Barack Obama tried to change the subject from Rev. Wright over the past 6-8 weeks. It didn't work. Today, he decided to change friends. Barack Obama made it clear today that he thought Rev. Wright was wrong, destructive, and disrespectful. Things turned personal today.
Barack Obama held a press conference today in which he denounced his former pastor, Rev. Wright. Obama was visibly angry and upset about the antics of Rev. Wright, especially during the Q&A session at the National Press Club on Monday. Obama went out of his way to give the benefit of the doubt to Rev. Wright a few weeks ago during the race relations speech in Philadelphia.
Rev. Wright could have stayed out of the limelight for the duration of this presidential election cycle. The issue had died down in the public eye. Instead, Rev. Wright went on a 3-day media blitz on PBS, NAACP Detroit fundraiser and National Press Club. He clowned and showed himself to be very self-centered. He enjoyed himself during the NPC Q&A session. He had no concern about Barack Obama's future. Rev. Wright decided to go on national television with this foolishness.
Ba
rack Obama clearly divorced himself from Rev. Wright as a person, not just his comments. Obama realized over the past few days that Rev. Wright was no longer the same person that he knew over the past 20 years. Obama denounced 'ridiculous statements' made by Wright on AIDS, Farrakhan and such.
Now, we wait for the next punch to be thrown. After all, Rev. Wright is a former marine. He is a fighter... and it appears that he is also a very self-centered person that will not resist the urge to fight back. After describing Barack Obama as a phony politician over the past 3-days ... you wonder how he will respond to Obama's press conference remarks.
I'm very disappointed and sad in the road taken by Rev. Wright. All in
dications are that he is a very intelligent, charasmatic and motivational leader, preacher and theologian. He is a lousy friend, mentor and public figure. He decided that his personal pontification was more important than our nation's opportunity to elect the first African American president. Rev. Wright singlehandedly is putting Obama's presidential aspirations in jeopardy.
The next 72 hours is critical for Obama. He needs to successfully change the subject during his campaign in Indiana and North Carolina. If he can do it ... he may have a chance to win in both states. If we're still talking about Rev. Wright over the weekend ... then Obama may lose both states.
Barack Obama held a press conference today in which he denounced his former pastor, Rev. Wright. Obama was visibly angry and upset about the antics of Rev. Wright, especially during the Q&A session at the National Press Club on Monday. Obama went out of his way to give the benefit of the doubt to Rev. Wright a few weeks ago during the race relations speech in Philadelphia.
Rev. Wright could have stayed out of the limelight for the duration of this presidential election cycle. The issue had died down in the public eye. Instead, Rev. Wright went on a 3-day media blitz on PBS, NAACP Detroit fundraiser and National Press Club. He clowned and showed himself to be very self-centered. He enjoyed himself during the NPC Q&A session. He had no concern about Barack Obama's future. Rev. Wright decided to go on national television with this foolishness.
Ba
rack Obama clearly divorced himself from Rev. Wright as a person, not just his comments. Obama realized over the past few days that Rev. Wright was no longer the same person that he knew over the past 20 years. Obama denounced 'ridiculous statements' made by Wright on AIDS, Farrakhan and such.Now, we wait for the next punch to be thrown. After all, Rev. Wright is a former marine. He is a fighter... and it appears that he is also a very self-centered person that will not resist the urge to fight back. After describing Barack Obama as a phony politician over the past 3-days ... you wonder how he will respond to Obama's press conference remarks.
I'm very disappointed and sad in the road taken by Rev. Wright. All in
dications are that he is a very intelligent, charasmatic and motivational leader, preacher and theologian. He is a lousy friend, mentor and public figure. He decided that his personal pontification was more important than our nation's opportunity to elect the first African American president. Rev. Wright singlehandedly is putting Obama's presidential aspirations in jeopardy.The next 72 hours is critical for Obama. He needs to successfully change the subject during his campaign in Indiana and North Carolina. If he can do it ... he may have a chance to win in both states. If we're still talking about Rev. Wright over the weekend ... then Obama may lose both states.
What say u?
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteI say with "friends" like Rev. Wright, Barack doesn't need "enemies."
In fact, the skeptic in me has me wondering if Wright is actually working for the Clintons?! They couldn't have a better "friend."
But I'm more inclined to believe that it simply comes down to this_Wright is afflicted with the dual "curse" that befalls most preachers and politicians_
_Arrogance and Narcissism. It's all about him; Obama and the media be d*mned!
