Obama's Rejection Of Pastor Unfortunate

Washington, D.C. -- A presidential candidate finds himself in hot water over controversial statements by his pastor. The candidate: Bob Dole. Back in the early 90s, Conservative pundit Cal Thomas, aided by opposition researcher Mark Tooley, launched an attack on Bob and Elizabeth Dole's then-pastor (and my dear friend, former professor and mentor) J. Philip Wogaman. Thomas accused Wogaman of being an advocate for gay rights, a vocal critic of unrestrained capitalism and greed, and generally left of center. Wogaman, it must be said, was guilty as charged. Under pressure, Dole left the congregation.

Fast-forward to 2008. The more things change, it seems, the more they stay the same. Barack Obama finds himself in similar hot water--only this time, there's video evidence. Obama, like Dole, has no choice but to distance himself from his pastor.

As a pastor in the same denomination as Jeremiah Wright, I think it's too bad that political expediency demands Obama reject his pastor. First of all, our denomination traces its roots back to the Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower and has a strong tradition of freedom of the pulpit stretching back hundreds of years. Pastors in our tradition are expected to speak their minds and have no expectation that parishioners will agree with everything they say like a flock of mindless sheep. A preacher like Wright doesn't last in our denomination unless he is willing to see his sermons as part of an ongoing dialogue with the congregation, rather than pronouncements from on high.

Next, while I may not agree 100 percent with everything Jeremiah Wright says, I applaud his moral courage in consistently speaking what he sees as truth to power. The reason most educated, intelligent people stay away from church in droves is that most sermons are the aural equivalent of pudding--sweet and bland, with nothing to chew on. Jeremiah Wright isn't perfect, but he takes seriously the prophetic tradition of our faith, the calling to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Biblical prophets did little else but point Israel's flaws out to her citizens. In the same way, Rev. Wright no doubt feels called to point out what he sees as America's wrongs to his flock. As long as he is calling on them to actively seek to right those wrongs, to be a part of the solution rather than part of the problem, I support his right to express his opinion and to express it forcefully and dramatically.

Comments

[RC4Obama]

RE: We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian. Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community.

[OtayPanky]

Denise Clapsaddle: Obama's Rejection Of Pastor Unfortunate

===

"Pastor Unfortunate" - not a bad nick for the chatrooms.

Let's watch the polls to see how this affects matchups between the dem candidates versus McCain. If Barack drops like a stone, expect the supers to desert him, and run to Hillary.

Not my idea of a good time, mind you...but a real possibility nonetheless.

[GnitenGoodLk]

"If you take a look at the comments (20+ / 0-)

..sections of each and every news site - ABC, MSNBC, CBS, Time, Newsweek even huffington post etc etc - the venom being spewed by the Clinton supporters is almost extraordinary !! Even right wing outlets like NRO and FreeRepublic seem considerably tame compared to the Clinton comments."

And THAT is why you are losing the battle for your candidate and disenfranchising a whole legion of Dems, new and old. Stalking people, vitriol, name-calling. You guys have done more damage than I could have ever conceived. And it started early and hasn't stopped. Anyone new coming to read these blogs would be completely turned off on Hillary after going through the posts you leave. They may vote McCain just because he's not so scary to them. And that is ALSO why Obamas support hasn't wavered, and in fact he GAINED delegates after the bad press.

Not that my comment will curb the nastiness, but just so you know it's losing her votes she's going to need if she does get nominated. You're guaranteeing a Dem loss in a "can't lose" election year.

[SocialConscience]

Actually, I have to say that it is largely Obama supporters that digress to sandbox behavior and comments. There are countless "get real" and "grow up" posts that are incredibly juvenile, and they are largely coming from Obama supporters. Why not have a real debate, with solid points rather than resort to name-calling?

Funny how it's always the Clinton supporters that are blamed for a possible election loss. Obama lacks the resume and judgment to lead this country right now. Where are the hard facts with respect to his public service? What has he achieved exactly? Last time I looked, his Illinois district is still in shambles. He has used each political office as a stepping stone to the presidency. It would be helpful to know whether he actually affected any change for his constituents, or was he just passing by?

Just because he forecasted that he was going to be POTUS when he was in kindergarten, doesn't mean that he is prepared or the best candidate for the position. Hell, I wanted to be an astronaut. Alas, I am no John Glenn...

[GnitenGoodLk]

Whatever gets you through the day buddy. Just calling it like many are seeing it. Take it or leave it.

I spoke to my sister in law yesterday, doctor in NYC, has been too busy to look up candidates, etc. She went to a few news sites to catch up and what she read was completely horrific. She's voting Republican for the first time in her life. She specifically cited the name calling, tearing down of, and childishness, in particular of those supporting HRC. Completely turned her off to the competency of Dems (notice, I didn't say HRC or Obama, but DEMS). Do not underestimate or ignore the power of the internet in losing votes as well as gaining them.

