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

[Retrofuturistic]

It's all about the spin. And the schmoozing.... (Alas.)

[humanism]

INTERVIEW: Rev. Jeremiah Wright (March 9, 2007)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1028/interview.html

[unsolved999]

Talk about prophetic!

[charley0008]

What I find the saddest of this whole questionable affair is that not once did I see a single news show or critic examine if there was some merit behind any of Rev. Wrights comments. As Mike Huckabee so graciously pointed out a sermon does not have the benefit of written text and often you may look back and review it and realize that is not what you meant to say, or regret how you said it.
That consideration was never given to Rev. Wright but even worse, right now most people have no idea who Rev. Wright is. His life, his life's work and the best of him has been drowned out by the continuous loop of a few impolitic words showing the least of him.
Yet when you take the time and go back and look at this man's life and his achievements it is an awesome record. To build a church on the East Side of Chicago from less than 100 to over 8,000.
He did the kind of community work that reached out to the poor, the imprisoned, to those with HIV/AID and the homeless. He challenged his members and often was a critical with his own as he appeared on some of those sound bites with others, demanding that they be better parents, better citizens and take responsibility for their lives. Its the list of critical things we all agree must be done but few us get down in the grit and ever do. Rev. Jeremiah Wright's entire life was spent doing all the things we all think "someone" should do something about.
He is that someone who did.
This same man being cursed and called the most terrible things; not because what he said was worse; or more offensive; or less patriotic; or more bizarre than anything we had already heard from white preachers like Falwell, Parsley, and a whole list of other white Preachers being courted and dined by Presidents and candidates but because.......................

he same people are cursing for saying things we have all heard before form other white preachers (and worse) his man did and actually put faith and what he believed into action.

[strifeknot]

I hate the Clintons more than anyone, but this is much ado about nothing. Enough of Rev. Wright, let's get on with the more important issues facing this country and start scrutinizing McCain.

[RButler]

The Clintons have always said nice things about you.

[MikeB08]

There is a big difference in someone coming to your house and you going to their house.

It reminds me of that famous picture of Nixon presenting Elvis with a honorary federal narcotics badge. Embarrassing for Nixon but not scandalous. Now a picture of Nixon attending a wild party at Graceland would have been a different story!

[SayonaraSnot]

I don't invite crazed extremist hatemongers to my house, and I doubt the Clintons do either.

[preemptivelove]

I want to see the photos of all the right wingers posing with Jerry Falwell....the man that blamed 9/11 on gays, lesbians, abortionists, ACLU members and secularists. Now there's a prince of a guy....

[MinneapolisBob]

The Democrats can continue keeping this up and hand over the General election to McCain and the reBushlicans in November.

The current state of the country, everything from the war, the economy, lack of health care, the high cost of living, gas prices going out of sight, people losing their homes, schools closing due to lack of funding, citizens still living in trailers in New Orleans after getting no help for days after Katrina...on and on it goes. And we are facing at least another four years of all of that because we are destroying the Democratic party and handing the election right over to McCain and the continuation of the same BUllSHit

Come on America, wake up! We are allowing racism is killing our opportunity to take OUR country back.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOTE! We can't afford to lose our rights, freedoms and liberties because of the Supreme Court.

[Texas4Obama]

I just finished watching the 4 part video on YouTube of Rev. Wright's Chirstmas 2007 sermon

http://www.youtube.com/user/ronptech

The part that the news media shows on TV less than 30 seconds from this entire sermon.

I would recommend that everyone watch the WHOLE SERMON and then form an opinion. In my opinion Rev. Wright has a good heart. I am proud that the honorable Senator Obama did not disown him. If you watch the sermon you will see why for yourself.

Thank you for reading my post.

[Colin22]

The main story is that Rev. Wright, before he recently retired, was a very mainstream and well-respected preacher & theologian - so much so, that he was invited to the White House for a religious breakfast function. It lends credence to Obama's words that there's more to this man than just a few sound-bites (why people don't automatically get that....i dunno).

It's sad that the media will only play up the "GOTCHA" aspect.....

[NC4Obama]

exactly

[JavaCityGal]

That's EXACTLY the point.

[rvme]

I wonder how many years Bill and Hillary sat and listened to his sermons? 20 yrs? 15 yrs? 5? 1? once? or never? I guess Obama is using this to whitewash(pun intended) the many many sermons of hateful speak? For the first time in my adult life I have realized that Obama is a rookie politician. Politics can be downright hateful can't it?

[LeftLeanWing]

you have heard only 20 seconds of his sermons.....

you assume a lot...

for the 1st time in your adult life you will realize that you are still a child who assumes to much.

Do you think Bill Clinton would have invited a hate spewing minister into his White House.

[Texas4Obama]

When you go to church it's not like you sit there for 20 years.
He said it went sporaticaly. That could mean once a month or even alot less than that.

You should watch the WHOLE sermon before you judge.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ronptech

A person's life should not be judged by a one minute sound bite on the evening news.

[lydia]

I see nothing wrong with Rev. Wright''s comments. Neither Whites nor for that matter Blacks/African Americans need not to be uncomfortable with Wright 's opinions. These
churches always preach fire and brimstone and Wright is addressing the same bigoted cabal that has stolen the White House, the same bunch that has lied and lied and led us into a war, Invaded a sovereign country that had naught to do with WMDs or 9/11. The same mob that has torn up the constitution and our rights because it was but a ' piece of paper'; the same perpetrator of dark deeds that has brought our once successful country to the brink of disaster and despair.

