Durbin On Clinton Camp Raising Wright: Try Your Best

Sen. Dick Durbin, one of Barack Obama's chief surrogates, said on Wednesday morning that Sen. Hillary Clinton was within her right to use Obama's controversial former pastor as a method to persuade superdelegate support.

But, he added, such a move would likely not bear political fruit.

"Harold Ickes [one of Clinton's chief strategists] can try whatever he'd like to try by way of tactics to win the superdelegates," said Durbin. "But I believe that most of them feel as I do, that Barack Obama has handled this is a responsible way and in a way we would like to see from the president."

On Tuesday, it was reported that Ickes, in an effort to recruit superdelegates to the Clinton camp, had raised the specter of fierce Republican attacks on Obama's relationship to Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

"Superdelegates have to take into account the strengths and weakness of both candidates and decide who would make the strongest candidate against what will undoubtedly be ferocious Republican attacks," Ickes told Talking Points Memo. "I've had super delegates tell me that the Wright issue is a real issue for them."

The statement, while relatively predictable, was the first public admission that the Clinton camp was privately using Wright for political leverage. And while Durbin suggested that it would prove ineffective -- "What has happened since [Obama's] Philadelphia [race] speech is that the ground lost initially has been regained," he told The Huffington Post -- conversations with several uncommitted superdelegates suggested the pastor problem could play a mix role in affecting their decisions.

In the end, much may depend on geography.

According to Nathan Smith, a superdelegate and Kentucky Democratic Party vice chairman, Wright is likely to have a massive impact on voters in his state and geographic region. And, consequently, could affect his judgment when choosing a nominee.

"Poor white people are freaked out by Wright," said Smith. "It has hurt [Obama] bad West Virginia and Kentucky. You can go down the Ohio River and it is ugly. He is going to take an ass whooping... These are not traditional southern racists. They are poor income whites who are shocked. They woke up one morning and said, 'I think he's black!' They were just in a daze. 'He wouldn't tell his preacher to stop that?' ... These are the people who wrapped themselves in the flag for George W. Bush. It is not about him being black it is about the god damn American comment. This is not a religious thing it is about patriotism."

On the other side of the equation is a superdelegate from the west coast who (asking for anonymity) said the Wright issue had died down in his state. Political pressure on the matter, he added, now broke down on the candidate line: concern from Clinton supporters and dismissal from Obama backers.

"It depends to some degree whom you are talking to," he said. "I had a passionate Clinton supporter come into my office and rail about it. My reaction is that I grew up on the south side of Chicago. I can understand exactly what is going on here and I don't think it is a factor at all in making an assessment to Senator Obama... I think I see it dying down. What I get a sense of from the press coverage and the folks that are in the middle - and there aren't too many - I don't think it is moving people one way or another."

Comments

[Bertie1227]

On a Yahoo forum posted on September 15th there is another reference to this interview with Peck:

"Did anyone else catch this on Sat.? Peck has served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq, I don't recall when. Channel 5 made the mistake of bringing him on as a talking head. He said the U.S. never slammed a plane into thousands of innocent civilians because the U.S. didn't have to. He said the U.S. in its war against terror had better start respecting others' rights. He said the no-fly zone in Iraq was not in the UN agreement that ended Desert Storm; it was simply imposed by the U.S. and "the former Great Britain." He said the U.S. lawlesly imposed its will on Panama, Granada and Haiti. The Ch. 5 guy got on his high horse and said people like Chamberlain in WW II had followed the letter of the law and let the madman Hitler go on, but Peck stuck to his guns. He must figure he's old now and will risk his life to speak the truth -- a sentiment I well understand. "
Link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nycjunto-discuss/message/796

Ambassador Peck is an outspoken critic of the government"s policies in these areas. These two brief descriptions, shown above, of Ambassador Peck"s interview seems to reflect the same sort of anger and frustration expressed by Rev Wright in his faith footnote.

