Obama issues statement repudiating Wright, may appear on Hannity & Colmes; Update: Wright leaves Obama’s campaign; Update: “You can get kind of rough in the sermons”
posted at 5:34 pm on March 14, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Not sure about the H&C rumor but DU looks to have picked it up from Hannity’s radio show. Gateway Pundit says Major Garrett’s going to do the interview, which makes me wonder when it’ll be on. I’ll update once I know.
Here’s his statement, posted appropriately enough at HuffPo. A three-pronged defense: (a) he didn’t know, (b) he condemns what Wright said without reservation, and (c) the guy’s retiring anyway.
Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue…
Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he’s been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.
That’s a nice, lawyerly dodge. Is he suggesting that in 20 years’ time he never heard Wright say anything along these lines? Or is he merely suggesting that he was never personally in attendance when Wright said it, as if that would matter remotely to his decision to stay with the church once he heard about it secondhand? Note how he limits the scope of the matter, too, to only the statements Fox and ABC discovered in going through tapes of Wright’s sermons. That’s not the issue; the issue is whether Wright has a habit of spitting poison like this and whether Obama was happy enough to let him do it so long as there weren’t political consequences. If the media starts going through old sermons week by week, with new and ever more nuanced conspiracy theories emerging periodically, is he going to roll out weekly statements to the effect of, “Nope, never personally heard him say that, or that, or that either”?
Oh, and is he saying that he would have quit the church over this rhetoric if not for the fact that Wright was retiring? The media’s task is simple, then: Go through his old sermons systematically, pick out the ones that were especially, ahem, “fiery,” and check them against Obama’s old schedules to see if he was there. Or, failing that, interview some parishioners and find the earliest sermon you can where Wright said something nutty so that we have some gauge of just how recent this purportedly recent habit of crackpot remarks is. Who wants to hold their breath with me?
Update: Johnny Dollar says in the comments that the Major Garrett interview will be on H&C and Greta, in separate parts. We’ll have video later, I’m sure.
Update: Like Geraghty, I question the timing.
Update (Ed): I think this is about as good as Obama can do with this, but there is at least another glaring problem apart from AP’s excellent analysis above. Here’s a portion of the statement from HuffPo today:
In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he’s been my pastor.
And here’s Obama in the Chicago Tribune in January 2007:
Obama says that rather than advising him on strategy, Wright helps keep his priorities straight and his moral compass calibrated. …
Though Wright and Obama do not often talk one-on-one often, the senator does check with his pastor before making any bold political moves.
Last fall, Obama approached Wright to broach the possibility of running for president. Wright cautioned Obama not to let politics change him, but he also encouraged Obama, win or lose.
Those two statements clearly conflict, so the question becomes this: is he lying now, or was he lying then?
Update: Now that we’re into “what did the Messiah know and when did he know it” territory, watch for the left to move the goalposts by wondering what it is, precisely, that’s so terrible about what the old man said. So he thinks America’s responsible for HIV. A lot of people think a lot of things, y’know? Can’t “an old black man have his anger in the privacy of his church”?
Update: Hiroshima, Sharpsville, and “white folks’ greed”: Rich Lowry reads from Obama’s memoir.
Update: It’s a media barnstorm as Johnny Dollar e-mails to say he’ll be on Olbermann’s show tonight too, where he can expect the sort of tough questions that only a man who donates to his interview subjects’ charities on camera can provide. Or can he? J$ notes that Alison Stewart’s scheduled to sit in for Olby tonight. Will Kayo stay home, raising hopes for a substantive segment? Or will he show up and give Obama a warm bath before he faces Major Garrett?
Update: Did he jump or was he pushed? Either way, formal ties between Obama and Wright are at an end.
Update: Sweetness & Light digs up an old chestnut from the Times about what Obama knew:
Mr. Wright said that in the phone conversation in which Mr. Obama disinvited him from a role in [his presidential] announcement, Mr. Obama cited an article in Rolling Stone, “The Radical Roots of Barack Obama.”
According to the pastor, Mr. Obama then told him, “You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we’ve decided is that it’s best for you not to be out there in public.”
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HAHAHAHAHA
I can’t wait until my Obama-supporting friends and I get back from spring break. I’d like to see them wriggle out of this whole debacle.
