Because I refuse to say he threw him under the bus, which is now my least favorite expression in the English language. At any rate, Obama “distanced” himself from Wright:
“I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday,” he said.
Obama also distanced himself from the man in a way he has been reluctant to in the past.
“The person that I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago,” he said. “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,” he said.
“If Reverend Wright thinks that’s political posturing, as he put it, then he doesn’t know me very well and based on his remarks yesterday, I may not know him as well as I thought either.”
All the talking heads assured me he had to do this, and now he has. I am not sure why it was necessary, as it was pretty clear to me when listening to Wright the past few days that he was not speaking for Obama, but such is the guilt-by-association bullshit of the media.
As to Wright himself, well, I have my own thoughts. First and foremost, I guess I am no longer the delicate fainting flower that most other bloggers and media commenters are these days. I spent several years in the early days of this blog being all sorts of outraged about petty bullshit. I spent days calling Ted Rall an asshole (he still is, I think), days opining about what an asshole Michael Moore is, and so on. I got my panties all in a bunch about Ward Churchhill (also a dick), and stupid things Bill Maher may or may not have said, and so on.
And you know what? They may be assholes, or jerks, or whatever term you want to use, but they sure as hell didn’t run this economy into the ground. They aren’t responsible for turning a huge surplus into a several hundred billion dollar deficit. I have yet to read any memos from Barbra Streisand detailing how we should spy on American citizens.
And so it is with Jeremiah Wright. Is he a jerk? I don’t think there is any argument to be made that lately he hasn’t in fact been one big, giant, puckered asshole. His ego tour the past few days was all about him, but so what? I blame the media as much as I blame him. Is it an offensive notion that the government created aids? Absolutely, but I refuse to get all bent out of shape about it, because the government that tortures people and ran the Tuskegee experiment and wiretapped MLK for years opens itself up to crazy accusations like that.
So Jeremiah Wright has acted like a jackass the past few days, and he may have acted supremely selfishly by hurting Obama’s electoral chances. Regardless, he may be a flawed man, but that does not undo all the good he has done over the years. I don’t know of any bloggers with thirty years of service to the poor and the indigent. Get back to me when Chris Matthews feeds hungry people for three decades. And even with all his flaws, Jeremiah Wright did give us this quality bit of entertainment, and I have to admit to enjoying someone treat the media with the respect they deserve (which is to be mocked, have eyes rolled at them, and taunted as Wright did yesterday at the Press Club).
Maybe it is because I am totally and unrepentantly in the tank for Obama, but I just can’t get worked up over what his pastor said. Maybe it is because I am not religious, and I am used to religious people saying things that sound crazy. Or maybe I just refuse to spend any more time and energy getting worked up over and denouncing, distancing, and rejecting the wrong people- people who really don’t matter in the big scheme of things. If you have a memo from Jeremiah Wright to John Yoo showing how we should become a rogue nation, let me know. If you have pictures of Jeremiah Wright voting against the GI Bill, send it to me. If you have evidence of Jeremiah Wright training junior soldiers on the finer aspects of stacking and torturing naked Iraqi captives, pass them on.
Until then, I just can’t seem to get all worked up about the crazy scary black preacher that Obama has to “throw under the bus.”
*** Update ***
So it isn’t as though we really have anything else to talk about besides Jeremiah Wright. There are some countries in the world — probably most — which have so many big problems that they could ill-afford to devote much time and energy to a matter of this sort. Thankfully, the United States isn’t one of them. I believe it’s critical that we keep that in mind as we discuss him for the next seven months.
No shit.
Svensker
Amen. And Amen, I say again, to you. Amen!
And also LOL.
bhagamu
This was loud and clear. Meanwhile, Scalia thinks torture is a good idea.
STAHL: If someone’s in custody, as in Abu Ghraib, and they are brutalized, by a law enforcement person — if you listen to the expression “cruel and unusual punishment,” doesn’t that apply?
SCALIA: No. To the contrary. You think — Has anybody ever referred to torture as punishment? I don’t think so.
STAHL: Well I think if you’re in custody, and you have a policeman who’s taken you into custody–
SCALIA: And you say he’s punishing you? What’s he punishing you for? … When he’s hurting you in order to get information from you, you wouldn’t say he’s punishing you. What is he punishing you for?
Bernie
I hope there is a “silent majority” of Republicans like John out there come November.
Dork
This is the equivalent of what nearly everyone has…some crazy drunk uncle. Or in McCain’s case, his c#nt and trollop.
Apparently Matthews, Russert, O’Rielly, Hannity, Dobbs, the dumb blondes on Fox, AP reporters, Joke Line, and Broder dont have one between all of them. Amazing. What are the odds on this coincidence?
jake
Brilliant John.
Just think, if Wright stood up and claimed that AIDS (not lower case btw) was God’s punishment of teh ghey and abortion was part of a genocide program McCane would be watching some of his base drain away.
myiq2xu
Will Barack be disowning his dear old grandma next?
zmulls
Ouch! Ouch! OUCH!!!! My fingers HURT! You just burned up the screen, the CPU, and the keyboard! You’re on fire….
My favorite typo, though, is “John You” It makes it sound like the insult it is.
“John You!”
“Yeah??? Well, John You Too!!!!”
DougJ
I suspect that Wright will not go gentle under that good bus.
pablo
I did this at 5AM thinking Obama should give wright the heave-ho, and it looks like he did!
http://www.pabloonpolitics.com/
Love your view on many things John. Keep it up.
RH Potfry
The only place where Wright’s impact is dismissed is on liberal blogs. Meanwhile, the rest of the country is scratching their heads wondering why Obama spent 20 years listening to this raving lunatic. You can say it doesn’t matter until you are blue in the face: for most Americans, IT DOES MATTER.
40% just told Newsweek that they wouldn’t vote for Obama under any conditions. And that number is going to grow, quickly.
Game Over.
Chubbs
John, hold me. :)
You said exactly what I am thinking. The past week online and watching TV has got my anxiety up that somehow, someway Clinton is going to get this nomination and then we will get to hear all about Monica,Starr,Whitewater,Travelgate,who Bill has been stupping the last eight years,etc..
Democrats that think that Hillary has been “vetted” already and shouldn’t take a chance on Obama are in for a rude awakening if she gets the nomination this way. Not only will Republicans jump with glee to get all that dirty laundry back out, the Clintons aren’t going to have half the people in the Democratic party behind them for support since they have pissed all over them the last two months.
Everytime something like this comes up, I weep for my country. After the last eight years, I am all out of tears. America gets what it deserves when it votes. I just don’t want any of these “working class whites”(which I am one) bitching about sitting out on the curb asking for money in four years.
El Cid
This is very interesting, but we need to know what Obama feels about the Rev. Wright and why Obama hates America and wishes to don a black beret and black leather jacket and blow up math buildings while accusing the U.S. gov’t of having created HIV to destroy our flag pins.
Tim
Well put, John.
yet another jeff
Funny how so many people that don’t use public transportation everyone use public transportation metaphors like “under the bus” and “third rail of politics”.
OTOH, Scalia is right…they’re not being punished. Punishment is after conviction…and since they haven’t been tried, they are simply being tortured and not being given a trial, fair or otherwise.
Wonk
Does anyone else find themselves wondering if this “sister Souljah” moment might have been coordinated between Wright and the Obama campaign, to get this out of the way for good?
I’m an Obama supporter, and I’m not sure if it would impress me more or less if it were.
4tehlulz
That same Newsweek had Hillary behind Obama by 19.
FAIL
Louise
Re: The Assholes Who Made Today’s Statement Necessary:
Reading a transcript of Tweety making a fuss over Rev. Wright (over at digby’s almost made my brain explode. He shouts to the heavens (where God is employing special pundit-blocking headphones) that the good reverend is news because he, Tweety, says so; that it’s unfair but so what? Such a douchebag.
General Disorder
Obama strikes back. You can’t get more straight talking than that.
Everything else aside, how many more days is the media going to run with this BS?
The Other Steve
Hey, did you know about this old joke about Cheney masturbating while looking through a peep hole into the oval office?
Bush told the joke at the correspondents dinner. Isn’t that just kind of bizarre?
4tehlulz
>>I’m an Obama supporter
>>Website: http//hillaryis44.blogspot.com
lol
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
Yeah, let’s nominate the candidate who 49% said they wouldn’t vote for under any conditions. (Which I guess is the new definition of ‘unfavorable’.) It’ll be a McCainapalooza!
The Other Steve
I get the sense that most Americans can’t get worked up about this thing. But the news media is still living in 2002.
cbear
Why would he?
Oh Jeebus, is the Big Dog fucking her too?
Wonk
Just a hobby to keep me occupied until this godawful primary is over. :)
mapaghimagsik
I wish Matthews and friends would get washed away by a wave of disgust at this crap. Its all they talk about. Constantly.
At the same time, Newt Gingrich is making the case for Hillary. Because the Republicans really want the democrats to run the strongest candidate.
Am I jaded? I *still* am not that annoyed with Wright. I don’t think Obama has to embrace him or even endorse him, and for fuck’s sake there’s *so* much more important stuff going on.
This all just hurts. Like if stupid was hangover.
The Moar You Know
Hate to be a fanboy, but fuck, you knocked this one right out of the park. Your central point (you can point out the dicks, but they aren’t the ones that are running the richest nation on earth into the poorhouse) needs to be screamed from the rooftops, over and over again, until the public gets it.
Otherwise, not one damn thing is going to change.
Vishnu
“Maybe it is because I am totally and unrepentantly in the tank for Obama”
Sums it up nicely I believe.
DougJ
Thank God this is over. Now we can go back to criticizing Miley Cyrus for those Vanity Fair pictures.
The Other Steve
This guy’s a spoof. Check out his blog.
Vishnu
“Will Barack be disowning his dear old grandma next?”
Wait sir, didn’t he already call her a racist?
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
In the meantime, Hillary has decided that Obama’s appearance with Chris Wallace makes for a good opening for her own appearance on Fox.
With Bill O’Falafel.
Hillary’s superdelegate lead is at 19. What’re the odds that Obama catches up by next Tuesday?
The Other Steve
I’m waiting for the playboy spread.
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
I’m waiting for her to wind up passed out drunk with Jenna Bush and Mary-Kate Olsen.
Elroy's Lunch
Jeebus, what in the hell are are you channeling John? That was pitch-perfect. Keep it up!
cbear
Will she be dodging falafel fire?
Zig zag, baby, zig zag.
mapaghimagsik
I’m betting that the BillO interview is a fellatefest, because the rightwing tactic right now is to let Hillary get the nomination and then beat the shit out of her in the general.
