NBC's Cowan said "Nobody that I know of has asked" Obama about Wright's 9-11 comments -- but NY Times did and he disavowed them
SUMMARY: On MSNBC's Morning Joe, NBC correspondent Lee Cowan stated that "[n]obody that I know of has asked" Sen. Barack Obama about controversial comments his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, made just days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In fact, The New York Times asked Obama about Wright's remarks in a 2007 interview, and Obama reportedly replied, "The violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification."
On the March 14 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, discussing controversial statements by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Sen. Barack Obama's church, host Joe Scarborough asked NBC correspondent Lee Cowan, "[H]as Barack Obama had to answer any questions about this pastor's September 11th speech, where five days after September 11th, the pastor blamed 9-11 on America and its foreign policy, supporting terrorist states, et cetera, et cetera. Has Barack Obama been pressed on that issue?" Cowan replied: "Nobody that I know of has asked him, certainly not at the town hall meetings -- they don't get that specific. It's more this general tone of, 'Who is this guy and what has he been saying?' " Cowan further stated, "Barack Obama has always tried to distance himself -- the campaign has tried to distance himself [from Wright's comments] as well." In fact, Obama was specifically asked about Wright's 9-11 comments during an interview with The New York Times, and reportedly replied, "The violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification."
Earlier in the show, discussing Wright's comments about 9-11, co-host Mika Brzezinski asserted that "Barack Obama does not agree with that. I mean, that, I think, most people know." Scarborough responded, "We'll let people decide; we're not gonna figure it out here." Indeed, while Wright's comments were repeatedly highlighted on the March 14 Morning Joe, at no point was Obama's assertion that "[t]he violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification" mentioned.
The Times reported on April 30, 2007:
On the Sunday after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Mr. Wright said the attacks were a consequence of violent American policies. Four years later he wrote that the attacks had proved that "people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared' as the Great White West went on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."
Provocative Assertions
Such statements involve "a certain deeply embedded anti-Americanism," said Michael Cromartie, vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative group that studies religious issues and public policy. "A lot of people are going to say to Mr. Obama, are these your views?"
Mr. Obama says they are not.
"The violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification," he said in a recent interview. He was not at Trinity the day Mr. Wright delivered his remarks shortly after the attacks, Mr. Obama said, but "it sounds like he was trying to be provocative."
As Media Matters for America documented, during a report on the March 13 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, ABC News chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross also reported on Wright's remarks about the September 11 terrorist attacks without noting that Obama had specifically said he disagreed with them.
From the March 14 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:
BRZEZINSKI: I wonder how this compares to what -- the stories we've been covering where race has come up in the past. How does this compare to Bill Clinton in South Carolina or Geraldine Ferraro? I mean, it's kind of hard to compare the two.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, I don't know that this is a race issue. I think this is more of an issue of Barack Obama's judgment and this guy talking about how the United States was responsible for 9-11 and that Hillary Clinton is a privileged white woman that has never been called the n-word, just a --
BRZEZINSKI: That would be a race issue, but let me just say that the other concept, the 9-11 -- Barack Obama does not agree with that. I mean, that, I think, most people know.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, we'll let --
BRZEZINSKI: I think it's --
SCARBOROUGH: We'll let people decide; we're not gonna figure it out here.
BRZEZINSKI: No.
SCARBOROUGH: But I will tell you that those are tough words out there --
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.
SCARBOROUGH: -- and there's gonna be a lot of talk about it.
[...]
SCARBOROUGH: Lee, has Barack Obama had to answer any questions about this pastor's September 11th speech, where five days after September 11th, the pastor blamed 9-11 on America and its foreign policy, supporting terrorist states, et cetera, et cetera. Has Barack Obama been pressed on that issue?