Sir Andrew on March 14, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Yes, we know Wright’s been making nutty statements at least since 2006, but Obama’s never been in attendance for one (1) of them.
Unless of course, as you say, Obama is only denying the ones we’ve discovered. What other nutty things has Rev. Windbag said with Obama in attendance?
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Didn’t the 9/11 sermon come from the Sunday after that Tuesday in ‘01? That should be the easiest one to check. I guarantee every politician in the country was in church that Sunday.
rw on March 14, 2008 at 5:39 PM
And from now on, he should know longer be called the “Reverend Wright”.
I hereby dub him “Irreverent (IrRev.) Wright”. Hot Air staff should correct posts to reflect this change.
Sir Andrew on March 14, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Obama will also be on Keith Olbermann. That should be one big love fest.
SoulGlo on March 14, 2008 at 5:39 PM
I want this addressed in light of the the Rev’s comments.
But somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked. Part of it’s because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who’ve been all too eager to exploit what divides us. At every opportunity, they’ve told evangelical Christians that Democrats disrespect their values and dislike their Church…
ninjapirate on March 14, 2008 at 5:41 PM
I believe it did. That would mean Rev. Windbag was making inflammatory statements as early as ‘01.
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 5:42 PM
After that Special Comment, Obama is lucky that KO has no journalistic integrity, otherwise, he might be in for a tough interview.
rw on March 14, 2008 at 5:43 PM
HAHHA way to go obama now by going public with this you
A give it credibility
B Forces you on the defensive.
C dishearts those that believe in what Rev Wright had to say
d) gives legitimacy to Fox News after your fellow dems trashed it
e) Makes you answer questions that you’d rather not answer.
William Amos on March 14, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Well I question the judgement of someone who attends a church for 20 years and is still ignorant to the teaching preached therein.
ronsfi on March 14, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Uh oh, he’s a believer in Jesus. That’s going to cause him some problems with his base, right?
rbj on March 14, 2008 at 5:44 PM
This is gonna blow up in Bama’s face.
It will be prooven that he was sitting in the pew for one or more of these “interesting” sermons…
And then, just like always, it won’t be the act, but he coverup that gets him hosed…
Romeo13 on March 14, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Fonzie just left the ramp. Obamessiah has fallen from the heavens and into the filth of the same old politics. Spin holy one spin. Dodge and twist and duck. HA!
ronsfi on March 14, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Obama’s pastor has been saying these things for years. Obama named his autobiography after one of his sermons. Obama can’t really say “I had no idea”.
SoulGlo on March 14, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Obama repudiates Wright…
Yet he dedicated his autobiography to him.
Was married by him.
Had his new mansion blessed by him.
And still has Wright employed as the ‘Religious Outreach Director’ of his campaign.
Hmmm… Why an I not convinced that Obama is serious about his repudiation.
Kinda like the Canada NAFTA thing… “Hey, it is just political rhetoric… don’t you believe for a moment he really means what he is saying.”
LegendHasIt on March 14, 2008 at 5:48 PM
This is NOT going away for BHO. He should have been “angered and pained” listening to this guy for the last 20+ years, not just now. I appreciate McCain’s campaign tactics on this, but wish he was at least a little tougher on Obama.
Hunt035 on March 14, 2008 at 5:49 PM
The church serves 6,000 people per week, and nary a soul ever mentioned to the Senator from Illinois that during sermons he didn’t attend, the good Pastor was singing a different tune?
RushBaby on March 14, 2008 at 5:51 PM
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/03/14/obama-on-the-reverend-wright-controversy.aspx
ninjapirate on March 14, 2008 at 5:53 PM
If you go to the same church for many years on a regular basis, and I am talking about those who really go to church and know their pastor as in the case of Hussein, then, absolutely, you know what that pastor’s opinion is on any issue from his sermons and from your private chat with him.
I will not accept any excuses.
You either are naive to believe Hussein’s “repudiation” or you’re simply a brainwashed who shares Hussein and his pastor’s hate for America.
Hussein is a liar and everybody, especially those who vote for him, should know it.
Indy Conservative on March 14, 2008 at 5:53 PM
Ya gotta love the fact that he avoided Fox News for a year and now when he is in trouble he runs to them.