Truthiz - I fear that you are correct about Rev. Wright ... which means that he won't let today's words by Obama go without a reply ... which means more soundbytes from a guy that has already bitten his parishioner more than can be forgiven...
ReplyDeleteI give Farrahkan credit. He has held his powder when it comes to Obama ... because he knows the reaction that he would get if he injected himself into this campaign....
I agree with truthiz...Rev. Wright could have fallen back, and written his book, and waited patiently until this blew over, or at least until November.
ReplyDeleteI am terribly saddened and deeply concerned that Rev. Wright has cost Barack the election...there was no need for Rev. Wright to "save himself" here...no need for him to go on a tangent and add any fuel to the fire.
Rev. Wright made an ASS of himself!!! Seems to me like he threw Obama under the bus!
ReplyDeleteIf we're gonna lump the entire African-American community together, then when it comes to the direction we as a community need to go and the leadership we need going forward -- Wright would be analog, and Obama digital!
Dara
digitalherstory.com
I'm SO disappointed in Jeremiah Wright. Sure, he can say whatever he wants when he wants to, but he knew what the impact on Barack would be and he didn't care. And then to try to cloak his comments under some sort of defense of the Black Church is just ridiculous. Escorted by NOI? Oh please! What he has said and done over the past couple of days has nothing to do with God and more to do with his ego.
ReplyDeleteYou said that Rev.Wright is a fighter. I don't get it, who is he fighting and why? Perhaps for reasons unknown he has chosen to fight Obama, who knows. One thing is certain he is the only one who's going to get knocked out. He has single handedly destroyed any opportunity to be in the ear of the next President of the United States. What a foolish move.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Rev. Wright ~ Quote from coloredgirlswhohaveconsidered...
ReplyDelete"He has single handedly destroyed any opportunity to be in the ear of the next President of the United States. What a foolish move."
Interesting and TRUE observation however this election goes.
I will continue to lift Obama and his efforts to the Father prayer that Ibama is HIS choice to lead this nation in the way it should go. I pray others are doing the same.
All - One thing for sure ... we get another opportunity to observe how Obama responds in a crisis. Also, I'm hopeful that Rev. Wright has an inner circle that will reign him in for the next six months. We simply can't afford (m)any more sound bytes from him. As Ms. Marvalus suggested ... now is time for him to go into his study and write his book...
ReplyDeleteShazza - My take is that Obama divoced himself from a man, not from his christianity. He indicates that he no longer can support Jeremiah Wright. However, I see little in the way that Jeremiah Wright has been acting that makes him a sympathetic character. The issue is the presidency of the United States. Jeremiah Wright made it more difficult for his parishioner. That is poor judgement and poor leadership on his part (IMHO)...
ReplyDeleteI attended the NAACP dinner here in Detroit and Rev. Wrights comments were on point. The problem is that the Right Conservative MEDIA is hyping the controversy between Obama and Rev. Wright. Yes,the Rev is on a small ego trip but what does his comments have to do with the Presidential race and Obama. The answer is NOTHING but the Right Conservative MEDIA wants US to believe that this is important.
ReplyDeleteVillager, I am not a fan of Rev. Wright the man, but as a Preacher he is strong. His comments are just and true. He has a problem with Barack and could not contain himself, at the end of the day, if Obama loses, Rev. Wright will have lost the most. If Barack wins, Wright is still a big loser, a very loyal friend is gone.I used this as a lesson for young business people in blackinbusiness.org
ReplyDeleteYou just assumed something that is not true. His parishioners are in FULL SUPPORT of Jeremiah Wright and applauds him and Obama equally as reported today. There was no Under-the-Bus throwing with this issue.
ReplyDeleteWhat American (White and Skidish Blacks) fail to realize is that the media attacked Rev. Wright for almost two months straight. They attacked his Church, Wright then began getting personal threats and then his family began getting threats, soon his Church was getting bomb threats and all the while he was SILENT. They looped 2 minutes of of a 90 min sermon out of context and NO ONE IN THE MEDIA bothered to look into 40+ years of the man's commitment to AMERICA and his community.
Rev. Wright being a MAN of FAITH remained silent and canceled appearances for weeks to appease the POLITICAL CLIMATE. Now that he has gone back to what he has been doing WELL BEFORE there was ever an OBAMA, Ignorant folks just assume he should just GO AWAY because Obama Needs to be President.
You tell any MAN of FAITH to be silent for a GOVERNMENT and you will get the same reaction .... GOD ORDAINS ME TO NOT BE SILENT.