COWAN: Nobody that I know of has asked him, certainly not at the town hall meetings -- they don't get that specific. It's more this general tone of, "Who is this guy and what has he been saying?" I mean, what's important is a lot of this stuff has been out there for a good deal of time, these tapes that everyone is showing are actually for sale. You can go buy the DVDs at the church and listen to his sermons, like you can many pastors. So this isn't something that's necessarily new; it's been out there for quite some time. Barack Obama has always tried to distance himself -- the campaign has tried to distance himself as well. They certainly don't like these things popping up. It doesn't do the campaign particularly a good service, but it is a tough thing to back away from if you still want to say you're a part of, a part of the church.
It's interesting to note that this is basically the same thing Ron Paul said.
USA USA USA!
Don't give me no crap on Palestinian rights
Our number one place is a God-given right.
USA USA USA!
Really? I think they're sarcasm rings true, but then again, I don't believe that the Bible was written by God, or that any religion holds the truth.
And really, why shouldn't we make fun of something so inane as religion? As Tom Robbins wrote:
"Religion is nothing but institutionalized mysticism. The catch is, mysticism does not lend itself to institutalization. The moment we attempt to organize mysticism, we destroy its essence"
AA,
Mocking religion and those who practice it, well, Christianity mainly, is no biggie for some on the left - it's ok. Selective bigotry is fine as long as it's against people you don't like........you know the drill.
Irony,
Your seeming lack of knowledge of the history of the Jewish people and the area around Israel makes you unaware of the bigotry in your statement.
The Jews have historically called the area now Israel their home for over 4,000 years. Included in that history is repeated and sometimes successful efforts to drive Jews away from Israel. Their claim to Israel as a homeland is not only rooted in the Bible but is historical as well.
And North America was the home of its original inhabitants for maybe about 15,000 years...until Europeans came along a few hundred years ago.
Maybe if there were some ancient holy texts saying God gave the land to Native Americans in perpetuity we'd be screwed, eh?
The Israelites slaughter the Canaanites and steal their land, then write their history to claim that God told them to, and that God gave them the land forever. Yeah, right.
Could you elaborate a little on the Jewish history to enlighten me. I used to go to school with some Jewish students in a public school then the parents moved from the district. So I don't know much except the Halocaust happened, the "Romans destroyed the temple and some committed suicide when the
Temple was burned and some left. I remember from my History teacher Joel Seltzer, in Memorial no.11 in New Jersey, that he was describing how the Germans were saying the Jewish people owned everything and the Germans were starving economically in their financial institutions and banking industry. This brought about a envious or shall I say, covetous behavior in the populace and they turned on the Jewish People, listening to Hitler.
Don't know if it's all true but the Jewish people strike me as they don't mind talking about it even though it brings painful memories, sort of like the African Americans. That much we have in common. Wrongs were done to the Chinese, and Japanese, but with sincere apology after years of seeking retribution. We get nothing by more and more racist and belittling comments on tv, radio and unless your in sports and away from the everyday doldrum of it, you really are not considered a valuable member or contributor of the country.
That's what I say, they want to knock down a temple after the Middle East conquered the Rome and put a new Jewish Temple up because they are trying to bring on the Rapture. It says when they return that Jesus would come and the war of Armegedon will happen whell they are trying to hasten it.
How rational is that. If that was the case then the American Native American can claim their lands back. It would be an all out war and you know it. They keep pushing into the Paletinian lands in 25 mlile increments.
Now I understand six million wrongs were done to the Jewish nation in Germany, but 100 million wrongs were done to the African Americans during the Atlantic Passage. Do you see us trying to take over.
Like Rodney King said, "Can't we all just get along?"
We are grown ups after all.
AA wrat:
>>Both comments above show a religious bigotry in case you didn't notice.
What the heck are you talking about? Do you think that God gave USA the right to be number one in the world? How is making fun of that notion religious bigotry?
I can't believe my little ditty raised so much ire. For the record, I meant the USA when I said "our country." But it holds equally true that the Jewish people who think that God gave them the right to dispossess the native Palestinians are wrong.
FUNNY, when I first read (skimmed) your post and saw the reference to the Palestinians I thought the next sentence referred to Israel. When I went back later and re-read the post it only occurred to me then that you were probably referring the USA instead. My post was specifcally in reference to Israel.
