Obama, Not Wright, Is Obama's Worst Enemy
Whoever on Team Obama keeps feeding into Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's seeming compulsive need to speak out on the Reverend Jeremiah Wright should get the swift boot. When Wright went on his latest public and media tear, Obama should have simply issued a statement saying this: Wright is no longer my pastor. And as I have said repeatedly, his views do not reflect mine, and then move on.
But no, Obama's Wright compulsion drove him to deliver a defensive and apologetic so-called race speech in which Wright was the centerpiece. Next, he denounced Wright's views in an interview. Now he holds a halting, stumbling, anguished voice press conference to denounce Wright again. Here's the effect of all this. He's given a slew of gossipy, media talking heads more salacious grist for the gossip and rumor mill about Wright, the church and Obama's long term relationship with both.
He's elevated Wright from a relatively obscure, local preacher to a nationally known polarizing figure. He's deepened the suspicions of those who all along felt that he was a closet radical and race panderer. This hurt him with white voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and almost certainly it will hurt him in Indiana. It has pecked away at the razor thin lead he had over Clinton among Democrats, and dropped him behind McCain in the general election. (Hillary beats McCain by ten points).
He created clouds of doubt among some of his non-rabid, and non-true believer supporters that maybe it's time to take a second look at him and his candidacy. He's given political analysts and pundits boundless ammunition to fire the jibe that maybe he is unelectable. After all, if he bombs with blue collar, rural, and less educated white voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania who are Democrats, what chance does he have of getting a big swatch of the must win independents who fit that same vote demographic in the South, the Midwest and the West to back him in a head to head showdown with McCain? He's gotten so bogged down with the obsessive need to slam Wright that he's managed to self-derail his campaign from the issues that should matter to debating Wright on of all things as to whether Wright and the black church as Wright claims are one and the same.
Finally, and worst of all, no matter how much he protests that Wright doesn't represent him or his thinking, the fact is he sat in his church for nearly two decades, called him a spiritual mentor and family confidant, appointed him to an advisory post in his campaign, and in his so-called race speech refused to disown his two decade experience and relationship with him. This instantly makes his Wright protest sound like the wail of a politician running scared, and who sees the long, arduous, time consuming and patient work he put into building up public trust in him as the nation's great political hope fast washing down the drain.
But Obama is no different than other inexperienced politicians who get blind-sided by damaging and hurtful allegations and associations. They panic, do their public mea culpas, and hope and pray that it all blows over. It never does. The clouds of doubt remain transfixed in the air of the voter's minds, and that doubt will always be there with whispers, wisecracks, and raised eyebrows that maybe the politician with a taint who so many put their fervent faith and hope in is not all that he's cracked up to be.
The more optimistic Obama backers point to Bill Clinton as the best example of a much admired, effective political leader who rebounded from a scandal and attacks and whose popularity ratings soared to the stars. That's true but there are some big differences. Clinton was a battle tested, second term president, the economy was booming, there were no major foreign policy crises, and millions of supporters including many Republicans saw the GOP assaults on him as nothing more than vindictive partisan politics. That was more than enough for him to ride out the tide.
Obama is hardly Clinton. And the issue that dogged Clinton was sex. The issue that dogs Obama is race. That in any season is perennially for a politician, especially a black politician, their worst nightmare. That's even truer for Obama who has worked tirelessly to sell white voters on his non-racial message of unity, harmony, and hope.
Obama then must understand two things. Wright isn't going away. His ego and a press insatiable for any inflammatory Wright quip will insure that. If that's so then Obama should button it up on Wright. Anything else he says on him will further insure that Obama not Wright is Obama's worst enemy.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House (Middle Passage Press, February 2008).
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No, no, no.
He threw Obama off the train and under an oncoming semi. Being dismissive of and demeaning Obama as "He's a politician doing what a politician does....." Nice. Real nice.
I had no problem with what Wright was preaching, even in those sound bites, because I understood what he was talking about.....
Obama has run a much better campaign and raised far more money from regular people - voters. People want real change and that is why so many have donated to Obama and will vote for him in November. Obama is beating Hillary and is the better candidate. The proof is in the pudding - he has won more states, more votes and more delegates, period.