GogglesPisano on March 14, 2008 at 5:53 PM
Despite the volatility of Wright’s comments, Obama is the Teflon Don. This will be noise for the next few weeks, then it will disappear. The mindless masses are smitten.
cannonball on March 14, 2008 at 5:53 PM
2006? 2001?! This dashiki-wearing-knucklehead had undoubtedly been nuts for decades…
Jaibones on March 14, 2008 at 5:55 PM
I am listening to Hannity and I do not think Obama is going to be on H & C tonight. Hannity said Obama was going to be interviewed tonight and H & C would have all the video of the pastor on tonight.
ihasurnominashun on March 14, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Well, I’d say that a lot of crazy things come out of a lot of people’s mouths at churches. Whether it be suggestions that others are possessed by the devil, gays brought about 9/11, or that the sun revolves around the earth, etc. There are undoubtedly much crazier things that are said that never see the light of day on youtube. I quit my church after someone attempted a group exorcism, so to me a rant about how America has been tough on black folks isn’t that much of a shocker.
ChenZhen on March 14, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Have we heard from wifeee yet on this? Poor gal, in the attic I guess. I do not believe for on second BHO does not believe this crud from the preacher. I just wish McCain had the guts, or other portions of his body to deal with this.
L
letget on March 14, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Yeah, right. When you hear Wright’s “God Damn America!” on the tv 200 times in September, tell me again.
Jaibones on March 14, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Hannity just said there is a TON more videos of Wright coming. Please pass the popcorn.
ihasurnominashun on March 14, 2008 at 5:57 PM
You know. Wright taken alone is one thing. But throw his wife into the mix and her saying pretty much the same thing; then it becomes a real problem, doesn’t it?
lorien1973 on March 14, 2008 at 5:57 PM
No. And he certainly can’t record it on DVD and sell it at the bargain price of 20 bucks a pop.
Blake on March 14, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Oh, almost forgot: Obama is a lying pos. This will be shown again.
Jaibones on March 14, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Hannity needs to ask O-Racist “Where is Grand Dragon Wright?” “When is he returning?” “When will he be making a statement?”
faraway on March 14, 2008 at 5:59 PM
I am thinking now there may not be a big need for a do-over in MI and FL.
What happens if O-Racist only picks up the black vote in PA?
What a crazy world we live in when Hillary Clinton looks (relative to O-Racist) like a right wing conservative?
faraway on March 14, 2008 at 6:01 PM
A BHO speech/rock concert can’t cover up the significance of the Wright/Oboma ties. What gets me is that he HAS been listening to this Wright for decades and for some reason, BHO thinks that he can schmooz his way out of this. He really does think of his supporters/ American people as cattle that will just fall in line when he moves the herd.
Hunt035 on March 14, 2008 at 6:04 PM
Values: Racist, Truther
Judgment: Stayed with Grand Dragon Wright for 20 years
Experience: Hopefully, no more
faraway on March 14, 2008 at 6:05 PM
Looks like Obama is playing clean up tonight.
Will Hillary’s team keep up the pressure?
Will the right bloggers?
Will the MSM care?
Will anyone care?
bnelson44 on March 14, 2008 at 6:05 PM
So if he appears on Olbermann, will Olby donate to Obama’s campaign on camera or off camera?
lorien1973 on March 14, 2008 at 6:07 PM
Heh. Good point.
Spirit of 1776 on March 14, 2008 at 6:08 PM
This is the guy who married him to his wife and baptized both his children and was his pastor for how long? I want to know why is the MSM running with this now this isn’t new this is actually old news so why is it getting the hype treatment?
Dr Evil on March 14, 2008 at 6:08 PM
You know, the NYT’s can get any top secret/classified documents or conversations posted at any given time, regardless of whether or not it will bring harm to the country and they do it whether it is legal or not..But they have ever been able to get the scoop on the who, what, when, where, and why’s of the inside job of bringing AIDS into the country, or creating 9/11 as a diversion..Damn them..
Pam on March 14, 2008 at 6:08 PM
Amen.
Red Pill on March 14, 2008 at 6:09 PM
If Obama voluntarily talks about Jesus, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask him a clarifying question. Someone needs to ask him, “Is Jesus Christ Lord?”
Many Christians will be shocked that he is not able to respond “Yes” to this simple question.