Watch for some heavy petting from Falafelmania.
nightjar
Very good analysis John, although I might have only a slightly different take n Barack’s motives.
I am once again impressed by Obama’s depth of character and seemingly limitless compassion for his fellow man. He did it for mainly one reason, to save our beloved Tweety. Whose jowls were beginning to look alarmingly like the cheeks of his own ass (having not seen said cheeks, one can only imagine)
praise be BO. You have saved teh media wankerdumb.
firebrand
Hear, hear John. It’s nice to hear some sanity about Rev. Wright somewhere.
mg_65
Delurking to say, nice one, John. Too true.
jake
I thought we were going after Vanity Fair for those Miley Montana Cyrus pictures. And about Annie Lesbianowitz?
I suppose we could go after Billy Ray Joe Bob Cyrus but I don’t know if that’s allowed, him being not-brown, not-female and a fully licensed corporate entity.
Look, I’m a good American, just tell me where to aim my outrage and I’m there.
Countervail
I have to disagree. I saw the Bill Moyers interview with Reverend Wright and this is a man completely in command of his faculties. I have significant doubt that he didn’t know exactly what he was doing and that his intention is to use the opportunity of the spotlight to take his message to a wider audience. If anything, it’s he who threw Obama under the bus, not the other way around, nor was he somehow tricked into the Press Club event by a Clinton operative.
I also have significant doubts that Obama is necessarily as repudiating of the Rev. as well. I did an exercise a while back to compare the legislation track record of both Obama and Clinton. One thing that was striking to me that all of Obama’s symbolic legislation, days honoring people or causes etc., were all African-American oriented. Early black pioneers in science, sickle cell anemia, every piece of legislation like this was in honor of a specifically African-American cause. Not most but ALL. Not great people some of whom happened to be black but black people some of whom happened to be great. Not important causes that affect a diversity of people, but causes important to one racial group. This to me is not from the mindset that intends to bring people together.
Wonk
Hey, don’t crap on Jenna – remember, she might be voting for the MUP this fall.
cleek
yeah yeah, we know. the Hillary supporters are pledged to avenge her defeat by electing McCain. they’ve been saying that for months.
myiq2xu
Ah memories! From the BEST SPEECH ON RACE EVAH!:
As I recall, at least two denizens of this place claimed they were moved to tears just reading a transcript of that speech.
Buh-bye Rev. Wright. Sayonara Grandma. Adios black community.
myiq2xu
Not-Jenna is the hot one.
mrmobi
Well said, John.
We are all flawed, but what has happened to Rev. Wright over the past weeks is shameful, and I’m not surprised that he felt the need (damn the political consequences) to strike back for himself and his church.
Obama had to do this, and I hope it has the desired effect of changing the focus back to the, you know, actual issues.
firebrand
Oh look, the village idiot is here.
The Grand Panjandrum
Jesus. Toss Tweety and Ann Coulter on that pile and you might have the beginnings of a new porn sub-genre. If that thought doesn’t creep you out; you got issues.
4tehlulz
We should put Countervail and myiq in a steel cage to fight over their mutually exclusive Obama haet.
Whoever loses, we win.
p.lukasiak
I think the only reason it really mattered is that people didn’t know who Obama really was…”Jeremiah Wright” filled in some of the blanks, and not in a good way.
IMHO, today’s press conference was the end for Obama. Nobody is going to buy this “I didn’t know he was really like this” bullshit (even if its true, nobody’s gonna buy it.)
If Obama had said “yes, I’ve known all along he was like this, and I defended him in Philadephia because he was retiring, and I didn’t want to hurt the reputation of his church and the thousands of fine, god-fearing people who attend services there, and do God’s work in the community as members of the church” he might have gotten away with it.
But this whole Captain Renault “I’m shocked, SHOCKED, to find that there is gambling going on in here!” routine pretty much settles the “character” issue for Obama — he’s toast for November, because another huge blank about him has been filled in for the voters who were trying to understand who Obama is.
cleek
on the other hand, everybody knows who Hillary is. and they hate her.
p.lukasiak
Ah yes, the patented John Cole response to any bad news about Obama — change the subject to how awful the Bush administration (or John McCain) is.
Don’t worry, Cole, I didn’t gloat all that much when the scales were removed from your eyes about Bush and the GOP, and well you finally start seeing Obama as clearly as you now see Bush, I prominse not to gloat about that either — at least not “too much”
Robert McClelland
Obama threw himself under the bus. The only thing that has been accomplished is that the right wing noise machine now knows for certain that they own his black ass. Why do the Dumbocrats do this exact same thing every fucking time.
Tsulagi
Not an Obama boy, but I give him points for this and for not waiting to do it later. Don’t see it as throwing Wright under the bus so much as simply cutting off his coattails that Wright had climbed onto uninvited for the ride.
Didn’t see all of it, but during his long weekend ego tour through yesterday you could see Wright was really enjoying the spotlight and bigger microphone he was getting. Not to support Obama, but himself with maybe (maybe not) the thought/desire of becoming a national celebrity. Like the MUP, he seems to love to talk. Obama is simply now telling him to do it on his own.
nightjar
Lookee, lookee, It’s back for the 99th declaration of Obama’s downfall and 99th time of being wrong. Give it up pluk, your ass is showing more and more every day.
ThymeZone
Good post John. Obama did the right thing.
Wright’s appearance yesterday at the Press Club was pretty obnoxious, and one can only wonder what he was thinking. The only rational answer I can come up with is that he is either tring to drum up churn for book sales and appearance fees, or else he has just fallen in love with his own fame.
In either case, he obviously doesn’t respect Barack Obama or the people who have worked for Obama or support his candidacy, and in that case, I see no reason for Barack to support him either.
I look forward to hanging the albatross of John Hagee around the neck of the corpse of John McCain.
Xanthippas
Here’s Marc Ambinder writing in the wake of the junk-kicking:
Kill me. Or better yet…kill the MSM.
Sue F
Look he’s dealt with this already, the HRC supporters and GOPER wing nuts and many blow bags in the media will keep this going because apparently our economy, gas prices, home foreclosures, Iraq, Afghanistan, no jobs, schools crumbling, education system that sucks isn’t appropriate news to talk about, we must all talk about Rev. Wright 24/7, enough already. His name isn’t on the ballot, but I guess when you have nothing else (Hillary) or (McCain) you keep this going. Isn’t it nice to know that Hillary’s bff and big supporter arranged all these speaking engagements for Rev. Wright! Oh, my say it aint so Hillary, your so honest and truthful, I’m sure you knew nothing about that.
This is getting to the point of nasuea.
Josh E.
Hey now, P. Luk played a key role in destroying Dan Rather’s career. It was unintentional, as he was aiming at George Dubya, but still. The guy knows from big-time fuck ups.
Hee Haw McJesus
Gadooga dagga dinga dong Pelosi ginga dang flag bunga freedom hagga blagga terriss g’merica. moonbat.
Sasha
In the event that Hillary disillusions you, I’m sure that our kind host will not be too unseemly in his self-satisfaction either.
Ted
Oh just shut the fuck up and go somewhere else. You know, somewhere where you’re not loathed by all the regulars.
p.lukasiak
actually, it wasn’t key. It was tertiary.
mrmobi
Grandma still loves him, rest assured. She’s not learning impaired like you.
I’ll bet even Rev. Wright remains proud of him. This manufactured controversy has played out very badly for Obama, but he continues to win more superdelegates and will win NC handily. He continues to lead in all the important areas of this contest.
You actually think that the AA community will dump Obama and throw their vote to Hillary over this? Does that mean that Hillary has to stop dismissing the black vote in general and the black church experience in particular? Better let her know, there are goalposts to be moved.
Oh, also, better remind her that her own pastor praised Rev. Wright when this all started. She’ll have to renounce and reject him now, won’t she? Won’t she?
ThymeZone
Well, that’s exactly why he and his low-iq sockpuppet hang around here. It’s the essence of trolling, to stir up shit and get attention.
jake
You’ll be hearing from my therapist and lawyer.
Mr Furious
Probably the only thing I’ve ever agrees with, myiq
DragonScholar
My take?
Obama defended a person who he knew for years in a heartfelt manner, a person he’d seen do a lot of good.
Said person made an idiot of themselves when they got the public spotlight. Barak put the smackdown on said person just as eloquently.
In other words, the kind of behavior you’d expect of a mature adult. Unfortunately there’s not enough such people in politics or the media.
And if Hillary capitalizes on it, I’d remind her that you can often be surprised by the people you know intimately. Even a husband. As for McCain, well, he changes his mind so constantly it’s not worth saying any more about.
Genine
Great post, John! If you were on stage, I’d take off my bra and toss it at you!
(*and I happen to have a very nice rack)
Pooh
John,
As my man Rod Benson would say, “Boom Tho!”
firebrand
p.luk, I promise that when Obama beats Hillary, I will gloat about it too much. Excessively.
4tehlulz
Is this guro?
Buck
It’s a long time until August.
TR
Don’t knock MyIQis2, he just inspired me to donate another $100 to Obama.
mrmobi
P.luk, if you were a Democrat, I wouldn’t have had to correct your statement.
Real Democrats don’t smear their own candidates when trying to win the party’s nomination. But then, you belong to the Rove wing of the Hillary Party, not that other one, you know, the one which advocates for progressive principles.
Luckily for all of us, Hillary is probably a much better person than some of her supporters.
Hypothetical there Paul, if Hillary does end up winning the nomination, and she picks Barack to be her running mate, you’re voting McCain, correct? Because I just don’t see how Obama can be the “empty suit,” and the “black separatist hate-monger,” one day, and Vice President the next.
Do you?
nightjar
His mission, like all the other hill drones, is to make sure if Hillary can’t be the nominee this year then she can in 2012. If he was a democrat with an ounce of worth, he’d be supporting and defending the candidate who can’t be overtaken in votes and not the one who can only win via “the smoke filled room”. That about right there pluk?
myiq2xu
You obviously didn’t read “The Audacity of Hope.”
(Hint: It was named after a sermon by Rev. Wright)
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
No comment from mytroll and patronizing.luk on Hillary’s upcoming appearance with O’Reilly? C’mon, guys, give us the early scoop on why its good for the party if the two team up to bash Obama.
myiq2xu
I’m not sure which is worse – if he knew and lied about it or sat there for 20 years without noticing.
Chris Johnson
As far as I’m concerned, intelligent adult people are allowed to criticize each other. No buses or junk need apply.
