Clinton: Wright "Would Not Have Been My Pastor"

Sen. Hillary Clinton has reintroduced the issue of Barack Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright today. First, she mentioned the controversy during a conversation with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a wide-ranging interview today with Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporters and editors, said she would have left her church if her pastor made the sort of inflammatory remarks Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor made.

"He would not have been my pastor," Clinton said. "You don't choose your family, but you choose what church you want to attend."...

"You know, I spoke out against Don Imus (who was fired from his radio and television shows after making racially insensitive remarks), saying that hate speech was unacceptable in any setting, and I believe that," Clinton said. "I just think you have to speak out against that. You certainly have to do that, if not explicitly, then implicitly by getting up and moving."

She repeated her remarks later today during a press conference, and followed them up by saying:

I was asked a personal question and I responded as to what I would have done... and I feel very comfortable with that. I don't think that's negative."

Watch:

The Obama camp has responded to Clinton's comments:

"After originally refusing to play politics with this issue, it's disappointing to see Hillary Clinton's campaign sink to this low in a transparent effort to distract attention away from the story she made up about dodging sniper fire in Bosnia. The truth is, Barack Obama has already spoken out against his pastor's offensive comments and addressed the issue of race in America with a deeply personal and uncommonly honest speech. The American people deserve better than tired political games that do nothing to solve the larger challenges facing this country."

Comments

[mdcolli]

Hillary's superiority mentality is offensive. Her arrogance while she continues to lie and manipulate to try to win the nomination is ridiculous. I wonder if in her mind she has ever made a mistake.
Shame on her for throwing out the Wright issue to take the attention off of yet another lie. I still
don't know how either she or Bill sleep at night.

[bucagogo]

It''s one thing to expose yourself to hate, able to pick and choose what works for you as an adult. It's another to expose your children to hate, perhaps too young to know what is right or wrong. That's selfish and dangerous. What's the difference from white supremist taking his children to an Aryan weekend. Don't they eventually become what they are taught. Obama shows bad judgement and a big selfish streak. Hillary just finally had to say what she felt. This Bosnia thing? Honey, if you were as busy as she was for 8 years, where you work 24 hours a day, you're gonna get some things confused. And she is the only first lady since Eleanor to go to a war zone. I think that was the point. vote hillary, yeah!

[PJay]

Meanwhile Pastor Wright has canceled several scheduled events due to safety concerns. Shame on you hillary clinton!! Shame on you MSM!!!
http://www.comcast.net/news/articles/politics/2008/03/14/Obama.Pastor/

[LeftLeaner]

No shame on Reverend (Ha) Wright for saying "GOD D**** America, referring to America as the USKKKA, blaming Americans for 9/11, need I go on.

No the shame should be rest squarely on the shoulders of Reverend Wright who uttered this vile and callous statements.

People should be responsible for their OWN Actions

Unfortunately, I don't think this comment will post.

[KerkorianKnot]

Mr. Inevitable celebrates with a five-finger discount at Tiffany's. He should be a great steward of the People's Money.

[eshaneua]

Why on earth would she bring this subject back to the forefront when her own husband has had affiliations with him (Rev. Right) as well. He was good enough to be invitied to the White House to atone for Slick Willy's sins when he had sexual relations with THAT WOMAN--(Monica Lewinsky). I didn't hear her crying foul THEN. Billary is grasping at straws and the political pundits are giving her a 5 percent chance of sowing up the nomination. It doesn't matter what she pulls out of her bag of tricks--it is NOT going to work. Barack Obama is the Democraticnominee and the President of the United States. Period. Even the news media have come to that realization.

[IconoclasticYouth]

Simply despicable

[ljmck]

If you haven't damned this country for something or other, like the elections of G. W. Bush, you've been asleep or you're a nicer person than I am.

Rev. Wright's audience undoubtedly has more reason than many to speak with utter frustration and anger.

What's wrong with rhetorical, metaphorical speech, anyway? Are people really that tender-eared? And so hard-hearted that they can't understand justifiable anger?

[snowcat]

IMPORTANT to read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-dantoni/sen-clintons-own-religi_b_93372.html

[foreffectivegovernment]

You all are being played like bass fiddles. The MSM, (Chris Matthews), said over a year ago, Obama will have to attack clinton, Clinton will have to attack Obama. At the debates, everything was calm.

