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Thursday morning, Obama and his wife, Michelle, appeared on the "Today Show." In a joint interview with Meredith Vieira, they denounced Rev. Wright. Barack Obama said:I think that the sequence of events was the right one, because this is somebody who had married Michelle and I; who had baptized our children. When those first snippets came out, I thought it was important to give him the benefit of the doubt. If I had wanted to be politically expedient, I would have distanced myself and denounced him right away. Right? That would have been the easy thing to do.Michelle Obama added:
We hear time and time again that voters are tired of this. They don't want to hear about this division. They want to know what are we going to do to move beyond these issues. What made me so proud of Barack in this situation is that he is trying to move us as a nation beyond these conversations that divide us so deeply.Meanwhile, a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 32 percent of respondents have "major problems" with Obama's ties to Rev. Wright.
Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, a Hillary Clinton supporter, warns that if Obama is the nominee, Republicans will use those ties to "swift-boat" him. Bayh told the Washington Post:
You're running for president and people want to get a sense of who you are, and when you're new to the public stage you're a little more susceptible to having the canvas painted in by your political opponents.It may be too late for Obama to distance himself from the audacious Rev. Wright. Six weeks ago in his speech on race in Philadelphia, he said:
As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. ...I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.Still, with polls showing him losing ground, Obama threw Wright under the bus.
Obama's
"You Said It!" on BV Members Rev. Wright
"After viewing his latest speaking engagements, I have to admit, I'm a slightly embarrassed but highly disappointed in fact that it appears as if he doesn't give a darn about Obama becoming America's FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT! His comments seem a bit hostile toward Obama, a man I thought he loved. His timing for speaking out seems 'out of season' and I have to question the TRUE motives of Rev. Wright at this point." - bettyboo2687
Getty
"What do you think is Rev. Wright's motive for speaking in the manner that he is speaking right now in public? To cause Obama harm!!!!" - MizzDelaney
Getty
"His comments are not hostile towards anyone and he does love Obama that is why he is speaking out the people who started this nonsense are the ones who don't give a darn about Obama. why people can't understand that I do not know why." - gilcrease11
Getty
"If you want to know what Wright meant you should ask him. Obama is not his top priority. His top priority is too God, himself and his flock. ( Yes I know that he has retired.)" - nsimone
Getty
"I know I am going to catch heck for this but so be it!!!! I think Wright wants to have his say and if I were in his shoes, I would also want to clear my name. However, Wright before this fiasco was an unknown( outside of Chicago) retiring minister. Now he is probably the most well known black minister in this country. He rarely made the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper now he's on the front page of most newspapers and covered in magazines. He will get paid speaking engagements and interviews." - pecanmermaid
Reuters
"Rev. Wright showed out for the cameras. People keep saying that he should speak out in his own defense but when you defend yourself, it should help you not hurt you more.He had a wonderful platform to defend himself and his legacy but he chose to act for the cameras." - addedtouchll
Reuters
Comments: (164)
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By: jane on 5/01/2008 11:01AM
Rev. Wright needs to seek Jesus. His speeches are him being stuck in the 60's. Jesus forgive all of us. Rev. Wright is teaching hatred and truly doesn't know history. His comment on Aids is so profound and out of touch. I cant believe that half of the things he is saying that he believes them himself. Rev. Wright needs to do so research and stop trying to become a bootleg polictian go to theologian school. It is sad that this is 2008 and we still have people stuck in the early 50's and late 60's with racism. This is the behavior that Senator Obama is talking about it is time for a change. It's time for the young generation to take over and move this country forward. It's time for the O'Reily's, Hillary, Ferraro, and all others that are stuck in the 50's, 60's and dealing with their on racial bias to allow them to stay stuck. Let the young generation take American and build this country where we can have jobs, health care, retire someday, and not have poverty control our schools, communities and becoming the working poor class as our parents were and still is today. LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
SENATOR OBAMA 08
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By: FULTONCOUNTY404 on 5/08/2008 11:39AM
"The Only Reason You Blacks were Slaves is because you didn't have the Balls to Kill Enough White People..." --Jorge Moreno Vargas
myspace fultoncounty404
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By: FULTONCOUNTY404 on 5/08/2008 11:40AM
"The Only Reason You Blacks were Slaves is because you didn't have the Balls to Kill Enough White People..." --Jorge Moreno Vargas
myspace fultoncounty404
R7Studios
revolution digitized 2008
3 Million Views WorldWide!
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By: Will on 5/01/2008 1:57PM
There can be No forgiveness w/o confession!What Rev
Wright has exposed is the SPIRITUAL HYPOCRISY & RELI-
GIOSITY of POLITICS for so-called "mainstream Ameri
ca",where it's "taboo" to discuss,to debate,& certain
ly to teach & preach about the HORRIFIC history of
CHATTEL SLAVERY & its 150+ yrs of FALLOUT!What Barack
has revealed w/his comments is his OWN dis-connect
from the experiences that may STILL pain Rev Wright by
refusing NOT to EXPOUND upon them!For those familar
w/& only a GENERATION from the MEN used in The Tuske-
gee Experiment,it's NOT such a farfetched or absurd i
dea to suggest nor to actually BELIEVE that AIDS is a
nother "Caucasian-made" experimental virus designed to
be a WEAPON
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By: Cecil Jones on 5/01/2008 2:11PM
I believe Rev. Wright is a good man and a better Pastor. Why? His words have challenged the minds of his followers to think about possibilities. It is possible for our government to do some dastardly things. It's not always possible for us to talk about them. If the claims made are never discussed, then we dismiss the truth before we know the truth. What shocks me about this is the "Aide and comfort statement." How do you know Rev. Wright's words are giving aide and comfort if you don't know the truth? What about the people forced to suffer in silence? I hope Rev. Wright keeps running for Jesus. We prayed for a champion, but that person might not be Obama. Who helped Obama get to where he is?