Unless I’m missing something, Obama respectfully and clearly criticised Wright’s _current_ behavior.
I’m not sure Wright isn’t. Was the big tinfoilhat moment accusing the government of creating AIDS? I’ve actually heard that before, though it wants serious proof. You’re not going to get me to automatically rule it out and get mad at Wright for believing it. He’s allowed to believe that, whether or not it turns out to be correct.
Adults don’t kick each other in the junk or throw each other under buses. They criticise, perhaps harshly or hotly, but within a context where it’s not unthinkable for a person to believe something that’s stupid, where you aren’t given the choice of either ‘physically attack’ the person or you must be just like them.
What the hell has happened to this country that it thinks like 8-year-old superhero comics across the board? I’m sure I remember people on both sides of the aisle capable of thinking instead of acting like the Three Stooges 24/7.
nightjar
Lordy now!
jnfr
Perfectly stated, John. Thank you.
myiq2xu
If people would have paid more attention to the warning signs about Bush 8 years ago we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Unqualified, inexperienced, narcissist.
Davebo
By the way John, it seems Rick Moran is desperately trying to live up to the name of his blog.
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
Hillary Clinton. Oh, wait-
myiq2xu
You must want McCain to be President.
D-Chance.
Well, well, well, this IS interesting. The “crazy old uncle” who can’t be “disowned” is now being… disowned.
But, dear MUPpets and MUPpetry everywhere, take note; Reverend Wright is the SECOND close ally to Obama to tell the world that he’s nothing more than a charming snake oil salesman… a sham… an empty-suit with flowery rhetoric.
First, Susan Rice; now, Jeremiah Wright. Obama’s closest allies are his worst enemies. The more they talk, the farther back they pull the curtain on the Wiz.
myiq2xu
Oops, I forgot “cult of personality.”
Sasha
The ‘net needs virtual bras to toss.
Me too. My pots and pans look much better there.
Olly McPherson
Reading the responses to this, I fail to see how Reverend Wright is somehow obligated to keep his mouth shut or shy away from the media for the benefit of Obama. You can disagree with what he says, but he engages the media from a moral perspective, not a political one.
Davebo
There are no tanks in Baghdad! The Americans are fleeing in fear!
We’ve turned a corner, just a few dead enders left.
The next sixty five state primaries will be crucial.
Math is hard!
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
Hillary Clinton. Dammit, I did it again.
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
Bill Clinton. Aw hell…
chopper
it is funny how hillbots will always point out that all the declarations of clinton being ‘done for’ are wrong, yet they continue to claim that obama is toast.
what, hillary clinton? oh wait-
Kevin K.
I used to think wingnuts were the most intellectually dishonest people in the world and I still do. Rabid anti-Obama Hillshills like myiq2xu are a whole different breed: ineffectually dishonest.
Great post, John.
firebrand
Don’t forget these ones – they certainly match the logic of the Clintonbots/Republicans these days:
War is Peace!
Freedom is Slavery!
Ignorance is Strength!
Wisdom
No, they told you so, and now you’re all trying to put lip stick on the pig. Well, at least in PA, character counts.
TR
Right. Can you point me to an Obama group as deranged and frothing as the Hillaryis44 cultists?
Pooh
Oh FSM’s sake, your vacuity knows no bounds. Why don’t you skip the half measures and ask why we hate America, you unrepentant tool.
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
Character counted for less than 55% of the vote. But feel free to define for us how ‘character’ helps the candidate of the Rose Law Firm, Marc Rich, Norman Hsu, and Baron von Muchausen’s Adventures in Tuzla.
TR
Really? Explain these two words: “Senator Santorum.”
Barry
John Cole: “And you know what? They may be assholes, or jerks, or whatever term you want to use, but they sure as hell didn’t run this economy into the ground. They aren’t responsible for for turning a huge surplus into a several hundred billion dollar deficit. I have yet to read any memos from Barbra Streisand detailing how we should spy on American citizens.”
Good f*cking post, John.
ThymeZone
Yep, that was the exact chant on Bill Clinton in 1992.
Now, based on what some people say, you’d think that pudgy piece of crap was the Second Coming of Jeebus.
Now his President by Injection wife wants to play that card against her adversary.
Sorry, we’ve been to one too many rodeos, cowgirls. Fool me twice, cain’t fool me agin’, to coin a phrase.
chopper
all fun aside, i’m wondering if this will put the reverend wright stuff to bed. not for the rest of the primary, mind you, i suspect clinton’s camp and fox will continue to bring the issue up for a little bit, squeeze what else they can out of it. but rather in the general, which i figure obama is aiming at with this press conference.
i mean, the guy is going to be the nominee. unless he gets hit by a meteor or something. and clinton knows this as much as anyone else. for whether reason you think she continues to go after him, whether it’s out of spite or to make sure mccain wins so she can run in ’12 or if she really intends to split the party in half, he’s going to be the nominee.
he knows this, and i guess this presser is his attempt to defuse something that could hurt him in the general. if it means taking a few lumps today and this week, well he has the nomination in the bag anyways.
myiq2xu
Try a mirror
Kevin K.
Or the No Quarter cultists or the Taylor Marsh cultists or the MyDD cultists …
Pb
Countervail,
You fail it.
Timb
Genine, let me the first to welcome you here. Stick around and, if gets too warm, then you can off the shirt too!
On a more light-hearted note, could the Hannity supporters, errr Hillary supporters help me out. If Obama said nothing about Wright, then Obama supposedly supported Wright and loved him and was a bastard like Wirght. If Obama denounces Wright and expresses outrage and shock, then he’s a bastard for thinking like Hannity/Hillary supporters?
How the hell does that work? I mean, is this election a “choose your own adventure” book for you fools? If he chooses “denounce”, turn to page 38…if he chooses, silence, turn to page 38.
Not only are you doing Rove and Limbaugh’s bidding, you’re doing it with glee?!? When you elect John McCain for the next four years, could you take Mathews and Brian Williams into the rathole with you?
ThymeZone
You’re an elk?
Who knew?
firebrand
With regards to cultists, another example of the pot calling the kettle black.
slag
Bookmarked in case I ever forget why I read this blog. That was a thing of beauty.
Genine
What can I say? I’m just full of surprises, TZ. I’m just full of surprises.
chopper
i want the democrat to win. you want hillary to win, party be damned.
clinton’s continued presence in this campaign ends up with the same result – a crippled democratic nominee.
either it’s obama, shot in the kneecaps by a member of his own party intent on doing the GOP’s job for them, or its clinton who wins the nom by wrecking the democratic party entirely and tossing her electoral base (as well as the boots on the ground necessary to win an election) into the wood chipper.
clinton had her chance to make argument to the voters. mrs ‘ready on day one’ didn’t actually convince anyone she was worth voting for until march when it was too late. sucks for her, but them’s the breaks.
one of the things about being a candidate for a political party, you gotta know when to gracefully bow out for the benefit of said party and stop damaging the only prospect of a democratic white house.
mrmobi
Ok Chris, I’m going to try to help here. Having read the comments of P.luk and myiq2xu for a few months now, I think I’m beginning to understand their perspective. Here’s how I think this works (for them) (it took me along time to figure this out, because I’m not as brilliant as they are):
Barack Obama heard his pastor say some stuff that he didn’t agree with over the course of 20 years and didn’t leave the church. This means he believes all of this stuff, including the stuff about the US Govt. creating AIDS.
So far, so good. (but kind of bad for Barack)
By extension, P.luk and myiq2xu must believe that all 8,500 or so parishoners at Trinity also believe this stuff, as well as the entire United Church of Christ, a mostly white church. And that means, that since the regional director of that church is a member at Trinity, that a white woman is an anti-American, Farrakhan-loving, black separatist who believes that the US created AIDS! Whew! This is hard work!
According to this logic, Obama should have kicked Wright in the junk, thrown him under the bus, and then blown up the bus. But it also means he’s going to have to denounce his church and the whole denomination. I know some white church-goers who are going to be pretty pissed off. (they didn’t even know they were black!)
Wow! Guilt-by-association is a tough hustle, isn’t it?
Can we please use this technique on John McCain now?
wobbly
I’m in the tank for Hillary, but I really sympathize with Obama on this one.
Wright betrayed him, pure and simple, for reasons I cannot begin to fathom.
What the hell?
And what was the Detroit NAACP THINKING when they gave Wright his platform???
This guy is talking the talk, walking the walk, of the NAACP???
Worse than that, he’s taking Malcolm X’s rhetoric and attitude and wrapping his arms around Farrakhan, who surely benefited from Malcolm’s murder, if he did not actually have a hand in it…
If this is the Christian in Obama’s life, he might have been better off as a genuine American Muslim, as is Keith Ellison, Democratic Congressman from Michigan.
Might have whipped Hillary in Dearborn, actually…
Seriously, this is bad for Obama, and just bad all around.
Tsulagi
Gee, thanks for the hint. Nope, haven’t read the book. Since you obviously have, can you point me toward the chapter(s) in the book written and released several years ago that speak to Wright’s future climbing onto an Obama presidential run for the good reverend’s personal benefit. Or easier for you, just quote the relevant passages.
ThymeZone
I have no doubt of it.
Penman
Longtime reader, first-time poster.
This post is a thing of beauty, rightly putting all this crap in perspective.
This post is why I will keep coming back.
Now you need a bigger megaphone. :)
Hypatia
Obama listened to Wright for two decades. Hard to believe his positions were defensible last week and beyond the pale today. Obama announcing that he has now Seen the Light and will have nothing further to do with the newly revealed bad guy doesn’t help much. Nor does it do much for the Obama supporters who went out on a limb defending Wright.
Obama had no choice, as the talking heads say. He did what most if not all politicians would have done – not because Wright became suddenly insupportable, but because a pol’s gotta do what a pol’s gotta do. This is not necessarily a character flaw (although I shudder to think of the personal abuse that would have been hurled at Clinton had she done something like this).
Looking on the bright side: Obama can hope that at a certain point people will start feeling sorry for him for being saddled with Wright, as if the latter were a sort of Billy Carter in the pulpit. Which wouldn’t quite be fair to Wright, not that I’d feel sorry for him. He has been showboating, but I don’t think he should be blamed for having priorities beyond Obama’s nomination chances. Politics aren’t everything, and I assume that as a trained theologian he’s more aware of that than most.
Congrats. So did Torquemada.
jake
I think she’s rather dear.
chopper
not really, clinton likely woulda chucked the dude under the bus the moment he became the slightest bit inconvenient.
