Obama Addresses Wright's Press Club Remarks

If it was not clear before today, Senator Barack Obama said, it should be clear now: his presidential campaign has no control over what the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., his former pastor, says or does.

"I think certainly what the last three days indicate is that we're not coordinating with him, right?" Mr. Obama said. "He's obviously free to speak his mind, but I just want to emphasize that this is my former pastor. Many of the statements that he has made both to trigger this initial controversy and that he's made over the last several days are not statements that I've heard him make previously. They don't represent my views and they don't represent what this campaign is about."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[TotobiAyokoh23]

Rev Wright is a very jealous, selfish, and a catastrophic individual who is now working for the Clintons.

[tbone99]

Obama did his own self in with bragging on Rev Wright as his "mentor" .ANYTHING the Clintons may have done or said about race looks like fluff in comparision.

[lisakaz2]

Apparently Wrights speaks for the Clintons. Wonder if the MSM will ever point it out?

[uglybetty]

Apparently ????

I'd be interested in hearing how such an idiotic statement found its way into your Head !!

You Obamas have said a lot of outrageous things about Clinton ,but I'd say you've just topped em !

[Harrier]

I said it at the time he gave his first speech, all the reverend wants is publicity to appear he is bigger than hat he is. It's all him.

[ApolloniaCreed]

Is this guy working for the Clintons???? I have defended him, because I don't think he's a "crazy man" as some have implied. But one thing is for sure, he certainly does no service to the Obama campaign by how he has conducted himself in the press the pass couple of days. The timing is odd, don't you think? He sits back in silence and then right before Obama clinches the election he has so much to say? If he had Obama's best interest in mind, I think he would have been as humble at the NAACP and press club event, as he was in the Bill Moyers interview.

Something does not sit right with me about this...

[tbone99]

You know what , even if the Clintons did have a hand in this ( sounds paranoid, but it wouldn't be unusual in American politics), but they didn't make Obama go to that church for twenty years, call the Rev. a mentor, or sign him on as a campaign advisor for religious affairs up until recently.. There are times you just have to admit someone may a bad call. And this bad call is going to be used for kindling by the Repugs, for all the Dem candidates, making electibility for Obama questionable . it may impact other Dem races negatively as well, i.e. ads in N.Carolina

[Bertha40869]

Wright may not speak for Obama, but he might speak for Hillary. Last night on Countdown, Mike Huckabee asked whether Rev. Wright was on the Clinton payroll. That may not be too far fetched, especially considering that an ardent Clinton supporter is the one who invited Rev. Wright to speak at the National Press Club meeting.

Don't believe me? Go to www.politico.com. It's in the Commentary section. Let's see if the media will hype this up as much as the Press Club fiasco.

[Bulbul]

Watched the Bill Moyer`s interview with Rev. Wright, found it to be compelling and informative about the Rev. , then watched the CNN, runing the entire segment of the second one, where it was more of an entertaining nature. One thing I recognise is the fact , this gentleman is highly intellectual with , two Masters and a Doctorate , to his credential. He is an orator and a fantastic one. Nothing in these two he has said , I find to be objectionable, if he appears to be angry, that is his right to be.

The third one , I never did, was out of town....is he trying to hurt Obama ? do not know...
As a Rev. I would chose him over any of the other ones we see with the Republican Politicians, Dr. Wright, welcomes all the religion and has respect for all, that is the first time I have heard from someone of his stature...

All of the Candidates have to deal with what is coming in their way, Hillary is dealing with it for a while, perhaps it is Obama`s turn, it can not be a smooth sailing, Obama got a free pass for a long time and this is his test how he handles it..

[personalpolitical]

That is the simple answer, Wright doesn't speak for Obama. End of story. If we could get just a shred of perspective we could see that there is absolutely no justification for attacking Obama for something his former pastor said (and these things weren't even bad things, they were taken completely out of context) and that Obama hadn't heard before.

Wright has nothing to do with Obama. He is a former pastor, not a policy advisor, not a VP, not his wife.

What the hell is wrong with people...?

