Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., spoke at a news conference in Winston-Salem, N.C., Tuesday, about the latest assertion by his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. “I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday,” Obama said and added that Wright’s comments do not accurately portray the perspective of the black church.
“Rev. Wright does not speak for me. He does not speak for our campaign. I cannot prevent him from continuing to make these outrageous remarks, but what I do want him to be very clear about, as well as all of you and the American people, is that when I say I find these comments appalling, I mean it. It contradicts everything that I’m about and who I am and anybody who has worked with me, who knows my life, who has read my books, who has seen what this campaign’s about, I think will understand that it is completely opposed to what I stand for and where I want to take this country.” [CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO]
WRIGHT DOING LITTLE GOOD
Jeremiah Wright may not be wrong, but a recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll suggests he is doing the Obama campaign little good regarding white voters.
On Monday, while speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, Wright said:
“This is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright. It has nothing to do with Senator Obama. It is an attack on the black church launched by people who know nothing about the African-American religious tradition.”
Wright shows little concern for how his comments (both past and present) may be affecting the presidential race and said Obama is distancing himself because of political motivations while he is trying to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
“If Sen. Obama did not say what he said, he would never get elected. Politicians say what they say and do what they do based on electability, based on sound bites, based on polls,” Wright said. “Preachers say what they say because they’re pastors, they have a different person to whom they’re accountable. Whether he gets elected or not, I’m still going to have to be answerable to God November 5th.”
On Tuesday’s Good Morning America, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggested that Wright may be deliberately trying to hurt Obama’s presidential bid. Gingrich said Wright “went out of his way to weaken Obama” and “I think Rev. Wright has a greater interest in his self-importance.”
SHARPTON UPSET
The New York Post is reporting that a source close to Al Sharpton says he is infuriated with Sen. Barack Obama, following the senator’s call for nonviolence in the aftermath of the Sean Bell verdict.
“[Obama] issues this statement and not a single rock had been thrown,” said a source. “How does the candidate of change ask people to accept a verdict that is unjust?”
The source said that during a “heated” phone call on Monday, Sharpton told Obama he was disappointed with his words when Obama said “resorting to violence to express displeasure is something that is completely unacceptable and counterproductive.”
The source said Sharpton had hoped Obama would “side with the Bell family” and not use it as an “opportunity to grandstand in front of white people.”
UPDATE
“Everything stated in the New York Post regarding yesterday’s conversation between Senator Obama and Reverend Sharpton is false, and is either a fabrication of the Post journalists who wrote the story or the supposed unnamed source for the story. In my view, there is a big difference between tabloid journalism and shoddy journalism. This story is clearly the latter and is unacceptable,” King said.
Rev Wright is a self-serving asshole. He clearly does not have Barack Obama’s best interest at heart. That is the crab in the barrel mentality that Black folks have towards each other. At this point I don’t know if it is a conscious or sub conscious state of mind, but the moment a Black is progressing towards something positive and meaningful, leave it up to the next Black man to throw mad monkey wrench into his plans. Forget the white man, he has done his job and now he just leaves us to ourselves to fuck each other. That is that Willie Lynch syndrome.
Mind you, when the first controversy broke, Obama did not throw him under the bus. Barack backed him the best way he could. He said he cannot disown him the same he cannot disown his grandmother. But this media hungry whore name Wright wants the limelight. He wants to see how far he can stretch his 15 minutes of fame. But in his selfishness, he doesn’t see that he is not only setting Obama back, but he is setting back the whole Black race.
Cosign #45! AmeriKKKa doesn’t want a Black man to win.
Obama is not ready. Face it people, no need for the pipe dreams.
In w.E.B Dubois’s book ” The Souls of Black Folk ” he explains how we as African Americans have two identities, the black and the American. It is sometimes hard to be both due to our history in America. Rev. Wright is not saying anything wrong, the simple fact is that White America has to accept us as equals and not sweep the fact that we have been oppressed under the rug. Obama has to politically correct which translates into blurring his identity(as a Black Man) so it can be presentable to America. This is a very complicated situation for us, we still have a lot of healing and reconciling to do before we move foward.
rev wrrev wright is no other than the modern day uncle tom
Rev. Wright is a clown. He’s a perfect example of one of the reasons why many intelligent black people don’t go to church. Obama did the right thing in ditchng Wright ’cause Mr. Wright is oh so very wrong.
