Open Letter to Michael Moore

I was slightly stunned at the irony of this paragraph in your endorsement of Barack Obama:

"Finally, I want to say a word about the basic decency I have seen in Mr. Obama. Mrs. Clinton continues to throw the Rev. Wright up in his face as part of her mission to keep stoking the fears of White America. Every time she does this I shout at the TV, 'Say it, Obama! Say that when she and her husband were having marital difficulties regarding Monica Lewinsky, who did she and Bill bring to the White House for "spiritual counseling?" THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT!'"

I am at a loss to understand why you wanted Obama to say that, and yet YOU didn't take the opportunity to mention it yourself on Larry King Live when he gave you a perfect opening. In fact, I shouted at my TV set, "Say it, Michael, say it now!"

Comments

[kdublya]

Seriously, let it go.

[Desiderata]

To my knowledge, this is the first time the Wright involvment during Lewinsky has been outed on a Huffingtonpost blog. Perhaps Michael wrote about it on his blog knowing, like a pebble makes waves when tossed in a pond, the truth would eventually expand from there to here and, then, everywhere.

The MSM ignores Moore's blog. They do not ignore Arianna's.

[kira181]

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/apr/25/CLINTONWRIGHT/

Attending a prayer breakfast along with a hundred other clergyman doesn't exactly add up to marriage counseling.

[SethBLiNK]

Obama has really been gracious in his treatment of the Clintons on so many levels. Not only have none of his close surrogates talked about Bill's White House History, but at the PA debate where Hillary was piling on mercilessly, he passed on the opportunity to stick her for lying about Bosnia. He treated her as he wished to be treated rather than how he was being treated.

I wonder if his decency means that we, as his supporters need to do the dirty work, or if we should follow his example. I find myself asking WWOD (what would Obama do) when answering unfair attacks. Invariably it's not what my first instinct to do would be, but that's what leaders are for, right?

[Susanfrom29]

"...that's what leaders are for, right?"

Absolutely.

And the view is always better on the high road.

The real question is, are Americans ready to follow someone who appeals to their better natures? Will they see past all of the flag pin waving and half truths and vote for what can be, instead of what was?

[honeychild]

As much as all of us would like to see Obama or one his surrogates bring this to light, doing so would undermine the message and essence of Barack Obama's campaign. Furthermore, it seems like the MSM do not want to cover or report on anything relating to Monica Lewinski. I have been following the campaign coverage on MSNBS since it began and I have seen how the media has shifted from fawning over Obama to taking a pro-Clinton stance. Thank god for Keith Olbermann, who is one of the few who continue to report on the real issues and unafraid to report on stuff you only read about here in HuffPo about the Clintons that cable news, specifically MSNBC, won't bring into light.

[presto]

Are you guys talking about the time Wright was one of a hundred or so clergymen invited to the White House? And you are comparing that to Obama's relationship with him? Seriously?

[PTTY]

What is worse, African Americans seeing their fathers, brothers, grandfathers being LYNCHED, KILLED by white men in WHITE SHEETS?

BURNING CROSSES and being called Uppity, Empty Headed, Empty Suit, Boy, Gal, how dare you talk back to me, or Rev. Wright's 15 - 30 distorted sound bytes being played?

Blacks growing up seeing COLOREDS DO NOT APPLY,
FOR WHITES ONLY, COLOREDS ENTER IN THE BACK.

Did any of the White People leave their Churches?

Did any of the Catholics leave their Churches while the Priest were molesting LITTLE BOYS?

Rev. Wright did not teach hate, Blacks have seen it, been hosed down, been lynched, been raped, for over 400 years.

[AntonBursch]

Compared to Obama's "relationship" with his pastor? Do you even go to church?

First, I'm sick and tired of people acting like church people are just dumb sheep who sit at the feet of their pastor and soak it all in. Pastors are there to give people someone to ignore for an hour while they think about what to have for lunch or whether their team is going to win the game.

Second, there are THOUSANDS of people who go to that church. How much personal time do you think that any of the people who attend that church get with their pastor? This was a mega church. Obama was lucky to get his pastor to marry him and Michelle and he probably PAID for it to be done.

Third, religous people are always saying crazy things from the pulpit. All the time. Nobody takes it seriously. People go to church for the community not the pastor. I grew up in church and I went to seminary and I worked for a couple years in church until I quit and I can't tell you that the ONE SINGLE COMPLAINT all pastors make is that NOBODY TAKES WHAT THEY SAY SERIOUSLY.

[leftcoastindy]

I don't see how it would be wrong or even dirty politics to mention the Clinton's called Wright after HRC put Wright down. Its not even about Obama. Its about Hypocrisy.

[Star2000dancer]

Give it a rest, they called in alot of pastors. Rev. Wright is a billiant man and his good side is as amazing as his bad side. The whole point is that they did not attend his church for 22 years, call him "Pappy, and mentor. Then throw him under the bus with his white grandmother who educated him. Rev.Wright handed Barack his politcal heritage, & now he'has to distance himself from him. Rev.Wright is hurt and mad, & it looks like he figured I gave you this & now I'm going to take it away.

