Pastor Of Clinton's Former Church, Dean Snyder, Defends Jeremiah Wright

The senior minister at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington D.C., a church that the Clintons attended while in the White House, has risen to the defense of Barack Obama's former minister Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Wright's sermons have created a media firestorm over the last weeks that the Obama tried to dampen in a speech and Clinton recently commented on by saying "he would not have been my pastor." Snyder released a statement praising Wright as an "outstanding church leader" who has been "a profound voice for justice and inclusion in our society."

This morning Snyder appeared on MSNBC and defended Wright. Snyder said that while he may not agree with everything Wright has said, he believes that "the church in America is stronger today because of [Wright's] leadership.

Watch the video of Snyder on MSNBC below (and click here to read more about Snyder's defense of Wright).

Deadn Synder, a senior minister at Foundry United Methodist Church, where the Clintons once attended, defended Obama's pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

Comments

[countrycontemplative]

I don't know much at all about Rev. Wright, but it seems like Pat Robertson gets a pass as does the late Jerry Falwell and the host of right wing preachers who have spewed venomous hate about gays, lesbians, people who didn't believe as they did. How come Obama's preacher gets singled out? I was a little boy in 1960 and I am a Catholic and I can remember the same sorts of attacks being leveled against Jack Kennedy. There were pictures of the Pope sitting atop the White House. It all turned out to be just mean spirited political dialog from bigots.

Many of these same people or their descendants are leading the charge against Obama. Let's face it Obama is black and the waspy bigots don't want a black man for president. Their malevolent attacks and so called news reports are nothing more than thinly veiled bigotry.

[Miket53]

Sorry...but Wright is a problem. He spews racial hatred. Calling the US "KKK-A"? Saying whites created AIDS to get blacks? Swearing while giving a sermon? How does that all sound to children listening to his sermon? And he didn't come to Clintons aid during the Lewinsky problem...Bill invited clergy there to boost his image. And Obama listened to this stuff for 20 years. Barry Obama initially impressed me but not clearly distancing himself from Wright lost all respect for him.
Wright does not help bring the racial issues in America under control. Talk like his only divides us farther apart.
http://mtaricani.blogspot.com/
Mike

[tkk]

How much money did Obama pay him?

[OhCanada]

Hahahaha. Bitter pill ain't it tkk? Spin it baby spin it!

[Monsi]

hahaha....no kidding!

[bailey2006]

And you must think that Obama paid Caroline Kennedy to endorse him, too?

[jsinclair]

Thank you, Reverend Snyder. I saw another attack on Rev. Wright this morning and, for the first time, suspected the Clintons were fueling it. That's their best hope now, and they know it.

It's encouraging to see respected ministers like Rev. Snyder step up and speak out. I've seen some of Rev. Wright's sermons in their entirety and have no problem with his overall message of brotherhood and peace. The dramatic style, the framing of topics with controversial points of view (one actually a quote from a -white- U.S. ambassador), are a preaching style that many outside his church are unfamiliar with.

But I have no doubt that (1) he is a good man, and (2) he does not speak for Barack Obama, nor has he ever claimed to. Plus, we have freedom of speech in America still (don't we?) I am far more offended by the way the pro-Hillary media (CNN for one) continues to exploit this and try to inflame people over this, than I am by what was said in a couple of snippets of sermons at Trinity Church.

If this is how people are going to choose the next president--manipulated by the media to choose a president based on snippets from someone's former pastor--well, Heaven help us.

[Kane]

Dr Rev Jeremiah Wright was one of the members of the clergy who came to Bill Clinton's aid at the White House in the days of the Lewinsky affair and the impeachment proceedings. He stood with Clinton in his time of need, unwilling to shun the man for acts that he must have disapproved of.

But that's all forgotten.

Where was Bill to defend Rev Wright in his time of need? Where were the Clintons to defend the honor of this man when his reputation and the reputation of his church were being dragged in the mud? The mere fact that Wright supports Obama is all that matters, thus he is expendable to throw under the bus.

This is a familiar pattern with the Clintons and their team. Praise Gov Richardson one day, he's a Judas the next. Honor Ted Kennedy today, he's a traitor tomorrow. Oprah, Caroline Kennedy, John Lewis, John Kerry, Russ Feingold, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Alec Baldwin, Robert DeNiro, Maria Shriver, Gary Hart, Tony McPeak, and many others have all met a similar fate; all for the crime of publicly supporting Barack Obama.

Loyalty is a one way street with the Clintons. The "you're with us or against us" mentality sickens me.

[tkk]

He never "came to Bill Clinton's aid." Before making stupid comments, compare Wright's jibes at the Clintons during that time to those who supported of Clinton. Wright ridiculed Clinton. He attended a breakfast at the WH for black ministers, that's all. He wasn't one of Clinton's confidantes.

[silverball]

...he was asked to the breakfast to suport hummer boy (whom i voted for twice) in his time of need....and it's rather obvious than you haven't taken the time to listen to more of his sermons than just the "hysterical" portions used by the msm.....and ESPECIALLY faux news....is that what you watch???.....

