Jeremiah Wright: Obama 'Like Any Other President'

SELMA, Ala. — President Barack Obama's longtime minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, gave an assessment Thursday of his former congregant's short time in the White House: Obama is just like any other president.

Speaking in a brief interview with The Associated Press before giving a speech at a civil rights landmark, Wright smiled at the mention of the name of the nation's first black president.

"He's like any other president," Wright said. "He's a politician and he's got to do what politicians do."

Wright's remarks were similar to those he made after his fiery preaching became a campaign issue last year, forcing Obama to distance himself from his longtime pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Obama resigned from Trinity United and, ultimately, cut ties with Wright because of the uproar caused by videotaped snippets of some of Wright's sermons, in which he shouted "God damn America" and accused the government of creating AIDS.

On Thursday, Wright was addressing more than 700 people at a mass meeting that kicked off the 44th anniversary celebration of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march.

The event was held at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, site of the first mass meeting that led to the watershed voting rights movement in Selma.

During his address, Wright cautioned against putting too much faith in Obama.

"Barack's name ain't Jesus. Barack ain't gonna improve your child's reading score. There are things we've got to do on our own," he said.

Obama may no longer associate with Wright, but the program for the event featured a picture of the two, smiling together, on the front.

The decision to invite Wright drew criticism from opponents including Obama's Alabama campaign chairman, U.S. Rep. Artur Davis.

"I am offended by the vehemence of Wright's commentaries on race in America. President Obama was similarly offended," Davis said in an open letter to event organizers at the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute. Davis represents the state's 7th Congressional District, which extends from Birmingham to rural west Alabama.

A leader of the weekend-long commemoration, museum consultant Sam Walker, said Wright was invited to Selma not for his role in the election but for his decades of civil rights work.

"He's just been out there in the movement for 40 years. Forty years is more than was captured in one 10-second snippet," said Walker.

Comments

[WilliamSmyth]

01:30 PM on 03/08/2009

I hate stories like this. What was the question that was asked of Rev. Wright? I don't think he went up to an AP reporter and just said President Obama is just like any other president. What was the prompt? Without knowing that you don't know to what Rev. Wright was responding, but it sure makes for a good popular news story.

For those commenting on t he NPC event, you should go back and read the actually transcript of Rev. Wright's speech. It was a wonderful account of the history of the Black Church in America and the origins and goals of Black Liberation Theology. The fact that the press decided not to cover the speech, just the QA afterwords is beyond Rev. Wright's control. Rev. Wright was there at the start of a 2/3 day conference giving the opening keynote. Rev. Wright's keynote was most likely planned well in advance to anything going on in the campaign. The NPC decided to cover the event, something they would have normally ignored, because of the campaign.

[pthesmith]

08:48 PM on 03/07/2009

There is absolutely more to Rev. Wright than was portrayed in the media. I still wonder if Wright's "performance" at the press club was deliberate (so Obama could strategically make a clean break). Wright is a well-educated and well-respected man with whom Obama had a 20-year relationship. I hope they're able to repair the damage that occured during the election. Wright's contribution to the civil rights movement is valid and meaningful, even if we don't agree with everything he says.

[givepeace05401]

01:17 PM on 03/08/2009

I remember watching Rev. Wright at the Press Club and thought the very same thing. At that point in the campaign there was no way Obama could have denounced Wright without offending large segments of the African-American couumity.

The "performace" (there is nothing else you can call it) by a man of this stature was just to perfectly timed.

[EgyptianMysterySchool]

05:53 PM on 03/07/2009

The Rev. Wright "controversy" is the only reason I began to pay attention to the presidential race. After hearing the media and H.Clinton try to crucify him, I thought, "maybe Obama isn't just another political puppet".

There are many, like me, who voted for Obama because of Rev. Wright and many of you may not overstand that, but that doesn't matter either. I personally was disappointed after Obama backed Rev. Wright in his speech on race and then Rev. Wright ran his mouth at the national press club, forcing Obama's hand. However, politics is polytricks. I would love to see Rev. Wright speak, unfiltered by the media and untethered from his ego.

[mmgbizgirl]

11:37 AM on 03/07/2009

There is nothing Holy about the man or the statements.

[Veratruth]

10:12 AM on 03/07/2009

Thank God the Reverend is allowed to speak freely again. Look at what Bush did to the Dixie Chicks.

[huffyjive]

02:38 AM on 03/07/2009

no, Mr Wright, BO's not like any other President we've ever had.