People can be swept up in the MADNESS and interputs that Rev. Wright is out for VENGEANCE or PERSONAL REASONS, he is ADDICTED to the SPOTLIGHT are the same people that believe that we will still find WMD's in Iraq. THE REAL IS THIS ..... Rev. Wright did not say anything that Obama did not already know or knew he would have to address.
Pat Buchanan, Oral Roberts, Mike Huckabee and many other GOVERNMENT RESPECTED pastors have said, did and ordained far worst than a Liberation Theology Pastor has said. Oh and by the way, 90% of all BLACK CHURCHES in AMERICAN preach Liberation Theology in in some form or another their practices.
The Issue isn't Rev. Wright or Obama, what has gotten people twisted is that the aural that is Obama shows that he is just a MAN with ambition and with his renouncing of his Pastor (and he has to do the same with his CHURCH)it will confirm that he will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to be President.
Rev. Wright is a Man of Faith, without a doubt in his HEART, knows his purpose in life and it isn't to MAKE SURE Obama become President. It never was when he spoke his first sermon nor will it be in his last. And if you REALLY LISTEN TO HIS SERMONS and even off script responses to the PRESS .. his views, opinions no matter how outrageous or true (depending on your point of view) he has a RIGHT TO EXPRESS IT as per the Constitution that guarantees FREEDOM OF RELIGION, EXPRESSION AND SPEECH.
Since I know people are going to attack ME on my views, I will give YOU and place to go for an alternative Viewpoint from an Obama Supporter on the same topic who warned that is ISSUE was going to happen.
Project Trinity
The perilous mission of Obama’s church.
(http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/
2008/04/07/080407fa_fact_sanneh)
Cliff - His comments at the NAACP dinner were on point. I agree. If he had stopped there then his legacy would have been repaired when he got the standing ovation (...although the photo-op of him and your mayor huggin' is one that he'll probably not hang on his wall of fame...). However, Jeremiah Wright didn't stop in Detroit or with the PBS interview. He didn't leave well enough alone. That isn't the fault of the media. That is the fault of ego and pride. I beleive that there is something about 'pride' in the Good Book...
ReplyDeleteJD - I don't doubt that Jeremiah Wright is strong as both a man and a preacher. The obvious results from his life as paramedic, marine, and pastor clearly show he has remarkable skills. At the end of the day, his weakness as a man ... his ego ... his inability to subjugate his own hurts so that the hurts of his community, his people and our nation could be dealt with in the White House ... that weakness of spirit is what I (and many others) will judge him on. If Barack Obama loses this election as a result of Jeremiah Wright ... that is a negative legacy for Jeremiah Wright that will never be lived down...
ReplyDeleteShazza - I listened to Jeremiah Wright on PBS ... at the NAACP dinner ... and at the Press Club. His prepared remarks and his Q&A with his church colleage (Moyers) were on point. No question. He said things which are not new to me or other people of African descent.
ReplyDeleteJeremiah Wright lost me with his performance at the Press Club Q&A session. He let himself get too comfortable clowning with his invited guests and lost sight of the fact he was in the national spotlight. He lost sight of the whole purpose for his resurrection tour last weekend. He lost all credibility with me as someone that supports Barack Obama's effort to become POTUS. The only thing that was important during that Q&A was the arrogance and bombastic performance of a retired preacher.
This ain't about being skittish. This is about a man (Wright) who failed to see the larger picture.
I'm hopeful that calmer heads in his family and inner circle will prevail and he won't feel obligated to man-up with a response to Obama's press conference. I'm hopeful that Jeremiah Wright will lay low, write his book, and enjoy his retirement...
...at least until the election is over!
I am listening to other Religious leaders and like POLITICS, there is a line drown right down the middle between the Hillary and Obama Supporters.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for the media to pull out the Photos where each and all of them have posed and had meeting, accepted dollars from the Man and Trinity. I just saw how a Hillary (Super delegate) Supporter give a speech on how he respected and praised Louis Farrakhan and the N.O.I. for his work in Chicago and Philadelphia.
I wrote, " ..... Rev. Wright did not say anything that Obama did not already know or knew he would have to address." My point is still the same and so are feelings of many people as well.
This is why the WHOLE ISSUE is laughable. Wright is a Pastor, he does nothing about correcting the Wrongs in America and Wright does not add to it. SO WHAT HE OFFENDED SOME REPORTERS that were asking questions that pushed the limits of "moot". The man could have answered them in a wife-beater .. DID ANYONE DISAGREE WITH THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS?