Jeremiah Wright claims Obama ally offered $150,000 bribe in 2008 to shut up

posted at 10:31 am on May 13, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

Hey, guess who’s back?  In his new book on Barack Obama titled The Amateur, Edward Klein caught up with Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s minister and friend for 20 years and pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.  The Hillary Clinton campaign nearly derailed Obama’s nomination by digging up Wright’s incendiary and controversial sermons at TUCC, including exhortations like, “God damn America!” and saying that 9/11 was nothing more than America’s chickens coming home to roost — among many other statements.  Obama later proclaimed ignorance of Wright’s rants despite his long association with TUCC, and eventually renounced Wright and TUCC entirely when Wright wouldn’t keep his mouth shut.

In his on-the-record interview with Klein, Wright claims that an Obama ally offered him $150,000 to keep his mouth shut and stop preaching until after the election, in excerpts published by the New York Post today:

‘Man, the media ate me alive,” Wright told me when we met in his office at Chicago’s Kwame Nkrumah Academy. “After the media went ballistic on me, I received an e-mail offering me money not to preach at all until the November presidential election.”

“Who sent the e-mail?” I asked Wright.

“It was from one of Barack’s closest friends.”

“He offered you money?”

“Not directly,” Wright said. “He sent the offer to one of the members of the church, who sent it to me.”

“How much money did he offer you?”

“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” Wright said.

According to Wright, Obama met personally with his then-pastor to ask him to do the same, although Obama apparently didn’t offer money for his silence.  Wright’s version of the conversation makes it clear that Obama knew very well what his pastor had preached from the pulpit, and what he was likely to do once attention focused on him:

“And one of the first things Barack said was, ‘I really wish you wouldn’t do any more public speaking until after the November election.’ He knew I had some speaking engagements lined up, and he said, ‘I wish you wouldn’t speak. It’s gonna hurt the campaign if you do that.’

“And what did you say?” I asked. “I said, ‘I don’t see it that way. And anyway, how am I supposed to support my family?’ And he said, ‘Well, I wish you wouldn’t speak in public. The press is gonna eat you alive.’

“Barack said, ‘I’m sorry you don’t see it the way I do. Do you know what your problem is?’ And I said, ‘No, what’s my problem?’ And he said, ‘You have to tell the truth.’ I said, ‘That’s a good problem to have. That’s a good problem for all preachers to have. That’s why I could never be a politician.’

Sounds as though Obama knew full well what the “truth” was going to be once Wright started talking to the media, at least according to Wright’s version of events.  Wright doesn’t have much to lose by telling the story now, but it should be noted in fairness that he might have a lot to gain.  If the media takes more interest in Wright this time around, he’s going to be a pretty hot property for the next five months.

I’d expect the White House to begin decrying distractions in the election campaign coverage in 5 … 4… 3 … 2 …

Update: In retrospect, the Obama friend should be glad that Wright turned down his offer.  It sounds a lot like the kind of thing that got John Edwards into trouble.

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Those chickens are going to come home to rooooost sooner or later.

SouthernGent on May 13, 2012 at 2:05 PM

These revelations would be shocking — if it were October 2008 and Barry Soetoro was still speechifying from on the dais of the Barackopolis.

Now — it’s just pablum to the great swaths of Blue-State sheople whose electorate will reelect President Barack Hussein Obama.

 

There is nothing earth shattering in that new Edward Klein book. Nothing at all.

FlatFoot on May 13, 2012 at 2:08 PM

Sounds as though Obama knew full well what the “truth” was going to be once Wright started talking to the media…

So it is now official – Obama was lying when he claimed he sat in front of this preacher for 20 years and didn’t hear a racist word. Somebody alert the media… oh, never mind.

drunyan8315 on May 13, 2012 at 2:11 PM

“Barack said, ‘I’m sorry you don’t see it the way I do. Do you know what your problem is?’ And I said, ‘No, what’s my problem?’ And he said, ‘You have to tell the truth.’ I said, ‘That’s a good problem to have. That’s a good problem for all preachers to have. That’s why I could never be a politician.’

Ha! Love the implication!