Red Pill on March 14, 2008 at 6:13 PM
Well whattaya know. The very first sermon Obama heard from Wright, according to his own book, blamed whitey. No way Obama’s going to skate. That statement thingey up there^^^? Lie after lie after lie.
RushBaby on March 14, 2008 at 6:13 PM
William Amos on March 14, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Don’t worry. They will still vote for him. They know he’s with them at heart, and either way, it helps their cause. It is one of their greatest strengths.
They aren’t like conservatives, who drop their party’s candidate either out of policy disagreement or because they got personally offended by them. Conservatives could take a lesson from the Left, and learn to do what is necessary to win, rather than holding on to personal preferences and taking things so personally that they cut off their nose to spite their face.
Tommygun on March 14, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Excellent point.
mikeyboss on March 14, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Huffpost has 100 posted (positive) comments and 666 pending (negative) comments.
faraway on March 14, 2008 at 6:15 PM
If someone, somewhere could find Mr. and/or Mrs. Obama standing up clapping during one of these, er, sermons…
SouthernGent on March 14, 2008 at 6:16 PM
by Red Pill on March 14, 2008 at 6:13 PM
Remember: Jihadist Muslims can lie about their faith in order to further the will of Allah.
Not sure what made me think of that… Oh well.
Tommygun on March 14, 2008 at 6:17 PM
I remember a couple of weeks ago when there was a debate raging over the relevance of the Huckabee sermon tapes. There were a few Huckabee supporters on here arguing that they are irrelevant to the Presidency. I wonder if they will argue the same thing in defense of Obama? For some reason I doubt they will.
As for this man of God/racism/Anti-Americanism, I think its going to take a lot more then this to bring BO down. He’s lucky A) Its Friday and will be largely forgotten come Monday. B). It is all in the wake of the Spitzer sex scandal so its only getting half the attention it deserves. People are still very interested in the future endeavors of “Kristin” and don’t want to be bothered much by a crazy preacher guy shouting a bunch of Anti-American crap from inside of a church.
Obama will live to see another day unless this gets compounded with more then what we see here, ie. a photo of Obama sitting in the center of the church on this date ends up on the front pages of a major Newspaper. Otherwise he can brush it off and say, “I never heard him say these things and I don’t agree with the sentiments.” He can skate on that alone. Sure, we on this site will be put off by this, but Democrats won’t. Obama supporters will definitely not be. Evidence and facts don’t hold much sway amongst Democrat voters. Especially primary voters. Therefore, I can’t see this causing much damage for BO.
That being said, any more stuff like this comes out and the Hillary campaign is all of a sudden alive and scary. And I would much rather face Obama in the general. I hope this is all they have on him.
Zetterson on March 14, 2008 at 6:17 PM
What does that mean? Negative towards Obama or negative for some to DARE question him?
SouthernGent on March 14, 2008 at 6:17 PM
Let’s say my pastor is the Grand Dragon of the KKK and I’m running for POTUS, and I say, “Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy.”
Ok, that deserves a pass.
Kini on March 14, 2008 at 6:19 PM
He’s been going to that church for 20 years…and he’s just now finding out. I smell an Algorism….was he in the bathroom each time?
DngrMse on March 14, 2008 at 6:20 PM
Actually, there are some strongly anti-O comments on the HuffPo piece.
mikeyboss on March 14, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Well Carl Camerom and Major Garret just were on Fox and Carl was sitting there while Major was reading Obama’s statement. Carl looke like he was dying trying not to laugh.
God I wish I had invested $10 more a month in cable so could have DVR. It would have been so worth it.
mkm19602000 on March 14, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Oh,I can’t wait for this Kabuki dance to begin,
what would be prefect for Obama when he starts
explaining is to have Calypso Louie playing in
the background!
canopfor on March 14, 2008 at 6:22 PM
I left one of those.
ninjapirate on March 14, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Trust me, some kid with a cell phone has video of Obama cheering and clapping.
Just a matter of time and a matter of price.
Watch and learn grasshopper…………
ArmyAunt on March 14, 2008 at 6:26 PM
Yeah! Conservatives should just give up their principles and do anything it takes to win. Your values are worthless,, and you are stupid.
Join us lemmings in the rush off the cliff, it is the only way to win!