I’ve heard some nonsense from ministers in my time, but the rev takes the cake.
Obama for President!
Let those crabs in the barrel fight amongst themselves.
I think that Rev. Wright is speaking Truth to Power. We all know that the U.S., for all intent and purposes ARE the biggest terrorists known to mankind in the history of mankind. Slavery, dropping the A-Bomb on Hiroshima, just to name a few, and other crimes against humanity have been perpetrated by the United States of America. Obama is tryin to appeal to everyone right? What about standing up for the TRUTH! Don’t sell your soul to the devil to get to the White House brotha. You still have to look at yourself in the mirror every morning. What good will it be to have a black president if he’s not going to help us? WE NEED THE MOST HELP!!! He needs to stop trying so hard to distance himself from us. You ARE one of us. There’s no getting around THAT!!
can’t understand why obama gave a press conference to bestow his feeling and impressions on Rev. Wright as if Wright was ungrateful.
In Rev. Wright recent speeches he seemed to make a point to distance himself from obama while trying reclaim and impress his own individual identity.
Wright was/is correct in surmising that obama is a politician. Obama brought this itty bitty scandal on himself by giving wright a more meaningful presence in his life than he originally had. I think obama highlighted his christian experience and association trying to pickup the christian right and it has backfired.
The more wright speaks the more damage he will do, but that is purely obama’s fault. As a lawyer obama should have been able to forsee potential problems of throwing out answers that could lead to damaging questions.
Oh wait, only vetted politicans know that this is something that you do not do. The more obama and wright speak on this matter, the more obama is exposed and those xtra independent and rightwing votes he strategized to pickup in the general election, now go to McCain.
#80–Baby Ima Winner–PLEASE tell me what “GREAT” things Hillary has done for our country??
I REFUSE to give Rev Wright ANY attention! That is exactly what he is trying to do! Distract people from the REAL ISSUES facing the American people–jobs, high gas prices, high food prices,escalating crime! That is what I care about not some dime store preacher.
And of course the WAR! But CNN and other news outlets are running with this Rev Wright story like this NUT is running for president–Don’t fall for the distraction people!
drama… too much drama….
102.
ThinkAboutIt
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 /
What is intended for bad, can sometimes bring out the best in people.
It is beoming more clear that Jeremiah Wright has a different agenda – if you carefully trace his path, he is closely aligned to the Clintons and many of their supporters. I believe this was part of their trick bag — they laid it out there a little bit, to get everyone’s attention, and now that Hillary is losing, they had to bring it all out.
If Obama was never leading, it would have never happened — because they truly never expected him to take the lead, and because they wanted him as a VP candidate to Hillary, they couldn’t afford to try and damage him too much.
But now….it’s go for the kill — so people may as well get ready. It’s a fight, and most folk in a fight don’t worry about fighting fair, they fight to win.
Bill Said:
I cosign with you 101%
104 TANI YOU ARE SO WRIGHT (LOL) BUT THATS THE BEAUTY OF POLITICS ….. THATS RIGHT ITS HILL BILLY’S STATE BUT SHE HAS NOT SAID A DANG WORD….
RP
HOW COMES HE’S NOT READY? NO BODY KNOWS IF THEY ARE READY UNTIL THEY ARE IN THAT OVAL OFFICE….. BUT COME ON NOW DON’T BE SO IGNORANT ….. CLINTON (HILARY) IS FAR FROM READY AND IF IFS BASED ON JUDGMENT THEN I PICK OBAMA FOLLOWING A CRAZY PASTOR RATHER THEN HILARY VOTING FOR A WAS AND NOT READING THE DAMN INTELLIGENCE REPORT… UM LETS SEE I CHOSE
OBAMA!
I am definately behind a certain candidate. However, if she doesn’t win the democratic nomination then I have no reservations voting for Obama in the general election. I happen to strongly believe that either one of these candidates would be better for America than McCain. I can’t believe some people actually say they wouldn’t vote for the other candidate if they won the nomination. I think people who support Obama are bitter, and people who support Clinton are bitter. They both have issues with the other candidate, regardless as to if its because of how they ran their campaign or the people they name as advisers. It’s time to get over the bitterness.