The other talking heads chimed in, Obama will have to attack Clinton. Clinton will have to attack Obama. At the debates, everything was calm. The candidates didn't want to go negative until the howling mob required it just to give the 24 hour news stations the ammunition to keep their doors open and everyone paying those satellite bills and watching those ads.

Ted Kennedy said much worse things about Jimmy Carter and Jimmy Carter was a sitting Democratic President at the time. Kennedy though he was saving the Democratic Party from ruin and wanted to win at any cost just like everyone does including Barack Obama so don't single out Clinton.

Read some of the history of the Democratic Party and realize all of this B.S. in not constructive. Settle down and elect a candidate. Regardless of which Democratic candide is the nominee, the world will not end. My fear is that it will if John McCain is elected in the general election. That is what may happen if supporters on both sides of the Democratic Party don't control themselves.

Read this to see what we have already been through so we don't need this.

http://www.seattlepoliticore.org/2008/02/25/substancial-issues-major-divide-the-ghosts-of-the-democratic-national-convention/

[nohat]

You can't resurrect what hasn't yet been buried---and the Wright story has not been buried, Go to Real Clear Politics, go anywhere, the thing is still alive though wounded. Journalist after journalist is still writing about it, and not just in America.

[aj4321]

In the same note, I would have left my spouse if he was a cheating on me.

[indc]

She tolerated cheating, lies, public humiliation for years... in fact, more than one souce says she organized campaigns to trash the woman's character while protecting his... is this a feminist value, I used to think I knew what was included and excluded, but it appears that tolerating this psychological abuse and humiliation for decades, attacking women and protecting the man are OK traits with many feminists.­..

Speaks a great deal about her character and perhaps her insistance on not taking responsibility, blaming others, and refusal to accept realities that do not appear of her wish or entitlement list.

[SoulSistah]

Right on! HRC, why did you chose to stay with a lying, cheating spouse? Some women would have left Bill.
..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­...
RIP - HRC Presidential Campaign

[LBM]

Coming from someone who has been divorced, it takes a lot of courage, strength and fortitude to forgive someone you love for hurting you. I have a lot of respect for a person who puts the good of her marriage and children above her hurt feelings, and works on making the marriage work. For those who say she stayed for political reasons, I say that's nonsense. The whole country was supporting her and behind her when the Lewinsky thing came out. She could've easily walked away and still would have been elected to the senate and would have an even better chance at President without the negative impact of bringing this whole mess back up. She loves him, and she loves her daughter, and she wants to protect her family. She's a great role model for what commitment and loyalty really means.

[terris]

Malcom X said the same thing when JFK was killed as Wright did on 9/12: You reap what you sow. There are actual reasons why things happen. People are not motivated by "evil," except in fairy tales.

America is reaping and weeping.

Yes, it's time for a change, and Hillary/McClintoch sure won't change anything - except for accelerating the rate of melting glaciers. Yes, Obama is part of the power in DC that vexes ordinary Americans - but as you can see, he's not considered to be part of the club. And that's a sign, brothas and sistas.

That is a SIGN! Can I get an Amen?

The Clintons and the rest of them can keep on denying - and losing.

[GLOBALISATIONisBARBARISM]

Amen.

Yes, Obama was most obviously introduced with the specific purpose to divide the Democratic party and prolong the Bush-rule via McCain. It's up to the PEOPLE to prove wiser than "the club" is crafty and elect Obama nevertheless, via groundswell, "revolution".

Can anyone see the signs? YOU, the people, must change the pattern, to get a "people's" man in WH, or, more properly, to get someone in WH who may be forged into a "people's" man. Otherwise you NEVER can change the secular trend to plutocracy. RESISTING the MSM's (ridiculous) patterns for interpreting the Wright affair is the first step, today's crucible, for doing so.

Go, prove adults, Americans.

[IslandGyal]

Malcolm X's comments were decried too, but AGAIN, while not the right time to say such things around 9/11, Rev. Wright was quoting a WHITE ex U.S. Ambassador, who was appointed by Bill Clinton. That seems to be lost to the powers that be.

