Bill Clinton And Jeremiah Wright Photo Uncovered

**UPDATED**

Politico is reporting on a recently uncovered photo of Bill Clinton and Rev. Jeremiah Wright:

The recent coverage of Rev. Jeremiah Wright has often cast him as a marginal, almost fringe figure, but Trinity Church is a major Chicago institution, and Wright has long been a prominent pastor on the American scene.

And an anonymous blog set up to defend his church offers some compelling photographic evidence of this: A photograph of Wright and President Clinton, which it says was taken on September 11, 1998 -- the date of a White House gathering for religious leaders.

Hillary Clinton, according to her recently-released schedule for the day, was present at the gathering.

That's where Clinton reportedly told the assembled clerics, at the depth of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, that he had "repented."

Clinton Campaign Statement:

Less than 48 hours after calling for a high-minded conversation on race, according to the New York Times the Obama campaign is peddling photos of an occasion when President Clinton shook hands with Reverend Wright. To be clear, President Clinton took tens of thousands of photos during his eight years as president.

Obama Campaign Statement:

After their top surrogates pushed this story line and Senator Clinton's campaign outlined this as a central strategy in her plan to overturn the will of Democratic voters, I can see why they wouldn't want such a photo out there that shows the respect even President Clinton has for Reverend Wright.

Comments

[riverhouse]

Rev. Wright was invited by Bill Clinton for consultation and pastoral advice, as was Jesse Jackson and other acclaimed ministers, following the Monica revelations. These are the church leaders Bill chose to confess his sins to. No one gets into the White House by invitation who is not throughly vetted. The Clinton administration would have been fully aware of Rev. Wright's speeches, opinions, and positions and yet he was honored by this invitation to help Bill get past his sins of infidelity and perjury. What amazing hypocrites the Clintons are.

[area]

I say the following as someone who voted for Obama in the Illinois Democratic primary:

If Sen. Obama and his campaign wish to move beyond Rev. Wirght's and his "divisiveness," the release of this photo might be the worst thing they could do. Up until now, the Obama campaign has been able to rally support around a very attractive message of hope and change, and the excitement surrounding his run is based on his potential ability to enact that message. The Senator's speech on race certainly makes that clear. What the campaign absolutely CANNOT do from this point forward is attempt seemingly "old" political tactics while preaching change. There is no way voters will believe that the former president had the same sort of relationship with Wright as Obama had, and there's no evidence to suggest that their meeting was nothing more than a brief, uneventful one. My guess is that Obama's campaign was hoping to show that Wright had been accepted by the Democratic leadership some time ago: that he was "okay" then, so why not now? But it smacks of the same politics of identity that Obama seemed to be speaking out against in Philadelphia.

Consequently, this terrible decision to release such a photo, coupled with Kerry's remarks about Obama's blackness at a rally yesterday and Sen. Obama's own reference to a "typical white person" on a Philadelphia radio show demonstrate his campaign's inability to gauge the public's reaction to his race speech. If a candidate runs a campaign of hope and change, that campaign must stay completely on-message, especially after the few weeks Obama has had. And it doesn't bode well that Axelrod, et al, cannot figure out how to make this happen.

My hope is that the Senator can truly pivot away from racial issues and cheap guilt-by-a­ssociation tactics and really take on the policies of Clinton and McCain, that his campaign can move beyond its recent mistakes. I hope that the news of a passport breach and Richardson's endorsement can take some heat away from the topic of race and identity. I hope that he might still be able to drag himself to this finish line, however bloodied he might be. But right now he seems to be running in the opposite direction.

[nomobull]

first obama 's campaign did not release photo.it was taken from the church website that was setup to prove he is more than the few minutes of clips . from my understanding the point of circulating is to show he is more what the media is labeling him.some are questioning hillary on this because they say she knew the media's portrait of him was incomplete and said nothing.

[area]

My apologies for mis-writing. You are correct. The Obama campaign released the photo the the New York Times, which does make them somewhat complicit in circulating the photo.