I know this election has a lot to do with gender and race. Both African Americans and women have been suppressed in recent history. A lot of people feel that there is a lot at stake because of this. We could either have our first African American president, or our first female president… either one would be huge. We have to stop looking at race and gender, and look at what is best for America.
We have to realize that our next president will most likely appoint 2 or 3 supreme court justices to the supreme court. If McCain wins the office, the supreme court will then heavily be conservative. This does not bode well for many different people. It’s not much of a secret that one of George W’s agendas regarding the supreme court is to alter or overturn Roe Vs. Wade. WOMEN OF ALL RACES need to wake up and realize this as truth. If McCain wins the general election, we will be in for another 4 years of the Bush administration… and when that happens, I hope none of yall are complaining about it. You might not vote for him, but not voting at all is just as helpful to his cause.
Justice 69(96) whateva….you’re picking the man apart for “looking down while he denounced someone??? You’re petty! You’re one of those “stupid black people” standing behind McCain like I said in my first post. You’re the kind of black person who’s not happy with your skin color. Here’s an opportunity for us to unify, yet we still have brotha’s and sista’s like YOU who will stand there, and PUT DOWN another of your race just because his dream is bigger than your mindset! Now ….once again I ask you …..WHO’S THA HATER??
BARACK OBAMA PRESIDENT 2008!!! ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!!
Shit… your voting McCain? might as well vote for Bush again… he’s younger!
DO NOT VOTE FOR HILLARY CLINTON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!
HILLARY IS A LIAR AND CAN NOT BE TRUSTED!!
HILLARY IS A WOMAN , BUT SHE IS PART OF THE GOOD OL BOY NETWORK IN WASHINGTON.
HILLARY IS THE SAME OL SAME OL, THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN WASHINGTON FOR YEARS.
HILLARY JUST WANTS TO MAKE HISTORY.
W why is it that we must bring each other down. I agree with some of the things that Pastor Wright said, but this is not the time. He know how what he say is hurting Obama votes. I am really disappointed and Maya Angelo. Why are all the older leaders been bought out? Black people we got to do better!
@ 105 JUSTICE96
Have you ever been betrayed by someone that you thought had your best interest at heart? Well, along with that outrage, there is also emotional hurt.
al sharpton and his perm need to go sit down somewhere. i live in nyc and he only pops up when something big happens. what about all the other sean bells slain in the streets, what about the black children dropping out of school, what about the mothers on crack leaving their kids to care for themselves. these are real issues in the community but i never see him on tv ranting and raving about that.
obama has been with rev.wright all these years so of course they share some of the same views, but obama cant let the white public know that or he will not make it even close to the white house. true he’s not “keepin it real” but we all have to front at some point in our lives so we can get ahead. wright knows that what he is doing is hurting obama’s campaign but he doesnt care because the media and the clintons are paying him to keep running his mouth DUH!!!!!!
when are we ever going to wake up and open our eyes! as a result of slavery black ppl have lost hundreds of years of progression so we are far far behind the rest. the white man has created the system to keep us oppressed forever, but we cant blame “the man” for everything. we as a people dont support our own and are too quick to turn on each other in the blink of an eye. so the white people just have to sit back and laugh while we destroy each other and make fools of ourselves. we think of ourselves as individuals not as a community, but when you try to be down with the community they stab you in the back. that is why people turn their backs on us then we call them sell outs…..but seriously can u blame them????
my advice 2 obama would be to cut ties with wright and stay away b/c there is no way he will ever become president if white people even think for a second that he is anti-white.
I AM NOW WAITING TO SEE IF HILLARY CLINTON GOING TO ALSO DENOUNCE HER MINISTER, DOUGLAS COE, A MAN WHO PRAISED HITLER IN RECORDED SERMONS? SINCE 1993, HILLARY CLINTON REGULARLY ATTENDED THE PRAYER MEETINGS OF THIS MAN. DOES SHE NOT REALIZE HOW MANY MILLIONS OF JEWS WERE KILLED BY HITLER. I WONDER IF HILLRY PLANS TO DENOUNCE THIS MAN, WHO SHE PRAYED REGULARLY WITH SINCE 1993 I AM WATCHING AND WAITING!!! OR MAYBE HILLARY DOESN’T THINK PRAISING HITLER IS SUCH A BAD THING.