[k6007]

Its not 'lost', its being INTENTIONALLY omitted.

[Teritt]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/21/meet-the-white-man-who-_n_92793.html

Wasn't exactly a quote, but here you go.

[JTyroler]

The only things that I have seen about Rev. Wright is what has been shown on TV. That probably amounts to, what 90 seconds, 2 minutes? How long was Rev. Wright at the Obama's church? Wasn't he there for, at least, 20 years? Didn't Rev. Wright do several things to try to make his neighborhood better? Did he try to help some of the poor in the area?

I'm agnostic, but didn't Jesus say something about judging people?

[HeadScratcher]

Go to YouTube and look up Rev. Wright. His complete sermons are on there. Watch in entirety and you'll get a slightly different picture than MSM is giving on his sermon. The one sermon's excerpt was actually where he was quoting a former US Ambassador who had appeared on FOX news. It's enlightening.

[bailey2006]

Is anyone aware that Hillary is doing McCain's campaigning for him? Heck, she is digging for anything she can find on Obama and then making some up. After Obama is nominated, McCain won't have anything to throw at Obama, Hillary has done it for him! Way to go Hillary!! ~Gawd she is such a poop~

[DoninJoisey]

I think she is either angling to become McCain's veep, or wants to see Obama lose to McCain so she can run in 2012...


Either way, she has, on several occasions, put McCain on a level with herself, and Obama below the two of them. Is she really a democrat? I read she was a "Goldwater Girl" - maybe that's coming back.


Her memory seems pretty poor as it relates to N Ireland, Bosnia, the Iraq war vote...

[aquarius2001]

That's exactly what she wants. She knows she's not going to win the dem nomination,

but, like Huckabee, she stays in the race, hoping for a shot on 2012. But the difference

between her and Huckabee are that Huckabee at least continued to talk about his

proposed policies, he didn't try to tear down McCain or give ammo to the dems in the

fall. But Hillary, says, "if I can't win, you can't win" and focuses on tearing down the

presumptive democratic nominee. So, if he loses, she can run in 2012 and say "I told

you so, now Vote for me.

[kiga]

Obama is guilty not by association, but by participation:
Rev. Wright is divisive. "God damn America," is some thing that he taught and Senator Obama did not confront him or leave the church like Oprah did. Obama was too driven for a public office to better see Rev. Wright. This is not guilt by association, this is guilt by participation. Democrats will show their love for their country by voting for Hillary Clinton to get the nomination. Obama is done, he will NEVER win the presidency even if he pulls of the nomination. Obama did it to himself, Hillary Clinton did not tell him to sit at the pews for 20 years and go along with the Rev.
Pundits in the media have tried the best to count Hillary out, and every time she proves them wrong. It is kind of fun to watch. So far, she was counted out 3 times and each time she won! Count me an optimist, but the Rev. Wright thing will show just how upset people are with Obama and will show it with their votes.

[bridgeworker]

kiga, Have you gone to YouTube and listened to any of Rev. Wright's beyond the Fox News propaganda loops? If not, here is a place to start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdlnzkeoyQ

We know that Fox News has an agenda, so we should not be surprised that they are manipulating the story to maximize outrage and capitalize on our fears. Unfortunately, Hillary Clinton has made the choice to piggyback on those same fears.

Have you ever heard the biblical proverb, "Judge not, that ye be not judged"? It is essential that every thinking person use our capacity for rational thought as well as our empathy to reach out to understand those with lives so different than our own to discern the truth. We have had the opportunity to know Barack Obama, from his speeches, the debates, the interviews, his website. We've seen his intelligence, his character, how he handles himself under pressure. kiga, have you looked at what it is that makes you so distrustful of him?

[joe757]

Hillary Clinton is divisive! Look what she's done to the democratic party! Everyone is mad at everyone else and no one is listening. It doesn't matter at this point who wins the nomination because we've already lost the general election thanks to Hillary Clinton!

McCain...4 more years of the same old crap!

[IndyStacey]

kiga, you are misinformed. Obama DID confront Rev. Wright over statement he disagreed with. He was not present for the comments airing ad nauseum - this has been verified and documented.

p.s. Hillary is losing. Obama leads in delegates, states won and the popular vote.