Hey whatever happened to Tommylotto? Has he risen again?
LegendHasIt on March 14, 2008 at 6:26 PM
Hillary got more than she bargained for when she picked Obama as her VP choice back in 2004. She “made” him by getting him his speaking slot at the convention and helping him win his senate seat. He was supposed to help her win the Presidency in 2008 - She would be the first woman president, and he would be the first “black” (*) vice-president.
She didn’t realize that rather than do as he was told and go to the back of the bus while “Miss Hillary” sat up front for 8 years, Obama would actually have the gall to “steal” “her” nomination.
Remind me again which party freed the slaves? (Republican)
Remind me again which party fought civil rights legislation? (Democrat)
Remind me again which party is racist? (Democrat)
(*) I say “black” because dark-skinned people aren’t “black” and light-skinned people aren’t “white”. Say “brown” and “peach” if you must. (sarc) I’d like it a lot better if people stopped describing other people by their skin color. If we were truly living Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, we’d be judging people by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin.
Red Pill on March 14, 2008 at 6:27 PM
You mean the party that has won the majority of presidential elections over the past 28 years should be taking notes from the losers?
Zetterson on March 14, 2008 at 6:28 PM
But…but…but….allegedly this all came out a year ago, (not the actual statements)Hannity supposedly started the “church” brouhaha back in 2007, and Obama sailed right through the storm. BUT- he never, not once - denouced or qualified his mentor’s controversial standing.
But he is now? How politically - expedient.
Enlightened on March 14, 2008 at 6:28 PM
Tom Maguire has a great post with loads of juicy research
samples
?
much more
http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2008/03/the-reconciliat.html#comments
windansea on March 14, 2008 at 6:29 PM
A posted a more detailed explanation here.
Red Pill on March 14, 2008 at 6:32 PM
…so much that I donated over $20,000 to the guy’s church in 2006, got married there, and bring my kids to church there too.
Yep, that’s totally believable. LOL
funky chicken on March 14, 2008 at 6:32 PM
Bingo!
Red Pill on March 14, 2008 at 6:34 PM
This is Obama’s netroots test - He gets to re-fight Aug 2004. Kerry rolled over thinking that the Swift Vets would not gain any traction and that he could save his federal campaign funds that had to last a month longer than the GOP’s funds. The left blames this for Kerry’s defeat.
If any of this sticks, Obama needs to hope that the Clintons do not try to sell the left on the idea that the Messiah is the sort of guy that would bring hope and change to a gunfight.
rw on March 14, 2008 at 6:36 PM
That’s the defense moonbats have been using for the past 2 days on Boston talk radio and even on Rush. They keep asking over and over, “what did he say that wasn’t true?” It confirms they basically agree with Wright and that hurts Obama even more.
TheBigOldDog on March 14, 2008 at 6:37 PM
But, his defense is that he didn’t hear about this stuff until recently. You need to cater your critisms toward rebutting Obamas defense instead of ignoring it. What you are saying here means nothing because all Obama has to do is reiterate that he only recently heard these words. He donated money and got married well before any of this stuff came out.
Zetterson on March 14, 2008 at 6:37 PM
There’s some frantic tap-dancing going on in the St. Obama revival tent today.
Cicero43 on March 14, 2008 at 6:38 PM
This sounds like the Clinton defence:
Thats not what I said!
You heard wrong!
Maybe you mis-understood!
Thats not what he meant!
Your twisting the words!
You know what he said,you have an agenda!
You completely took it out of context!
Didn’t you get the latest memo,It will explain it better!
You know exactly what he said!
Lets run this on the Liberal-Despeak-lator to get exactly
what he said! Haha
canopfor on March 14, 2008 at 6:38 PM
The problem for Obama is the pattern is becoming clearer. He presents himself as a wise, worldly figure who is prepared to lead America beyond partisanship and racial division.
Then people question him about American flags/Pledge of Allegiance issues. Hm. Okay.
Then Michelle makes her “(not previously) Proud American” comments. Hmmmmmm. Oookay.
Then his pastor’s racism, conspiracy theories, etc. begin to come to light. What??!!
