John McCain Flips: Jeremiah Wright Is Now Fair Game

UPDATE: Now that McCain feels it is politically appropriate to bring up Rev. Wright, he has launched a fresh new round of criticism to catch up for his weeks of chivalry. And McCain doesn't let facts get in the way:

"I saw yesterday some additional comments that have been revealed by Pastor Wright. One of them, comparing the United States Marine Corps with Roman legionnaires who were responsible for the death of our savior. I mean, being involved in that. It's beyond belief. And then of course, saying that al Qaeda and the American flag were the same flags. So, I can understand. I can understand why people are upset about this. I can understand why, that Americans when viewing these kinds of comments are angry and upset."

Jake Tapper points out that Wright never actually made those comments about the American flag. And Marc Ambinder notes that, "Wright was in the Marines. He was a corpesman in Vietnam. He voluntarily enlisted."

Meanwhile, even Hillary Clinton is finding fault with McCain's weak performance in halting the North Carolina GOP from running attack ads featuring Wright. McCain declared last week that he would do everything in his power to stop the ad from running.

"I have said that that that was a personal decision of his I answered one question about it that made it clear I would not have stayed in that church under those circumstances," Clinton told reporters in Graham, NC. "But, I regret the efforts by the Republicans to politicize this matter and I believe that if Senator McCain were serious he would do more than just send a letter he is the putative nominee I think he could very clearly tell the North Carolina party tell the Mississippi party that he would not tolerate those kinds of advertisements and I'm waiting to see if he does that."

Sen. John McCain has reversed his position to not discuss Rev. Jeremiah Wright during the general election if Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee. Claiming that Obama has made his relationship with Wright a political issue, McCain now says the topic is fair game.

Mention of Rev. Wright came during a McCain press conference on Sunday afternoon:

"I have said that I will not...have any comment on it and that's because I thought and I believe that Sen. Obama does not share those views" expressed by Wright, McCain said. "But Sen. Obama himself says it's a legitimate political issue, so I would imagine that many other people will share that view, and it'll be in the arena."

The statement came in response to an interview Obama conducted with Fox News Sunday that morning:

JEREMIAH WRIGHT: I felt it was unfair. I felt it was unjust. I felt it was untrue. I felt that those who were doing that were doing it for some devious reasons.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WALLACE: Question: Do you think that Reverend Wright is just the victim here?

OBAMA: No. I think that people were legitimately offended by some of the comments that he had made in the past. The fact he's my former pastor I think makes it a legitimate political issue. So I understand that.

I think that it is also true that to run a snippet of 30-second sound bites, selecting out of a 30-year career, simplified and caricatured him and caricatured the church.

The Obama camp has responded:

"By sinking to a level that he specifically said he'd avoid, John McCain has broken his word to the American people and rendered hollow his promise of a respectful campaign. With each passing day, John McCain acts more and more like someone who's spent twenty-six years learning the divisive, distracting tactics of Washington. That's not the change that the American people are looking for."

Watch clips of Obama's appearance on Fox News Sunday.

Comments

[jozap]

Are we really going to have a campain about whos minister said what? In America?

How did we get so off track?

[rh654]

We get off track because too many Americans vote on this sort of crap - which is why we are in the disaster we are in - it may not be right, or fair or wise - but it is reality and Obama better figure that out right now or McCain will win.

[Aywaller]

I don't think people do vote on these issues. I think this kind of issue is just useful to those who would never vote for Obama because of his race. Now they have another reason to cite. The people who are responsive to this type of guilt by association were never going to vote for a black man for president anyway. They just aren't willing to admit that it is racism that is driving their decision.

[HelpMeJebus]

Do you think McCain even has a clue of what Jeremiah Wright has done with his time here on earth? How pathetic is that????

[mtrav]

McShame is right about wright, he is a will continue to be a political issue.

[westcoastsc]

REVEREND WRIGHT FOR PRESIDENT!!!!

[Sylmason]

At this point, the hell with what people think about Wright. The controversy was not going away.............the 'God damn America' sound-bites were still going to be played continuously by republicans (starting today in NC), so why not give the public a complete message, a close-up look at the man, and something to really talk about? Will it hurt Obama? Probably no more than it already has. And for those who were against Obama after hearing the sound bites earlier who have now heard an entire speech, learned that Wright is funny, brilliant, has two masters degrees and a doctorate, speaks five languages, served in two branches of the military, and assisted with the surgery of a US president...............may now understand that difference doesn't mean deficiency.

America has heard his message in its entirety, which makes it difficult to cherry pick a particular sound bite to try to program the minds of those weak people. Wright said this was an attack on the black church, and he was defending the black church. So, let's see if the media will continue to mock the black church, now that they truly understand what they were doing.

[robeson]

Be careful John. The Rev. Wright has done more service for the community, church and country than 99% of the GW Bush WH.

[hjo4]

I hope they do it would fun watching Rev Wright eat McCains for lunch and show the world who John McCain really is.He's no match for Rev Wright in any shape or form.Somethings are better left alone, Rev Wright is one of them.Take Heed.

[Pookie2112]

I guess that make's Hagee AND Parsley FAIR GAME.

[westcoastsc]

McFlipflop!!!

[ajax2]

Will John McCain along with Rev. Hagee bring us all closer to the Rapture? How can we prepare better?

[westcoastsc]

Fantastic comment.

[marthainaz]

Oh what a surprise! It's just another one of McCains flip flops which occur on a daily basis. Gone is his stand on campaign finance, gone is his stand on a clean campaign, gone are his views on Bush tax cuts, and the list goes on and on. McCain, this fellow Arizonan can't wait for the Dem. primary to be over because you have no idea what's coming for you. I predict an end to your softball questions by the press. We Americans want real answers from you and real explanations for your changes. By the way, I used to admire you!

[barackaide]

i guess hagee is fair game then.

[Zhonni]

I don't see the harm others are seeing in Rev. Wrights defence on himself. If anything else, he does not come across as the "racist, unpatriotic, and divisive as he has been painted all along.

[ajax2]

McCain will do as he's told. The maverick disappeared when he fell at the knees of the man who slandered his children, GW Bush.

[beboy]

Why shouldn't the Rev. Wright be an issue in the campaign? Sen. Obama obviously holds this man of God in high esteem. He should use him more extensively to explain their beliefs that the typical white person might not yet understand. With the Rev. Wright at his side there's no telling how far Sen. Obama will go.

[westcoastsc]

Amen.

[Toonbytes07]

Well, perhaps then you should explain why YOU (not what others) find so offensive about Wright?

Also, have you listened to the ENTIRE sermon that the chickens come home to roost sermon loops came from?

Seriously, have some integrity and answer these questions.

[SouthpawSass]

Catholic League president Bill Donahue, angry at Rev. Hagee's comments:

"Did we also mischaracterize Hagee when he called my religion 'The Great Whore,' the 'apostate church,' the 'anti-Christ' and a 'false cult system'? McCain cannot ignore Hagee's lies any more than he can tolerate his bigotry. This is getting out of control."