What is in question is a snippet which was taken out of context of something someone else said! Yet, Hillary outright lied about sniper fire but that's all better now? SHE said it! That is legitimate as it calls into question HER very character. Why are we diverting our attention away from what really matters? Hillary voted for the war when Obama was clearly against it. This is what we should be talking about – who has the better judgment? Who will do a better job uniting this country and leading us out of war?
If Hillary steals this nomination (in much the same manner Bush stole the election in 2000 when the Supreme Court appointed bush) by pressuring super delegates to appoint her and manipulating the rules to suit her, then I guess America gets what it deserves. Because many would not vote for Hillary after all this and we will end up with McCain. Thanks, Hilllary. I can’t thank you enough.
"He's elevated Wright from a relatively obscure, local preacher to a nationally known polarizing figure."
Give me a break, Earl. I know you're an unbending Clintonite, but even you aren't this disingenuous. You write as if the media didn't gobble this story up on their own volition, and run with it. Obama was getting bled dry by these news stations until he tied a tourniquet today.
Ditto. Exactly what I was thinking..
Obama did not ask Wright to come out of hiding. His (Wright's) ego would not let him remain in the background. Not exactly as wise as I would have assumed, being a preacher for over 30 years.
Obama gave Wright the "benefit of the doubt" and Wright gave a "show".
I agreed with some of what Wright was saying but Obama was right, his "performance" was very "ME" centered, which runs counter to Christ's teaching of putting others before yourself or look also to the needs of others, not just your own.
He may have tied a tourniquet today but he's already bled dry as this episode has been an opening into the real Obama - sanctimonious, elitist, disdainful of normal people for daring to question anything about him. But show me a person's acquaintances - in this case, Rev. Wright, Bomber Bill Ayers, others - and I will show you the character of that person. Or in the case of Barack Obama, the lack thereof. This episode tells me more about Barack Obama that I need to know to not vote for him.
I saw Hillary sitting down at an interview with Richard Mellon Scaife sitting quietly beside her. If we are going to go through every acquaintance the Clintons have you are going to find a pretty ugly list.
Why are you trying so hard to derail this once in a lifetime opportunity? So sad.
What is sad it is a person like Obama saying thigs like "we were not that close..." about a priest who got him married and cristened his kids.
I was baptized by, took my first communion from, confessed my sins to, was confirmed by, and was rescued from crises of faith by the same pastor.
And guess what? We weren't that close. He was the pastor of my church and at times I thought of him as a friend and mentor but we weren't buddies.
You can get married and have your children baptised by a preacher who you aren't close to. We are in real trouble if Clinton supporters end up backing McCain.
I don't have kids for christening, but I think I met the priest that married me about 8 times in my life. He just doesn't mean anything to me.
Earl, I have to disagree with your blog. Sen. Obama already went the route of saying he disagreed with the comments of Rev. Wright. The actions of rev.wright deserved a concrete severance of ties. Americans are trying to see what Sen. Obama is made of. The fact that he had to publicly make such a gut wrenching decision, a decision he did not want to make just last month during his "Race Relations" speech, showed a great amount of courage. I would be proud to have Sen. Obama as MY president.
The guy is damned if does, damned if he doesn't. First ppl want him to come out and vehemently scold and repudiate Wright - now that he's done that folks are saying he should have said nothing. Or he should have said more. Make up your damn minds ppl! You folks are so fickle. Stop trying to get blood from a turnip. I personally think he's said MORE THAN ENOUGH on the issue. Oh, and news flash geniuses, REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT! WHY IS HE BEING COVERED IN THE NEWS AT ALL???? Obama has to play the hand he's dealt b/c you asswads in the media keep giving life to the likes of Rev. Wright. If he doesn't say enough he's weak - if he says too much he's a liability to himself. Again I ask, what more do you want from the guy?? Never in my life have I seen a presidential candidate scrutinized to such a degree. You folks are incredible.
It's disgusting to watch and read. No integrity in journalism - as if there ever was any. Obama can't be all things to all ppl. I think under the circumstances he's handled himself very well. Trying to please everyone and not piss everyone off at the same time. All you wanna be critics who know so much sure can judge from an outsider's point of view but if put in the same situations as he, can you tell me how YOU would handle
...continu
things? (had to get that final word in)
no.
i win.