The Times had this to say about it: "In providing the photograph to The New York Times, the Obama campaign appeared to be trying to divert some attention to the Clintons after a week in which Mr. Obama’s relationship with Mr. Wright has left him facing one of the biggest challenges of his campaign." http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.comm)

I guess my point was that Obama's campaign needs to focus more on issues like NAFTA, not on relations that Pres. Clinton had with that man. The voters whose heads Obama needs to turn toward him are not going to be impressed by the photo of Wright and Clinton.

[natasyenehc]

It was not Obama's side which released the pic - the church did it themselves.

What Obama has rightly called for is hillry to apologise for going on the record stating she categorically did not support NAFTA yet recently released records show that on the contrary she played an active i repeat active - part in lobbying support for NAFTA.

Which is more relevant to voters in today's economy ?

[tkunz]

This photo proves conclusively that Reverend Wright has absolutely no prejuidices or hangups with regrards to socializing with Common White Trash.
Rest easy Clinton Supporters.

[apresdeluge]

Rev Wright is that you? Still spouting your anti-white racism I see.

[dawlishgal]

The really sad and IRONIC thing is that the way a lot of people are behaving (spinning the Wright blather by taking it out of context in order to destroy a black candidate or swallowing the garbage in the most gullible knee-jerk way ) really does validate a lot of what the Reverend said about Americans and whites and blacks.

Americans have been shown the high road. But, after 8 years of Bushrovian crapola about opponents succeeded in getting people elected, will Americans be willing to put a stop to it by making this latest Clinton attempt to slime Obama into a failure for the SLIMERS?

[marykins123]

Forget the bigots, Bill and Hillary, for a minute and listen to the TRUTH....t­he media is so into itself, taken over our elections, and intrigue that it has forgotten what reporting the TRUTH really is. (at least listen @ 3 minutes and 25 secs and then tell me Rev. Wright was not quoted incorrectly - I dare you.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdlnzkeoyQ

[dawlishgal]

I haven't heard anybody deny that Wright said what he said, but don't forget CONTEXT, in fact, both vebal and historical contexts. Have you even bothered to consider contexts or have you allowed your knees to jerk you into rejecting a candidate because something his clergyman said could be spun out of its context without even informing yourself of the context?

Plus the fact that Wright isn't OBAMA and that OBAMA has disavowed Wright's words? How would YOU like to be judged by the words and deeds of the slimy uncle (almost everybody has one) who tries to force his tongue down the throats of the every niece as soon as she hits puberty? Nobody in my family ever tried to disown that guy or even to stop him , even when he goosed my mother at my father's funeral. That is the kind of stuff that is kept inside of the family. And many people consider their clergyman to be part of the family. And they just don't talk about stuff like that. and hope that it will stop. And that is that.

Anybody who actually listens to sermons would have to admit that their clergyman says a lot of goofy stuff. Mine actually told a bride (but not her groom) that "from this day forward, you cease to exist as an individual­"....I didn't object then or since. Does that make me an anti-feminist?

The Clintonista slimers are hoping that you won't care about stuff like that, and so far it looks as though they might be right.

My biggest fear is that the Clintons know that many Americans are looking for a reason, any reason to not vote for a black man,and they are hoping that they have provided one. Nevermind that there already exist MANY reasons to not vote for a Clinton.

The Clintons are counting on Americans to be as lazy, superficial, and gullible as they were when they voted for Bush. Let's hope that Americans stand up for decency and honor and that the Clintons will be disappointed in the change.

[Ginko]

You keep saying if we only watched more of Rev. Wright or we stopped making Obama responsible for his 20 year association with a black separatist church and making this black separatist preacher his mentor then we can all have this God like leader who will bring change. Are you kidding? Is this your first Presidential Election? You don't understand, now that all of this is "out there" there is NO WAY he can beat McCain in November! "Middle America" will not vote for him! He lied about it on national television, first he said he had never heard it, then confessed he had later.
You are judged by the company you keep. Go to the website and READ what their ideals are.