[ExxonMcBushCo]

02:41 AM on 03/07/2009

I know you meant this as an insult, but you're right! He's NOT like any other!

[carnelld]

09:00 PM on 03/06/2009

One of the most mis-understood issues during the election cycle was Rev Jeremiah Wright. If you are not from the African American Chrch community you will never understand Wright's style of oratory.

It is a tradition in most Black churches that the congregations understand, from the back woods of Mississippi to Harlem in New York, from Atlanta, Ga. to Denver Colorado. Some churches are more
ethnocentric than others, some are more social and community related than others.

The preachers like Wright speak a language that all Black people understand, regardless of what
many said during the camapign, they understand. Black History is constantly being revised to make it fit the majority race culture and comfort zone . Many do not recognize and understand that the Civil Rights campaigns were all led from the Black church.

Dr. King was a Black Preacher first and foremost.

Wright is not looked upon in a negative way in most of the Black community. Obama was a memeber of Wright's churdch for 20 years. Obama backed away from his church to make the majority feel comfortable and become President .

If no one else understands Wright Obama does, and so do most African Americans.

[AYO TECHNOLOGY]

09:27 PM on 03/06/2009

carnelld, I couldn't have put it better myself. I'm an african american and understood 100 percent of his rhetoric, but of course the candidate for the presidency had to distance himself from remarks that he makes, for Obama is by no way a civil rights leader, for one he was not raised in that community, and two his agenda is totally unparallel from a civil rights leader.

I'm sure behind closed doors Obama would love to have some sort of contact with the man, I mean come on he was his pastor at his wedding, but a lot of middle to older age white americans (especially the right wing) would be outraged, for they have and will try to find any dirt on our president.

My message for everyone is just to think positive. It's not the end of the world, and even if it was, we could do nothing about it with or without stimulus packages or any sort of "hope" policies.

[WilliamSmyth]

01:35 PM on 03/08/2009

I recently heard Rev. Wright observe that he is the only person in the world that President Obama can't meet with. As an example today in the news we have the story the Obama is attempting to reach out to moderate Taliban (are there any?). Can you image the news coverage if Obama sat down and had a meeting with Rev. Wright?

[Veratruth]

07:11 PM on 03/06/2009

Rev. Jeremiah Wright: I hope you can regain your hope, and forgive those who tried to crucify you. I don't believe the Obama family was hurt by your teachings. I am happy that I was not among your critics. May God Bless.

[Maanu]

06:51 PM on 03/06/2009

People are entitled to their own opinion about anything, including Rev. Wright.
If you disagree, fine. But he is no pariah to be cast with the lepers.
We really can't afford to dismiss people from public discourse and expect them to come back from the wilderness on the same page as you. We must engage people.
Out of sight, out of mind, doesn't equal out of the picture.
To all who disrespect, once you've done half the good deeds that Rev. Wright, former marine, has accomplished, then you might be able to talk. Otherwise, stay in your lane.

[zepfan81]

05:52 PM on 03/06/2009

Some of what Rev. Wright preaches about is true. Some of it is paranoid, regardless I don't see what use it has in a church that is supposed to teach love and forgiveness. "Your country is evil and brutal and treats you like c r a p!" Yup, that's the message that' will inspire young African-Americans.

[HerbTee]

06:21 PM on 03/06/2009

How do you know exactly what will or will not inspire all young African Americans unless you are a young African American yourself? One thing African Americans don't appreciate and are sick and tired of is for others consistently telling us how to feel or not to feel, how to behave or what sensitivities we should or should not have ONLY to suit their own purposes and their own sensibilities.

I can tell you that Reverend Wright has and will continue to have VERY strong support within the African American community, not only in his hometown base of Chicago but across the country.

[augustus99]

07:15 PM on 03/06/2009

So you are saying you support separatist inflammatory attitudes? I'm also a minority and sometimes am upset by racist people (especially on the net) but I don't go around saying US of KKK and G.D. America. Its unfair to put all whites in that category. There are some that deserve it, but most are decent people.

[zepfan81]

09:19 PM on 03/06/2009

What? Because I am an African-American. I know he has strong support, but is that a good thing? I know for a fact that what some call "black liberation theology" goes on in blacks churches all around this country. I wasn't surprised by what he said at all, I was just surprised the first African-American that had a realistic chance being elected President of the United States would almost blow his chances going to this guys church. My overall point is why is it so hard to look internally and see that maybe what is being preached gets loud ovations, but isn't having any positive impact on our community. How can it? Sure it may be the truth, but we need to move on because being bitter about our past isn't helping at all.