[pertello]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=x5ZPeVowxHQ

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LVrQkunIZXo

Doug Coe, Hillary's spiritual mentor, admires ADOLF HITLER and preaches enthusiastically on the leadership styles of Hitler, Stalin and Mao.
The Fellowship of Doug Coe which Hillary and Bill regularly attend is also attended by the most extreme right wing neocon powerbrokers in Washington.
Coe with one of his ardent admirers, GHW Bush
http://img.timeinc.net/time/covers/1101050207/photoessay/photos/coe.jpg

More on Doug Coe:
Douglas Coe
The Stealth Persuader: Many people think Congress is the host of the gala annual National Prayer Breakfast. It is not. The breakfast is organized by 33 members of Congress who belong to a well-connected but secretive Christian group called the Fellowship Foundation, which is run by Douglas Coe. Coe, 76, has been called the "stealth Billy Graham." He specializes in the spiritual struggles of the powerful.
Several members of Congress live in rooms rented in a town house owned by a foundation affiliated with the group. Coe and his associates sometimes travel with congressional members abroad and"according to investigations by the Los Angeles Times and Harper's"have played backstage roles in such diplomatic coups as the 1976 Camp David accords. Yet Coe also befriends dictators.

[dollars2donuts]

(Part 2)
I've been to many black churches growing up and I've never heard a pastor so angry and overtly political. He is a loudmouth and to me has an unattractive ego, it's all about him, even though I am not a big defender of this government either. When he opens his mouth, poison often comes out. Why did Obama choose him--did he change or was Wright always this off the hook?
2. Bittergate--that was an inexcusable insult to small town/white America, and ad hominem attack, but he didn't even realize it. What a tin ear. 3. I don't feel like sitting through a racist general election, so I'd rather they go with HIllary. 4. BO has been very flat for 2 months and doesn't seem to have the fire in his belly you need to go toe to toe with the Rethugs. I dislike HIllary but I know that she will kick the crap out of McBomb should she get that far. I like BO and I supported him but he is proving to be a much weaker candidate than he appeared a couple of months ago. There, I said it.

That being said, HIllary will also have a problem because she will not get the black vote she may need to win, due to her campaigns many insults to AA community.

[DGregory]

your a walking contradiction, i read this post and the one below.

1. this is all they have on obama, ayers, wright, bitter, his wife comments which are being overly scrutinize to the point where they just make up words.

2. Mccain has no chance of winning, the repubs know this, America should know this, but voters such as yourself go in to word salad

3. you haven't even notice that nobody is scrutinizing the churches attendance of mccain and clinton.

4. i dont know if you really been to black churches or not, but a church isnt a total sum of the preacher of the church community itself.

5. But you say obama has let you down on the bitter comment, but dismissive of the clintons actions on the minority community, yes im including the hispanics which was seen how they treated gov richardson.

i could make a laundry list of points about your comments but i hope you get the point.

[dollars2donuts]

Oohwee, this Wright thing is getting worse and worse. Wright has gone about 8 bridges too far. Before anyone says anything, I'm AA so I'm going to speak my mind on this one. When the Wright controversy broke, I stopped being an enthusiastic BO supporter. A couple of weeks ago, w/bittergate and his other recent dramas, I decided to become *neutral*. In fact, even if BO wins the nom I may vote for Nader or Cynthia McKinney. Recent controversies but especially Wright have revealed some unattractive aspect of him. 1. Bad judgment in choosing church & pastor. I'm not the only one who disagrees that Wright "represents the black church, this is nonsense:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/28/AR2008042802102.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

[mamoyo]

Could I point out the Trinity is NOT Rev. Wright's church? Rev Wright reports to the United Church of Christ. Trinity is a member of that denomination. Rev Wright has to adhere to the doctrine of that denomination. This is not like the televangelists we see on TV who start their own ministries. This is a traditional denomination.

Secondly, Christians are called to be followers of Christ, NOT their pastors. It is a PERSONAL relationship with God. I think the argument here is "How well does the average Joe understand Christianity?"

In his defence Rev Wright rightfully uses the Bible to support his argument but to those who don't know or understand the Bible then the whole argument is a waste of time. I think the only people who may be able to discuss this with him from a Christian perspective are the likes of Huckabee and Moyers. Most of them would agree with him. I have not seen one argument against Wright that is based on the Bible, whis he uses as his reference.

Rev Wright is a Christian, guys. Jesus did not pander to the masses. He spoke what he believed to be the truth. Christianity in it's pure form is closer to socialism than the imperialism we're seeing being promoted by the right. I have always found it curious that the rightwing has the majority of evengelicals when in fact Jesus' teachings are more aligned with the left

BTW I agree with Rev Wright

[NCMan]

In his speech yesterday Rev Wright went so far as to belittle JFK for his Boston accent and wonder out loud why people didn't have the same kind of issue with the way JFK talked as they have had with ebonics.

He mocked JFK by giving a sample of his "Ask not what your country can do for you" speech making sure to mispronounce the word ASK like he was saying EISK. I guess he was trying to make some point about pronouncing ASK like AXE.