[Serene1]

I can't understand why democrats are so forgiving of Obama. By condoning and worse still providing excuses for Obama and Wright, Democrats are just paving the way for radical conservative pastors also to gain legitimacy. Soon a white preacher blaming blacks for all the ills of the world will cite wright as his right to speech and propogate hatred.
What Rev. wright did on the pulpit was wrong. He used his position of power to blame an entire race and encourage seperatisim. He used his position of power to campaign for Obama and diss his opponents in a very dirty way. I wonder if there were kids sitting in the church when wright went about talking about Bill clinton.
Obama made a major error in judgement by alligning himself with such a pastor and now by defending him and his pastor next Democrats will also have to defend all other fundamentalists whose preachings are no different from Wright.

[SocialConscience]

Given Wright's clear endorsement of Barack Obama, Trinity should no longer hold tax exempt status.

[sej100]

Obama wants it both ways. Its hypocritical. Blame hillary for everything under the sun and she is responsibile for every word of every human being who ever supported her, BUT in the case of Obama he is not responsible for the words of his chosen group of supporters or the spiritual leaders he embraced????? HUH, its the same with money. If she takes money from backers its dirty, when he takes money from the SAME backers its GOOD. HUH.

HYPOCRISY is not pretty but it sure is clear

[elevate]

I'm really tired of people trying to equate bigotry with someone talking forcefully about oppression. These are not the same thing. It's that same fallacious logic that stunts any sustained discussion of inequality in this country or internationally. Folks may not like the tone with which Wright made his statements--he's also not a politician, he's a preacher, wow--but there's nothing in what he said that isn't a challenge to his community and country to examine the abuses of power in this country. The comments from the HRC camp that you try to paint as equal are based out of fear mongering, racism and bigotry. They do nothing to challenge power. They use a position of privilege to manipulate that power to incite fears. This incitement is not to address inequality but do anything possible to get a politician elected.

Writing "hypocrisy" in all-caps doesn't make it any more true.

[starboymikey]

HYPOCRISY is not pretty but it sure is clear
______________________________________________________________

Sorry, but the only clear hypocricy is yours and that of your fellow neo-cons. Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were never asked to renounce their right-wing evangelical supporters, such as Falwell and Robertson when *they* blamed America for 9/11. The media barely uttered a whimper.

I am so utterly disgusted with racism and politics as usual in this country that I could weep, and the real enemies of democracy just keep on getting away with it.

[BOfever]

"I applaud his moral courage in consistently speaking what he sees as truth to power."

Why would you applaud someone who actually thinks the Government started HIV to keep black people poor? That's not truth to power that's just insane.

[itmaybetoolate]

Yes, just as insane as the fact that poor southern black men with syphilis were "studied" by the US Public Health department for over twenty years- they were identified as infected during "free" health checks, but this information was never shared with them, and treatment was purposely withheld, even after penicillin was identified as a treatment. The US Public Health department wanted to study the course of the disease. The endpoint of the study was autopsy after the disease had caused them to go blind, go mad, and then killed them (not to mention those who contracted the disease from them).

http://www.thebody.com/content/art30946.html (the Tuskegee men).

[RussnCA]

Looks like the HuffPo is going negative on Obama. The use of the word "Unfortunate" in the headline could cause some heavy political damage -- and might scar the candidate. Next time, you might want to dial it down a notch.

Didn't the pastor give him "the Audacity of Hope" ... clearly, the audacity is less welcome if it risks the greater hope for his nomination.

[BigBen]

Going negative on Obama? Who ever heard of that?After all we only go negative on Hillary.Right?
So let's all get back on song immediately.One two three The Obama is my shepherd I shall not......I will let the Rev. Wright finish since mine may not be un Amerikan enough.

[ndolomar]

Some of you have hit the nail on the head, but it bears taking note: as long as Denise can put in a headline that he denounced his pastor (instead of the words his pastor said -- which is more accurate), that misinformed and inaccurate assessment gets circulated throughout the Web, gains a "legitimate" life online and eventually is what people think is what happened. Whether or not this blogger knowingly is stating it this way in an attempt to sway voters toward Sen. Clinton isn't apparent, but most intelligent writers would be able to discern between rejecting a person and rejecting a statement. Sadly, it's up to readers these days to verify accuracy.

[LolaM]

Denise..

