Obama Condemns Rev. Wright
On Monday Obama stated that Wright’s comments were just rants, however, after Obama saw the video he was outraged.
Hopefully we can put Wright and his time in the spotlight to rest. Personally I’m more concerned with gas prices, food prices, unemployment and the Iraq.
“I want to be very clear that, moving forward, Rev. Wright does not speak for me, he does not speak for our campaign,” Obama told reporters as he campaigned for the North Carolina vote against Clinton next Tuesday.
“I cannot prevent him from continuing to make these outrageous remarks, but what I do want him to be very clear about…is that when I say I find these comments appalling, I mean it. It contradicts everything that I’m about and who I am.”
Obama, unsmiling and choosing his words carefully, said: “At a certain point if what somebody says contradicts what you believe so fundamentally and then he questions whether or not you believe it — in front of the National Press Club — then that’s enough.
“That’s a show of disrespect to me. It is also, I think, an insult to what we’ve been trying to do in this campaign,” he added. “Whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed as a consequence of this.”
“I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday,”
“What became clear to me is that he was presenting a world view that contradicts who I am and what I stand for,” Obama said. “And what I think particularly angered me was his suggestion somehow that my previous denunciation of his remarks were somehow political posturing. Anybody who knows me and anybody who knows what I’m about knows that I am about trying to bridge gaps and I see the commonality in all people.”
“I have been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ since 1992, and have known Reverend Wright for 20 years,” Obama said. “The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago.”
“Obviously, whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed,” Obama said. “I don’t think he showed much concern for me, more importantly I don’t think he showed much concern for what we’re trying to do in this campaign.”
“His comments were not only divisive and destructive, I believe they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate,” Obama said. “I’ll be honest with you, I hadn’t seen it” when reacting initially on Monday, he said.
“He has done great damage, I do not see that relationship being the same,” said Obama.
“I gave him the benefit of the doubt in my speech in Philadelphia explaining that he’s done enormous good. … But when he states and then amplifies such ridiculous propositions as the U.S. government somehow being involved in AIDS. … There are no excuses. They offended me. They rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced.”
April 29th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Seems a bit wierd that Obama could be going to this church all this time and this preacher has never said anything of this sort before – and then suddenly Obama runs for president and the preacher suddenly starts coming out with stuff that are pretty common in left wing circles around the world. – and suddenly Obama is saying he is going to find a new church.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
What I still don’t understand is why anyone is questioning Wright’s statement about 9/11 being retribution for US foreign policy.
According to the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks, US foreign policy is EXACTLY why they attacked us…why is heresy and “un-American” to state the obvious?
Is the debate in the US that skewed and controlled that facts are now opinion?
April 29th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Ahhhhh the smell of a rookie in the morning.
Obama should have run over him in the bus right after it happened. Instead he let it linger and now has caved to the conservatives.
Another stupid rookie mistake by Obama. Lets HOPE he learns from it.
April 30th, 2008 at 4:39 am
John:
I agree with the delay. Obama should have not allow the benefit of the doubt for Wright.
Rookie part, I don’t know if I would go that far. Politics or not how hard would it be for you to publicly denounce someone you and you family have know for 20 years.
April 30th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Shame on Obama; Robinson is correct and so is John. Truth is truth, just as the experiments on blacks throughout the south and elsewhere if you look at the history of these people.
Wright is apreacher then he is supposed to teach the truth.
Obama needs to grow some balls and stand up truth. Can you trust a chief executive who bends to pressure when he, being of the subject people – black- knows it to be the absolute truth? What else will he deny, and whose strings are he swinging on and by? Certainly not his own unless he too, like most of the American people -whites in particular- are opposed to any truth, which, in most cases, inevitably points the finger right in their faces. Shame on him, as man and politician.
I would have committed political suicide and written a book (like tricky Dick) and got mine!
April 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
the real truth:
I agree with you. I am not defending Obama, heck I haven’t even endorsed him on this blog. Personally I would like for them to get back to the problems in the country.
April 30th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
@the real truth : Tell me, who determines truth? If something is repeated often enough (like “Iraq has weapons of mass destruction”) does it become truth?
There are a lot of different churches in the world, each one claiming to teach “the truth.” Which one, if any, really does?
I don’t like what Jeremiah Wright is saying, nor do I agree with it, but what makes you or I more qualified than he to say whether his statements are true?
Just askin’.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:43 am
Obama surely knew the heart of his 20 year preacher.. Pastor Wright. is not saying anything new.. from what the media has proven.. however.. Obams.. knew and knows for 20 years he sat in this mans church under his Shepard.. and listened to his comments.. and now that Obama is running for president. he does not agree.. sounds fishy to me.. Pastor Wright I would like to believe is speaking the truth. if not the he needs to get right with the one and only God.. Jesus christ and seek forgivenss if his comments are in any way tainted by personal issues that he may or may not have with Obama.. God is the ultimate truth. they both need to get in the light of the truth
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:47 pm
It’s a sideshow and put-up job. I’ve seen comments by blogging preachers that Wright is a good preacher – not a nut cup.
This is what you get when the mud you can fling determines who is left: the best character assassin supported by ‘talking heads’. ‘Democracy’ by attack ad.