[apresdeluge]

Calling Bill & Hillary Clinton bigots shows just how blinded some Obama supporters have become. It is outrageous and will definetely hurt your candidate in the remaining primaries and will end any chances the Democrtas had of regaining the Whitehouse. Many Obama supporters have become as rabid as the 29% who still support George W. Bush.

[HopeObama08]

Ok, let's open our eyes here and be honest.

Many of us heard about the Natalie Holloway story, but how many have heard about what happened to Megan Williams in Oct 2007 in WV???

[DRPike]

You gotta love the Clinton supporters favorite new "lemming" line, "how desperate is Obama."

News for Clinton supporters, it isn't desperation when the only way you can lose is by overriding the will of the people and rules agreed to by all, it's just keeping the facts clear.

BTY: How about that Richardson endorsemen­t...there went the hispanic vote...DOH­!

[NewYorkModerate]

Oh, please. Talk about wagging the dog. Bill Clinton didn't listen to twenty years of racist rant from this guy, Obama did. Bill Clinton didn't talk about his grandmother being a "typical white person," Obama did. Obama has a big problem on his hands and his staff is simply trying to change the subject. I wonder if the situation had been reversed and it was Hillary Clinton who had attended a church with a racist minister whether everyone would be quite so forgiving as they seem to be about Obama. If she had delivered essentially the same speech on race, would we be calling it the greatest thing since the Sermon on the Mount? I doubt it. What I don't doubt is that this is simply politics as usual, the very thing Obama said he was trying to transcend, but then he says a lot of things.

[Pepper14]

We have know idea what Clinton's listened to because the media was interested in covering their rear ends that we were never given the true story on what happened in the Clinton years. They reported on the sex life of Bill but only because they knew it wasn't hurting him. Obama camp had every right to expose this photo because we now know why the Clinton's have kept silent on this.

[NewYorkModerate]

Once again, an attempt to change the subject. Slowly, the hagiography that's been written about Senator Obama is revealed to be more fiction than fact.

[riverhouse]

So, black people who dare to be offended and angered by the racism and descrimination that has infected their lives in American society are 'racists' for objecting to being treated this way?

[NewYorkModerate]

I didn't say that. I said that Obama has a problem to deal with and one way his staff has chosen to respond is to try to change the subject. And the subject is not whether blacks, whites or anyone else has legitimate grievances; the subject is judgment--Senator Obama's judgment. And no speech, no matter how eloquent, is going to erase the doubts now raised in voters' minds as to whether his judgment is as untarnished as his supporters have claimed. Nor does it make one a racist to call that judgment into question. He gave a fine speech on race, but it didn't dispel the doubts that are beginning to swirl around him.

[bethinCary]

So his pastor said "GD America".
Know how many times I've said "F BUsh", "F Cheney", "F the people of Fla and Ohio for giving him the WH"?
does that make me racist?--(I'm white)..
So Jerimiah W. can't get as angry as most have felt with this WH--which is reflected in how one feels about America?
What about Katrina? Think African Americans, ( white too), but especially African Americans
weren't horrified to see that-the govt taking close to 7 days to rescue..
White need to stop trying to typify race as thier own point of view having ownership.­.
Whites who listen to O's speech, and want to say he was blaming whites are ridiculous too.
Those statements made by Wright aren't racist-they're frustration
frustration by an African-American man to be able to breakthrough so that whites could understand from their point of view.
This pic of Wright at Bill Clintons' "I'm sorry" speech after his Lewinsky blow-show the lengths the Clintons' will go to our for a politically opportunistic photo-op..­.Here was Bill asking for forgiveness--oh btw did I mentioned he had asked a slew of pastors as well as photogs to attend--to save his own ass in the eyes of the public. Wright did--and they must have asked him there, as someone they respected. Now they are remaining silent that they ever knew him--nor ever had him as a guest at the WH..They are trying to paint the very same man Bill C. asked for forgiveness years ago-as some sort of lunatic, instead of the well-respected pastor that he is..
The Clinton camp needs to be ashamed for dragging Wright through the mud-for their own political gain. We've seen it before though---R­ezco(Clint­on took doantions from and took pic with since he was donor), Naftagate (tries to accuse Goolsbee of winking at Can) when she was doing it---and had promoted Nafta, tries to do it with the war too--(well if I had known then what I know now) BULLSHIT-that costs the lives of over 4000 Americans.­..they will say or do anything--including throwing pastors under the proverbial bus--for their own gain...