Just Some Fuckhead
Do you have a link you can share?*
(*JC already has a pair of boobs: p.luk and myiq, so you’ve got a pretty low hurdle to vault)
Genine
Thanks for the welcome, Timb! I’ve been reading this blog for over a year and I’ve been commenting for a few weeks…
I wonder why I get the welcome now?
lol
cleek
yes yes. we all know re-evaluating a situation based on new evidence is a sure sign of a weak leader. it’s best just to Stay The Course and defend previously-held positions so as to not embolden the Enemy.
mrmobi
Clearly you are in the tank for Hillary, since you seem to imply here that Obama’s Christianity was somehow a convenient political choice, and that he could as easily be muslim, since his father was once. I’ve seen this thought expressed over at Talk Left, where they believe that everything Obama ever did was based on political calculation. Am I reading you wrong?
And Yes, I’m sure a black muslim would have a very easy time running for President… in about 200 years, maybe
D-Chance.
Sully’s reeeeeeeaching…
“but, but… that medicine DID cure my rheumatism! It AIN’T snake oil!”
In the meantime, the collective amnesia over the 90s continues. Bad, bad times, that decade. Peace, budget surplus, 23 million new jobs, relatively cheap energy… horrible stuff. We’d hate to see that happen again.
mapaghimagsik
I’m not sure where this “wrapping his arms around Farrakhan” came from. There was some nuance in what Wright said. He said he was an important voice, and then followed up with “we don’t always agree with him.”
We listen to Bush, even though we know he’s a crackpot. We have to. His voice, whether we like it or not, is important — getting less important every day, thank heavens, but *still*
Saying that someone is important, and should be listened to because they have an impact, isn’t necessarily adoration.
I also think Wright made another point which is kind of missed. I didn’t hear him say that Obama was a liar. He said he was answerable to the American people, while Wright felt his profession left him answerable to God.
I do think Obama did the right thing here, and I think that Wright and Obama going separate ways is a good thing. At the same time, Wright is an important voice that everyone should give a listen to — we might not like the delivery, and I think he’s working for a non-existent entity, and I don’t agree with everything he says.
I hope we haven’t reached the point that its a given we can decide people we don’t agree with are not important and shouldn’t be listened to.
mapaghimagsik
Which is probably 200 years before an atheist would be elected.
Josh E.
Hee hee. Talk Left is pretty funny right about now. The racist purse-clutching white ladies are howling about how this will only make things worse, and Banal Tedious Douchebag is banning people right and left.
Just Some Fuckhead
It certainly was a lot easier to focus on the real issues when everyone thought Obama was a Muslim. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.
Libby Spencer
Bejus. I posted at least six or seven entries over three different blogs trying to convey what you just said and now I wished I had just waited for you to weigh in so I could link to this and save myself all that work. Well said.
chopper
unfortunately, there’s also a ‘collective idiocy’ over the 90s, namely this idea that if you put someone in the white house with the same name as the dude who was around back then, the prosperity of the time will magically reappear.
as if bill clinton was the source of the prosperity of the 90’s. shit, big dog did a good job, mostly by just getting the fuck out of the way and letting the system grow without fucking with it. you think the tech sector wouldn’t have boomed without the dude?
besides which, you think any democrat can make energy cheap again? if so, you must be swimming in a tank of kool-aid.
TR
Wow. What a burn. Are you posting here from study hall?
Lesley
But…. just how long ago was it that Obama considered Wright like a member of his own family?
I honestly believe that this is an issue where we may not hear the truth but instead have to read between the lines.
Josh E.
The Hills has a plan to re-inflate the tech bubble and reverse peak oil? Please describe! I couldn’t find it on her website.
montysano
John Cole said:
My take on this is very different. Wright saw his “thirty years of service” being trashed by the idiot bobbleheads in the media. Instead of whimpering in the corner like most recent Swiftboat-ees, he came out swinging.
OK, I’ll argue. I’m happy with about 95% of what he said. The AIDs thing? Eh, not so much. But to say that the USA has used terrorism? Well, someone needed to say it. After all, what is “Shock & Awe” if not terrorism? What was Clinton’s bombing of the drug factory in Africa if not terrorism? All war contains some use of terror tactics.
He said that God(-dess, Who/Whatever) might be displeased with our actions. Somebody needed to say it.
If Obama comes out with a Big Denounce, I personally will find it deeply disappointing. Maybe the bobbleheads are right: it’s what’s required if he wants to get elected. However, if that’s the sad state that we’ve reached, then we deserve whatever president that Tweety and the boys choose for us.
ThymeZone
Yeah, you know, I don’t think that they are going to get too far with this line of BS in the general election. It’s shelf life is about as long as the primary season.
The GOP has rested its political fortunes solidly on the “christian” demographic characterized by Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, and now John Hagee.
These are profoundly sick, sociopathic, anti-American people selling toxic ideas and blaming natural disasters on Americans and their sins. If the Republicans think that they are going to get a general election free ride around something like Wright, they have another guess coming. I am in favor of shoving their crazy “christian” benefactors right up their sorry asses, in fact, making this general election ALL about their sellout to the nut fringe of the religious right wing. Let’s have that contest, and see who wins.
Idiotic
THIS IS GREAT NEWS!! FOR HILLARY!!
DougJ
That’s assuming we’re out of Iraq by then.
DougJ
Because Lord knows none of us has ever told family members that they needed to shut up.
CT
Obama had to do this-he gave Wright the benefit of the doubt in his Philly speech as someone who infrequently crossed the line and said some dumb stuff out of (understandable) bitterness. You could forgive Wright for getting caught up in the moment while preaching and saying some over the top stuff.
But what he did yesterday is firmly embrace the stuff he had said earlier and embrace a mentality that runs contrary to what Obama is running on.
Richard Bottoms
Great post.
John S.
Wright comes out of the woodwork all of a sudden and goes on a full-on media blitz. Why now? Many have posited that he just couldn’t sit idly by anymore while he got trashed while others (tinfoil hat-wearers) think the Clinton campaign had something to do with it. Bill Maher simply chalked it up to Wright being a ‘dick’ after Obama initially refused to kick him in the junk. Or perhaps Wright is just siezing his moment in the spotlight at Obama’s expense. There are many possibilites.
I have a slightly different theory.
I think it is entirely possible that Obama and Wright are playing the media like a fiddle. That’s right – this bullshit is entirely orchestrated. This is the one issue where Hillary and the GOP saw an open door of attack, and just because it died down recently a bit doesn’t mean it would go away. So Obama takes the opposite tactic and sends Wright out there to look even more controversial – even attacking Obama – specifically for the purpose of creating ample opportunity for him to sever himself (politically) from Wright for good.
Obama and Wright are both very smart. They know what is at stake. And they both have the same goal. So while this public ‘schism’ betwixt them seems like how Cole and others describe it, it just doesn’t make sense. But it sure as hell may work.
Is Wright still going to be an effective line of attack against Obama now? Perhaps, but I think Obama – with the help of Wright – just stole a lot of its thunder.
mrmobi
Your point, that atheists are more radioactive than muslims in this country, is well taken.
And wouldn’t it be ironic if Obamas’ embrace of Christianity (just not the right, or should I say white, kind of Christianity) ended up being the very thing which torpedoed his run?
I sincerely hope it isn’t, but, as an atheist, I’m sick of how this idiotic guilt-by-association non-issue is consuming all the oxygen in the room.
Obama, for all his Christianity, is a leader who keeps his religion in perspective, as is shown by this, from the debate with Alan Keyes (the most bat-shit insane black man on the planet) during his Senate campaign:
It will be a real shame if we lose the opportunity to elect someone as well spoken as Obama. As soon as payday comes up again, I’m sending BO some more money.
Scrutinizer
What montysanto said.
CT opined:
And that’s bad because? If Wright is embracing what he’s said all along, then that’s the textbook definition of integrity. You might not agree with what he says, but he certainly has a right to it. I don’t agree with some of the way out stuff either (AIDS, his theories of education, etc), but the vast majority of what Wright says is no different in content than stuff that is posted every day on the GOS, either on the front page and in recc’ed diaries. Wright certainly shouldn’t have to check with Obama before he gives a talk.
What saddens me about this whole affair is how Obama has become responsible for what Wright says. Is the take-away lesson here that we are supposed to roundly reject anyone in our lives who don’t spout the same political ideas and religious beliefs we have? In that case, I have to start by renouncing and rejecting my wife, my family, my daughter, half the people I work with, (at least)…
This is all so deeply stupid, that we as a party have no answer for these kinds of attacks (hell, there are people in this party that lap this shit up), and that we as a country enable mass media to focus on what amounts to triviality.
chopper
this aint a rope-a-dope move, dogg.
MDee
This should not come as a surprise since their candidate of choice probably schedules bathroom breaks and sneezes as political calculations. Hillary Clinton has never met a political calculation she hasn’t wined, dined and engaged in hot steamy trigonomentry.
Tsulagi
An orchestrated Sister Souljah moment? That would be too clever by way more than half.
Obama needs Wright off the news cycles. Too many voters might be asking others at work or maybe at home “Hey, who’s this Wright guy I keep seeing or hearing about when flipping the channels?” Then maybe get an in-depth answer from someone following it just as closely “Oh, some black preacher who likes to say ‘God Damn America’ or the country is ‘The U.S. of KKA’. He and Obama go way back.”
They might miss the nuance. But then, Obama is The Transcender. I have faith.
John S.
It is sad, but as I said I believe this is all political theater.
While it may seem that Obama and Wright are publicly at odds (which is very good for Obama politically), does anybody have the slightest clue as to their relationship in private? Of course not.
Publicly, they gave everyone (except Hillary and the GOP) what they wanted. Privately, they may very well be having a drink and laughing their asses off.
chopper
i’ve never heard clintonian triangulation referred to that way. and i don’t wish to hear such ever again.
Sasha
Heh, reminds me of one of my favorite Onion articles. Disturbingly prescient.
Regardless, it is ridiculous to assume that one person named Clinton will be able to replicate the success of another (assuming after all the damage W. has done, it is even possible), without any other qualifiers. Frankly, IMHO, Obama is much more capable of recapturing anything resembling “Our Long National Nightmare of Peace and Prosperity”.
chopper
exactly. gas is never going to be as cheap as it was back in the 90s no matter who is in the WH. and as pointed out above, if clinton has a secret plan to reinflate the tech bubble, we aint seen it.
then again, we put another bush in the white house and got another recession and another war in iraq, so who knows?
jake
ZOMG! Y doz Obama h8 familieze?!