I bet that went over great with Sen Ted Kennedy, since he is one of Obama's biggest endorsers. And, it was reported after Kennedy's endorsement that one of the major reasons he endorsed Obama was because when Clinton talked about LBJ's role in civil rights, she didn't mention JFK's role.

[ApolloniaCreed]

He did not belittle JFK... that was the whole point of the speech, "different is not deficient"...

[lisakaz2]

I think the way he singsonged that line was ridiculing, frankly.

[Mattie]

MSNBC is now reporting that Wright said, that even though he was dis-invited to the opening of Obama's campaign, that's just what they told the public. He was there, in the back, praying with Obama and Michelle. Obama is a fraud, and he still closely aligned with this lunatic, and he hid him in the back, because he knows how out of the mainstream this man is. Obama & Wright 08 = Politics of hope and change.

[TheAdviceWeAllNeed]

You watch MSNBC

[LittleSanityLeft]

Wright wasn't uninvited from the campaigns opening but told he couldn't give a speech teeing off the campaigns opening as was planned.

Get your facts straight before you run your mouth.

[AguynamedWayne]

If Wright's views are so different from Obama's, then why did Obama stay at Wrights Church for twenty years? Why would Obama donate 275, 000 dollars to a church that espoused views so different from his own? Why would Obama put Wright in an official position within the Obama campaign, if he disagreed with Wrights views? Why would he want this man to marry him to his wife and baptise his children? Why? The only answer that rings true, is the one Wright has already given.

Obama isn't really distancing himself from Wright, he is just saying what a politician needs to say.

[LittleSanityLeft]

What views, specifically, do you find offensive?

Americans are so quick to take offense and so slow to listen or understand. Your view of the world doesn't run parallel with mine? Outrage! You don't see America in exactly the same way I see America? Outrage! You worship God in a different way then I worship God. Outrage! Saying God would damn an America that enslaved, raped, tortured, murdered innocents for it's lust of power and control. Outrage!

***THIS IS FOR WHITE FOLKS WHO STILL DON'T GET IT!!!*****

Why would Obama stay in the Church? I'm assuming you don't really know, Wayne, and so I'll explain it to you. The black church is the heart and soul of the black community. Barack Obama discovered his culture and himself in the black church. He made friends that would last a life time in the black church. His pastor, Jeremiah Wright, led him on the path to salvation and acceptance of Gods love. When the church has come to encompass all that you are, all your community represents, and the birth place of your relationship with God, that is an extremely powerful bond that you don't just throw away because the social gospel of the preacher--the man who saved your soul--is not always to your agreement or attune to the delicate nature of white America.

Do you get it now? I'm guessing no.

[Vern58]

For the same reason i have chosen my own church for the past 10 years. The political philosophy of the Rector of the parish (far to the right of mine)has little or no effect on my willingness to stay there. My focus in staying in my Parish has to do with the means of grace, and how they are presented, not with the political philosophy of it's Priest. BTW, he has gone into semi-retirement over what he percieves as the left wing leaning of the Parishoners.
The involvement of the parishoners of Trinity Church in their own community could be a clue to this connundrum you seem so fixated on. The congregation does a whole lot of good for the local community in South Chicago, this is undisputed truth. Maybe like many of us, Obama has seen the difference in the message and the messenger. I have come to terms with the same thing.
There are so many factors in choosing to stay with a religious organization that have little to nothing to do with the Politics of it's leader. When you can see that maybe you might understand this and stop sawing continuosly on J. Wright.
BTW, i have actually attended services at Trinity UCC in Chicago, twice. I have heard Wright speak.I heard nothing of the political bombast he is now famous for. What i heard was the love of Jesus and how we can best mirror that.

[rollingdivision]

Obama's views match Wright's views, that is why Obama bragged that Wright was his mentor and why Obama continued to go Wright's church for so long. We have crossed the Rubicon on the Wright, Obama connection. Now many truly believe with the radical, racial and divisive beliefs of Wright, Obama must mostly agree with Wright to have continued his relationship with Wright. Obama now must prove he doesn't agree with Wright. This will be a very difficult task, with a twenty year history, Obama's own words, Wright's words, Michelle's words, the Ayers and Rezko associations, the questionable $96,000 retainer, et al. The election will be won in the middle and this hurts with the moderates and independent swing voters, big time.

[KQuarksSuperCollider]

I have one question for Hillary since she is so high and mighty about Wright. Why did you not walk out on a serial adulterer who was impeach for lying about philandering? Now that's what I call bad personal judgment, unless you are will to keep the Clinton name as a path to steal the Democratic nomination.