[NewYorkModerate]

It all looks like politics to me. Your saint has feet of clay.

[dawlishgal]

You really ought to read the Barbara Ehrenreich piece on the clergymen that Hillary actually DOES listen to. And they are accusing the Obama supporters of being "cultists.­" I kept wondering why they were saying that while they were engaging in the other Bushrovian thing of accusing Obama fof having done evey slimy thing that either Clinton actually did...that "innoculation" thing in which when the truth comes out, the accusing party can accuse the accused party of retaliatin­g....as I said another filthy Bushrovian thing.

WELL, the "cultist" thing isn't such a mystery afterall. Turns out Hillary herself is quite the loyal little member of quite the creepy cult.

[NewYorkModerate]

Here again, the tail is wagging the dog. Senator Obama started this campaign promising a new politics, committing to move beyond the divisions of the past and offering us hope. All three of those things have been lost in a politics of vituperation and villification. The issue, as I said before, is judgment. He and those around him have demonstrated a lack of it. Trying to divert the argument to a tired rant about the Clintons is a vain attempt to change the subject. How "Bushrovia­n."

[iv08]

She couldn't give the same speech because "Hillary ain't never been called a n****".
Oh and she may not attend a church with a racist but she attends a bible study group that preaches a conservative interpretation of the bible and wants to "inject faith into politics"

I remember something in the Constitution (remember that old thing?) that talks about separation of something and state but what was that. . .

Oh yeah, church and state

So Hillary wants to be President
To "Uphold the Constitution of the United States"
Which requires separation of church and state
Which is the opposite of what is advocated by her bible study group

It seems like somebody is being deceived. . .

[MoeSart]

It's friggin HILARIOUS how Obama fans actually believe this Wright thing is going away. Shows how much you know.

He was a longshot anyway but his chances are ZERO now, even if he gets the nom.

Just another day at ObamaPo.

[marykins123]

Listen to this and then tell me what you believe to be the truth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdlnzkeoyQ

[newpantaloons]

And, please, if you can take it, go here and see where Hillary has been worshipping for the past 20 years!


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-ehrenreich/hillarys-nasty-pastorate_b_92361.html

Hitler?? Good God!

[moodpost]

Thank you for posting the Rev. Wright video. If you listen to more than the snippets MSM gives you, you see the man that Obama speaks of. I believe he is a good man who said things in ways that white people cannot relate to, exposing their... racism?

As for this photo thing. Who cares. I am an Obama supporter, but a photo of the President with just about anyone doesn't really mean anything. Was the reverend, along with all the other religious leaders, invited to the White House for political reasons? No doubt. But it still shouldn't be blown out of proportion.

[candybar]

The o bama campaign must be falling apart..cir­culating that photo just keeps this going. This is how he handles a crisis.

[nomobull]

he didn't people took it off the church website and begin circulating it.from my understanding there are others that are being circulated as well.

[MoeSart]

Wow. Bill Clinton shook some guy's hand at an event one day long ago. Obama wants to compare that to 20 YEARS of following by Obama?

Obama is increasingly desperate, and he has handled this situation the in worst way possible.

[trance]

Wright shows up in a greeting line of thousands at the White House to shake the President's hand - whereas Obama goes to Wright's church for 20 years. I think there is a slight difference.
And Clinton isnt even looking Wright in the eyes - He's pointing at something to the side - maybe the buffet table - saying something like: "As America's first black president - I know how you people likes you some ham - why dont you go get yourself some?"