For the record, while strongly support Israel's right to peaceful existence, Israel's aggressive land-grabbing of settlements, particularly on the West Bank, based upon Biblical claims of entitlement may be the number one reason that peace has not been obtained in the Middle East. Further, I believe it poses a serious threat to world peace. Just to clarify my remarks...
Irony wrat:
>>For the record, while strongly support Israel's right to peaceful existence, Israel's aggressive land-grabbing of settlements, particularly on the West Bank, based upon Biblical claims of entitlement may be the number one reason that peace has not been obtained in the Middle East.
I completely agree.
Well..
Ron Paul was right. There have been great books written on this subject, and even though I disagree with some of his rhetoric in the book, Imperial Hubris should be read. Michael Scheur, who led the bin Laden unit for years, has essentially the same conclusion. American foreign policy lead to 9/11, and nothing else.
Imagine that- examining past events to try and figure out the present is somehow anti-American. Who'd a thunk it? :)
Yep, it's totally Hillary and Bill's fault that Obama is caught up in a relationship with a sleazy slumlord and a racist church.
When the message is false, you attack the message.
When the message is true, you attack the messenger.
Nice try. But it's getting really, really old.
Instead of looking for Rove and the Clintons behind every tree, why not take a look at the actual charges? I know, I know- afraid of what you might find.
Yep, it's totally Hillary and Bill's fault that Obama is caught up in a relationship with a sleazy slumlord and a racist church.
I don't think rational thinking allows one to call an ENTIRE church racists based on Rev. Wrights sermon.
Groan. Really. If you regularly attend KKK rallies, you aren't entitled to the benefit of the doubt when you say "hey, I just attended, don't brand me a racist!" Please. There were many, many other churches Obama could have attended. This Rev. Wright was notorious. He sold videotapes of his hateful sermons.
Yes, I will use a broad brush. People who came regularly to hear this guy speak were supporting racism. That includes Obama.
Sorry. Lie down with dogs, rise up with fleas. Obama is not worthy of your excuse machine. Shut it down.
Yes, I will use a broad brush. People who came regularly to hear this guy speak were supporting racism. That includes Obama.
And that's why so many liberals will remain ignorant about issues of race. You know absolutely NOTHING about the black people who attend his church yet you think you have the right to make judgement about them. Sad but about typical behavior. You know NOTHING about all the sermons this minister preaches, you've just heard bits and pieces of a couple yet again you feel free to judge an entire church. Again I'd say your pretty typical. You know NOTHING about being African American you don't want to know therefore you will remain ignorant. Oh and being a rabid Hillary supporter also help in your ignorance. One word, typical.
If this becomes a problem when and if he gets the nomination, Obama needs somehow to bring up Hagee.If Obama has a Wright problem then McCain ought to have a Hagee problem.
I agree with what alot of Wright says but you can't say these things that Wright said.
Also Obama needs to say that Wright is not now his pastor, he has to stop going to his church.
Wright retired last month, it's not his church anymore now anyway.
That won't stop the numbskulls on the right - after all, they're still giving Sen. Robert Byrd grief for being a KKK member, and he quit the Klan over 60 years ago.....
The Rev.Jeremiah Wright is on the Obama campaigns African-American Religious Leadership Committee.Spin that.
Oh well, then Obama's support of a racist church for 20 years and his donation of $22,000 to that church just last year doesn't mean a thing then. It vanishes like vapor in a breeze, doesn't it?
Jesus, the level of delusion by some people is really just astonishing. The guy is retiring- so Obama's support of him means nothing now? Like pushing one of those big Staples buttons- Hey, that was Easy!
By your logic, we should have stopped criticizing Bush for the Iraq debacle the moment Rumsfeld resigned. Unbelievable.
I believe that Obama needs to candid and forceful now in explaining his relationship with Wright. The honesty and forthrightness will help him, by referring back to a nearly one year old interview is not helping him, thank you MMFA.