[Bertie1227]

Ambassador Peck had an Interview on Fox Network on September 15th - the day before Wright's sermon. There is a reference to it in a web newsletter entitled "Nothing will ever be the same" by Paul Krassner - dated September 15th 2001. The relevant section says:

"On the Fox News Network, Edward Peck, former ambassador to Iraq, was an unusually outspoken guest. He said the terrorists acted as they did not because America is a freedom loving country, but because they feel the U.S. has been treating them the same way throughout the years--bombing Iraq for the last ten years whenever they felt like it--and adding to the list (Take Panama, take Haiti, take Cambodia) before he was cut off and dismissed. "
Link: http://www.flyingsnail.com/paul-one.html

[Bertie1227]

I have found two separate and independent evidence showing that the substance and spirit of the words uttered by Rev Wright, in the videos being shown as a continuous loop on the TV channels, did indeed originate from an interview of Ambassador Peck by the Fox Network on the 15th of September 2001. This is the day before Rev Wright"s sermon on the 16th of September. CNN and other media outlets have stated that the earliest interview that they could find of Ambassador Peck, post 9/11, was in October " thus casting doubt on Rev Wright"s preface (not included in the TV clips) to his "faith footnote". The evidence shown below supports Rev Wright"s claim. What is disconcerting is that no one has attempted to obtain a transcript of this interview on the 15th by Fox Network. I could not get access to the transcript because I do not have access to the database. It is important to note that the two web pages shown below were both written on 15th September 2001. The links are:
Link: http://www.flyingsnail.com/paul-one.html
Link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nycjunto-discuss/message/796
Because of length limitations, more details of these two web pages are posted separately.

[funkalicious]

The Obama camp needs to stop apologizing for pastor wright . It is now time for PAstor wright to use the platform that he has been givern and not be silent butto explain where the hurt sorrow and bitter dissapointment and the fear that he and his community feel. the motivation for the sound bite.
The words are his and his alone, it is time that he owns those words.

Hillary and '[Bill the disbarred' can continue to promulgate the fear and loathing of racism or we can open the festering wound up and look at it. Clean it out cut out the cancer and begin to heal.

How do you want to live in a world where people feel so disenfranchised wityhtheir government that they feel obligated to condemn it.

What is the moral obligation that the clintons are talking about to further rascist fears or heal the wounds and begin a new way with hope and compassion for all Americans?

[MRb1000]

Well if they want to do this bring it on. Rev Wright record against Bill Clinton, George Bush, Dick Cheney. Lets see who is more patriotic about our country. Most American talk the talk, but do not walk the walk!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0404wrightapr03,0,2263127,print.story

[ChiGuy]

The American people are speaking with their checkbooks.

Make no mistake. There's a correlation.

The nastier the Clinton campaign gets, the less money people are sending to their coffers, while Obama's continue to set records.

One would have thought with $3 million salaries being paid to campaign honchos, they would have figured this out by now.

[jammerbirdi]

we don't know who is speaking with their checkbooks. I don't think it's some wave of the America people that you are suggesting it is. and the Clinton campaign isn't behind the Pastor Wright dust up or the media's PROPER continued focus on it. they may be speaking of it to superdelegates, but I think either the day will come when those superdelegetes are either HAPPY they heeded what the Clinton campaign was saying.... or SORRY that they didn't.

[lincat]

I could care less about Wright. Has anybody in this country ever heard of separation of church and state.?

[booksnmore4you]

Exploit ignorance to win elections, rather than educate. Nice.

[outnow]

The Catholic church in San Diego just paid out 200 million dollars to children who were molested by priests. The Los Angeles, Orange County and Boston Dioceses paid out similar amounts. This is just the tip of the iceberg for the extent of the raping of your children. Is this patriotic? Is this un-American? Is this Un-Christian. Rev. Wright is saying the same think that MLK said. The media wants to keep this "issue" alive - the issue of Rev. Wright. How much press did they give to the priest molestation cases. None.

The KKK was a Christian organization. The Aryan Brotherhood was a Christian organization. The IRA was a Christian organization. "Patriotism" is the most exploited term to perpetuate the worst crimes of mankind, except for religion. The Crusades were used to control the unhappy masses in Europe. The Children's Crusade is an example.

As Jack Nicholson said in the movie, "A few Good Men," "Truth, you can't handle the truth." That movie was about Gitmo. It is more patriotic to look at the truth about American History, even if there are ugly events, than it is to be in constant denial. The "Rev. Wright issue" is a symptom of the evil that perpetuates the harm. I remember when they were saying that John Kerry didn't deserve his medals or that John McCain had a black child out of wedlock. Swift-boating and nothing more. What about Bush's AWOL. Oh never mind! Dan Rather was wrong. Right.

[MissT]

Amen. I could not have made the point better. This hypocritical behavior is getting so tiresome.

[WhinyDemocrat]

Why we should dismiss the things "Reverend" Wright said because he's worked for 30 years helping the community, and let his tongue slip a few times. How is that different then Imus again who also helped countless peole through years of good deeds (Fighting Autism e.g.)

Oh now I know. Imus is white and Wright is black. That and IMus was joking, and what Wright said was basically treasonous. Not treason in the legal sense, just in the sense of being an American.