[richardsgirl]

There were "several" ministers invited to the White House by the Clintons as the President sought spiritual guidance and forgiveness. There may have been thousands at the reception, but only "several" actually sat in private with the President.

[nomobull]

you are desperately running from the fact that the media took a few snippets and turned a man into a monster. ask yourself as i and others have .why out of thirty years of sermons this is what they are showing if he was such a hate monger .shouldn't there be more? and i am not saying he didn't other things others might find disagreeab­le;especia­lly taken out of context. but why only these clips .and unless you have been to his church for those same twenty years how do you know what he preached?I watched tucker carlson say he said things that are not in those clips but yet he had no clips or written sermons from which to offer prioof.

[riverhouse]

You're wrong. This was not a greet and shake occasion in the Clinton White House. Bill Clinton invited Rev. Wright, Jesse Jackson, and other notable ministers to the White House specifically for pastoral counseling in the immediacy of his Monica scandal. These are the religious leaders to whom Bill confessed his sins of infidelity and perjury and sought redemption. No one gets into the White House by invitation who is not throughly vetted. The White House would have been fully informed of Rev. Wright's positions, sermons, and opinions.

[HopeObama08]

Rachel Maddow: Obama thinks Americans are smart.
John Stewart: Obama thinks he is talking to Adults

Come on! If we could all stop lying to ourselves and be realistic for a change, it won't hurt. It would be a good restart after 8 years of Bush. At least Obama admits the good things about the Clinton administration and Bush senior administration. He 's far from being perfect and he acknoledged it on several occasions. He doesn't demonize people unfairly, but he will tell you what many people think without saying it loud. That is how you start a conversation that could lead to constructive criticism. People need to learn from their mistakes and move forward toward a good direction. I wish people could educate themselves instead of relying to what the media dictates them to think to make their own and sound juddgement. Check the facts in their full context, analyze them and THEN make your judgement.

[Rubiconski]

I’m glad to see this photo.

HRC planned to use the Wright issue against Obama to receive superdelegate votes.

HRC - SHAME ON YOU!

We now need to move away from Wright. We have real issues to discuss.

[enoughalready]

Hillary can say that many photos were taken with the then President Clinton but what they are leaving out in that statement is that every guest at a White House dinner is vetted. They felt at that time they needed the support of Rev. Wright, who was the preacher of a congregation that numbered 8,000. Bill Clinton was "repenting" and he felt he needed the Rev. Wright at that dinner. It was a political move to invite these preachers and they chose to invite Rev. Wright.

Now, not to overthink this whole situation but what Hillary and Bill did in 1998 by inviting this group of religious leaders was to take some of the heat off them politically in terms of the Lewinsky scandal.
So it was in their best interest and Bill's as the first "black" president to do damage control with the clergy.

For Howard Wolson to act so snide was way out of line. Admit the Clinton's used these men of the clergy for political cover and get past it.

[newpantaloons]

Exactly right! Also, the black pastor from NY that gave the vile, racist sermon that was featured on the Huffington Post in the last few days, was given a huge sum of money by the Clintons. Not to mention the ugly and racist diatribe against Obama's race speech from Geraldine Ferraro in the last couple of days. She must have a political death wish.

[apresdeluge]

So let's see if I have this correct. Geraldine Ferraro conducted an ugly & racist diatribe against Obama and Rev Wright was just telling the truth about whites and America. Ok. Now I understand.

[Alessan]

Just because you shake hands with a politican, especially the President of the US, means nothing. Besides maybe the Rev. at that time, hadn't decided that Bill Clinton screwed black Americans, watch the tape, regarding his language and gestures on Bill and Hillary Clinton. Politicans meet thousands of people thoughout their career, but they don't go around comparing them to their grandmother.

[VenusMuse]

Rev Wright was personally invited to a White House dinner. To be invetted to such a dinner means your vetted. Meaning the Clinton's know his views, etc. In addition, Wright was there to be Clinton's clergy - to pray with them.

Yes, it's important to the voter and delegates see that the Clinton's are hypocrites. Shame on you Clinton!

Go Obama!