Dennis - SGMM
Oooo, let’s do a Cargo Cult thing and name every president “Bill Clinton,” that way we’ll be in the Nineties forever and ever! I’m sure that it had nothing to do with cheap energy and the tech bubble, it’s that Clinton Magic. Yep. There will be another Internet and oil will magically appear where there was none before. There will be a few other little things, like the current “Bill Clinton” will have to sign lots of Republican legislation into law and appoint his/her totally unqualified spouse to botch universal health care in every term but, that’s a small price to pay.
area man
Fuckin’ A! Not to mention our use of torture which, as Naomi Klein’s recent book on ‘Disaster Capitalism’ notes, is more about inflicting terror than extracting any actionable intelligence.
While I understand the game that Obama has to play here, I’m also not all that surprised or bothered by what Wright says and do derive some measure of satisfaction of seeing him punch back at the chattering classes. Loved the swipe at ol’ ‘5 Deferments’ Dick Cheney, too. That can’t be pointed out enough.
Still quite remarkable how McCain and Hagee is completely unremarked upon by the SCLM. Hagee’s rhetoric is easily as inflammatory and hateful as Wright’s, but it is apparently just fine for Repubs to have crazy ministers in their camp. Wasn’t Hillary also involved in some kinda creepy prayer circle with conservative Repubs? Lie down with dogs…
John S.
Is it really beyond the realm of possibility considering that he is now the frontrunner against what seemed to be the inevitable and all powerful Clinton?
Consider this a homeopathic remedy. There is no way to keep the Wright story out of the news. So rather than hide from it, you blow the shit wide open and let it dominate the news cycle. Rather than the headlines reading:
They read:
Which do you think his campaign prefers?
chopper
don’t forget the markets opened by the fall of communism. little known fact: bill clinton singlehandedly knocked down the iron curtain.
nightjar
This is the point. If everyone would step for a minute and look at all this from a distance, the silliness and Mccarthyite stank of what is happening would be clear.
For the past 4 or 5 months, there has been a small army of reporters, bloggers, and campaign operatives turning over every damn stone surrounding Obama’s life and what have they found. Not a shred of evidence that Obama has written, said, or voted in a manner that would create the slightest appearance that he agrees with Wright. Nada, Nothing, zip ,other than he’s his reverend and may or may not have been a spiritual mentor.
The same thing could be said about Rezko, other than some interaction between the two on Obama buying his place of residence, there is zilch evidence Obama has done anything improper or unethical. It’s even being aired in court by Patrick Fitzgerald himself ( mister no stone unturned himself) and no mention of Obama and wrongdoing.
Ditto on the accusations of shady relations with a former terrorist, Bill Ayers. They live in the same neighborhood and sit on a community action committee. Obama was in his house once for a community political strategy session with other local leaders or whatever. And nothing else, except the rabid imaginations of the press, wingnuts, and Clintonuts.
Next stupid headline. Obama Eats in Restaurant With Hot Babe
Waitresses. Is He Cheating on His Wife?
Wake me up for the Apocalypse please, till then…
MDee
Thank you for this post and thank you Balloon Juice for not engaging in the Fox/Obama idiocy like the rest of my usual blog stops. Ah, sanctuary; where even the trolls are predictable and harmless.
This is the one place where I don’t feel the compulsion to type, Serenity now! Serenity Now! Serenity Now!, every five seconds.
DougJ
That’s assuming the War on Christmas is over by then. Anyone know what McCain is estimating as a time frame there?
flyerhawk
Great response, John. Spot on.
I would disagree that Wright isn’t being an asshole. He is simply being the person he is.
Reverend Wright is accustomed to speaking to audiences that, at the very least, WANTED to believe what he had to say. His comments didn’t really need to be tempered to appease those that may take offense. If they offended someone, so be it. Let them walk away.
That doesn’t mean he is insane or an asshole. It means that he doesn’t really know how to compose his message in a more digestible format in which the national electorate would find it acceptable.
And he isn’t particularly noteworthy in this regard. Many, if not most, preachers say things that non-believers and skeptics may find offensive. The only difference is that we ACCEPT those offensive words because they are ingrained in our culture and few people really examine those comments.
Obama had to disown Wright at this point because it is clear that Wright won’t go away. Maybe he should, out of respect of Obama, but that would fly in the fact of his entire life’s work. This is the largest audience he has ever reached and not only has not been able to deliver the message he wants to, he likely feels his message has been twisted by the very forces in this country that he despises.
I think this is a swan song for Wright. Obama has probably turned off his mike with his comments today. If Wright says more dumb things Obama will simply repeat the same thing he said today.
Having said all that I now fully realize that racism is not a monopoly of the Right. It is a alive and well on the Left. To see people who ostensibly claim they are liberals bring out the ever-popular black man with a black agenda trope against Obama proves this to be so.
It makes me think that the only way a black man could become President is if he is Clarence Thomas crazy-right. Because it seems clear that even “Liberals” will bring out pathetic bogeyman arguments.
grandpajohn
The fucking Corporate MSM that is concerned only with the bottom line.If there is anyone presently saying Goddamn America, it is the media whores who have sold their souls for somewhat more than 30 pieces of silver to their corporate bosses Because they as much as anybody are responsible for the decline of a free and democratic America that is taking place
I have reached the point that I consider the behavior of our so called press more despicable that that of the administration. After all, we expect politicians to be with out integrity and to behave unethically, we don’t expect it from our media.
At 70 years of age, I have lived through many presidential elections, the first one I have some memory of was Truman/Dewey in 1948. But during all those elections I have never seen the gross unethical behavior from the media that I have seen since the 2000 election. Can anyone here imagine an Ed Murrow or a Walter Cronkite spending their time on their shows talking about one of the candidates preacher while ignoring a war that is bankrupting our country along with all the loss of life occurring,a looming recession, massive job losses and home foreclosures. I keep hoping that my wife will finally win the lottery, her dream is to buy an island somewhere large enough so that we can pack up our close family, anyone that wants to go, and get the hell out of Dodge, Leaving South Carolina to the republican rednecks and idiots.
Take the oath folks, as I have. I no longer watch any network nightly news programs, I do not watch CNN or any of the other cable news channels.
truth machine
It’s amusing to see Republicans call Democrats assholes. Some of the latter may be a bit puckered and smelly, but the vast majority of the former are gaping crevices spewing a non-stop stream of the foulest filth.
w vincentz
It’s all about the distraction factor. Distract, distract, distract.
MSM has done this so much that it should be obvious.
Oh! Look! Let’s headline six news cycles about Wright and his indoctrinated congregant, Obama.
Obama rightly said, “ENOUGH!”
This decisive action should bring the discussion back to the issues that are crucial to the citizens that formulate their votes to cast.
At least, let’s hope.
Did McSame really flip flop about withdrawing US troops from Iraq? Did the DoD really use retired generals to propagandize the populace to sell the war? Did GWB really look good conducting the Marine Corps band at the Press dinner (headbobs and shoulder motion included)?
Oh no! Never mind….
Miley wasn’t wearing a bra, more than half of those little Mormon polygamy girls were prego or somesuch…anybody know what Paris Hilton is doing lately?
OK…let’s talk about Wright some more. That’s REALLY fucking important, right? Bytheway, doesn’t Barack suck at bowling?
The fucking Main Stream Media is so lacking that its role of providing an “informed populace” with the information required to make important decisions regarding their governance it makes me vomit.
BTW…MSM is controlled by eight corporations (some that also have conflicting interests as defense beneficiaries – think GE). Shame on MSM.
America deserves far better than mind control and distractons.
Let’s discuss ISSUES. PLEASE!
chopper
i was just thinking the same thing. wouldn’t it be great if there were an island or some place you could escape to? and you could invite people who weren’t complete morons to come and live there? maybe an entire planet, that would be wonderful.
problem is the idiots will always find you. they’ll always track you down, show up and be all ‘hey, this is a nice island. i like how there’s no smog. my uncle would love to set up his smoke-belching tire factory in a great locale like this’. or the people you bring with will have kids, and some of those kids will turn out to be idiots.
the basic problem is that human beings are, on the whole, stupid and insane. stick two of us in a room and we’ll eventually come up with some reason to torture and kill each other for, well, for the fuck of it really. there are two basic rules to living on this earth: 1) humanity is the worst thing that has ever happened to this planet and 2) you can’t get away from humanity.
can you tell i’ve been drinking?
HyperIon
well, duh.
but my sincere condolences for your current exile in SC.
i was once sentenced to a year in greenvile.
HyperIon
in vino veritas.
Just Some Fuckhead
Ah, yes. Where Appalachia meets the Deep South and neither are the better for it. BJU Alum?
Just Some Fuckhead
Wow JC – a link from Kevin Drum. Make sure you print and frame it.
Tsulagi
Not saying it’s beyond the realm of possibility. Just saying it would be a stupid thing to do. Personally, I believe Obama is smarter than that.
What, like cutting open a vein in an attempt to get bee-sting venom out?
Regardless of how clever you’d think you’re orchestrating it, far more often than not your first headline would be the one in print…
And they would be right.
Obama doesn’t need Wright in the news cycles. Even his announcement today appears defensive. Would it really help him and his candidacy to keep this alive being ass deep in questions like “When did you first hear Wright condemn the country comparing it to a terrorist state in its own right? Did you talk to Rev. Wright at that time, or were you still comfortable sitting quietly in the pews upon hearing it? Do you fully or just partially believe powerful white guys created AIDS to kill poor black people?” There’d be a lot more.
Not saying in any way those are legitimate questions. Of course no reporter would ask questions like those merely in the hope of getting an attention-grabbing headline.
No good comes to Obama’s candidacy having Wright in the news. But if Obama thinks differently, he only need wait till the general if he has the nomination. GOP will make sure of that, while of course McCain publicly laments its occurrence and asks supporters not to take the low road. They got that schtick down. So talking about it now will not make it go away later. Count on it.
HyperIon
christ, no.
i was amazed when i saw the razor wire around the campus.
to keep the heathen out, i guess.
Bruce Moomaw
This may not be an adequate argument for voting for McCain over Obama (although, given how close they already are, a possibly decisive number of people other than me WILL think it is). But it’s a pretty good reason to vote for Hillary over Obama. I mean, the guy sat around for TWENTY YEARS listening to this garbage without objecting to it once, and there is now no conceivable way he can convincingly deny that Wright said it FREQUENTLY during his sermons. (The other good reason for now voting for Hillary over Obama, of course, is the first one I mmentioned — if the Dems nominate Barack at this point, they’re probably dead ducks in the general election.)