THE PRESS SPOKE ABOUT HILLARY’S CLINTON;S 15 YEAR PASTOR FOR ONE DAY A FEW MONTHS AGO, ONE DAY, AND THIS IS A MAN WHO PRAISED HITLER, IN A RECORDED SERMON. DOES ANYONE ELSE SEE THE OBVIOUS INTENTIONAL BIAS HERE.
I AM STILL WAITNG TO SEE HILLARY DENOUNCES HER PASTOR, DOUGLAS COE, A MAN WHOSE PRAYER SERVICE SHE ATTENDED FOR 15 YEARS.
I WON’T HOLD MY BREATH.
I AM ALSO WAITING FOR JOHN McCAIN TO DENOUNCE PASTOR HAGEE, WHO HAS SAID THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS THE WHORE OF BABYLON. A MAN WHO HAS ALSO SAID THAT KATRINA WAS THE CURSE OF GOD.
JOHN MCCAIN ACCEPTED HIS ENDORSEMENT, AND EVEN MONTHS AND MONTH AS AFTER HE HAS GENTLY QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS DECISION TO ACCEPT THE ENDORSEMENT, KNOWING FULL WELL WHAT THIS MAN SAID, McCAIN SAID THAT HE STILL ACCEPTS AND APPRECIATES THE ENDORSEMENT, AND IS KEEPING IT!
JOHN McCAIN HAS ALSO ACCEPTED, AND ATTENDED SPEAKING INVITATION AT THE COLLEGE OF JERRY FALWELL WHO FAMOUSLY SAID AFTER SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS THAT: And I agree totally with you that the Lord has protected us so wonderfully these 225 years. And since 1812, this is the first time that we’ve been attacked on our soil and by far the worst results. And I fear, as Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, said yesterday, that this is only the beginning. And with biological warfare available to these monsters — the Husseins, the Bin Ladens, the Arafats — what we saw on Tuesday, as terrible as it is, could be miniscule if, in fact — if, in fact — God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve.
PAT ROBERTSON ANOTHER FAMOUS PASTOR SAID THIS DURING THE SAME INTERVIEW: Jerry, that’s my feeling. I think we’ve just seen the antechamber to terror. We haven’t even begun to see what they can do to the major population.
JERRY FALWELL: The ACLU’s got to take a lot of blame for this.
PAT ROBERTSON: Well yes.
JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I’ll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way — all of them who have tried to secularize America — I point the finger in their face and say “YOU HELPED THIS HAPPEN”
PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I totally concur… And I agree totally with you that the Lord has protected us so wonderfully these 225 years. And since 1812, this is the first time that we’ve been attacked on our soil and by far the worst results. And I fear, as Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, said yesterday, that this is only the beginning. And with biological warfare available to these monsters — the Husseins, the Bin Ladens, the Arafats — what we saw on Tuesday, as terrible as it is, could be miniscule if, in fact — if, in fact — God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve.
PAT ROBERTSON: Jerry, that’s my feeling. I think we’ve just seen the antechamber to terror. We haven’t even begun to see what they can do to the major population.
JERRY FALWELL: The ACLU’s got to take a lot of blame for this.
PAT ROBERTSON: Well yes.
JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I’ll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way — all of them who have tried to secularize America — I point the finger in their face and say “you helped this happen.”
PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I totally concur, and the problem is we have adopted that agenda at the highest levels of our government. And so we’re responsible as a free society for what the top people do. And, the top people, of course, is the court system..
I AM WAITING FOR JOHN McCAIN TO DENOUNCE PASTOR HAGEE, AND HIS COMMENTS THAT HURRICANE KATRINA WAS THE CURSE OF GOD, FOR THE CITY DECIDING TO THROW A GAY PRIDE PARADE IN NEW ORLEANS.
I AM WAITING FOR JOHN McCAIN TO DENOUNCE THE PASTOR FOR CALLING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THE WHORE OF BABYLON.
FROM McCAIN’S REACTION SO FAR, I WOULD SAY THAT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AND THE PRESS WILL REMAIN EVER SO SILENT ABOUT THIS HYPOCRISY.
right on sara *** right 2 BAD THE MEDIA CHANGED FOR CRY BABY HILARY…THEY WONT BRING UP HER FLAWS
Everyone is coming down on Rev Wright for what?
I’m still waiting for scientific proof that he is incorrect. People judge from emotion and not fact.