Tzetzes on May 13, 2012 at 2:36 PM

So, go on. Tell me about the race war Obama is leading, under Reverend Wright’s direction.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 11:50 AM

Have you even paid the SLIGHTEST bit of attention to the ridiculousness in the DOJ????? If letting people of color completely off the hook for illegal voter intimidation, taking out bounties on fellow citizens and in general not prosecuting people of color isn’t making a race war, what the hell is?????

americanmama on May 13, 2012 at 2:36 PM

So this is a suprise, really? I ‘d have guessed Soros himself would have offered to buy the guy a whole new church if he’d just go on vacation until November.

Theworldisnotenough on May 13, 2012 at 2:51 PM

Who was Obama’s “friend” that offered the hush money? Jarrett? Emanuel? Or were there more degrees of separation in order to provide plausible deniability?

onlineanalyst on May 13, 2012 at 2:53 PM

I couldn’t care less that Reverend Wright was a former Muslim. I’m hardly surprised that a black man that grew up in a brutally segregated city rejected the white power structure. You shoiuld be pleased that he came around to Christianity.

Obama joined a congregation that stood for pride and empowerment, that was known to be socially active, relatively free of class structures and politically connected. Given that Obama has never in his career shown any evidence of being particularly radical when it comes to racial politics — and that no one ever seems to have come up with more video than that one sermon — I am left to conclude that either the Reverend was not nearly as consistently radical as is claimed, or that Obama was unaffected by it.

Either way, until Obama calls for reparations or something, it’s a non-issue.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 11:44 AM

Reparations are only one part of Black Liberation Theology. BLT teaches that the laws and institutions of this country (which you so blithely describe as the “white power structure”) are invalid because they are designed to keep the whites with all the power and must be destroyed. Hence, 911 was America’s chickens coming home to roost — it was the start of the destruction of America as we know it and Rev. Wright rejoiced in it. That is the only way, BLT teaches, the whites will ever give up power — if it is taken from them & the institutions and laws are rebuilt putting blacks in power. Whites cannot be trusted to share power because, being white, they are racist. No exceptions — any whites that try fight for civil rights, etc? Just trying to make themselves look good.

I know this will fall on deaf ears because you seem smugly satisfied in your ignorance but: stop blindly regurgitating talking points. Look up BLT from authoritative sources (and no, church website and wikepedia are not authoritative sources), learn about it & try to put a little critical thought into it as you do before you try again to dismiss BLT as nothing but “reparations.”

You are a perfect example of how someone with a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Dark Star on May 13, 2012 at 2:56 PM

You are a perfect example of how someone with a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Dark Star on May 13, 2012 at 2:56 PM

From the WaPo Romney Hit Story “Response” by their Ombudsman, which is running in Headlines:

Once again, critics of the story fail to score any points. It’s factually correct, well sourced and — when read in its entirety — balanced.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 11:53 AM

Victim’s family never detailed any of the errors they claimed. The corrected error is minor and — again — does not contradict the narrative as printed.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 1:42 PM

When did Obama become a dealer? Besides, his drug use was well known many years ago. You are familiar with the concept of “news,” right?

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 1:53 PM

the fact that every conservative in America has tried and failed to pick the article apart suggests that it was indeed well reported.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 2:34 PM

Del Dolemonte on May 13, 2012 at 3:02 PM

… Given that Obama has never in his career shown any evidence of being particularly radical when it comes to racial politics — and that no one ever seems to have come up with more video than that one sermon — I am left to conclude that either the Reverend was not nearly as consistently radical as is claimed, or that Obama was unaffected by it.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 11:44 AM

Uh, no. Check out what Baldilocks has to say about TUCC. Much
Also, much of the church’s manifesto was scrubbed once the Wright story became known.

Obama was influenced by Franklin Marshall Davis, the New Party, and Bill Ayers (who wrote extensively about a shift in American politics based on race wars). Obama’s agitating as a community organizer was race-based.

onlineanalyst on May 13, 2012 at 3:04 PM

Dark Star on May 13, 2012 at 2:56 PM

I am familiar with Black Liberation Theology.

On the other hand, there is no evidence whatsoever that Barack Obama is somehow an avatar of that sort of thinking.