Of course, the garbage on the Clintons (as Joe Klein is the most recent to point out) has yet to come in as well — and that concerns not the overrated “scandals” of their time in the White House, but Bill’s energetic influence-peddling AFTER leaving the White House (or, in the case of pardons, just before leaving it) for the benefit of assorted crooks willing to pay him off big-time in return. The NY Times’ spectacular story about Bill, his uranium-mining buddy, and the tyrant of Kazakhstan is, I’m afraid, just the start. Which is why there’s an excellent chance now that we really are going to end up with that nitwit McCain in the White House.
Chris M
Hell yeah.
p.lukasiak
Well, the problem that Obama is going to have is that whole “expresses outrage and shock” thing. I didn’t find anything “outrageous” or “shocking” about Wrights remarks over the past few days. He said some stupid stuff, and stuff that could be used by the right-wing smear machine against Obama — but it wasn’t “outrageous” and it certainly didn’t come as a “shock” to me.
So, I don’t think a whole lot of non-Democrats are going to buy into this “I didn’t know” defense that Obama is trying to pull off now. It creates cognitive dissonance in most people.
Furthermore, trying to distance himself from Wright now, after his “disowning Wright would be like disowning my own grandmother” speech — a speech after the video’s of Wright saying things that were far closer to “outrageous” and “shocking” than what he’s been saying the last three days — isn’t going to make a lot of sense to people.
Obama knew he had a “Wright” problem when this campaign began. He tried to sweep it under the rug. When the videos finally surfaced, he tried to finesse the whole thing by giving “the greatest speech about race EVAH!!”
So trying to distance himself from Wright at this point — based on Wright’s recent comments — isn’t going to work.
The was a way out for Obama on this, and he chose not to take it. He could have come out and said that his Philadelphia speech was a crock, that he knew that Wright was a crackpot, but that he chose not to embarrass Wright out of gratitude for the guidance Wright had provided him 20 years ago when he was still young and trying to figure out who he was. And he could have said that he also didn’t want to embarrass the thousands of good people who are members of UCC Trinity, and who are doing God’s work as members of the church.
But Obama seems incapable of acknowledging that he’s screwed up. He didn’t mess up at the debate, it was all the moderators fault (the moderation sucked, but its sucked for a very long time, and Obama screwed up because he wasn’t ready for the moment when the media would suck in his direction.) He didn’t say anything wrong in San Francisco — he was right, but other people misunderstood what he was trying to say.
********
BTW, would all those idiots who claim that I’ve repeatedly said that Obama was toast in terms of the primaries in the past find some examples of me saying it. Because ins only in the last two weeks that I’ve been saying that if he’s the nominee, he’ll get creamed in the general. (I have in the past warned about his vulnerabilities, but only recently has it become glaringly obvious that he won’t be able to respond effectively to the right-wing smear machine).
And its only now that I’m saying he’s toast — absent a full implosion by Clinton, he’s not gonna be the nominee.
grandpajohn
BJU ( for the uninitiated, Bob Jones U.)As A Clemson student in the late 50’s back in time when every college student didn’t own a car so many of us depended on the thumb to get us home on the weekend, Well one of the main bumming line points in Greenville for catching a ride was directly in front of Bob Jones, so all Clemson students quickly learned that if you thumbed going that way , your travel bag better have a big Clemson logo of some kind on it as people in that area simply would not give rides to BJU students. Why, they didn’t want to be preached to for the entire trip.
grandpajohn
I dunno, from what I heard about the place it could have well been to keep the inmates in.
p.lukasiak
Bill Clinton isn’t running for President.
This is just more ambient noise for the Clinton campaign. It really doesn’ affect her poll numbers. As part of my examination of the changes in nine states that were polled by SUSA in both late February and mid-April, I checked to see what coverage was getting play in the interim. For the first three weeks of March, it was all pretty negative for Obama. But in the three weeks prior to the second poll, the media was filled with anti-Clinton stories.
And Clinton’s poll numbers remained stable overall, while Obama’s had tanked.
This is the upside of “clinton fatigue” — people just tune out this kind of non-story.
John S.
Er, no.
A homeopathic remedy is one in which you cure illness with a smaller amount of something that would be harmful in larger doses and likely would cause the illness you are treating. For instance, treating a snake bite with snake venom.
I don’t think it will make it go away, but it will lessen the impact significantly. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
John S.
Wow, the view from the Clinton bubble really does make everything seem topsy-turvy!
Just Some Fuckhead
Neither is Jeremiah Wright, assclown.
tBone
In LukasiakLand, sure. But what about here on Planet Earth?
Dennis - SGMM
Along with the rest of reality. Hillary is running on Bill’s name, and her “eight years of White House experience” – in the Clinton White House. She was the one who stated early on in this fracas, “You get two for one.” Senator Hillary Rodham would be a largely anonymous member of the Senate with an undistinguished record and no signature legislative accomplishments to show for six years of occupying that chamber. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, on the other hand, must be elected.
Gimme a fuckin’ break.
Chuck Butcher
When I ran in a Democratic Primary in a pretty Republican Congressional District there was a rather large stink about Gay Marriage going on in the state. What I had to say about the matter was that all law abiding Oregonians deserved the same rights and responsibilities. That was all I had to say – I had some intention of running in a General. Now what that actually means is I’m no opponent of Gay Marriage, in fact back it. But if I intend to speak to small community rural E OR I am going to emphasize “rights AND responsibilities” not buzz words of the other side. Evidently the Rev doesn’t get that. I don’t say I disagree with most of what he had to say or wouldn’t at least have suspicions were I him, it does indicate I wouldn’t say it the way he did.
There is no contradiction in what I said and what I believe and how I would act, but there is an entire difference where the emphasis lies. “Rights and responsibilities” resonates with folks, Gay Marriage sounds like an entitlement, I think my approach is better.
nightjar
Oh, you must mean the bald faced lie Clinton told of her visit to Tuzla. Yea, those press foils shoula never reported that.
Tanked? Being the giant intellect you think your are pluk, you would know that no one in recent memory has won the Presidency with higher unfavorables than favorable. And Obama’s numbers have stayed pretty much the same thru all this bullshit. With only temporary downticks.
John S.
Apparently there are other cynics like me out there. From The Carpetbagger Report:
I think it is well played, and the fact that p.luk thinks THIS IS THE END! of Obama only means that he’s upset that Hillary’s favorite toy was taken away from her.
Cain
Doe!
cain
chopper
oh, that is a thing of beauty.
scrutinizer
Well, since Clinton’s already pretty much imploded, there you go.
priscianus jr
“So Jeremiah Wright has acted like a jackass the past few days, and he may have acted supremely selfishly by hurting Obama’s electoral chances.”
Well, that’s the point John. You’re right that in the cosmic scheme of things, Jeremiah Wright has done nothing so terrible.
But I don’t think we’re talking cosmic. We’re talking politics. What he did was hostile to Obama, and thus helpful to Hillary and McCain. He could have waitd till after the election. He could have saved it for a book. But no.
So basically, Obama’s response was — Fuck ME? No: FU-U-UCK YOU!
And he’s right. Because you just don’t do that.
Lee Hartmann
dear Sir:
thank you. It takes guts and brains to think things through and come to another conclusion. You have both.
chopper
i’d ask you if you wanted to bet on that, but my bank doesn’t accept bizzaro-dollars.
Lee Hartmann
And as I should have said: I say that as someone who
grew up in Cleveland – when they had Jim Brown…
p.lukasiak
yes, tanked. Overall margins against McCain fell by 4.9%. (Clinton’s rose an insignificant 0.1%) Obama’s support among independent fell by 4.2 points — while Clinton gained support among independents (2.4 points) Obama’s margins among independents fell by 11.5% while Clinton’s margins remained unchanged. Obama’s support among white voters fell by 3.2% (while Clinton’s support among white voters increased by 0.8%) Obama’s margins against McCain among white voters fell by 8.8% (Clinton’s margins among white voters fell 2.1%)
Again, the key here is that Obama’s bad press occurred during the first half of the period between the polls, while Clinton’s happened in the second half. But nobody cared that Clinton was in the White House on the day that Monica got her dressed stained, or that the Clinton’s made $109 million — a lot of that from Bill’s speaking fees, or that Clinton exaggerated the danger she was in at Tuzla. What they did seem to care about was Obama’s lack of experience (the 3am ad went out the day after the first poll was taken, Feb 29), his relationship with Rezko (the Rezko trial started on March 6), and the whole Wright controversy (which hit the networks on March 13th.)
ellen
This was such a pleasure to read. I particularly liked the line, “…I refuse to get all bent out of shape about it, because the government that tortures people and ran the Tuskegee experiment and wiretapped MLK for years opens itself up to crazy accusations like that.” Well said — all of it.
Just Some Fuckhead
Cut him some slack. News transmissions are apparently broadcasting with a three month tape delay in LicksackLand.
p.lukasiak
Clinton has never raised the issue of Wright (she has answered questions) and AFAIK her campaign has never tried to make Wright an issue with voters (apparently, the potential damage that Wright could do to Obama in the GE has been mentioned to superdelegates).
Before the Wright controversy broke in March, I said that Wright was going to be a problem for Obama. You all said I was full of crap — but I was correct, he did turn into a problem on March 13th. Back when Obama gave “the best speech on race EVAH!!”, I said Wright was still going to be a problem for Obama. Everyone here said I was full of crap — but this week I was proven right again. And now I’m saying that Wright is going to be an even bigger problem for Obama — when the history of this campaign is written, Obama’s response to Wright’s statements will be seen as the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of ending his hopes for the nomination.
And, of course, you’re all still saying I’m full of crap.
Obama has had two chances to get this right, and has dug himself a deeper hole each time. And this time, the hole he’s dug is too deep to get out of.
Just Some Fuckhead
Is that your definitive statement on the issue?
nightjar
Bullshit, she asked herself the goddamn question in her own press conference.
scrutinizer
Whatever, dude. Obama’s getting good press on this right now.
chopper
yes, the superdelegates are definitely going to hand it over to hillary over this one. in fact that perfectly explains why in the last few days obama’s been picking up more superdelegates than clinton.
John S.
I simply do not agree with you.
When you have a fire burning on the fuel of Jeremiah Wright – Angry Black Man™ – that threatens to destroy your campaign, the best thing to do is to fan the flames a bit. Like I said earlier – the homeopathic remedy.
You’re crazy! Adding oxygen to the fire just makes in burn hotter and cause more damage!
It also makes the fire consume it’s fuel faster, and if it has a sudden flare-up that consumes a lot of fuel before more can be added, it burns itself out.
