John McCain's (W)right Problem
Most people, Senator Barack Obama supporters in particular, are likely to assume that Reverend Jeremiah Wright's resurgence can further damage Obama's chances at "electability". However, there is a strong case to be made that senator John McCain will also suffer from Wright's reemergence.
Having already garnered his party's nomination, McCain has the advantage of being able to pounce on any negative press coverage that Obama suffers, without having to become embroiled in any protracted disputes. Simply put, he can hit and run. Confident that recurring images of Jeremiah Wright on youtube, and arguments between Obama and Hillary Clinton over Obama's use of the term "bitter," say more than he ever could on either subject, McCain has enjoyed the luxury of not having to dwell on these issues as he prepares to mount his campaign for a summer/fall competition.
But now that Jeremiah Wright has come back intent on clearing his name, McCain has to dread the prospect of religion become a major issue in a campaign with Obama. If one looks back at his contests again George Bush in 2000 and Mike Huckabee in this year's Republican primary religion is the one area where McCain proves most vulnerable. In spite of the fact that his 2000 opponent had a tenuous affiliation with Bob Jones University, an institution that prohibits interracial dating, McCain was unable to offer a successful counter to Bush's notion of compassionate conservatism. Similarly, in this year's republican campaign, Huckabee wrested the conservative gavel from McCain. McCain was unable to capitalize on Huckabee's record of drawing the ire of conservatives and his Republican counterparts during his tenure as Arkansas governor.
Another problem for McCain is that Jeremiah Wright is no Willie Horton. Unlike, Horton the inmate featured in a 1988 campaign George H.W. Bush ad that many believe played a significant role in Michael Dukakasis's loss in that year's general election. Unlike Horton who Americans encountered as celluloid image that Republican operatives could manipulate at will, Wright is a three-dimensional citizen who is not only capable of eloquently defending himself, but as his current speaking tour suggests, will have an opportunity to do so in front of reputable audiences. With all the available media outlets available to him Wright will have plenty of opportunities to defend his name and therefore make it harder for anyone to relegate him to a series of thirty-second sound bites.
If Jeremiah Wright remains a topic of discussion in a campaign between McCain and Obama, McCain will have to address two issues race and religion, which have never been his strong points. McCain may have a reputation of being more liberal than Dubya, but by touting his faith-based-initiatives (FBI) Bush was able to draw on a coterie of Black and Latino religious officials from his adopted home state, Texas. McCain does not have a similar base of support and a prolonged debate on Wright will force McCain to make some interesting ethical decisions, and again address charges that he's the Hamlet of the republican party. As William Black, former Deputy Director of the Federal Savings Insurance and Loan Corporation once said of McCain in reference to his role in the Keating Five scandal, "McCain was always Hamlet . . . wringing his hands about what to do."
One finds McCain repeating this habit as he addresses a series of campaign ads set to air in North Carolina and Mississippi which feature Jeremiah Wright. McCain has denounced (we are still awaiting word on whether he also rejects) campaign ads in North Carolina and Mississippi featuring Reverend Jeremiah Wright, but he also declared that he is unable to stop them from airing. The longer that Jeremiah Wright stays afloat in this debate, Hamlet--umm--McCain will have to continue debating whether he is willing to swift boat a fellow veteran, Jeremiah Wright, in order to win an election?
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As for "swift boating a fellow veteran," I sincerely hope McCain doesn't waste too much time hand-wringing, should Obama win, considering I know one "fellow veteran" who raped and killed a woman just for the fun of it and I wish, I only wish, I was one of those responsible for "swift-boating" him into prison.
Veterans of Wright's ilk, unhesitant about mimcry of what they believe to be the fearful and forgiving, were responsible for My Lai...keep that in mind, Ferentz. I, for one, for all he's done to the Democratic Party, believe the Reverend should be muzzled--in razor wire.
Willie Horton was first brought up by Al Gore against Dukakis.
the future vice president legitimized the attack himself first, and the republicans only mimicked what he did.
sounds a lot like this year....?
"Wright is a three-dimensional citizen who is not only capable of eloquently defending himself"???
Wright doesn't wince from charicaturing Whites--down to how Whites applaud...
"Eloquently"? Seriously? Just how many years did it take for you to obtain your GED? Oh, sorry, didn't mean to get too personal there.
But how would you feel if Wright were characterized like the ape that he is? If someone were to "eloquently" perhaps swing from a branch the way he reduced Kennedy to Porky Pig?
And as for Obama...wh
Good grief...su
Rev. Wright (a good man) went a bit too far....cas
http://www
Get Fired Up !!!!!!!!
When they throw the kitchen sink....yo
Visit: www.Blacks
(A Multi-Racial, Grassroots Org...Dedi
Maybe if people would vote their pocketbook (class status) and forget about the morality play of family values, the ship of state would right itself. White flight is the problem the Democratic party has faced in the Southern Strategy and the backlash against affirmative action with the judicially created remedy of busing to achieve racial equality. When a white working guy votes for a Ronald Reagan who destroys the union that helps the white working guy keep his job so that a black man is not benefited, we have false class consciousness. It is this phenomenon that has allowed the wealthy to become more wealthy while getting tax cuts.
Karl Marx noticed that if working people didn't at least have solidarity, they would be divided by wedge issues and mercilessly exploited by the wealthy. As pay for labor has declined over the years, the divide and rule method persists. What better method than race-baiting and false patriotism. Hillary is "toughening" up Obama by throwing Rovian wedge issues. But when McCain's religious mentors come out of the shadows we shall see the hate on the right side of the religious nut case factory.
Why aren't there any topics related to pastor John Hagee who is supporting John McCain? John Hagee is a complete nutjob who makes reverend Wright look like Mister Rogers. Why all the focus on Obama?
