Why the Press Likes Obama Again

First, I've given Obama another $100 today for a total of $900. It's the 30th, the end of a month. Of the three remaining candidates, he's still by far the best choice. And he still is the best person I've ever had the chance to support, imho.

Yesterday he threw Rev Wright under the bus, a term I never liked, and still really don't, but it was the right thing to do, at exactly the right moment,. Maybe not for cynical reasons (the ones the press applies) but for moral reasons. If you've been going to a church as long as he's been going to Wright's church, it should take a lot to get you to say what Obama said yesterday.

I have friends who have stood by me in tough times, but have done things that disappointed me, and I've taken time-outs from the friendships because of this, but it's pretty rare that the bridges are so thoroughly burned that we never relate as friends again. But it has happened.

If we want to trust Obama, he shouldn't abandon his pastor just because it would be the expedient thing to do, especially when it was so clear that the press was misrepresenting his sermons. I watched them, in full, and understood what the Reverend was saying, and I also understood that the context wasn't familiar to me. They were recorded before a member of his congregation was a leading candidate for president, some of them before he was even an Illinois state senator. If you said that this isn't that unusual for a black church, what choice would I have but to take your word.

Same for a speech at the NAACP. How do I know what's usual there. If you tell me this is how it goes, I have no basis for saying or believing otherwise.

But the National Press Club? That I understand, and now I see Rev. Wright in a whole new light. I still can't say one way or the other if he acted appropriately in his sermons, but that was not how you address the media. They're too dangerous. That's the way you talk on your front porch on a hot weekday evening, hanging out with your friends, arguing politics and gossiping about a neighbor. Not in front of cameras that are broadcasting your words around the world, when you're talking about someone you supposedly care about, someone who not only is your friend, but is likely the next president of the United States, your country, which you have served, that you say you love.

Look, the explanation is really simple. When you rise, even a little, some friends don't get it. Ask anyone who's won a lottery, or Deal or No Deal, or whose company IPO'd successfully. Ask them about the chickens that come home to roost. That's what happened with Rev Wright. I'm sure of it. I recognize it, having been around the phenomenon, on a much smaller scale, many many times.

Anyway, the reason the press is so happy is that they got caught being assholes. It was just a few days ago I was giving them a hard time for the missing mea culpas. Now they don't have to retract or apologize for screwing it up, Obama just gave them cover. And so they're moving on. The Republicans, if they want to bring up this issue, may well find that the press sides with Obama. "We always said Wright was a bad apple," they will say, and maybe even Obama agreed, but he was being loyal to a friend, and who can fault him for that. It's a good quality, but enough is enough.

And I don't think the door is closed forever for Rev. Wright. You can be pissed at a friend, for cause or not, and come back from it, esp if someone connects with Wright about the seriousness of what he did, and how much damage he might have done if people took him seriously (they didn't) and somehow his condemnation of Obama stuck (it didn't).

I believe Obama, and I believe in Obama because I believe in my country. I care about how the Constitution has been trampled in the last 7.5 years, it's going to take a lawyer like Obama who doesn't take shortcuts to first restore our confidence in the architecture of the US, and give us a fresh start in the world, which would see an Obama presidency as a cause for hope for them. Rev. Wright didn't get how many of us now look to Obama to lead us, he may not be ready for it, but that's not our problem or Obama's, it's his.

Comments

[Sheridan1]

Hey Milee
I am wide awake and am still supporting Barack Obama. You go on back and get your GED, okay? I think Obama can win all by "his own self."

[PioneerKing]

Amazing McCain's MSM buddies are not calling McCain out as the hypocrite that he is and airing the comments that Rev. Hagee and the rest of the comments made by the "agents of intolerance," religious right who McCain has courted.
These same MSM people said nothing when catholic politicians did not walk away from the Catholic Church.
Are Rev. Wright’s comments worse than an institution that protects pedophiles and asserts that the problem is "an American problem," although it is documented that worldwide the Catholic Church has protected priests who are pedophiles?
Teens from polygamist sects who are called "lost boys" also know that the abuse they endured is worse than Americans acknowledge and child brides suffer rape without any of the outrage that has surrounded Rev. Wright. Which is worse? The angry ranting of Rev. Wright or the scared lives of children who have been harmed by adults who are sheltered by religious institutions?
Rev. Wright's, wrong, comments are by no means more vile than the comments made by the likes of Rev. Hagee and other "agents of intolerence," who support McCain. The difference is Obama and Rev. Wright are black.
McCain's MSM buddies sold America lies about the war now want McCain to win the election. They don't care that McCain will continue the Bush/Cheney policies because their sons and daughters are not the ones fighting the war and, their 6, 7 and 8 figure salaries are not being effected by the economy.

