whites, and I am a white person, don't want to be considered racist, but we are quick to criticize when people of color tell us about how they aren't treated equally.

[ethancorso]

I don't know if I can remember another instance of a Republican defying his base so publicly and openly. Although I agree with none of his politics I have a newfound respect for Huck.

[IronMikeHouston]

LOL, defying his base. Huck does not have a large base. He might have done OK in Iowa but who really cares about Iowa. Huck and Barack are nice guys but they are in over their head running or president. I do agree with Hillary that Barack gets a free pass compared to a white politician. If he was white and had a preacher like Wright, the media would be all over Barack. The media is afraid to ask difficult questions because they would be perceived as being a racist.

Again, I'm not sure were Barack's preacher was going when Jesus was poor in a country controlled by rich white men. Jesus is GOD and I don't believe he needs money. I'm sure he could turn a big rock into gold and have plenty of money if he wanted it.

Now, when rich black people control a country like in Africa. There is plenty of killing going on. So I'm not sure I understand the analogy!

[nightprowler]

wow..i couldnt agree more.good for you MR.GOV.