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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: Ethel Munson on 5/02/2008 9:15AM
There appears to be enough blame to go around for both Sen. Obama and Rev. Wright for the poor handling of this issue. First, African Americans or black's whatever, history is, and always will be, revolving from slavery - that you cannot change. Rev. Wright has every right to address such as he understood it. Sen. Obama is of another generation and his history and up bringing may have taken a different turn (he was raised by his maternal grandmother who was white). So, the two men may not have understood each other as well as the media may have depicted this. They should have devised a plan outside of the eyes of the media to deal with their relationship publicly. Their relationship happened and their differences are what they are.
Sen. Obama displaying anger over Rev. Wright's comments seem disingenuous. You do not know someone for 20 years and be surprised when the person speaks in a manner that is the essence of the person.
Rev. Wright had nothing to gain from his media blitz other than to embarass someone whom he says was like a son to him.
However, we as African Americans need to get beyond this. Sen. Obama can no more use African Americans than the Clintons - they are good. They even had some African Americans believing that Pres. Clinton was the first black president - Notice, Pres. Clinton never had to suffer the indignities of being black, the denial of Constitutional rights because of his blackness or the poverty and many other injustices that are associated with skin color. To gain such an honary title, all he had to do was talk "black" and profess to have grown up with blacks - who in the deep South during the 40's and 50's did not?
Otherwords, African Americans get over Rev. Wright and Sen. Obama's blunders and their egos, and get your buts out there and vote for Sen. Obama!
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By: VIC FROM THE SOUTHSIDE on 5/02/2008 9:33AM
I HOPE SOMEONE SEIZES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHED SOME MUCH NEEDED LIGHT ON THE OBSCURE WAY THE "AIDS" VIRUS MANIFESTED AND PROLIFERATED TO BECOME THE #1 KILLER OF OF "BLACKS" IN THE WORLD. REV.WRIGHTS' THEORY MAY HAVE MERRIT. HE SHOULD CONDUCT A STUDY, HE HAS THE RESOURSES, TO REFUTE THE BOGUS CLAIM THAT THE "DISEASE" ORIGINATED IN MONKEYS, AND WAS PAST ON TO HUMANS BY A VACCINE. IT'S CLEAR HE CORRECTLY ASSESSED THE LIES OF 911. HAS THERE BEEN RESEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT? I BELEIVE "AIDS" WAS CREATED AS A BIO- WEAPON, AND IF SO, I KNOW THERE IS A CURE. TAKE LOOK AT MAGIC JOHNSON. HE GOT IT IN 1991 SHOULD HE HAVE EXPIRED BY NOW? HE'S APPROACHING 20 YEARS WITH IT.
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By: Thomas L. Davidson on 5/02/2008 9:37AM
I'm just sick that so many people would abandon Mr. Obama,over what this man has been saying. He will not be in the White House or running this Country. As hard as Mr. Obama has worked to get our votes, he deserves much better from us. Judge him on what he says, not what others around him say. I'm praying for him and his family, I think about how hard this must be for his wife and two little girls. I know they miss him, I have a little girl, an she misses me greatly, just when I'm at work for 8 hrs a day. PLEASE TRUE OBAMA FIGHTERS, LET'S STAND BY HIM THROUGH IT ALL AND HE'LL WIN.
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By: margie on 5/02/2008 5:35PM
Rev.Wright should have been called Rev.Wrong because he knew he was wrong doing what he did.He fell right into the Clinton bag of tricks they kept on and on and they got victory because they were able to bring division between the two. Why is it so important cant obama disagree on some of the things his pastor teaches my pastor tells us to study for ourselves and if we have any type of disagreement to let him know he doesnt tell us you must believe every word he says america wake up they see an african american man on his way to the white house and now all of a sudden all this mess comes out about his PASTOR and one of his sermons he had preached a while ago.stop the hating because it is time for change and that change will be Obama they know if a black man win. then us as african americans will truley believe we can accomplish anything and nothing can get in our way.stop the player hateing and lets help this man take his rightfully spot clinton supportors look at how low she is willing to go for a vote ask yourself why did her group pay for the airing of what rev. wright [wrong] did she must not have too much confidence in herself why so low do you really want her as your president Obama has tried to work with her on all different things she did just like when she said she was shot at talk about that every time she would be asked she kept on lying so if she could lie about something so simple why would you want her to be your next president she has proven herself unstable she has used her husband to draw in votes she knows she cannot stand to run against him she is doing evey cheap trick she could pull she used the female card what else hillary can you do move out of the way and let a grwon man move up to his rightful spot which is president of the united states grow up mccain and move over because you need to know your add commercial was bad you need to know in order for that commercial to air somebdy had to o.k. it it just happen to run long enough just for somebody to start thinking not going to work we are to smart to know that it is just a cheap trick for you to gain trust from us we can think for ourselves sit down and stop trying so hard you make your ownself look crazy Obama you need to know we got your back we can recognize a cheap trick such as the ones the other canidates are running
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By: pearlz on 5/02/2008 9:52AM
Actuallly, the Rush and Hannidy's(hate baters) of this country has been the tool of the devil in this situation, they have promoted Rev Wright to be the central issue in Obama's campaign and the people have fallen for it. People, please be aware of the vices of the devil, and remember what the Bible says about him and lets not be fooled. lets do our due dilligence. God gave us a fanamanal tool, OUR BRAIN, lets use it and not let others do our thinking for us.
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By: Carol on 5/02/2008 9:54AM
After watching Bill Moyer's interview with the Reverend, I see why he is so bitter. While President Johnson was having gall bladder surgery, Reverend Wright was there in the operating room. After he took off his surgical mask, the secret service tried to detain him as a subversive. It was only after he put back on the mask did they recognize him. What Black man has had that experience? Precious few. Those memories are many others are resonating in his mind. It is true that he went a little overboard with his accusations of HIV and the Black community, but he did not make up the Tuskegee experiment where blacks were experimented on with the syphylis disease. The play and movie, "Miss Evers Boys" Brought that to light. Read and research for yourself, Black children.
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By: doug brown on 5/02/2008 10:15AM
that damn wright is a DEVIL. i still think the republican's or clinton's bought him. their pulling out all weapons of mass destructions!!!
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By: holly brock on 5/02/2008 10:20AM
I would LOVE to see Barack win and will vote for him .But why would he want to take over the mess Brush got us in? it would take more than 4 years to get us out of this mess, and people will say i told you so black people mess up everything.
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By: L. Hill on 5/02/2008 10:19AM
Renvenge is all this is. What else can you do when you start to lose face within in your church and the public eyes. As a man of God, my family was taught not to talk against a minister. Churches today are losing so many members because of what is being taught, what is expected, what is exceptable and not exceptable. The bible is our daily bread, and shall always be interpret as one see fit. Come as you are, and make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Rev. Wright is not doing this. His words are vengeful. malicious, and dishonoring to the house of God. He once had political backing, and when part of your power is stricken from you, what else do you do but to retaliate. Anger speaks in volumes, but when all is said and done, who is the victor, the giver or the reciever.
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By: HEAVY on 5/02/2008 10:31AM
UNCLE WRIGHT, OR SHALL I SAY UNCLE TOM,YO POCKET'S SHOULD BE FAT ENOUGH NOW,LATER 4 THE DRAMA NOW VOTE 4 OBAMA.WE NO WHAT YOUR TRYING TO DO,JUDES OF 08...P.S. NOW ''GIVE SOME BACK TO THE POOR.''LATER!
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