Thanks for the post..Unfortunately, it falls on many deaf ears. Barack Obama has had a character assassination from the moment he became a serious contender, and Mrs. Clinton complained that she was being "picked on". The same people who propogated all over the internet and conservative talk radio that Obama was a Muslim..are the same who now say he is an angry Black man. The same people who insist that he and his wife are unpatriotic, more rumors about the lapel pin and not saluting the flag, and Mrs. Obama's phraseolgy of her REALLy proud, (the word really curiously left out of many reviews and punditry) just give his enemies all the more reason to say SEE TOLD YOU SO..
Although I was quite taken aback when I saw the clips of the Reverand's words, after seeing them at least 50 times in the past 3 days, and reading some of the posts and blogs, I have been on an emotional roller coaster. One thing that this election year has taught me is that my party, the Democrats, who boast of how accepting we are as opposed to the "big bad Republicans", are for the most part to put it nicely-a bunch of Hypocrites. I am not talking about just the politicians in Washington, I'm talking about the everyday Democrat, from Liberal to Moderate, who have outright slandered the Senator in their effort to drive him out of the race. The comments I have read on many web sites here have been so vile and offensive, as a 51 year old white woman, I have lost all hope.
I have been called a robot, a kool-aid drinker, a cult member likened to the followers of Jim Jones , you name it I 've heard it. Even though I was a staunch defender of the Clintons for many years, because i have lost respect for her and her husband, it's irrelevant to her supporters. Yes we are angry, we are disappointed and we have every right to be. But, we are not allowed to have a respectful debate..if we do not suppport Mrs. Clinton we are "lepers" and traitors. So even if the Reverand were Jesus Christ himself, it wouldn't matter to these people..So, there we have it, now they can claim their non-support of the Senator is legitimate, as if they were ever intended to vote for him in the first place.
We have become "warring factions" so broken, so divided, so hateful of each other the results of these primaries will have no matter in the end..There will be no Democrat on the White House in 2009, this supposed "historic" election will be a blemish in our history..How sad we can demonize other countries, yet send our best and bravest to be killed and maimed without a second thought so that our "safety" will be insured..How foolish.. We have been ravaged and raped by this Administration, yet the fiery, angry rhetoric from a black Preacher OH NO, we are too afraid, we can't take a chance on this man with a funny name and a message of Hope..no no .. We are in a "War on Terrorism" and the irony of it all is that we have turned our politics, our words, our media, our biases to stay afraid, be afraid..
So no matter the Reverand's words we have allowed the real ENEMY to prevail, yes those people who attacked our country on September 11,2001, those people who didnt ask what political party you were, or your race or your age or your gender they just slammed those planes into those buildings and murdered innocents..they are the real winners, even 7 years and 2 wars later, they still laugh at us as we tear each other apart..they still hate us and wish us harm... but the worst of all THEY CONTROL US, overtly or subliminally either way, our ignorance has been exposed while the world watches..

[resonate]

There is a difference between denouncing his pastors remarks and disagreeing with him than rejecting him. Big difference. I don't reject my relatives who I consider tragically conservative homophobic hate mongers I just disagree with them and try to show them love in return hoping that will foster self reflection and a possible change in their opinion.

[Alessan]

Obama has not rejected his pastor or his church, he needs to do both, afterall he is running to be the President of the US, he needs to give up his membership in that church, which obviously is extreme, if he wants to be part a radical movement of separists you can continue to remain a member of that church. I believe that is his plan, Obama can have influence obviously a lot of kool aid drinking people it is dangerous for Obama as President to remain part of that church. Change churchs and
better yet change religions.

[starboymikey]

Obama has not rejected his pastor or his church, he needs to do both,
______________________________________________

NEEDS to do both? Listen, the only thing Obama needs to do is maintain his integrity and his dignity in the face of specious attacks by people like yourself. Obama does not need to denounce or leave his church just because *you* say he does.

I'll tell you what, though. Maybe when George W. Bush and John McCain publicly denounce Pat Robertson, and Revs. Hagee and Parsley *AND* their churches, maybe then you can call on Barack Obama to do something similar.

Were he to read my comments, Barack Obama would probably say that I need to be more patient and tolerant, but while he obviously has those qualities, I do not have them in this case. So here's a giant raspberry for you, since I am trying to curtail my use of four letter words: Pthhhht!

[sandiaview]

This is wrong headed logic. If you read the entire sermons you would see the cherry-picked passages were meant to do just what they are doing. Rev. Dr. Wright is a former Marine, a internationally respected theologian, a minister who didn't rob his parishioners to live the grand life. He got up everyday and built a church that cares for the socially and emotionally oppressed, provide scholarships for students, conducts SAT prep programs, assists in an active prison and post prison ministry, does outreach to the gay and lesbian community, builds self esteem for people who have been given the "not good enough message" from cradle to grave, assist the elderly and so much more. We as a people in the USA are among the most ethnocentric on this planet. "Willful Ignorance", one of the Roman Catholic Church's new sins, would certainly apply here. We take our information from a few media clips, next we use that wonderful brain (if we'd only really use it) that stores all the prejudices and insecurities of our environment and then we simply MAKE UP the rest of the narrative. This is why Wall Street is crashing, this is why jobs are outsourced and workers insourced, this is why kids are less educated and more confused than ever and I could go on and on. We simply don't use our heads. Nothing unites a less than informed public faster than HATE. When the powers that are in charge of this U.S. (almost bankrupt) Government and Nation, tells us to follow the "bouncing ball while we continue to rob you of your present and your future", we run faster than Fido. This week's bouncing ball happens to be the Rev. Dr. Wright.
Please read this post at Huffington Post:
Obama's Minister Committed "Treason" But When My Father Said the Same Thing He Was a Republican HeroFrank Schaeffer, 03.16.2008