You’re the perfect example of why the far-right politics of racial division works, and why the Rev. Wright, the New Black Panthers, Common, etc stories are constantly regurgitated by the right wing echo chamber: unable to point to a single significant act, vote or statement that would mark Obama as a black radical, you hang your racial fears on the fact that he sat in Reverend Wright’s church. Unable to paint Obama as a racist by his acts, you indulge your racism through guilt by association.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 3:06 PM

SO, how much did they offer him this year, $1 MILLION ?

TeaPartyNation on May 13, 2012 at 3:10 PM

And he said, ‘You have to tell the truth.’

This is revealing.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 3:06 PM

He went to the church for 20 years. The above makes it painfully obviously that he knew exactly what his preacher believes.

And liberals are such hypocrites on this. Never found a single shred of evidence that the Tea Party is racist, but that never stopped anyone from guilt by association, even putting blood on our hands because of a lunatic who has as much evidence of liberal leanings as conservative. And that’s just one of the murderers pinned on the right.

And that’s without even talking about the smear job the left is doing on Romney’s religion while telling us for the last 4 year’s that Obama’s is off limits.

Esthier on May 13, 2012 at 3:14 PM

I am familiar with Black Liberation Theology.

Obviously not, as I proved with your initial dismissal of it as nothing more than wanting reparations.

On the other hand, there is no evidence whatsoever that Barack Obama is somehow an avatar of that sort of thinking.

Well, I didn’t comment one way or the other in my post about Obama — I was commenting on Black Liberation Theology only & didn’t even mention Obama. Perhaps you missed that as you seem to be excellent at jumping to conclusions. But since you bring Obama up 20 years in Rev. Wright’s BLT church, calling Rev. Wright his mentor, having him marry him & baptize his children, naming a book after his sermon (Have you read that book, btw? pfft. Of course not). Not proof enough for some, to be sure, but probably enough for others.

You’re the perfect example of why the far-right politics of racial division works, and why the Rev. Wright, the New Black Panthers, Common, etc stories are constantly regurgitated by the right wing echo chamber: unable to point to a single significant act, vote or statement that would mark Obama as a black radical, you hang your racial fears on the fact that he sat in Reverend Wright’s church. Unable to paint Obama as a racist by his acts, you indulge your racism through guilt by association.

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 3:06 PM

I haven’t commented on what I personally think Obama’s commitment to BLT is — not in my last post & actually not in this one either (no, really, go back and read the last paragraph again — slowly this time). You have once again jumped to conclusions and gotten on the defense by name calling and accusing me of being a racist, blah, blah, blah because it is much easier to regurgitate talking points, stick your head in the sand & call others names than to have to think.

I wrote last time that you were an example of how a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. I now question whether you even have that little bit. I will not engage in anymore discourse with someone who obviously does not possess the skills needed to fairly read & comprehend what I write and simply engages in knee jerk responses of name calling.

Dark Star on May 13, 2012 at 3:36 PM

So–a friend of Obama’s allegedly arranged with another person to offer Rev. Wright $150,000 to shut up, thereby benefiting Obama’s campaign? Question to any federal law experts out there: what’s the federal statute of limitations for conspiracy (in this case, conspiracy to violate federal election laws)?

M. Scott Eiland on May 13, 2012 at 3:42 PM

Wright should be thankful to allah that he is still alive.
Obama Hussein Odinga has a pretty good record of
‘taking care’ of potential squealers.
Obama is not known to leave lose ends which can ruin his fictional life story .

burrata on May 13, 2012 at 3:49 PM

unable to point to a single significant act, vote or statement that would mark Obama as a black radical, you hang your racial fears

urban elitist on May 13, 2012 at 3:06 PM

Breathtaking.

Del Dolemonte on May 13, 2012 at 3:55 PM

So–a friend of Obama’s allegedly arranged with another person to offer Rev. Wright $150,000 to shut up, thereby benefiting Obama’s campaign? Question to any federal law experts out there: what’s the federal statute of limitations for conspiracy (in this case, conspiracy to violate federal election laws)?