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By: Curtis L. Robertson Jr. on 5/01/2008 2:18PM
If someone were to slap us in the face we'd know why we were so angry. But what about the countless misdirected individuals going forward aimlessly seeking to consume whomever/whatever they can devour? Blindly acting on insecurities, fear, and misconception(s)about what is wrong in America. God made man, but we have caused the racial divide-the distinctions in class based on race, creed, religion, sex or sexual preference, and national origin-and let us not forget the disabled. There is and will always be a convenient vehicle to separate the classes. Why? For whatever the reason it shifts the focus from the real problem. Most of us would go all around the world only to discover that everything we needed to solve our problems we had when we left. We continue to look outside of ourselves for what can only be solved internally. The measure of a man is defined by the standards he sets for himself. We've surrendered the family unit, our values, and government over to individuals that lack spiritual principles and then act surprised with the degredation of society-not a reasonable expectation. Government cannot manage government, but we expect it to manage the family unit. Again, not a reasonable expectation.
Throughout history man has attempted to character assassinate people that took a position-Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy, Martin L. King, Malcolm X, Ghandi, etc. And, what about President Jimmy Carter? Tell me what President Carter's brother had to do with the president's ability to lead the country? However, his brother's appetite for alcohol consumption made the front page of just about every news paper in the country. This country wanted the president to explain his brother's behavior. Let us not lose the focus. What we want is leadership that will take us to the place we need to be-restoration of this country's intertity and economy, affordable prescriptions and health care for all Americans, employment without competition from other governments, and continuation of the liberties we so unappreciatively enjoy. Don't fault Obama for what someone else has said or done. And, since we are not judges, lets allow God to judge Reverend Wright's comments-only God can discern the intent of the man's heart. Remember, stupidity may be fatal, but it is not a crime.
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By: Will on 5/01/2008 2:17PM
"AIDS" is a "WEAPON of MASS DESTRUCTION" of the most
insidious & devious nature because it exploits the NA
TURAL tendency to express as sexual beings where one
engages in some form of seuxal intercourse w/o the be-
nefit of condoms!The Tuskegee Experiment exploited the
same NATURAL tendency & by implication was designed to
SPREAD the sexual disease of SYPHILLIS in an EXPONTEN
TIAL way directly dependent upon the sexual activity
of the individuals who were potential spreaders of the
disease in this manner!If Barack was TRULY educated a
bout or even empathetic w/the HORRIFIC experiences of "THE GREAT GENERATION" Rev Wright represents,he
would have SUPPLMENTED,COMPLIMENTED, or IMPLEMENTED a
response of knowledge,wisdom,& understanding of the
NEED to truly HEAL the WOUNDS of RACISM that still
plague the American PSYCHE!There can be & there will
be no "TRUE HEALING" until there's the dealing w/the
REAL disease,which tends to be the refusal to CONFESS
the SINS & CRIMES of RACISM that have been,that are,
& that will continue to be those of CAUCASIANS in this
country being committed against those of African-Ameri
can descent w/roots in CHATTEL SLAVERY as opposed to
Barack whose African-Amertican roots are NOT!
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By: Will on 5/01/2008 2:43PM
The fact that Barack Obama is an "African_American"
w/o roots in the horrific cruelties of "CHATTEL SLAVERY",or the humiliating experiences of Jim Crowism
nor the life & death struggles of the so-called "Civil
Rights-era",he's the IDEAL societal ILLUSION of both
INDIVIDUAL & COLLECTIVE progress for THOSE he really
has NO real connection to---i.,e.,"African-Americans--
DESCENDANT---from MEN & WOMEN who were treated worst than ANIMALS in some instances,as only 3/5ths HUMAN in
MOST, & as COMMODITIES in ALL by the CAUCASIAN majori-
ty of Americans until this very day"!The problem is that Barack is being used in a larger GAME designed to APPEASE the CONSCIENCE of those who would prefer to live in DENIAL of the HISTORICAL truths,present probabilities,& future possibilities dictated by those who are RACIST to the core of their being!They
have caused him to be exposed as a "MIS-EDUCATED SUC-
CESS STORY"!
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By: Farrar Soto on 5/01/2008 2:46PM
This is why politics shouldn't mix with religion. Never, ever. Mr Rev Wright is wrong, even if what he said is not false at all, but the way he say it ... but that's your country where to praise you freedom and all that propaganda. To me, a a negro from the diaspora, is a shame that you could loose the opportunity to elect such a brilliant statesman like Mr Obama. Men like him do not comes every year to this world. And he;s fully American. If you Americans, waste this chance, the entire world is going to enter another long night of bigotry and decadence like your last 20 years. Seize the time!
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By: L J. Fleming on 5/01/2008 3:26PM
First it must be recognized that Rev Wright is to religion what Hulk Hogan is to professional wrestling, a showman, a huckster and a bombastic blowhard, who nevertheless brings a lot of people and a lot of money to the gate just because they want to see his show. Secondly, Wright and a lot of other "black liberationists" depend on folks buying into their message of "victimhood". This "schtick" would be severly undermined if a person of color, like Obama, would, through his own hard work and character, achieve the highest office in the world. Indeed, what would they be able to "rant" about other than real issues like war and poverty. However, these type of rantings don't bring the "victims" to the gate of the event nearly as well as emotional issues of "racism" and blame. Besides it's much easier to be a "victim" than to be an achiever like Obama. So the last thing that the Rev. Wrights of the world want is for Obama to win and show the world that their claims of racism are nothing more than excuses.
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