[WilliamSmyth]

01:50 PM on 03/08/2009

Your description of Rev. Wright's ministry is flawed, but you would have to do further examination of it to understand that. Rev. Wright and the Congregation he built has had a positive effect on thousands of people. I personally would include Obama on that list. As another example I would offer up Rev. Angela Hill

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123250020774200627.html?mod=article-outset-box

From the article.

But that church and its controversial leader inspired Ms. Hill to commit herself to showering love upon a landscape of urban despair. With Trinity's help, she gained a masters degree in theology in her late 30s, and since then she has become one of the South Side's most visible ministers to prostitutes, gangs and abandoned children.

[LovingHope]

05:41 PM on 03/06/2009

If Jeremiah Wright had bad things to say about America, then I think I could understand why. Let's not forget that blacks were slaves, and they went through a very bad period of segregation. It was so hypocritical when the republicans were acting as if Reverend Wright was this crazy, anti american person. I think the real reason they criticized him was that there was a lot of truth in what he said.

[augustus99]

06:11 PM on 03/06/2009

Yes- but saying G.D. America? I agree there is a lot for African Americans to be angry about but for us to move forward as a country I don't think this is the type of attitude to take. Especially for a preacher. Why not say "Lets pray for America to move forward?"

[FanofPaine]

07:08 PM on 03/06/2009

It can be argued whether or not Wright should have said G*d d*mn anything, but the context in which he was using this phrase was not in the context that was blasted over the media.

Also, so many people get upset about black people's "tone" and that is really, really frustrating. Some people are angrier than others.

[jorge4u]

05:06 PM on 03/06/2009

I believe that what many Americans fail to grasp, understand and comprehend is the fact that for years, this country's foreign policy was disastrous. Look at the 70s, 80s and even the 90s-- not including the current time (past 8 years).

Anyone remember Chile and El Salvador, for example? Clear examples of how foreign policy was conducted by the US.

[bmwracer]

05:05 PM on 03/06/2009

Yada, yada, yada.

For a man of the cloth, he sure is spiteful.

[patrickjohns]

04:40 PM on 03/06/2009

Obama is an opportunist. Reverend Wright is a hell-fire and brimstone style preacher. Unfortunately, Wright's polemics were seen to have a negative impact on Obama's candidacy. Therefore, Obama dumped him, in spite of the fact that he, (Wright), had been Obama's mentor and spiritual guide for decades.

Obama, as a typical politician, values his own ambition over such trivialities as honor, friendship and loyalty.

[HerbTee]

05:04 PM on 03/06/2009

" Obama, as a typical politician, values his own ambition over such trivialities as honor, friendship and loyalty."

President Obama is a far cry from so many of our politicians today and he is miles ahead of them in so many ways. But yes, he IS a politician, make no mistake about that. Although he's quite good and is highly respected for being a decent man, he's not perfect or infallible. That said, who's exactly saying here that President Obama is NOT a politician or that he is perfection personified? Reverend Wright certainly didn't say that. You're stating the obvious as if calling President Obama a mere "politician" is somehow going to hurt someone's feelings here. If that is your intent by calling him out in that manner, I think you're going to come up short.

[SistaV]

01:12 AM on 03/07/2009

If memory serves, candidate Obama didn't "dump" Pastor Wright. Initially he made a little speech in Philly, 'A More Perfect Union' in which he stated, 'he could no more disown Rev,. Wright than he could disown his white grandmother.' Later when Rev. made some unflattering statements about Obama he then distanced himself and severed ties with the church. Recall things the way they occurred. I also see that President Obama is very loyal to his core group of friends and they appear to be loyal to him as well, so I don't know where you get the idea that honor, friendship and loyalty or trivialities to him compared to his ambition???? You don't have to like him but don't lie on the man.

[WilliamSmyth]

01:57 PM on 03/08/2009

Yes, recall things as they occurred. President Obama didn't leave Trinity until after a guest sermon preached by Father Phleger. At the time he proclaimed there was nothing wrong with Trinity, it was just that he didn't want to have to respond to ever thing said by anybody at Trinity.

[BornInTheUSA89]

04:34 PM on 03/06/2009

Not this guy again. This guy is a irrelevent.