M. Scott Eiland on May 13, 2012 at 3:42 PM

Sounds a bit like Edwards getting Bunny Mellon to take care of his whore, doesn’t it?

slickwillie2001 on May 13, 2012 at 4:12 PM

Earlier in 2012

Earlier this month, Angela Davis diminished herself as a scholar and thinker in a gush of nonsense about the corporate executive in the White House. The occasion was a conference on Empowering Women of Color, in Berkeley, California. Davis shared the stage with Grace Lee Boggs, the 96-year-old activist from Detroit. The subject was social transformation, but Davis suddenly launched into how wonderful it felt to see people “dancing in the streets” when Barack Obama was elected. She called that campaign a “victory, not of an individual, but of…people who refused to believe that it was impossible to elect a person, a Black person, who identified with the Black radical tradition.”

There was a hush in the room, as if in mourning of the death of brain cells. Angela Davis was saying that Barack Obama is a man who identifies with the Black radical tradition. She said it casually, as if Black radicalism and Obama were not antithetical terms; as if everything he has written, said and done in national politics has not been a repudiation of the Black radical tradition; as if his rejection of his former minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, was not a thorough disavowal of the Black radical tradition.

Del Dolemonte on May 13, 2012 at 4:17 PM

This seems to confirm the Wikileaks documents from Stratfor. If so, then Jesse Jackson also received, or was at least offered, a payoff in a similar arrangement.

“You have to tell the truth.”

So this means that Obama sees Wright’s worldview as true. Confirming what Obama’s harshest critics have said about him all along.

sartana on May 13, 2012 at 4:21 PM

All roads lead to Bill Ayers. Including this one.

rockmom on May 13, 2012 at 4:28 PM

Why was this removed from Drudge Completely…The top headlines usually go to the minor spaces below the headline…

RedSoxNation on May 13, 2012 at 5:30 PM

cane_loader on May 13, 2012 at 12:59 PM

Yep, he does bear an uncanny resemblance to Malcolm. Don’t know that he and Stanley ever met though. Here’s my contribution to the game of geneologoical sleuthing:)

Buy Danish on May 13, 2012 at 6:28 PM

RRROOOOOOSSSSTT!

BHO Jonestown on May 13, 2012 at 7:02 PM

Wright’s problem isn’t that he can’t tell the truth, it’s that he doesn’t know it. BO’s problem with the truth is that he thinks he creates it.

ClanDerson on May 13, 2012 at 7:49 PM

Don’t forget, the Hillary campaign also invented “birtherism.”
visions on May 13, 2012 at 10:58 AM

Not only were the Hillary campaign who initially uncovered the truth about Obama’s Kenyan birth, Bill even joked about it and said they were going to use against Obama in the campaign. But someonein the Obama camp, probably Rahm Emanuel himself, took Bill aside and threatened the Clintons that if they tried to use it against Obama, “serious harm would befall Hillary” or Chelsea could simply ‘disappear’. Evidently that unnerved Bill enough so that he shut up about it right after that.Clintons Knew Obama Ineligible & DNC Primary Fraud – Claims Hollywood Producerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-MzKvVi1FI&feature=related

auzerais on May 13, 2012 at 8:12 PM

In a strange way, I have more respect now for the despicable “Reverend” wright – at least his principles (racist as they may be) aren’t for sale.

http://www.fiscalwars.wordpress.com

stout77 on May 13, 2012 at 9:28 PM

How much can we bribe Soetoro to make him shut up?

I am truly sick and tired of his voice.

He’s like an endless migraine.

cane_loader on May 13, 2012 at 11:27 PM

Bribery.

Forgery.

This guy has quite a rap sheet.

faraway on May 13, 2012 at 11:37 PM

Bribery.

Forgery.

This guy has quite a rap sheet.

faraway on May 13, 2012 at 11:37 PM

Add murder.

The U.N. approved a no-fly zone in Libya and 0bama began murdering Libyan citizens without a declaration of war.

Murderer.

cane_loader on May 13, 2012 at 11:40 PM

0bama is murdering people in Yemen, too, without a declaration of war.

It’s all fun and games watching him play “assassin” with the drones.