Why would a man who has 2 masters and PHD put himself out there without some type of research or proof. As he spoke, he quoted several doctors and literature that support his thoughts. Has anyone investigated? NO!! We just want to push him aside and say he’s crazy.
The media and the powers that be know that if you think he is crazy, you will dismiss him and not do your homework. Now who’s pushing who under the bus?
As for Al Sharpton: You may not like him but the families he supports are grateful. Not only does he expose the injustices he also gets results. Unlike the people here, who are all talk and no action. When is the last time any of you took a stand on the issues and actually did something. Thank you Al.
it’s not that anyone is saying that wright is crazy–but what is so infuriating, is that he would take the time now to get on his soap box in such a way as to damage obama’s chances and to betray a friend. all he had to do was be silent–there was nothing so impactful in either of his recent speeches that needed to be heard now, particularly 2 weeks before the nc/indiana primaries. wright knew he was hurting, really hurting barack. when i watched wright clowning at the press club, my heart just sank for barack because i knew he was going to have to come out again and address this distraction when he needed to focus all his energies in wrapping this nomination up. all i can say is it’s not over. as michael baisden said recently, now is not the time to give up–we (barack supporters) are still in the game and will support obama until the end. i have already booked my hotel rooms in dc for january 20 so my son and i can be in the crowd when the first african american president is sworn into the highest office in the land. and trust me, i do not plan on canceling that reservation!
135. You are absolutely correct. The Republicans right now don’t have to lift a finger and they know it. They know the Democrats will not pull themselves together and unite behind a single candidate in time. Women and African-Americans should be proud that there are two very qualified candidates that represent a new vision for this country. It’s shameful how people are acting like children. If Clinton represents your views, then vote for her. If you are Team Obama, go for it. Keep in mind that there is a BIG PICTURE here that transcends the first minority president. Don’t act like a baby if Obama or Clinton doesn’t get the nomination. You MUST vote otherwise you might as well kiss your rights and loved ones in the military goodbye. In the Bible Belt especially, you have to meet the Republicans vote for vote. Those states have hot button issues on the ballot (like gay marriages and abortions again) that will bring out the biggots in droves. That’s how Bush got elected in the first place. Sad also to say that the race for white house is not based on the popular vote, it’s based on winning the right states.
What the heck is wrong with people.. we finnaly got a black man running, doing well and the fool Wright is jealous.. thats all it is.. we as conscience “brown” african american people no whats going on but he seriously pisses me off … we all dont feel the way he does and he is .. as much as i hate to admit it….. represents us.. because he’s on camera and a brown man.. i use brown because we are brown skin people not the color black WISE UP YALL !!!!!
This whole race seems to be based on race and amicability. Barack Obama does seem like a geniunely nice guy and Hillary may rub people the wrong way I personally love her ‘take no prisoners’ attitude and McCain seems ok. AMERICA NEEDS A CHANGE!
Argh!! my comment got cut off . This whole race seems to be based on race and amicability. Barack Obama does seem like a geniunely nice guy and Hillary may rub people the wrong way I personally love her ‘take no prisoners’ attitude and McCain seems ok. AMERICA NEEDS A CHANGE! to this i respond no shit sherlock seems to be a platform fave. America is an important figure in the world and when the next president is chosen the need to be one that also impacts change in the world and is effective. Its not a popularity contest I dont care if you are like Mother Tereasa your job is to protect and serve and uphold a certain quality of life. This whole Wright mess I think it’s just another way for Obama to show that is more that just the’ nice’ candidate. And i want him to I need someone that is gonna fight for what needs to be done until their last breath it’s their job. Stop making this a race defect btn these men EVERYTHING believe or not is not a race issue. Stop telling people that if they Vote McCain they are traitors, or that if they vote for Hillary they’re liars (f.y.i. we all r) or that if they vote for Obama they’re naive. Politics is a game doesnt matter how u spin. Its about who plays it best. Vote for policies not for social mobility and ‘ a good look for blacks’. And don’t tear Reverend Wright down for saying what’s on his mind even though i in no way agree. Obama or anyone else can always run next elections stop making this a once in a lifetime thing you’re subconciously limiting yourself. No one can keep you back if you don’t allow them to
Good luck to ALL three candidates in this seemingly race of America’s Next Presidential Best Friend! I pray you have the solutions needed to regenerate this country.