Because McCain invites members of the press to his Barbecues?
Or, more than likely, because the corporate leaders who employ the "journalists" have told them what stories to cover and what stories not to cover.
I read this article twice, but it still comes across as disjointed. It is as if the author cannot connect thoughts and just rambles on.
What he is saying is that Hillary is using Rovian tactics. She is doing McCain's job for him but meanwhile, John McCain has his own ghosts in the closet in the form of "nut case" religious weirdos, crooks and liars. Hillary is assumed to lose the nomination so her spiritual mentors and other associations are not dealt with. The point is that, if Obama is nominated, the inquiry will swing back to McCain in full force. His baptism and conversion will be seen as shameless pandering. Episcopalians have gay ministers so McCain is out of there. He is a Baptist.
If there was really something in Obama's closet, I believe that Clinton would have used it by now. There is no way she (or anyone on her campaign) would not be taking advantage of any ammo they might have by now. That is one of the reasons that the Republicans are so afraid of Obama as a candidate. Hillary has a million things they can count on and Obama is an blank slate with millions of Americans who love him.
If Wright would have come out last October, Obama would have been gone long ago. The Clintons maybe should have been listening to Hannity, he had this story a year and a half ago.
Any one who listens to Hannity and most of all, reacts to what he says, has to be brain dead. Hannity is a shill for the vast right wing conspiracy. Those are the facts. But of all things that McCain should not bring up, it is religion. Remember he lied about being a member of the North Phoenix Baptist Church. I believe his wife, the beer queen is a member along with their children. Only thing, McCain has never been baptized and to be a member of that Church, you have to have Baptist baptism, not sprinkling as they do in McCain's real church, Episcopal. You have to have no moral rudder whatsoever when you lie about being a member of a mainline conservative Church. Go figure. Guess he will even lie about Church membership to suck up to the conservative Wing Nuts in his party.
Sen. Obama should embrace Rev. Wright and feature him prominently in his campaign. That should really scare Sen. McCain!
LOL, I'm sure McCain would pay Rev. Wright's way for that one. McCain wouldn't even have to campaign, he could just sit back and win.
What's really funny is that a lot of Huffposters actually think the Rev. Wright is an asset for Sen. Obama.
The Rev. Wright is a righteous man, a former marine and a patriot who is appropriately upset about some of the things this country has done. He enjoys the wholehearted support of John Thomas, president of the United Church of Christ, a mainstream Protestant Christian denomination with over a million members and over 5000 congregations. [The UCC was formed in 1957 by the union of two denominations, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches.]
But McCain is associated with the Rev. John Hagee, a "friend and spiritual advisor" who says, "The United States must join Israel in a pre-emptive military strike against Iran to fulfill God ’s plan for both Israel and the West… a biblically prophesied end-time confrontation with Iran, which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation, and Second Coming of Christ." McCain actively sought the support of this man, who is anti-Semitic, anti-gay, anti-Catholic, and (gulp) apparently believes in this Rapture stuff.
Personally, I don't think a candidate is responsible for the actions of his associates, or of those who support him - unless he has actively sought that support - exactly what McCain has done with regard to Hagee. He has repeatedly said how "honored" and "pleased" he is over Hagee's endorsement and has appeared with Hagee on his own (McCain's) website. McCain is obviously pandering to the far right with this guy - but if he attacks Obama about Wright, he'll be on very thin ice.
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Your last point is spot on. Unlike Bush who was riling up religious conservatives with a homophobic agenda only to sneak in huge tax cuts for his billionaire friends, McCain does not seem to have any tricks up his sleeve, or at least anything that will allow him to control Hagee and his ilk the way that Bush did. McCain wants religion to be as minor of an issue in this campaign as possible.
What on earth does religion have to do with nut jobs like Wright and Hagee? The main difference is that Hagee merely endorsed Sen. McCain, but Sen. Obama sat in the Rev. Wright's church for twenty years(except for the days "the Rev" had something assinine to say, apparently). Does anyone really believe there aren't a whole lot more idiotic statements by Wright that will soon come to light? SS Obama will sink faster than the Titanic and there are no lifeboats in the general presidential election. Bon voyage!
What world are you living in. Right now you are witnessing thje death of a young politician. This is not about McCain. This is about how the Liberals can not help but kill themselves. Damned you would think that so many self proclaimed (SMART?) people would have a drop of common sense.
White middle class Democrats will not vote for Obama in Nov. No matter how bad you think America "needs to have a conversation" it aint gonna happen. Too many skeletons still to come from the Obama closet. or may I say his wifes closet.
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These predictions of Obama's demise seem rather shortsighted because it remains to be seen precisely how either Clinton or McCain will successfully expedite such a downfall. If Obama were to somehow not end up as the democratic nominee then the general election would be a race between two politicians who barely made it through the primary process. McCain and his supporters would much rather see Obama in a primary not just because they believe the can beat him, but a McCain-Obama contest is about which one has a better plan for the future. It's McCain who would much rather avoid a campaign focusing in on skeletons and the past. Additionally, so much of the anxieties around Obama are about innuendo more than fact that it matters very little what surfaces about his past. He's revealed a lot in his memoirs and he's been vetted on the campaign for over a year. If people are afraid to vote for him or do not want to vote for him, then so be it, we do not need to engage in this charade that his success is based on him outrunning some nefarious aspect of his past.
Ferentz, very well put!!
Wright does seem capable of eloquently defending himself. But the media seems capable of taking those eloquent defenses and cutting them up in ways that turn him back into a cartoon. Intelligent people will understand that Wright is not the cartoon figure the media is portraying him as. But as Stevenson noted, Obama needs a majority.
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Excellent point.
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