Additionally Imus never "spirtually" led anybody. He never had the power to warp minds who should have been going to worship the Lord, not hear how whites gave blacks aids.

Sorry but that statement alone is as offensive as nappy headed ho's. The difference is there's humor in the nappy headed ho's comment, plus they were nappy headed.

I can't believe anybody would say he was angry as an excuse. He grew up in an integrated area, long after slavery. Hell I have bad days all the time, yet I don't scream n****r at the top of my voice. And if I do, I don't do it to an audience filled with impressionable kids.

Being angry doesn't afford one to say anything they want without repercussions. And in this case the repercussions will be felt not by the "Rev" but by Obama. One is judged by the company they keep, at least thats what I was taught.

[Nommo]

Go back and look at pictures, solipsist. Not a nappy head in the bunch. Not at the top of your lungs, but under your breath, all the time.

[WhinyDemocrat]

Your blind if you dont think Kia Vaughn is nappy headed. But again, that was an example. It was still funny. No I guess I am racist for finding it funny, and imus is racist for saying it, but the "Rev
" was simply angry, and Mr. "Typical white person" just worked the campaign trail to long and let it slip.

Just explain why uttering nigger makes u a racist in the court of public opinion, but the comments made by the Rev, and agreed to by Obama, through is in actions it can be implied he believes them. I am sorry I dont want a president who hates whitey. I am white, and fucking proud of it. Get over fucking slavery.

A kid knocked my building blocks over when I was a kid. This I legitametly could still be angry at, SINCE IT HAPPENED IN MY LIFETIME, not my great great grandfathers.

I hate this term, but MOVE ON.

[zann]

Please listen to the 8 minute version of Reverend Wright's sermon before saying he's treasonous. What the media did was inflamatory cut and paste. Personally, I'm helplessly angry at America for allowing this government to commit this lying war, steal elections, remake the judiciary, violate the constitution, loot and impoverish this country for the benefit of their benefactors. And I'm richish and white.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdlnzkeoyQ

[MissT]

Are you folks who are still railing about Rev. Wright really trying to say that you are not familiar with the angry God of the Bible? I mean the one who is known for sending all manner of plague and pestilence when He gets angry. Don't you remember Sodom and Gamorah? Hell he got so mad he sent the Floods and wiped out the entire world. The only survivors were the ones who were packed on Noah's Ark. And didn't He threaten that it would be fire next time. Or did you read those acitivties as blessings from said God?

Obviously I'm no Biblical scholar, but these and many other examples sound like God damning to me. So I have to wonder what is all the feigned shock and insensibility all about. Hell, that's what preachers do. That point out the difference between good and evil. If they didn't do it, who would? Plus who would absolve us from our collective and individual sins? I see nothing strange in Rev. Wright's words and I'm lay odds that most of you are trying to act like you are, are really using this as a collective way to mask your deep seeded hatred of Barack Obama for some really un-American reasons.

[c1ee]

Bravo. *clap clap

[Maifmart]

Hillary appeals to the old white blue collar Reagan Democrats to call Obama unelectable. They may prefer her to him, but what makes her think they wouldn't more prefer a genuine straight talking American hero; these are after all the same uneducated people who voted against their own interests to elect Nixon, Reagan, and both Bush's. (I recall a ditty in a John Deere tractor factory bathroom stall saying if you voted for Nixon you couldn't use the facilities because your rectal orifice was in Washington)

Actually should she get the nomination, Hillary will have an easier time re-claiming the black vote than getting those Reagan Democrats to vote for her instead of McCain. Other than keeping a good job, they sort of prefer a conservative court, are against gay-marriage, illegal immigration, bussing, affirmative action, etc.

Perhaps after eight years of Bush and the divisive politics of Karl Rove, our Country is ready for a change, a candidate calling for us to come together to recognize our melting pot society and work together, because nothing gets done when we're split 50-50, Red State-Blue State.

[Nommo]

Maif, were I Hillary, I would not count on the Black vote coming back, as you suggest. What "they" prefer is beyond your reckoning. Perhaps you can explain America's infatuation with liars. Here's a puzzle for you. You think that those people who got fired in the Travelgate episode, star date 42701, were the ones that arranged her flight into war torn Bosnia?

One to beam up!

[mellene]

If all is fair in religion, then I'd like to see America's pulpits exposed for the "politicing" they're doing every Sunday. This needs to be more than just exposing Wright and what he preached. The churches are a disgrace in terms of what they're filling the heads of their parish goers about the right and the left in this country. If this isn't exposed, America ought to pull away their tax exempt status and see how they get to their knees repenting the garbage they all spew.

