Barack Obama: Politicians
Yeah, like anyone is going to fall for this: Barack Obama has - finally, my God - ‘denounced‘ (kinda) Reverend Jeremiah Wright. “They certainly don’t portray accurately my values and beliefs. And if Reverend Wright thinks that that’s political posturing, as he put it, then he doesn’t know me very well. And based on his remarks yesterday, well, I may not know him as well as I thought, either,” the Senator from Illinois said.
Here:
You know, I have been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ since 1992. I have known Reverend Wright for almost 20 years. The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate and I believe that they do not portray accurately the perspective of the black church.
They certainly don’t portray accurately my values and beliefs. And if Reverend Wright thinks that that’s political posturing, as he put it, then he doesn’t know me very well. And based on his remarks yesterday, well, I may not know him as well as I thought, either…
There’s been great damage. You know, I — it may have been unintentional on his part, but, you know, I do not see that relationship being the same after this. Now, to some degree, you know — I know that one thing that he said was true, was that he wasn’t — you know, he was never my, quote-unquote, “spiritual adviser.”
He was never my “spiritual mentor.” He was — he was my pastor. And so to some extent, how, you know, the — the press characterized in the past that relationship, I think, wasn’t accurate.
But he was somebody who was my pastor, and married Michelle and I, and baptized my children, and prayed with us at — when we announced this race. And so, you know — so I’m disappointed.
O yes, now we’re all going to fall in line, saying that Obama finally did the right thing.
Right?
Well, not exactly.
The reason? We’re not damned idiots.
The good old Reverend simply repeated what he had said many times before. He did not say anything new. Obama’s denunciation then, is exactly what Wright said it was: political posturing.
Dude, Mr. Obama, dear Senator: we’re no fools. We understand that you only did this in order to get elected. Not because you were offended. Why? Because Wright had said these things in the past. And still you let the raving lunatic baptize your daughters. Still you let him marry you and Michelle.
You’re a fake, you’re a hypocrite.
That’s all.
What’s most interesting is that Obama said that he couldn’t disown Wright, simply because disowning Wright would equal disowning the entire African-American community. But now, all of a sudden, he can disown Wright (even thought he good old pastor said nothing new). Did Obama just disown the African-American community?
Like Dad used to say, “A Day Late and a Dollar Short”. Barack Obama is now denouncing his former mentor/spiritual leader.
O yes, it was politics:
I’m watching MSNBC and Andrea Mitchell is asking NBC correspondent Athena Jones why Obama chose now to finally, unequivocally, part ways with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. In her reporting wisdom, Jones is talking about how Wright offended Obama with his remarks yesterday at the National Press Club. I don’t think so.
My guess is it had something to do with the poll call I got last night. All questions were about the Obama-Wright relationship and whether that made me think more unfavorably about Barack Obama. Then they asked if I was more inclined now to vote for Hillary since this blew up. Due respect to Athena, but she should do a little more reporting and actually ask Obama why he did what he did a few minutes ago.
I would put money on the fact that Obama saw the results of that snap poll and said, “My God, I’ve got to ditch this guy.”
Q&A.
1) Why the change in tone between now and yesterday? Obama: “I hadn’t seen it…He wasn’t just defending himself. He was presenting a worldview…What particularly angered me was the suggestion that my previous remarks were political posturing…”
Ok. Let’s be clear then: It wasn’t the fact that Wright has been spewing this same recycled crap for years that finally got Obama mad. It was that he finally realized it was hurting his campaign. And he was personally miffed by Wright’s insults against him.
2) What does this say about your judgment to superdelegates? “The person I saw was not the person that I’d come to know over 20 years…Shocked me, surprised me.”
Bullcrap.
Anyone with eye
Allahpundit (words it perfectly):
The bottom line: After 20 years of friendship, if Obama didn’t know Wright held these beliefs he’s a moron and if he did know he’s a fraud.
Obama’s Philidelphia race speech looks ridiculous now.
I agree that this is a flip flop. Wrights message did not change, yet Obama’s position on that message changed. The only thing thin that changed was time. That being said, it is true that the company you keep helps define the person. However, I am not sure that being bashed over the head by the Obama-Wright relationship in the news at this point has just become noise. I think people have formed their opinions already, and moved on regarding this issue. What I think most people want to hear from the candidates are more about the real issues, not relationships, not he said-she said. What about the congress letting the "green tax rebate" to solar and wind companies expire? As we speak, some of these companies are moving to Germany. How can we tackle and slow down the rate at which the price of a barrel of oil is increasing that in turn is increasing the price of food? These summer gas tax holiday ideas are ridiculous. It seems that the coverage between the candidates belongs more in the realm of "EXTRA" and ‘Entertainment Tonight" than on Meet the press. I care, but care less about who a candidate hangs out with, and more about how he or she can help solve some of the big issues in this country.
What’s most interesting is that Obama said that he couldn’t disown Wright, simply because disowning Wright would equal disowning the entire African-American community. But now, all of a sudden, he can disown Wright (even thought he good old pastor said nothing new). Did Obama just disown the African-American community?
LOL.
I actually disagree a bit though. I do think Obama is sincerely angry at this point, and I don’t agree that the only thing that has changed is time.
I think that Obama and Wright each thought that they understood each other- that one was speaking (in a very outspoken, inflammatory way) as a preacher, and one as a politician. Obama’s take on that was that Wright doesn’t really mean all that stuff but just uses it to stir up righteous indignation to get people motivated to act to improve their community. This is a misunderstanding though, because lo and behold…Wright actually does believe everything he says and he’s not willing to back down.
For his part, Wright apparently thought that Obama agreed with him but <wink, wink> as a politician he couldn’t speak the same way. Turns out, Wright was mistaken as well- Obama doesn’t view the world anywhere near as starkly "us against them" as Wright does.
The anger that Obama expresses now seems genuine, because he truly seems to feel betrayed. Same with Wright’s willingness to hurt Obama- because he feels that the ‘understanding’ they had has been breached and that Obama is going too far with the politician talk, that he’s selling out basically.
That’s my take on it, anyway.
What seems odd is that a man as intelligent as Obama didn’t seem to understand the currents in racial politics; I would think he would have realized that he couldn’t straddle the line between militant black leaders and those who want to move toward a postracial society. That divide predates MLK and Malcolm X, and it seems obvious to me that we still need to come to terms with it. Obama seems to have thought we could skip over that and everyone would eventually just make nice.
My freaking God. Of course he does. If you don’t understand that, as Obama, you’re complete moron. This man has studied black liberation theology, constantly touts its ‘inventors,’ and talks about nothing else.
So your kind explanation basically means that Obama is an idiot.
O, and someone who has no problem with a preacher who lies to his flock.
I disagree. I think he’s angry, not because he feels betrayed, but because he thought that he could keep up the act. He didn’t think Wright would go after him this aggressively (he’s black and all). But Wright now probably considers Obama a traitor.
The real anger here is coming from Wright. Obama’s not angry; he’s just fighting for his political life, especially his standing in the African-American community.
Isn’t that the problem with his government vision as well? He thinks all problems and differences will be solved magically.