When (not if, imo) someone places him in attendance at one of Wright’s anti-whitey/USA bad diatribes, Hillary cinches the nomination. IMHO.
cs89 on March 14, 2008 at 6:39 PM
That is a good point rw
Zetterson on March 14, 2008 at 6:39 PM
I think he is merely repudiating what is causing him a problem. He is fine with everything else, until it too comes to light and causes a problem and then he will repudiate that as well.
Should be fun to watch how many times this has to happen.
America1st on March 14, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Let’s see… Ann Coulter supports Hillary because McCain offended conservatives. And many anti-McCain stories are posted here without proper spin.
You think I’m stupid. That is a personal attack. I didn’t think that was allowed here.
Tommygun on March 14, 2008 at 6:42 PM
That defense is not gonna fly. Obama’s own book (the first one) makes clear that Obama knew from the first time he heard Wright speak that Wright blames the evil, greedy white man for all the world’s ills.
AZCoyote on March 14, 2008 at 6:44 PM
Not quite, if Wright is still part of Obama’s campaign advisory staff. How does one repudiate someone else’s statements and retain them on staff?
a capella on March 14, 2008 at 6:44 PM
That statement is like a man having sex with me, but saying he’s not gay.
(I do hear that way more than you’d believe).
SouthernGent on March 14, 2008 at 6:45 PM
you need to go read Maguire’s post I linked above
windansea on March 14, 2008 at 6:45 PM
In the words of Obama, we’re getting hoodwinked, bamboozled only he’s doing the hoodwinking and bamboozling– all the while winking at the preacher man (and the church’s congregation) who know where Obama’s loyalties lie.
ElderEdda on March 14, 2008 at 6:47 PM
OK, after reading the reaction on all the left wing blogs I can see that they hope the ride this out and frame the attack as petty guilt by association that has nothing to do with the issues. Find ways to attack so that they can’t evade.
One way is to attack his faux unity message. I think the best way to do this is to cast Obama as a hypocrite from some of the other things he has said.
ninjapirate on March 14, 2008 at 6:52 PM
I think that’s unfair. I don’t like it when people label all Republicans as racist, lets not do the same to the other side.
terryannonline on March 14, 2008 at 6:54 PM
oh lord, please help us find a video showing rev wright ranting while obama is napping in the first row. i’m looking for a perry mason gothcha moment! amen!
DrW on March 14, 2008 at 6:55 PM
WHOA
http://posthumousluger.com/?p=27
However, on January 7th, 2008, journalist Ronald Kessler wrote the following, posted at Newsmax.com:
“Just before Obama’s nationally televised campaign kickoff rally last Feb. 10, the candidate [Obama] disinvited Wright from giving the public invocation. Wright explained: “When [Obama’s] enemies find out that in 1984 I went to Tripoli” to visit Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, “a lot of his Jewish support will dry up quicker than a snowball in hell.”
According to Wright, Obama then told him, “’You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we’ve decided is that it’s best for you not to be out there in public.’” But privately, Obama and his family prayed with Wright just before the presidential announcement.”
ihasurnominashun on March 14, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Not only has his unity message dissolved, but also his integrity:
Obama tells us: ”The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation.”
So, over 20 years you never sat through a sermon in which Wright race baited, denigrated the United States, or subscribed to wild anti-US conspiracy theories? Yet these theories form the cream of Wright’s sermons which he chooses to post on the web?
As Luger points out, all we need is one video where Obama is in the congregation, and bang goes any remaining reputation for honesty.
Pax americana on March 14, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Obama related:
Sweet scoop: Obama, after initial refusal, releases all earmark requests. Read them here. UPDATES
Connie on March 14, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Agreed, but I think we can conclude that some Democrat policy positions are, in fact, racist. Affirmative action for example. Consider the two primary definitions of racism:
1). The belief that one is either superior or inferior based on race
2). Any policy based on race
Think about those two definitions of racism and then think of what contemporary affirmative action is.
Fact: Affirmative Action = racism
Fact: Any Democrat or Republican who supports affirmative action is a racist.
Zetterson on March 14, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Excellent point.
I’m not a politician, but I know where I was the Sunday after 9 /11. It was in an Episcopal church with a guest minister from England. He talked about how the Brits responded to 9/11, in solidarity with us. He talked about Queen Elizabeth’s moving tribute, and how she said that “grief is the price we pay for love”. I have never forgotten that service.