[ndolomar]

I'd like to agree with ghop, but Paula Jones and Gennifer Flowers are much easier on mainstream eyes and dispositions than an "angry black man" -- a black man who, oddly enough, is a supporter of Sen. Clinton's. What the MSM won't tell you is that Wright stopped backing Obama a while ago, and the details over the "dis-invitation" are that he wasn't an Obama supporter. Nevertheless, Obama had an opportunity to get even by throwing Wright under the bus after the initial kerfuffle -- as a way to enact payback for non-support. Instead, Obama stood up for him, respected their differences and told the world we can and need to confront our pasts, but that we can do it without being confrontational. Of course, Wright struck back, but as we continue to press the MSM to show parity -- to show Bill Clinton receiving counseling from Wright following the Lewinsky scandal, to do stories about Norman Hsu -- perhaps this time those types of "shiny" distractions will go ignored. Let's hope they do.

[OSUMercutio]

I agree. However I was able to find a few clips of what you mentioned and post them on YouTube. One is about Bill Clinton meeting with Rev. Wright and the other contrasts the phony Rezko scandal with Hsu and other Clinton scandals.

Wright with Bill Clinton -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hED5h5EAl28
Rezko vs Clinton sleaze -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHlQDmac7aE

[NuttyProf]

Dave,

Can you provide some more evidence that "the press likes Obama again?"

I don't understand it or see it.

[Incredulous]

Then clearly you're not watching the Parade of Pundits prance across the screen on shows hosted by Chris Matthews, Keith Olberman, Dan Abrahms, Wolf Blitzer, Larry King, Anderson Cooper...
Only 2 days ago every pundit in punditry was penning Obama's obituary, and yesterday they were falling over themselves with accolades. It only illustrates what fickle windbags they really are, and there's a bloody ton of them. I don't know how you can possible miss them if you have cable television.

[hopeless277]

Uh, I think you have it right but in the wrong way. The press loves Obama. Because they can target him on anything and everything. Did you see his shoes? I'm sure they were Italian. Did you hear what he said? He said purple. Purple is the color of royalty. Does Obama want to be king? When they do that to Hillary, she make a few calls and has the reporter suspended or fired. McCain could eat live babies on TV and the press would ask him how it feels to be an American Hero. Corporate CEOs determine what goes on in this country. Not the people and certainly not our representatives. So don't be fooled, the press has their orders: destroy Barak Obama now and for good. Remember, it was a Hillary supporter that got Jerry Wright that Press Club gig.

[jackbeanstalk]

Sadly, I agree. The press marching orders are readily evidenced by the monotony of the stories for all the major press outlets. Like monopoly movie theatres, all carry the exact same headlines. Whether they are too cheap to pay good reporters or they are actually conspiring, the outcome can be the same: uninformed Americans who vote Don't give up hope, hopeless277, there is much new growth under the decay--just rid yourself of any expectation change for the good will be easy.

[kikiva]

Started liking him again? I hadn't noticed they had stopped. He has been the press's preference from the first and they have showed it pretty blatantly.

"may well find that the press sides with Obama. "

May well find....hah hah hah when haven't they? Thanks I needed that.

[katefranklin]

He's been the press's preference? Every headline the past several weeks is a veritable "Go Hillary!" exclamation. This while every conservative media outlet is running some variant of an "Obama might be the anti-Christ, but Hillary aint tooooo bad" story. Give me a break.

[ghop]

Obama wasn't my first choice, but I have come to support him over time. This Rev. Wright controversy has been making me sick to my stomach. But then I think about the fact that Bill Clinton had similar problems during his primary race (Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers, etc.). I am hoping that people will see that this is indeed a tempest in a teapot and end this primary in Indiana and N.C. I can't wait for the battle with McCain to begin, because the issues will kill him.

[milee]

Exactly what is the matter with you Obama maniacs....he has no experience and we need someone at the top who has been in Washington and knows what goes on. This man was not even elected Senator....he made sure he had no one to run against. He is brutal and all he thinks about is his own self. Wake up people, in regard to the Wright controversy; you should be sick @ your stomach for being so gullible. Have you read his books...try reading the Obama books and then you will see what he is like, well Rev. Wright was his mentor, I believe yesterday he stated that Wright was never his mentor, his advisor, only his pastor. Yet during the Philly speech, he was his mentor, his uncle and every reason why he could not throw him under the bus. However, Obama did not come out for America and the hatred being spewed; but because he was personally attacked....he was called by his middle name and it was reflected that Obama is just another politician; that is why he came out. Obama stated how great the congregation was, did you hear that, well, that was the congregation that was listening to the pastor ranting about God Damn America and 9-1-1 and cheering in the tapes...WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!

[Breni]

Give it up, Milee. Unfortunately you cannot change rigid, hard-headed people's minds; these Obama worshippers have made up their minds about Obama from day one and nothing, and I mean NOTHING will make them change their minds about their 'savior'. I know...it's hard to believe how anybody can support someone like him.