[ddlrid]

You should do your homework. Wright was an invited guest at the White House for Bill's 'prayer breakfast' that was geared as one for forgiveness and redemption FOR BILL after just having dodged an impeachment/removal bullet. It was fine for Bill and Hill to invite all of these pastors in to pray for his willy-nilly butt---perhaps 'only' a photo-op, you answer?---but ok for the Clintons to absolutely parse Rev. Wright out of their experience when politically advantageous? So, yes, Wright did come to Bill's aid, along with many others in attendance at the breakfast. And at least until recently, Bill and Hill were both grateful for that show of support.

[TMarie]

tkk he did come to Clinton's aid. Clinton requested his presence at a prayer breakfast a the WH so that he could confess in front of all the clergy that "I have sinned" and he went on to send him a thank you letter for attending.

You must not have watched his complete sermons. I guess you've never said anything stupid out of anger huh?

How easy it is to judge others.

[GAArmyWife]

Rev. Wright called President Clinton an 'intelligent friend in the White House' during his infamous "G-D American" speech.

Which by they way was said to raise a point that he refuted at the end of the sermon.

[HeadScratcher]

He attended a function for ministers at the White House to give support to Clinton after Clinton came clean on the Lewinsky scandal. Wright could have turned his back, he could have shunned Clinton, but instead, he went there to express his support - and I would guess - his FORGIVENESS. Isn't that what Christian people are supposed to do?

Plus, if Wright was such a rowdy, anti-American, as some of you would like to portray him as being - he NEVER would have been allowed to enter the White House to begin with. EVERY PERSON who goes to the White House for any meeting or any event goes through a complete Secret Service background check.

[brwnizofmine]

Is she related to BUSH?

[nkpatel1279]

Is it me? Or doesn't Papa Bush get along better with Bubba than with Dubya.

[McSurgent]

OK now that you've had your unity moment, you can go back to mudslinging the Clintons!!!!

[Ginko]

Amen to that.
I'd like to point out that this loon is a FORMER pastor, clearly Clinton left for reasons that are obvious reading what he has to say. The last thing we need is another President with wacko religious beliefs and an agenda, particularly with the scary stte of expanded powers the criminal Bush has created.

[barrista]

"clearly Clinton left for reasons that are obvious reading what he has to say."

Uhh how about the fact that he stopped being president? Why would he stay with a church in Washington if he didn't live there anymore?

[melonman]

You're quite the judge and jury, aren't you, hoss? That's a pretty broad brush you're painting Obama with. Let's hope you don't get painted with the same brush. I'll just bet you have relatives and friends who have made strong statements. But you can stand with them at the same time you reject what they say, can't you?

[LorettaSingbiel]

I AGREE with you about BUSH! (When "God" talks, Bush listens!)

The Clintons will not reveal the identity of their pastor. They must feel it is irrelevant? I would have to AGREE with them! SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE!?

But since YOU seem to be so interested in pushing the "pastor" propaganda, Google pastor JOHN HAGEE ... the man who McCain actively sought support from, appeared on stage with, and introduced as an ally. I'm sure you'd find HIS anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic, and anti-Gay rants rather revealing and/or revolting!?

Now allow me to point out that Reverend Wright gave some 4,000 sermons. But in reference to the now infamous 30-second soundbite...take the time to watch Reverend Wright's sermon IN ITS 10-MINUTE ENTIRETY! It WASN'T Reverend Wrights comments in that snippet of video, meant to SLIME Obama. It was Rev. Wright READING from a quote made by AMBASSADOR EDWARD PECK, who made those comments on FOX NEWS (oh, the irony) the day after the 9/11 attacks. Here is the evidence:

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

"Around the 3-minute mark, Reverend Wright asks the church members if they saw the ambassador on Fox News, and what he had said. Then he proceeds to pull out a sheet of paper, and reiterate the words of AMBASSADOR PECK!"

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/21/9599/74572/652/481424

OBAMA '08!
HOPE & CHANGE!

Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta

[WeekendWarrior]

Listen for yourself. http://www.youtube.com/user/TRINITYCHGO

[shano]

Amen to that. To think that Hillary has been going to a 'secret' religious meetings on the hill for years, with all kinds of dubious people involved. There is a expose in Mother Jones about this wacko religious group and their agenda.

Obama/Webb '08

[presto]

That is baloney. Clinton attends the Wednesday Morning Prayer breakfast held for senators for 100 years. There is nothing wacko about the group Mother Jones is trying so hard to disparage.

[bailey2006]

Read it again, ginko. He is a paster. But he is the pastor at Hillary's FORMER church. In other words, he became the paster AFTER Hillary left the church.

Gawd, why do we have to spell EVERYTHING out to you Hillary supporters? I know you have a lower level of education than Obama's supporters, but surely you do have the reading level of 9th grade, don't you? Are did you flunk reading comprehension?

[presto]

bailey - It hardly seems like a wise decision to completely trash anyone who supports Hillary Clinton. Your message was not exactly a desirable template for the well-educated, either. And I'm sure Obama would find it alarming if he saw you disparaging a fellow Democrat. It should be readily apparent to you that he needs a unified party. How about conversing on a higher level?

[Bagger]

It's apparent that common sense and sound judgment is beating knee jerk reactions and out right bigotry.

[HumeSkeptic]

Uh-oh! Now Hillary has to denounce this Pastor, or agree with him.