Wait until they’re turned upon Americans. Won’t be so funny.

cane_loader on May 13, 2012 at 11:43 PM

They didn’t offer him enough. He was negotiating but they didn’t realize it.

unclesmrgol on May 14, 2012 at 12:52 AM

In a strange way, I have more respect now for the despicable “Reverend” wright – at least his principles (racist as they may be) aren’t for sale.

http://www.fiscalwars.wordpress.com

stout77 on May 13, 2012 at 9:28 PM

No, it was only how much selling his principles cost.

unclesmrgol on May 14, 2012 at 12:54 AM

I can’t believe Ed is seriously promoting a birther’s anti-Obama book on this site. I’m liberal certainly but I always had a certain respect for the credibility of this site. What’s next Ed? The latest from Jerome Corsi?

Typhonsentra on May 14, 2012 at 5:33 AM

To shut up about this he’s holding out for…one million dollars.

curved space on May 14, 2012 at 5:35 AM

I’m liberal certainly but I always had a certain respect for the credibility of this site. What’s next Ed? The latest from Jerome Corsi?

Typhonsentra on May 14, 2012 at 5:33 AM

Are you saying it didn’t happen? I have a hard time believing that it did not. Face it your boy Obama spent 20 years in a faux Christian church practicing racial hatred and profaning everything Christ stands for. His racist preacher would not shut up.

I don’t see where anything illegal occurred (unless some connection can be made concerning the source of funds which is unlikely). Nevertheless, for an idiot like you to stand up and say it didn’t happen is absurd. How the hell do you know it didn’t just because you hate the author?

Happy Nomad on May 14, 2012 at 7:19 AM

To shut up about this he’s holding out for…one million dollars.

curved space on May 14, 2012 at 5:35 AM

Cue the tape of racist faux Christian Wright telling somebody that “I’ve got this thing and it’s f—-ing golden, “I’m not giving it up for f—-ing nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there.”

Happy Nomad on May 14, 2012 at 7:21 AM

I don’t see where anything illegal occurred (unless some connection can be made concerning the source of funds which is unlikely). Nevertheless, for an idiot like you to stand up and say it didn’t happen is absurd. How the hell do you know it didn’t just because you hate the author?

In case you missed the earlier discussion, the guy who wrote this book is a birther who believes that Obama was born in Kenya. So yeah, he lacks credibility.

Typhonsentra on May 14, 2012 at 7:43 AM

In case you missed the earlier discussion, the guy who wrote this book is a birther who believes that Obama was born in Kenya. So yeah, he lacks credibility.

Typhonsentra on May 14, 2012 at 7:43 AM

That doesn’t make him wrong on this point. Presumably he will be able to back up the claim. I don’t see any publisher letting a claim like that to get to print without some verification. And BTW, I’m no birther but there is something fishy about Obama’s origins as proven by the fact that he waited until a friend was governor to release anything but the certificate of live birth.

Happy Nomad on May 14, 2012 at 8:01 AM

Chickenhawks in GOP fearful of being called raaaacists will never touch this with a ten foot pole. Move along, nothing to see here.

insidiator on May 14, 2012 at 8:18 AM

I can’t believe Ed is seriously promoting a birther’s anti-Obama book on this site. I’m liberal certainly but …

Typhonsentra on May 14, 2012 at 5:33 AM

Of course you can’t. “Lib logic” rationalizes that ad hominem is not a fallacy, but a valid criticism and justification for closing one’s mind — for pre-judging the validity of “facts” without further investigation — when politically expedient.

In this case even when Wright does not dispute the reporting of what he said in an on the record interview.

farsighted on May 14, 2012 at 8:19 AM

Later that evening on Fox News’ On the Record, host Greta Van Susteren had this exchange with the National Review’s Byron York:

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Who is this author?

YORK: Edward Klein is a former editor of The New York Times Sunday magazine, has written a number of kind of deep inside tell-all books. His last book in 2005 about Hillary Clinton was extremely controversial, claimed that she was a lesbian and all sorts of kind of out-there stuff. It was denounced as a whole pack of lies by everybody involved.

VAN SUSTEREN: And others. Besides everybody involved, but people who were…

YORK: Yes.