It really doesn't matter that you think there has been more than enough of this issue. Or if everyone at Huffpost agrees with you. What matters is if the right wing views it as a way to undercut Obama--and they do. This isn't going away soon.
BTW, if you've never seen a candidate scrutinized to such a degree, you haven't been following too many elections. The Democratic candidate always gets scrutinized to the nth degree. So far, Obama has had it fairly easy. Wait until the general election, then you'll see real scrutiny.
Obama should have been told, should have known the standards would be different for him.
How naive of him to think that the people elect a president; hasn't happened in decades.
He's far from naive though - see this is the large point that ppl are missing. The guy's extremely smart. Just b/c he doesn't put on boxing gloves and calls folks out to duke it out or the fact that he's a very peaceable person does not equate to ignorance, inexperience or weakness. What's so wrong w/ a person that wants genuine change? What's so wrong w/ a person that's trying to run a different style of politics?
The problem is NOT w/ Obama - it's w/ the degenerates that are so used to being lied to and used to the same old silly backbiting that they can't get their egos outta the way long enough to see that contrary to how folks paint him, HE IS a viable candidate and will be an excellent president.
Folks need to take their blinders off - seriously
Stace - you've hit it on the head.
Unfortunately it would seem that a certain vociferous portion of the electorate - or is it just the MSM? - does think a man too 'stupid' to lie and "duke it out" is "ignorant, inexperienced or weak"; in their opinion a 'smart' man just 'knows' you've got to be a little bit crooked and a fighter to deal with 'reality'. If you're not cynical you can't possibly be intelligent. That's the deal.
I wouldn't necessarily call all those persuaded of that 'degenerates' - more the opposite: not evolved, inwardly fearful and weak, left without any tools but the club and cynicism. What they don't realize is that we create our own reality. 'Reality' doesn't exist independent of our own creation. Negative thinking and negative actions will make nothing better.
Obama has already achieved so much in such a short time in a way that no one before him has done that he will go down in the history books. That took enormous intelligence, determination and energy. He has already disproven his critics. And yes, he will be an excellent president.
You've really hit the nail on the head on the Wright situation. Obama has handled it badly and continues to do so. He has given the right exactly what they wanted. They want the election to be about race. But, ordinarily they couldn't inject it in the open as that would be too obviously racist.
But Obama, by a series of errors on Wright, has given them the perfect way to interject race. They'll use their typical reversal ploy. They are appealing to the racists, but by broadcasting some of Reverend Wright's statements (out of context) they'll accuse Obama of racism by proxy. Obama will not be able to win in key states like Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and West Virginia because of this.
Is it fair? No. But, that's the way it is in the USA.
Obama has been sufficiently and thoroughly swiftboated. End of story.
How can he stop talking or apologizing for it when the MEDIA keeps writing or talking about it?
All three candidates get a lot of flack for very ordinary things and I have to give them all credit for being able to withstand daily criticism of their beliefs, values and morals. Speaking to thousands of people everyday and having to make sure that every word THEY day does not set off controversy. In addition, they have constantly look over their shoulder to make sure no one from the past or present takes down their campaign with some misguided statements.
What they do is not easy, no matter what you think of each candidate. You spend a year and a half , millions of dollars, and countless sleepless nights trying to convince Americans to vote for you( a Black guy, a women or an old guy), only to have it all threatened by one person who made one statement or committed an act that you had nothing to do with.
Could you stand all that pressure? I know I couldn't and neither could any of the candidates critics.
SUCKS TO BE THEM!
I think you are right on in your sympathy for the candidates. I am unapologetically for Hillary. I look at her each time she is on the TV another rally and wonder how she does it...physi
I'm sure the Obama and McCain supporters feel the same about their candidate.
Wright's comments before the National Press Club and the NAACP were a complete misrepresentation of everything I've experienced volunteering on Obama's campaign.
Obama's supporters are a multi-hued, multi-age, multi-income, multi-viewpoint and background team. We have come together because a McCain-Clinton contest does not offer us the choice we need in 2008. We want change, we want reform in DC and we want the strengthened legislative majorities that come when a candidate runs a 50 State Strategy.