You know what? I don’t think you are full of crap. I just think that you’re a bad firefighter.
scrutinizer
An excerpt from tomorrow’s NYT Op-Ed:
Just Some Fuckhead
What are these crazy things – metaphors? LOL
I want some of the shit yer smoking.
nightjar
Here’s the Hill bringing up Wright issue. Judge for yourself. Warning. Gag reflex HIGH.
John S.
Okay, that isn’t quite accurate.
Nobody asked her what she would do. As nightjar pointed out, ‘she asked herself the goddamn question in her own press conference’. Clearly, she was asked questions about the issue, but she siezed the opportunity to interject something unrelated to what she was asked.
John S.
Metaphors and parables are where it’s at!
p.lukasiak
the problem is that I don’t see that Obama “fanned the flames” — instead, he’s trying to smother the fire, but its not going to work.
Simply put, you can’t compare Wright to your grandmother and refuse to repudiate him after “God Damn America”, then repudiate him after he says stuff that is far less incendiary — and you sure as hell can’t claim you “didn’t know” and were “shocked” by what Wright said over the last couple of days. The vast majority of people aren’t going to buy it.
scrutinizer
Yep, still full of crap, p.luk.
nightjar
Or, they may be like most of the folks here, they don’t assign words spoken by one person to another, and hence just don’t care about the issue. Even some of the wingnuts are giving Obama credit on this now. What’s that make you pluk?
John S.
The fact that you don’t see it is a problem, but there isn’t much I can do to help you to stop looking through the goggles you’ve decided to wear. Obama’s continued willingness to be open and candid is certainly letting the isue have some oxygen.
If you want to see how a fire gets smothered, here’s a contrasting example:
Like I said, your failure to see the difference is a problem.
I don’t really think you represent the vast majority.
p.lukasiak
once again, the Obots lie through their teeth…
Here’s a link to a page with an audio clip of Clinton being asked the question “How would you have responded if your pastor had said some of the things Reverend Wright said?”
Oh, and this is from the link you provided…
and here is her answer
you Obots are such pathetically bad liars — you don’t even read your own fucking links, let alone look to see if what Clinton said was actually true.
nightjar
Question asked.
Her answer.
The reporter at the presser did not ask her this question genious. She asked herself from an unseen ed board. Smarmy, just like you pluk.
Tsulagi
Oh, okay. So if the wife gets a candle too close to a set of drapes and they start burning, rather than pulling them down then throwing them out the window, I should run and get oxygen tanks set near the drapes, crack them open, then turn on some blowers to fan it all. Sounds like a plan.
Later, when the only thing left standing is our two fireplaces, I can say “Honey, that was the homeopathic remedy I learned on a blog. Now we don’t have to worry about that happening here again!” That’d go over well.
nightjar
And I realize it’s splitting hairs or parsing. But no more so than people who claim being asked a question gives them the right to exculpate themselves from their answers.
John S.
I read the link. What an unbelievable asshole you are, Paul. Seriously.
The complete exchange was thus:
She was asked a question at a press conference about what she thought Obama should have done and flipped it into being a question about herself. Nobody asked her about her talk with Richard Mellon Scaife earlier. So rather than comment on what Obama should have done, she expounded on what she would have done – making it clear the “contrast” between her and Obama and leaving the question to be answered in a rather meandering fashion.
She’s an asshole, too. No wonder you like her so much.
scrutinizer
But it worked, right?
John S.
I a more appropriate analogy is a fire on the grill since the fuel source is contained (there is no chance of it spreading to other candidates and damaging anyone else). If the charcoal briquettes are the only source of fuel and you create a fire that is so intense that it burns them out before anyone has the chance to dump another bag on there – voila! No more fire.
SocraticGadfly
If Mark Penn is going to get such a knock for screwing up Hillary’s campaign, shouldn’t David Axelrod get as much scrutiny now, for failure to do due diligence on “self-oppo research”? (No, I don’t believe Obama saying he had heard none of this before in his “I don’t know” speech today, unless he was “praising Jesus” at Trinity UCC a lot less than he would have had us believe two months ago.
p.lukasiak
so?
She didn’t raise the issue. She answered the question in general personal terms, because the question of your choice of pastor/church is a personal question.
I said she didn’t raise the issue, and you assholes show up with an OUT OF CONTEXT QUOTE in which she DOES NOT raise the issue, then claim she was NEVER asked what she would do.
NEVER is what that asshat said, and he was lying.
SocraticGadfly
Lukasiak, I think you’re right about Obama not being good at admitting screw-ups. I also think that’s part of why he keeps the press at arm’s length.
nightjar
Now your starting to ba.. ba.. babble. Always a bad sign.
Kat
Holy Smoke! In light of the date it was posted — January 17, 2001 — Bush: ‘Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Properity Is Over’ could well redefine ‘uncanny’!
Were they to read it now, every psychic prognosticator on the planet would be pea green with envy.
mrmobi
P.luk, your Hill-love really renders you impenetrable to basic human decency, doesn’t it? Of course, Obama did repudiate the use of that phrase, you lying jackass.
More importantly, that phrase, “God Damn America,” as Rev. Wright has explained, over and over, refers to the Bible, in which God damns bad behavior. How did you ever get through school?
How about an example? When America acts badly in the world, let’s say, for the sake of argument, when one of its’ citizens, in the person of a CIA agent, tortures to death a completely innocent person and then hides that act and arranges to prosecute and convict people who were innocent of the actual crime, but stupid enough to take pictures of the aftermath, then God Damns America.
The question is, why don’t you?
Is America perfect, or somehow above the laws of god and man? Are we allowed, because 3,000 of our citizens died in a scurrilous act of terror, to put aside our humanity and perpetrate that same terror on others?
This is why so many of us have pointed out that no one is paying attention to the context of the use of the phrase, which you can only see as anti-American or hate speech. You might as well say “my country, right or wrong,” or “America, love it or leave it,” because that’s what your deliberate and idiotic use of this McCarthyian guilt-by-association meme implies, except that it’s “Hillary, right or wrong.”
On the bright side, if Clinton does win, they might be looking for a political strategist who will do anything to spin their questionable ethics. You could be the next Karl Rove.
Shame on you.
empty
Bingo! Sometimes John, you really do nail it. I would recommend that people watch Bill Moyer’s interview with Reverend Wright. Here is the link. This is a man who has served his country and his community tirelessly over many decades. He does not deserve the abuse being heaped on him.
As for Clinton and Wright I would recommend reading Bob Somerby at the Daily Howler.
parbuster
Zig zag, baby, zig zag.
No…it’s serpentine, baby, serpentine. My In Laws say so.
nightjar
Gallup daily tracking pol
3/11 08 Obama 40 McCain 44
today Obama 44 McCain 46
If that’s your idea of tanked, well enuff said
p.lukasiak
you idiot.
do you understand the difference between what Obama did today, and what he did a month ago?
A month ago, he didn’t throw Wright under the bus — just repudiated some statements “he hadn’t been in church to hear”. Today, he threw Wright under the bus.
And people are gonna ask “why didn’t he throw Wright under the bus after “God Damn America”? What did Wright say that was worse than that?
p.lukasiak
http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/general-election/gallup-national-polls.html
Gallup tracking poll
February 10 Obama 50% McCain 45%
April 29 Obama 44% McCain 46%
That represents a 6 point loss in support…and a 8 point loss in his overall margin. I said a 4.9% loss in his overall margin (and I didn’t say it here, but my review shows a 1% loss in support for Obama between late February amd mid-April.)
nightjar
obama Mccain
And if you go back to Gallup Poll 2/11/07 48.0 48.0
Don’t you even read your own links?
A one percent loss. Wow pluk, you sure nailed that. Don’t you get tired of embarrassing yourself with shit like this. Jeesh, I guess not.
Thursday
One point –
Pastor Hagee is in firm belief that the world is coming to an end soon, and America is going to be reduced to an afterthought (or utterly destroyed). Central to this belef is that America will attack Iran – and he appears frequently on Fox News to push this view, introduced as a “Mid-East Expert” rather than “Apocalyptic Nutbag”.
Is there any way in which McCain shouldn’t be apologizing for panting after this doofus’ approval?
Just askin’.
gex
ThymeZone – “in fact, making this general election ALL about their sellout to the nut fringe of the religious right wing. Let’s have that contest, and see who wins.”
Man, I would empty my bank account into your if you could make this so!
Chuck Butcher
As far as Wright and the media dying down I had something to say about it
Obama, Wright, Meida
A bit different look at it.
Chuck Butcher
Obama, Wright, Media
It started as a link???
gex
Would you guys quit fawning over her and her brassiere-throwing already?
truth machine
You are so, so, SO retarded.
truth machine
He said Obama agrees with him, moron.
truth machine
Instead of such cowardly hiding behind “the vast majority of people”, how about taking responsibility for your own views? As in “I, p.lukasiak, am such a stupid fucking asshole moron that I think this shit is what matters”.
Dave_Violence
Obama wasted a hell of a lot of time on JW and the media, Hillary! and McCain got an awful lot of mileage out of it – mileage they could’ve been spared.
See, we all knew that Bush-Hitler was an evil tyrant, etc. ad nauseum prior to the 2000 “election” – right? After all, he’s a republican, ’nuff said. And since the republican’s dream is to restore slavery, etc. ad rottenstuff, they’re bad people, etc., etc.
Regardless, those Americans who still have the right to vote (are there any who aren’t white men? I’m sure the republicans repealed the various voter laws back to 1789, didn’t they?) need to see Obama in action, how he works under pressure and how he handles adversity.
My opinion, after last night’s “dis-owning of JW”, is right back where I had him pegged six months ago: he’s the Dan Quyale of the Left.
What? Hunh? Yep.
He had a golden opportunity to EMBRACE Wright and explain, in detail (Obama’s a good speaker, so we’d listen), just what it is that’s appealing about JW and his church. “God Damn America”? Hell yes! In terms of pro-Christianity, Wright is right: America goes against most Biblical principals and America should be damned. And so what if JW is into black power? What’s wrong with that? Every 17th of March we have to be reminded that the Irish (not “Irish-Americans”) are somehow the country’s most important minority. WTF, the “Irish” as we know ’em have only been here since the potato famine; African-Americans beat them to the US by 300 or so years – and whitey’s got the nerve to criticize the JW’s of this world for being angry about the constant oppression? Give me a break. In my opinion, this was the “wright” time to play the race card and Obama folded.
truth machine
Throughout that period, Obama has not only maintained a large lead in delegates, but has widened the gap. Thus you were, are, and no doubt will continue to be full of crap.