[jstock]

Our Founding Fathers said that there should be NO RELIGIOUS TEST for public office holders. It doesn't matter what, if any, religion you subscribe to , in my opinion. I like the good old days when religion was largely kept out of politics. What religion was Ike? I don't know, but I like him. Grow up, folks. We're at war, the economy is in the toilet, and let's not forget the Supreme Court.

[RickO]

It's plain as day that the "religious test" is only to raise money and get votes from other religious people. Guys like Falwell (B.I.H) and Robertson, Hagee and Parsley are NOT Christians, not even close. They are the modern-day pharisees and fundraisers for the power-mad right-wing oligarchs. Evangelicalism is not a religion, it's a voting bloc.

When a boistrous and charismatic preacher in a black church makes a point that is actually based on reality-on-the-ground of what it's like to be poor or a minority in this counrty, and how we are responsible for exporting misery to the poor and helpless in other parts of the world, he is treated as a pariah. Yet when one of the rich white republican pharisees says that God is angry because we allow certain so-called undesirable people to go unpersecuted in our society, and we know this because God sends hurricanes and terrorists and various other plagues specifically to punish us for it, that is somehow acceptable?

Are we really THAT stupid? No one has lost their way more than today's American Evanglical pseudo-Christian.

[shano]

Blame a minority group and all is well, place the blame on the powerful white power structure where it rightfully belongs-well then that is a different story!

I blame many of todays political problems on the Focus on the Family group and other psuedo religious groups for causing division and hate in this country, They have had their way for far too long. When are the churches going to get back to the mission of Christ? You know, help the poor and downtrodden? Feed the hungry?

I would say from a little research that Rev. Wrights very strong congregation is doing the mission of Christ, unlike the white conservative 'Christian' groups who condemn but never help anyone.

[starboymikey]

When are the churches going to get back to the mission of Christ? You know, help the poor and downtrodden? Feed the hungry?
______________________________________________________________

We can only hope it happens sometime before hell freezes over.

[RickO]

Bingo!

[Alessan]

Obama hasn't rejected the Rev at all, he and his wife will continue to go to this radical church. He
needs to change to a different religion and church, that will show he really rejects his rhectoric and
does not believe in his teachings.

[starboymikey]

He needs to change to a different religion and church
______________________________________________

The sheer gall of neo-cons and Hillary supporters is beyond belief. Maybe you'd be happy if he became a Muslim. Have you no shame at all? Does your intolerance know no bounds?

[klmebane]

first of all, a few radical comments (in some peoples view) do not make a radical church. obama rejected the rev's statements and thats all he needed to do... be clear about what he believes and where he stands. but he shouldn't HAVE to do anything regarding religion. he is running for a political office and church and state ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SEPARATE. as long as i can see that he doesn't agree i don't care what his preacher says. preachers say disgusting and hateful things all the time, yet you don't see people switching churches in droves. i personally think religion is a bunch of hooey, but people are free to believe what they will. but i have spoken to people who attend this church, and i can assure you that every single sermon is NOT like that. for the most part they preach love, tolerance, acceptance, and helping your fellow man. those are teachings you CAN believe in.

[DrC]

Ms Clapsaddle,

Apparently you didn't listen to or read Senator Obama's words closely enough. He made very clear that he did not reject Rev. Wright, the man, nor the good the Reverend has done. He simply repudiated these particular claims and made quite explicit that he rejected those claims. If anything, Obama puts himself at greater risk by NOT throwing Rev. Wright under the bus. He simply did what any of us would do if we were being publicly linked to a friend with whom we associated who made inflammatory statements that we disagreed with: we'd distance ourselves from the statement while, hopefully, maintaining our friendship (unless those statements were beyond the pale of hatred and contempt, which I don't see in this case). There's nothing at all unfortunate, in my opinion, with the way Obama has handled this. He's shown, once again, that he has far more class than 99% of the people in his field. Sadly, until we find another public figure in bed with a prostitute, this story will keep leading the 24-hour "news" channels.

[sammy333]

Obama, - please, never play by the rules of your enemies. Obama should have ignored the Kristol/NYT noise and strike back at their lies and war ideology instead.