Obama did an excellent job in trying to soothe the waters he need not however he did an excellent job in addressing race in American but he can't be held responsible for the words of each and every supporter, if he did he would go ga ga!.

[SayonaraSnot]

And, Obama's point is that 20 years of sermons show that he is no fringe figure. And the Clinton White House felt the same way, otherwise he would not have been an honored guest at a meeting of top U.S. religious leaders.

[chazzman]

FYI; The purpose of releasing the photo of Rev Wright and clinton was to show that he is not the monster painted by the msm. Rev Wright is an ex-MARINE who took an oath to defend America. He earned the right to speak against injustice as he preceived it. That is a right that I and other fought for. Please do not forget that. 30 second spots do not a man or a life make. Vote what is best for you and America. Our future is in your hands.

Obama 08

[marthlois]

Great Comment - thanks.

[Egghead]

Not to mention that he helped do surgery on LBJ.

http://www.truthabouttrinity.blogspot.com/

The character assassination on this man--a retired minister, of all people--a champion of progressive causes--is SHAMEFUL.

[Bobleblah1]

Plank:

You hit the nail on the head.
Not only would they use people and throw them away after they have used them up.
They are presently using people and throwing them away as we speak.
While I dont think much of Geraldo Ferarro. (just kidding)
I can see clearly how Hillary used this women in order to smear Sen. Obama
with no real concern of what it might do to Geraldine's legacy and memory.
Its funny how you never heard any Sen. Clinton speaches where she stood up for Ferraro as
being someone important to her. No; all you heard was that Geraldine was stepping down.
Meanwhile Hillary has enjoyed great gains in the last two weeks, mainly from the respect that race as a deciding factor and idea, has now been planted in the minds of every Pennsylvania voter.
I am really trying to get away from demonizing Sen. Clinton, but every different form of strategy employed by her and her campaign, just makes me sick. Im to the point that I turn the channel anytime she is on TV. I cant even look at her anymore, without feeling ill.

[dtd]

If he was preaching hated against whites and calling for the downfall of America for decades, he would have not passed a background check. Moreover, look around the room...there aren't that many black faces. How did he get invited? Are we to believe that a out of the thousands of black preachers that could have been invited, they chose the one who preached hatred and the downfall of America. Is it possible, just possible, that the majority of his sermons were about the gospel and community responsibility?

[SayonaraSnot]

Whoa, whoa, whoa -

That's LOGIC. Cut that out right this minute.

[TheRealist1]

You are, incorrectly, assuming that Rev. Wright was the only "black" minister that was invited. Another, more prominent "black" minister, T.D. Jakes, was present and more influential than Rev. Wright. T.D. Jakes has never been a supporter of the Clintons and has been publicly critical of the Clintons for years. This flies in the face of any suggestion that the Clintons hand picked ministers supportive and sympathetic to the Clintons.

[A Meat Beetle]

I once saw a picture of Ronald Reagan at a party with the famous mobster, Meyer Lanski. Does that mean Ronald reagan was a criminal?

Wait a minute--maybe it does.

[MsNewton]

A different perspective on the photo.

I agree that taking a photo with Rev Wright is not the same as having a relationship with Rev Wright. So if that is the purpose of the photo, then it is a silly rebuttal.

But the photo does suggest that Rev Wright is actually a more mainstream preacher and not the anti-American, anti-White, radical, extremist preacher that he has been portrayed in the media via the small clips of his sermons. The photo also suggests that he is well respected in his field. Of all the preachers in all the world, he was one of the few that were invited to the White House for this event. You would have to have some kind of respect in the community to score such an invite.

Also, I would imagine that anyone who is invited to the White House would have to undergo a comprehensive background check. I can’t believe that a radical, anti-American, anti-white extremist would have survived the vetting process and would be allowed within two feet of a sitting president. The photo actually seems to corroborate Obama’s statements that the portions of Rev. Wright’s sermons that have been played, do not represent the general tenor of his sermons for twenty years nor the tenor of the church.

Just a thought.

[rvme]

The New York Times reports the Obama Campaign brought the photo to thier attention? So lets see the President of the United States has an annual prayer breakfast and Wright is one of how many religious leaders, and that puts this all to rest. Add another notch in Obama's belt attesting to him being a mere hack politician. Yet Barack is outraged when his photo in tribal garb gets out? Turns out the outrage is that they tried so very hard not to have any pictures come out of him wearing the clothes.


GO HILLARY

[jorydozier]

The Clinton supporters seem to be just as sleazy as the candidate herself. God help us through this nominating process so that presumptive nominee Obama will have a decent chance at reuniting the party.

[Dorian]

It's time the Democratic Party delivered the message to Bill Clinton that Hillary must back out of the race. Obama has won the nomination and it is hurting the party's chances to have Obama fighting a war on three fronts -- Bill, Hill and McCain.

[SayonaraSnot]

I'm sorry that you are unable to see the point of this photo being brought to everyone's attention.

Here's some help: How many racist, white people-hating, fringe extremist preachers get invited to meetings of religious leaders at the white house?

Bueller? Bueller?