VAN SUSTEREN: I mean, it wasn’t just the sort of the inner circle of the Clintons who denounced it.

YORK: Yes, it…

VAN SUSTEREN: It was widely denounced.

plewis on May 14, 2012 at 8:32 AM

The entire discussion between van Susteren and York was about Klein’s claims regarding the Clintons alleged statements about Obama for which no evidence is given.

Klein’s claims regarding Wright’s alleged statements are based on an on the record interview with Wright himself. AFAIK Wright does not deny he made the statements Klein reports. If anyone’s credibility is in question on this specific issue it is Wright’s, not Klein’s.

So we should all enjoy the spectacle of libs and lefties tossing ad hominems at Wright and calling him a liar.

Wait. What? They are attacking Klein instead of Wright, who is not denying he made the statements Klein reports? LOL.

farsighted on May 14, 2012 at 9:14 AM

In a strange way, I have more respect now for the despicable “Reverend” wright – at least his principles (racist as they may be) aren’t for sale.

http://www.fiscalwars.wordpress.com

stout77 on May 13, 2012 at 9:28 PM

No, it was only how much selling his principles cost.

unclesmrgol on May 14, 2012 at 12:54 AM

Are you saying his freezer wasn’t big enough to hold the requisite amount?

stout77 on May 14, 2012 at 9:32 AM

Typhonsentra on May 14, 2012 at 7:43 AM

No, actually, he’s not. He wrote a satirical novel whose premise was, “What if all the crazy conspiracies about Obama were true?” Thinkprogress.org, from which you obviously copy and paste your talking points, misrepresented it entirely, even though if you just click through to the Amazon.com description of the book, you can find the truth….

notropis on May 14, 2012 at 10:08 AM

lol The New York Post… lol

stingray9813 on May 14, 2012 at 10:13 AM

stingray9813 on May 14, 2012 at 10:13 AM

What does that have to do with anything? All they’re doing is publishing excerpts from a book – in this case, from an on-the-record interview.

notropis on May 14, 2012 at 10:18 AM

What does that have to do with anything? All they’re doing is publishing excerpts from a book – in this case, from an on-the-record interview.

I still haven’t figured out how Obama paid him off when it clearly states that he didn’t…

I would really, really like to read a REAL scandal instead off lame ones that no one cares about. And one that the majority of the country will actually hear about. Throwing scandals against the wall to see which one sticks will make people stop listening.

stingray9813 on May 14, 2012 at 10:28 AM

stingray9813 on May 14, 2012 at 10:13 AM

What does that have to do with anything? All they’re doing is publishing excerpts from a book – in this case, from an on-the-record interview.

notropis on May 14, 2012 at 10:18 AM

Lib ad hominem. A logical fallacy is their favorite weapon, next to name calling, especially when the other option requires accusing a liberal black preacher-man of lying. Libs solve such problems in PC logic by ad hominem attacks. If that doesn’t work they try distraction — see Team Obama’s behavior the past month or two.

Plus, it cannot be true if NYT does not report it, because only there can one find the truth, the whole truth, and only the truth according to liberal high priests and soothsayers.

AFAIK Wright has not denied saying what Klein wrote he said.

I have yet to see a lib do either of the following:

1) claim Wright never said what Klein says he did or
2) claim Wright lied to Klein.

It appears the final fall-back position is the usual one when nothing else works and/or there is no other defense or response — “this is not important, let’s moveon to more important things”, like what Romney did in high school.

farsighted on May 14, 2012 at 11:19 AM

I received an email from the Nigerian Interior Minister offering me several million dollars if I would assist him in some shady dealings getting money out of that country. Should I report this?

plewis on May 14, 2012 at 12:17 PM

“Who sent the e-mail?” I asked Wright.

“It was from one of Barack’s closest friends.”

farsighted on May 14, 2012 at 12:24 PM

“It was from one of Barack’s closest friends.”