[YWCYWC]

Sorry. A little digresion here. Why are people saying he threw his grandmother under the bus? - I assume because he shared how she made some racial remarks or was expressed fear of AA's. If I am correct, then he was being simply honest. I've lived in NYC, I've lived in the mid west and most women learn certain things early on (I dare say, most men do as well) kind of like a self defense mechanism. It is very unfair, but it is ingrained. Which means as a white person you don't walk into an African American neigbourhood without taking risk, if you are alone. Now that is unfair, unjust and maybe not so true anymore, but it is the stereotypes people used to believe. So he was simply relaying what his grandmother used to say, which I'm sure she would confirm.

People who say he threw her under the bus are not willing to acknowledge reality, which is the first step needed if we are to overcome fear and stereotyping. That's what his speech on race was attempting to do - tear down walls so we can have a conversation and build some understanding.

[Lauramd]

I don't think it would have been nasty or dirty to bring this up when Hilary said Wright wouldn't have been her choice of a pastor. Obama didn't have to say anything about Monica or martial issues, but very early on he could have and probably should have made it clear that Hilary and Bill counseled with Wright even if only for a short time...which might have been enough to get some of the press to look into it more closely. The scandal itself didn't have to part of Barack's statement.

I do not want Barack to turn into a negative Hilary type campaigner, but in some cases, especially when you are being hammered, speaking absolutely verifiable truths becomes a necessity. It's too late now, because the damage has been done, but even the slightest forcing of Hilary's hand to say publicly that she met and had appeared to respect Wright, would have helped and believe me, if she somehow gets the nomination you can bet that the Republicans will make sure everyone knows about it (in addition to everything else they plan to "share" with us)...they'll use everything they have no matter how small it seems.

[devadasi]

You'r right Paul, Michael Moore in that instant could have acted as a surrogate for Obama. he could have come out swinging for him. The divisive, nasty, crass,but truthful stuff that needs to get out there should be in the hands of others, not Obama.

[thymetwo]

I think one of the biggest problems right now is that no one DOES come out swinging for him. He need surrogates that can get as down and dirty as hers do. Leave him on the high road.

[burnt]

yes... the photo was very telling (more than a thousand words)... Bubba was desperate to spin off the lies and deception and used every semi-legitimate voice who might in some way help deflect the fact that he had lied straight-faced to America and the world, vastly diminishing his position as the Leader of the Free World... and the fact that he had performed the duty while in the White House talking to a Senator on the phone... or so I have gathered from the evidence.

Those individuals of righteousness... religious leaders who could impart "forgiveness" just by association, were cynically seen by Clinton as a pillar of strength for his personal redemption and were called upon to come to the White House to "testify" on his behalf.... one of the conceits that led him to believe that HE was the first black President.

Wright was wrong again to lend that support, but we have to forgive him on this one... He was deceived again, as Bubba is the perfect liar and nobody could have faulted Wright for attending the function (and providing tacit support).

Bill Clinton is a smarmy liar who was disbarred and impeached. He disgraced his office. He uses people for political power and his own personal gain. He has done all he can to impart his "wisdom" to Hillary. Fortunately, we have learned our lesson. She has been defeated.

[leftcoastindy]

Bill Clinton is a smarmy liar who was disbarred and impeached. He disgraced his office. He uses people for political power and his own personal gain. He has done all he can to impart his "wisdom" to Hillary. Fortunately, we have learned our lesson. She has been defeated."

Was not disbarred. Impeachment was bogus and completely and totally undeserved. He uses people because he is a politician. That's what they do. How has HRC been defeated?

That being said...I voted for Obama.

[Jazz42]

There is no reason for Senator Obama to mention Reverend going to the White House to council BUBBA. It has been mention, and the MSM refuse to talk about it. Senator Obama is doing the right thing by not getting down in the mud, he is much better than that.

[leftcoastindy]

Mentioned to who? I didn't know and I hang out on Huffpo.

[Jazz42]

The MSM did not report on Reverend going to the White house to Council BUBBA when he got caught having an affair with a 21 year old girl, and after he was impeached.
(letfcoastindy)

[ndolomar]

Dear Paul,
I share your sentiment and am torn at my wanting Obama (or his surrogates) to bring it up, but knowing the reason he doesn't (and they don't) is the exact reason I prefer his candidacy.

*On a side note, I loved copy editing your columns when I was at AVN, and it's good to see you here on HuffPo.

[4wehttam]

Because just because we can scream at the top of our lungs in our heads and in blogs, it doesn't necessarily mean we should do so in front of thousands of people on national tv, intentionally ruining someone's reputation.

That is why Obama has not stooped to the level of personal attacks Clinton and her surrogates have, because trust you me, she's got pages and pages of laundry lists of scandals to go through.

[BubbaC33]

Perhaps Obama did not mention it because to do so would have been wrong.

[presto]

Bubba - he was talking about Michael Moore, not Obama.