Obama puts more states into play than either Clinton or McCain. Clinton relies on winning Ohio and Florida; it's the same old 50+1 Blue State strategy. She does not run well in Virginia or Colorado or Iowa or Wisconsin or Nevada. McCain has many fewer safe states against Barack Obama.
You can't pass health care with the "big states," you can't pass Energy reform or Immigration Reform with legislators from "Blue States" alone.
Of course Barack Obama had to say something about Wright's divisive and destructive words. Expecting him not to is preposterous. Wright's four days in the spotlight had the cumulative effect of leaving a false impression about Obama and about this campaign. They were a distraction from the issues our nation faces: the war in Iraq, the mortgage crisis, rising gas prices and unemployment.
Obama '08 is about what people can do when we come together. Reverend Wright has nothing to do with that. He is a distraction. Obama was correct to speak out.
"Obama puts more states into play than either Clinton or McCain."
No, he doesn't. He takes several key states out of play like Missouri, New Mexico, Arkansas, West Virginia, Ohio, and possibly even Pennsylvania.
"Clinton relies on winning Ohio and Florida; it's the same old 50+1 Blue State strategy."
It's the same strategy Obama will eventually be forced to use as well once the Republicans start going after him. All wishful thinking aside, the US is divided along the Red/Blue lines.
" She does not run well in Virginia or Colorado or Iowa or Wisconsin or Nevada. "
And he doesn't run well in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, West Virginia, or Missouri. Compare the electoral votes.
we are waiting for McCains VP this will give us a better idea of who will win NY
Once the Republicans start going after Hillary, we will wish for Obama. Her negatives are high and her "baggage" is endless. Just because Obama has been kind to her by not bringing it all up and putting it on tv doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
I find these statements spot on. I think much less of Obama for continuing to "waffle" his position on Reverend Wright. A simple statement stating that he does not agree with the reverend 100% of the time should have sufficed. I mean, after 20 years of attending this mans church, he married you and baptised your children, gave him a position on your campaign, this was not news to Obama. Senator Obama alone by himself has done more to enflame this by clearly skirting the issue.
I can't say I agree with your assessment. In Philadelphia, along with delivering one of the most bold and nuanced speeches about race in America in a generation, Obama stated that he did not agree with every opinion Wright held. You are right, this should have sufficed, and yet apparently it did not because the issue just kept on coming back, either because Wright was keen to grab the spotlight or the MSM like the taste of blood. I don't believe Obama had much choice but to deliver this recent denunciation and sever ties with Wright. Obama did have choice on how to react the first time though, he could have chosen to do what any other politician would do, cave to the baying hounds on FOX and throw his longtime friend under a bus. He took the riskier path and he is a better man because of it.
Unfortunately, I agree 100 percent. I do not understand Sen. Obama's need to entertain this issue. His first mistake was saying on Fox that Wright was a legitimate issue. I sensed that he was trying not to offend the Fox audience but most of them were/are never going to vote for him anyway. Instead, he opens the door to the media's obsession that has followed. Even though it is clearly illegitimate and draws attention away from the real issues facing this country, Sen. Obama has given the media carte blanche to raise the Wright issue over and over and over and over again.
Hutchinson is dependable
One drop of black blood causes doubt by the status quo. If you are brilliant and accomplished they want to destroy you especially if you dare to have a positive influence on the masses. If they can't buy your silence, then they discredit you.
Was Paul Roberson accused of being a communist? Who killed Medgar Evers, Who killed Martin Luther King? Rev. Wright speaks the truth to the power structure and they are using him to take "that boy" Obama down. There are folks that were just never going to vote for Obama even if he walked on water because he is black.
The racist media owned and run by the power structure is to blame not Rev. Wright. I'm sick of even black folks saying be quiet play the game it is not your time. Why can't Rev. Wright be quiet until after the election. That is B.S. they were attacking this man on soundbites from a sermon of 7 years ago. Then people have the nerve to disrepect Rev. Al Sharpton who at least gives a voice to the oppressed. New York Police can still have target practice on young black men and we are still mis-informed by this government that is run by rich mostly white people. Is that the truth or a lie?
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