Citizen Politician
I would like to note that Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s “tirade” is not out of the mainstream. I am an American who a descendant of African slaves, just like Reverend Wright. My ancestors predate that arrival of most of the so-called “mainstream” media pundits ancestors. In fact many African-Americans like myself and Reverend Wright can trace our ancestry in this part of the world to the colonial period. I am tired of the opinions of African Americans are minimized and disregarded.
We do not have to agree with everything someone states, I do not agree with several of Reverend Wright’s points on the state of African-Americans in America. But I do agree with many of his points on United States history and international policy.
It is apparent that any discussion that makes some in “White” America, which you call “mainstream American” uncomfortable with our country’s history is off the table. The issues Reverend Wright discussed in his sermon are serious and not marginal. Perhaps if there was a real dialogue in this country people would be proud of the results that came from the suffering faced by the descendants of African Slaves. This experience molded a significant portion of our nation’s history, culture, and economy.
The 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution provided an untold amount of rights that millions of European immigrants enjoyed, while African Americans had to wait a hundred years to be welcomed as full fledge citizens. In addition the Civil Rights Acts of the 60s provided rights to all subsequent Americans, not just African Americans. Women of European descent gained significant social gains in our economy. Also, slave trade provided the United States economy with a significant competitive advantage economically provided to the economic elite to invest in the Industrial Revolution. So I would hardly call the opinions of African Americans “marginal”, “radical”, or “divisive”.
I would like to recommend two articles for further research on the Reverend Wright “issue”:
“Uh-Obama: Racism, White Voters and the Myth of Color-Blindness”-By Tim Wise: http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/Obama.html
“The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright and the Audacity of Truth” By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/032208F.shtml
Pug
Gallup tracking poll
February 10 Obama 50% McCain 45%
April 29 Obama 44% McCain 46%
That represents a 6 point loss in support…and a 8 point loss in his overall margin. I said a 4.9% loss in his overall margin (and I didn’t say it here, but my review shows a 1% loss in support for Obama between late February amd mid-April.)
As if we should give a shit about what the polls say in April of an election year.
Using this logic, Bill Clinton might as well have dropped out in mid-1992. He was badly trailing both George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot. His poll numbers only rose after the Democratic convention in the summer.
The polls might mean something come about September or October.
Pug
Here’s another link for you. A CNN poll from November, 2007. Clinton leads Obama by 57% – 39%. CNN attributed most of her lead to solid support from African Americans.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/17/poll.blacks.democrats/index.html
Very meaningful. This, of course, was back when Hillary was running for “reelection” and it was all going to be over on February 5th. Those were the good old days, weren’t they?
priscianus jr
A lot of the responses to this post show that the commenters don’t understand what the issue is.
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/betrayal-by-digby-i-have-frankly-been.html
I’ll paraphrase what I said in a comment to the above link:
This isn’t about whether, or in what sense, or to what degree, Wright’s statements may or may not be true. It’s not about whether he sincerely believes what he’s saying. It’s not about whether, in the abstract, he possesses the moral and legal right to speak out publicly — (with the enthusiastic help of the media to provide an international audience). I concede all these points, but they are completely irrelevant.
What this is about, is a man deliberately throwing a monkey wrench into the delicate workings of the campaign of the first black man in history to achieve the position of front-running candidate for president of the USA, in an election that will in all probability either make or break this country. It was an amazingly small, vindictive and destructive act. It is hostile not only to Obama, but to the millions of all races who believe and understand just how important he is to the future of this country.
drjune
Obama and Michelle subjected their children to these teachings. WAKE UP People! How can you say you don’t believe or follow your pastor of 22 years with that fact in mind? His denouncing Wright is just a ploy to try and save his nomination. http://www.dontvoteobama.net public records of why the Obama’s are to controversial, connected to the wrong groups and to inexperienced to beat McCain. Hillary has been tested and vented. The Clinton administration left office with 21 million dollars in the US savings account!
Hillary is our only chance to win the white house. Hoosiers get out and vote for Hillary and take our country back.
mapaghimagsik
I dunno. Being an athiest, the whole “God Damn America” thing smacks of “My Mystic Gradeschool Teacher In the Sky Gives you an F”.
But, Milton did say
Because I’m a fracking elistist.
The whole idea that hell is a place we put ourselves in is intriguing — and I can’t think that any one who believes in the Christian Mythos would believe that dirty little part of ourselves that needed to engage in rendition, and set up Gitmo, or sodomize prisoners in Abu Gahrib is a little slice of American Heaven.
So at times, I guess America is Damned. I tend to think of it damning itself, rather than getting an “unsatisfactory” grade.
Frank Jacobs
John, thanks for the best, most sober-minded assessment of this whole issue/non-issue. I am comforted to know that there are people out there as inexplicably non-nonplussed by Wright and his bluster as I am. I’d never read your blog before (got referred here by another blog on my RSS feed), but I will now continue to read your entries with interest.
nightjar
The site you link to is a living tribute to the MCarthy era of the politics of personal destruction. These days I expect nothing less from a Hillary supporter. The garbage you peddle would make Karl Rove or Lee Atwater gasp with disbelief. And we no where they in the cesspool of gutter politics. But your site has carved out a sub-level of that gutter and please do us a big favor and slither back to the underworld you inhabit, you flaming bucket of human pus!
CT
priscianus jr. gets it right, IMO. One could argue that Wright showed integrity, or at least consistency, in sticking to his more inflammatory rhetoric. But Obama is right to react as he did yesterday. For all of Wright’s good qualities, If he REALLY believes that AIDS is a government conspiracy to kill blacks in spite of there being no evidence FOR it, as well as evidence AGAINST it, then it is clear that Wright clings to a culture of victimhood to a degree that is completely counter to Obama’s campaign.
I should say that I agree that this is a b.s. issue-Obama is having to be Jackie Robinson here, and rise above crap that white candidates don’t have to deal with.
Original Lee
Nightjar, I wish you weren’t so prescient. Headline on tabloid at the supermarket yesterday (for real):
Obamas Splitting Over Barack’s Affairs!
jim beam
When Barack Obama decided he wanted to run for the Illinois Senate in 1996, he ensured his candidacy by successfully challenging the nomination petitions of his four competitors.
Obama’s entry into federal politics was also marked by competitors falling by the wayside. He won both the 2004 primary and general election for the US Senate “after tough challengers imploded when their messy divorce files were unsealed,” the Chicago Tribune writes.
The NYT reports that “the Tribune reporter … acknowledged in print that the Obama camp had ‘worked aggressively behind the scenes’ to push the story. But there are those in Chicago who believe that [David] Axelrod had an even more significant role – that he leaked the initial story.”
Then on 25 June 2004, Obama’s Republican opponent, Jack Ryan, withdrew due to yet-another a sex scandal.
This article provides a detailed (and in-work) timeline of Obama’s political career.
1988 – Obama is a summer associate at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin
1992 – Obama graduates from Harvard and returns to Chicago
1992, Oct – Obama marries fellow attorney Michelle Robinson
1995, Jul – Obama, at 34, publishes his first memoir, “Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance”
1995, Aug – Obama files paperwork to run for Palmer’s Illinois Senate seat
1996, Jan – Obama has his four competitor petitions invalidated; he emerges as the only candidate
1996, Nov – Obama is elected to Illinois Senate, which is controlled by Republicans
1999 – Obama begins running for Congress
2000 – Obama loses his challenge for Congressional seat held by Rep. Bobby Rush
2001 – Obama receives legal services contract with Illinois firm owned by Robert Blackwell, Jr. A few months later, Obama writes a letter on Illinois Senate letterhead in support of a tourism grant for a different Blackwell company. The next day, “Obama’s U.S. Senate campaign received a $1,000 donation from Blackwell… In the presidential race he is credited on Obama’s website with committing to raise $100,000 to $200,000 for Obama’s campaign.”
Obama reported $98,158 income for providing legal services; $80,000 was from Blackwell’s firm.”Illinois ethics disclosure forms are designed to reveal possible financial conflicts by lawmakers… Obama did not specify that EKI provided him with the bulk of the private-sector compensation he received… he attached a multi-page list of all the law firm’s clients, which included EKI among hundreds.”
2002, Nov – Democrats usurp Republican control of the Illinois Senate
2003-2004 – Obama amasses his legislative record, serves as chair of the Health and Human Services Committee
2003 – Obama begins running for US Senate; the leading Democratic candidate will withdraw in 2004 due to a sex scandal that Obama’s campaign urged the Chicago Tribune to report.
2003 – David Axelrod [begins having] camera crews [track] virtually everything Obama has done in public.” He uses this footage to create a five-minute Internet video for the 16 Jan. 2007 announcement that Obama is running for president.
2004, Mar – Obama wins the primary with 52% of the vote
2004, Jun – Obama’s Republican opponent withdraws due to sex scandal
2004, Aug – Democratic National Convention address
2004, Nov – Obama is elected to US Senate with 70% of the vote
2005, Jan – Obama files paperwork for his leadership PAC, The Hope Fund (PAC website no longer active)
2005 – Obama purchases land from neighbor and now-indicted political fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko
2005 – “Shortly after his election to the U.S. Senate, he delivered a well-received address arguing faith should have a greater role in public discourse.”
2006 – Obama publishes the book, The Audacity of Hope
2006, Oct 22 – Obama announces he is considering a run for the Presidency.
2007, Jan – Obama begins running for US President
2007, Mar – Obama endorses controversial Chicago alderman Dorothy “The Hat” Tillman, who reportedly “[deployed] city resources to hire her family and reward campaign contributors.”
2007, Apr – Controversy over Obama’s MySpace page
2007, May – Obama’s campaign releases its sophisticated Facebook application, only hours “after the company launched the developer platform.” TechPresident argues that Facebook gave the Obama camp an advantage: “the other campaigns found out about Platform’s with the rest of us, on Friday, May 25″ and reports that “Chris Hughes, a co-founder of Facebook, is working on the Obama campaign.”
Looks to me that Barack Obama has escalated his career by eliminating his competition instead of beating them. Was it the Obama campaign that tried to state that McCain didn’t qualify to run for President because he was born in the Panama Canal? No one will ever know for sure, but this is part of his method of operation, to eliminate all competition.
You can see from the timeline above, the only time he actually ran opposed, in 2000, he LOST because he could not dig up dirt on his opponent. He has to win on others shortcomings, not on his own merit. It also appears that his campaign doesn’t mind using a sex scandal to eliminate opponents. And Barack attempts to convince us that he IS NOT politics as usual! Maybe it is time to research the Larry Sinclair and Barack Obama sex scandal.
http://www.dontvoteobama.net