[Gmoney1]

Has the media and Hillary Clinton started a race, religion and patriotism battle between the white and black voters - did they think that depicting a black preacher as racist and non- patriotic would bring the democratic party together - did they think that the white and black voters would come together and agree when it came to race, religion and patriotism - I wonder what they thought would come of these controversial issues - Has Hillary Clinton lost the majority of the black vote and Obama lost the majority of the white vote - - what will the prize be for the media and Hillary Clinton -

[vsign]

Obama will never win the General. Obama has already been defined by Rev Wright and rightly so. Obama chose him for 20 years and then ran before paying his dues. A little too eager for glory and the bully pulpit. Why would we think Obama thinks or acts any differently than his chosen mentor, Rev Wright. He demonstrates every day his hatred for Hillary and Bill. Being old and white - are not in this year.

Obama could tell his supporters and his campaign to run against Hillary without hatred. But Obama encourages it - just like his adopted father, Wright.

[savertime]

Having lived in a vacuum for your entire life, it is not surprising that you find the comments made by Rev. Wright as damning as you have just stated. One would also have to question whether or not you are a Christian. There are angry Americans all across this country, white, black, native American, asian and hispanic. Some simply choose to vent their anger, while others resort to violence and plots against this country. Blowing up government buildings, killing innocent women and children and plotting to overthrow the government would indicate to some that there ARE angry Americans. Instead of reflecting on why there is so much anger, you have chosen to condemn the 5-second clips that the corporate-owned media showed repeatedly - for a purpose. The purpose was to instill outrage, fear and condemnation from the people most gullible. Rev. Wright is typical of preachers, white and black, across this country. We have certainly learned much about hate-speech from the right.

[uncwilli]

I agree completely with your POV. There is much more hate being spewed against all sorts of their demons...gays, blacks, pro-choicer's...by white preachers. The Old Testament itself has many references to their God "damning" certain tribes or areas for various transgressions. It's nothing new to use the word "damn" as a verb. Of course the fundies, with their highly selective use of history, won't accept the biblical truth here. Or the truth of our terribly damaging international economic policies. Rev. Wright was speaking truth to power, even if was only a minute or so out of 20+ years of preaching.

[vsign]

I have attended Trinity at times. I have read Dr Cone. Black Liberation theology justifies violence by non whites on whites.

Like I said - being old is not IN this year - being white is not IN this year.

[bison1]

I agree with others who say the Clintons are trying to use Rev. Wright like Willie Horton, but I think Obama has reconciled this. In his responds to Chris on this issue, he said that it was "fair game." Obama understood the political gamesmanship of using Rev. Wright"s statements against him. Yet, he is standing firm. He is not kicking Rev. Wright under the bus. It says volumes about his character. So, I also agree with you when you write "if Obama is who he is after listening to Wright for 20 years then . . . Rev Wright did something RIGHT. " As to patriotism of Wright and Obama, I am reminded of the remarks of Secretary Rice when she said something to the effect that African Americans loved America when America did love them.

[vsign]

If Hillary had attended a church for 20 years with a Reverand preaching white supremacy and anti government rhetoric from the pulpit - and adopted that pastor as her mentor - do you really imagine anyone would consider her Presidential material?

[cassandra123]

What Secretary Rice said is "African Americans loved America when America did NOT love them. I am not a fan of Secretary Rice, but she is so right in this statement.

Everyone seems to overlook the fact that the specific reference to God damning America was Rev. Wright talking about an interview on the FOX news channel with Admiral Peak that he watched and wanted his congregration to consider after the 9-11 terror attack on our great and wonderful country. This discussion was not a part of his sermon but was a specific discussion outside of the sermon. These words were not his ideas, but originated with Admiral Peak.

It is hard for me to believe those ideas are Rev. Wright's beliefs about America in light of the fact that he served with honor in the US Marine Corps and the Navy during the Viet Nam War years. In fact he assisted at a surgerical procedure conducted on President Johnson. President Johnson awarded his service for this procedure. I think Secretary Rice's statement fits nicely right here because Rev. Wright's history indicates to me that he seems to love America even though America may not love him at this time.

[TigrisLily]

People who "wrapped themselves in the flag for George W Bush" will never vote for any Democrat. So Obama lost nothing with this population.

[bison1]

Secretary of State Rice said something to the effect that African Americans loved America when America did love African Americans. I think this speaks volumes about the patriotism of African American people including Rev. Wright and Obama.

[donnajane]

actually, Ms Rice said that African Americans loved America when America DIDN'T love them.