An un-named closest friend (Bill Ayers?) sends an email to an un-named parishioner who relates it to Reverend Wright.The message offers $150,000 to stop speaking publicly. Later Reverend Wright tells Obama he can’t afford to stop speaking publicly because he has to support his family, despite being recently offered $150,000 to stop. Sounds like…what’s the word? Oh yeah, crap.

plewis on May 14, 2012 at 1:00 PM

I hope this hurts Obama and helps him lose the election.

However, Wright is correct that 911 was payback. The people who pulled it off even said as much. Refusing to accept the fact that other people might not want the US sticking our nose into their business doesn’t change the fact that we are the world’s bully. And that is true even if you think we are only doing it for the “good” of the world.

If you don’t want people striking back at us, we should mind our own business, just as we don’t want anyone else telling us what to do.

Just think of how many US lives we could save, how many maimed and wounded we would no longer have, and how much money we would save by not playing like we are the police of the world. We could probably pull out of this depression and pay off most of our national debt.

woodNfish on May 14, 2012 at 1:27 PM

‘Man, the media ate me alive,” Wright told me when we met in his office at Chicago’s Kwame Nkrumah Academy. “After the media went ballistic on me, I received an e-mail offering me money not to preach at all until the November presidential election.”

“Who sent the e-mail?” I asked Wright.

“It was from one of Barack’s closest friends.”

“He offered you money?”

“Not directly,” Wright said. “He sent the offer to one of the members of the church, who sent it to me.”

“How much money did he offer you?”

“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” Wright said.

Maybe someone, like someone at the NYT, should ask Wright how he knows the e-mail came from “one of Barack’s closest friends”.

Was the email forwarded to him? In which case he would know who it was and who the friend was.

Wright did not say someone else told him it was from “one of Barack’s closest friends”. He makes an unequivocal statement that it came from “one of Barack’s closest friends”.

The NYT could get to the bottom of this and clear it all up easily if they wanted to, right? Wouldn’t that help Obama out?

Or maybe it’s better to just ignore it and hope it all goes away. Because one way or another the liberal black preacher-man comes off looking bad, and his name will be in the news a lot reminding people of his association with Teh One. Worst case too many people may start asking too many questions. Better to lay low, count on the MSM ignoring it, and hope it all blows over.

farsighted on May 14, 2012 at 2:05 PM

And so he’s telling us now because the campaign refused to give him the next $150,000???

ElRonaldo on May 14, 2012 at 2:18 PM

If John McCain really allowed Jeremiah Wright to be used by the campaign I think he could have won it.

V7_Sport on May 14, 2012 at 3:47 PM

woodNfish on May 14, 2012 at 1:27 PM

Yeah man we all know what terrible things Bush, Clinton, and Bush did to the Saudis that inspired 19 of their people to get payback against us.

Jihadists kill us not because they’re particularly offended by us specificially but because we are the most powerful infidels on the block. The reason we are the world’s police is not because we enjoy it so much as the rest of Western Civilization has degenerated into mewling, unsustainable, defenseless social welfare states. The combined might of Britain and France can’t even sustain military action against an unguarded beachhead across the nearest body of water (Libya and the Mediterranean Sea).

BKennedy on May 14, 2012 at 4:34 PM

However, Wright is correct that 911 was payback. The people who pulled it off even said as much. Refusing to accept the fact that other people might not want the US sticking our nose into their business doesn’t change the fact that we are the world’s bully. And that is true even if you think we are only doing it for the “good” of the world.

If you don’t want people striking back at us, we should mind our own business, just as we don’t want anyone else telling us what to do.

Just think of how many US lives we could save, how many maimed and wounded we would no longer have, and how much money we would save by not playing like we are the police of the world. We could probably pull out of this depression and pay off most of our national debt.

woodNfish on May 14, 2012 at 1:27 PM

I just thought this needed repeating.

As one of the vacuous fallacies of modern isolationist idiocy.

Ask Spain – renamed Al-Andalus for 600 years- about how 9/11 caused Muslim hordes to conquer their country.

Ask Charles Martel about 9/11′s relationship to Muslim hordes sweeping into France as they attempted to conquer Europe.

Or Jan Sobieski about 9/11′s effect on the Turkish Muslim hordes trying to conquer Europe once again.

woodNhead is more like it.

profitsbeard on May 14, 2012 at 5:42 PM

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