I heard nothing about chickens coming home to roost. Nope, not a word about that.
I have never heard anything like what Obama’s mentor and pastor preaches. Ever. I have been to Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Catholic services, and some of them have been with black ministers.
I did once end up at a service where children were present(including my own) where there was a discussion about abortion. We walked out and never went back.
Obama’s mentor is a man with hate in his heart and it is just not believable to me that Obama didn’t see that.
The only excuse I can come up with for him is that he is like a wife who doesn’t see that her husband is screwing around with girls named Kristen.
Buy Danish on March 14, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Allahpundit,
I think I’ve come to your side now. I think it is “guilt by association.”
terryannonline on March 14, 2008 at 7:03 PM
LegendHasIt on March 14, 2008 at 6:26 PM
I have reported your apparent personal insult.
=======
While I appreciate some of the counterarguments, the fact remains that Black Nationalists like Hussein’s pastor will not be turned off by his disclaimer. The fact also remains that this election will depend on whether conservatives are willing to support someone that so many of them express so may problems with. If they will indeed go with the “lesser of two evils,” (which, according to many, is a compromise of principle) they will have a chance. If they take the purist route (common among certain single-issue groups) and refuse to vote for that person, they will not.
One’s principles (as manifested in political and social contexts) are not forwarded by defeat, but rather by victory. Sometimes, all one can do is support the party platform, regardless of the scoundrel whose name is on the ticket. Such strategically-minded voting will contribute to focusing the general spirit of the country in the direction needed. If you want movement to the Left, vote Democrat. If you want movement to the Right, vote Republican. At this time in history, that is the case. And while a particular candidate or even a particular plank in a party’s platform might not support your agenda, the general direction and philosophy of the party will.
Tommygun on March 14, 2008 at 7:08 PM
20 years of association when he’s denounced people of another theological bent of dividing the country.
ninjapirate on March 14, 2008 at 7:10 PM
Let’s lay off the name-calling, please.
Allahpundit on March 14, 2008 at 7:10 PM
His explaination is good enough for me, it’s guilt by association and I am not a Democrat so I do not care.
I bet he took Dick Morris’ advice in the way he handled it. Last night on O’Reilly Morris said he should issue a statement and not do a press conference. Dick thought it wasn’t major, he is the one with the experience.
I am more concerned with McCain’s 2 wingnut bookends, Hagee and the other loon.
He’s the Republican, he matters, not Barack Obama.
AprilOrit on March 14, 2008 at 7:12 PM
I know Allahpundit thinks HRC is the weaker opponent. I disagree–this two-faced hater Obama is going to dig himself in deeper every day. It will be interesting to see what happens in Penn.
I think the only choice is for Obama to step down right before the convention in some face-saving way. No superdelegate (party boss) is going to touch him with a 10-foot pole anymore; his “pledged” delegates might waver, too, if they care about winning at all.
PattyJ on March 14, 2008 at 7:12 PM
Jeremiah Wright might have sunk Obama’s ship.
Way to fo, FNC and bloggers.
But in retrospect, maybe we should have waited ’til after he got the nomination?
petefrt on March 14, 2008 at 7:13 PM
i heard this part of the radio show. hannity said that he heard barack obama was going to sit down with one of “our reporters”, meaning Fox i think, because later in the show he brought it up and said it might be happening “even as i speak”.
but i have been at work the past 3 hours, so things may have changed since then.
its vintage duh on March 14, 2008 at 7:13 PM
I do not know why you guys are so concerned about him, Hillary is the one who is the problem.
She’ll do whatever it takes to win and those Clintons always seem to accomplish what they want or feel they deserve.
AprilOrit on March 14, 2008 at 7:14 PM
The Sunday after 9/11… and I thought one of those clips was from a Christmas sermon. If Obama wasn’t in church on days like that, when DOES he attend services?
Is his “defense” going to be that he’s another Bill Clinton, only going to church when the cameras are set up?
logis on March 14, 2008 at 7:17 PM
Don’t for get…. Cherry Picking!
Kini on March 14, 2008 at 7:17 PM
One at a time, especially since we’re having to carry the McCain camp’s water for them. I cannot believe they aren’t going to press Oprahbama on this. Actually, I take that back. I can believe it.
SouthernGent on March 14, 2008 at 7:19 PM
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