[Trinidad707]

Wow this guy is a quack...and he threw Obama under the bus....and further thinks he could be a vp...thats rich, can we all imagine the dinners, with Wright giving 3 hours toasts while throwing the US under the bus. Makes you wonder about Baracks judgement in choosing to be friends with a man like him for 20 years, they must have some commonalities. Makes you wonder about Michelle and subjecting their daughters to Rev Wrights hate mongering. Mkes you wonder what the Obama' s values really are, h eseems to keep having troubles from his poor choice of friends..like Tony Rezko, Ayers, Farrakhan and Rev Wright. By the way Louis Farrakhan was the owner of the home Barack purchased in the shady Rezko deal

[wutzhappn]

So now Wright is just another one of those "Folks in his past?" Obama just got outed today as having prayed with the good reverend in the basement before he announced his candidacy. Wright was a campaign advisor up until seven minutes before Obama appeared on Olbermann to renounce the comments. Obama cannot sever this albatross around his neck by the use of selective memory or rewrighting recent history. Wright has been instrumental in Obama's life for 20 years, by Obama's own admission. Voters are not stupid.

[obamasOHangel]

Ohhhh he prayed with his Pastor in the basement before he announced his candidacy!!! How scary is that? OMG.

Stupid.

[uglybetty]

As you know very well , it just goes to show Obamas Close relationship with this vulgar man .

You are also aware as all of us are , that Obama has spoken of and written about his Very close relationship with this Man , over 20 yrs .

Thats whats Scary about Obama ! Not knowing what to believe from him , and questioning his Judgement !

[matthewhusseinsmith]

Dear senator Obama,

Rev. Wright has made 3 speeches in 3 days.

Rev. is a decent man, but an angry man of the past. His approach, for an elderly man, is inflammatory, confrontational and argumentative; it lacks the wisdom that normally comes with age.

You can argue all you want about your relationship with rev. Wright, but in the volatile and emotional world of politics, perception is reality.

His last 3 speeches are hurting not only your campaign, but also the endeavor of millions of American seeking a different kind of politics that you represent; a politics of unity, instead of divisiveness.

I urge you to show some steel, to be decisive, and to make a clean break with rev. Wright. You have shown decency and loyalty to rev. Wright in your Philadephia speech, but since then, rev. Wright has gone too far, and over the last 3 days, his speeches are harming our , your and millions of Americans', campaign.

Your undecisiveness in the last three days are painful to watch and your chances in Indiana are slipping. Please dissociate yourselves completely from rev. Wright; I do not wish to watch the repubs go over and over again this topic in the GE.

[matthewhusseinsmith]

typos:

indecisiveness; is painful to watch; yourself

instead of

undecisiveness, are painful to watch, and yourselves.

[Tellmethetruth]

URL: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13390609/campaign_08_the_radical_roots_of_barack_obama

Rollingstone.com

Rolling Stone did an article on Obama and Rev. Wright in February of 2007. Some may be interested in checking this out. Rolling Stone outed Rev. Wright and the hate speech over a year ago, so I guess Obama wasn't being honest about not knowing about Wright's hateful speeches until a few weeks ago. It was clearly common knowledge.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13390609/campaign_08_the_radical_roots_of_barack_obama/print

[NCMan]

The comments in Rolling Stone are what caused Obama to disinvite Wright to his kick-off speech. These are the comments that Obama referred to as being bad enough to not want Wright out front in his campaign, but not bad enough to quit the church even though Wright would not be retiring for another year. Obama still gave Wright an official position on his campaign then though.

I can't see how Obama can get out of this now that Wright has said Obama just says what he has to say as a politician. If he goes out now and disowns Rev Wright it will look like nothing more than a political move. It will look like that's what Obama's been doing all along one step at a time. 1st, disinvite him from the kick-off speech. Then when the videos clips were shown, denounce the specific statements from those clips. Then a couple of days later, Wright resigns from his official position on the campaign. Now what?

If he completely disowns Wright now, he will be right back at square one trying to explain why he stayed for 20 years.

Obama's safest answer right now might be to come out and say he only joined the church in the first place to get his street cred when he was a community organizer and that he joined in order to advance his political aspirations. Because that's the only answer that is making any sense at all at this point.

[MRb1000]

HERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR GIRL.

CLINTON GATE:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/04/breaking-news-hillary-clinton.php

[cinemaven]

And here's the article that DEBUNKS all of that nonsense

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/crooked_claims_about_clinton.html

Check your facts ...

[pertello]