Reporters are going to ask, it's politics. And much of politics is about perception and associations. Wright is probably no nuttier than Robertson, Falwell, or McCain's Hagee guy - but some of Wright's inflammatory statements are very troubling.......Obama would do himself a favor, and those of us who support him, by getting out in front of this story and put it to bed before the Hannitys get a hold of his juggular and derail Obama's campaign, in favor of a Clinton one.
I, for one, wouldn't sit through sermons where my pastor made these types of incendiary remarks, I want to hear Obama's take on it. I am confident he will address the current media attention being given to this story.
It's just so sad that poor Barack was bound, gagged and dragged into this church to get married, and forced at gunpoint to donate $22,000 last year, and tortured until he agreed to name his book "The Audacity of Hope" after a quote by the Rev. Wright.
Poor Barack, such a sad victim of circumstance. Could have happened to any of us.
I'm just happy for you. Now the Black Separatist Muslim is out of your way and you won't ever have to worry about him again, you got him. All your research paid off. Obama’s Black ass is toast. I know it's it good day for you and I’m sure you think it’s a great day for America, and McCain is going to win. You have won a magnificent victory, so why don’t you go somewhere and revel in it baby! The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire!!!!
So- winning is all that matters, huh? You sound like someone who was perfectly happy with the delusion that Santa Claus exists, and is now embittered at the mean adults who pulled your blinders off.
Black Muslim Seperatist? What the hell are you talking about? I think a bit of Projection is going on here. "FINE! You get your way! You ruined Obama! You ruined everything, you meanie Ruiner! I'm taking my dolls and going home now! Hope you're happy!"
Grow up. As if this crap wasn't going to come out between now and November. Obama has been hoisted by his own petard. Mr. Unity associates for two decades with Mr. God Damn America, and you are all pissy because someone points it out?
Come back when you are ready to deal with the real world.
And as I've said before, if you are disappointed, you are blaming the wrong person. Obama didn't get torn down by some nefarious outside force any more than Eliot Spitzer did.
Sorry, but protecting your feelings isn't as important as picking the right person to be President. Sorry also when the facts get in the way of your hero worship.
You might be an adult, but if you feel dejected because Obama turned out to be a flawed human being and (gasp) a politician who took you and a lot of other people for a ride, you have plenty of growing up left to do.
I disagree with, Lynn. I don't think it's the end of the road but we'll see.
How did he take any of his supporters for a ride? Just what is the horrible truth about Obama that we've learned from these "revelations" of his minister? Have any of his achievements changed? Have any of his positions changed? What's changed?
I see Obama now exactly the same as I saw him before this idiotic smear-by-association hit the echo chamber. Nothing has changed except the attitudes of the narrow-minded among us.
picking the right person to be President
Oh my God! Who could that be? Let me take a wild guess who you think is the right person.....Hillary
Please Hillary has NO MORE experience than Obama when it comes to Natl. Security issues. She had NO security clearence so she never read the Presidential Daily Briefing, attended a Natl. Security meeting, she could not even be in the room when Natl Security issues were discussed so WHAT is her experience? Bill? She got Natl. Security experience from sleeping next to Bill? Do we have a records of how many times she actually slept next to Bill? And how does one get Natl Security experience sleeping next to the President when he can't even discuss Natl. Security with his spouse? The one time when she could have shown her "commander in chief" credentials she voted YES and almost 4,000 men and woman have died and she doesn't have the b*lls to simply say I MADE A MISTAKE.
Picking the right person means Hillary? LOL
Nope. John McCain will get a pass from the "Liberal Media", just like Puddinhead George did.
If Cowan was telling the truth when he said "Nobody I know of..." (which I find impossible to believe), then he is ridiculously uninformed. This is a preview of the kind of dishonest "reporting" that Obama will face if he is the nominee, and he needs to counter it immediately. He also needs to bring up Hagee and fight back with facts--the Disturbed, Scary Beady-Eyed Loon quotient is MUCH higher on the other side of the religious aisle.
Cowan is saying "as far as I know".
The interesting part of this is how many of the conservative posters who have come here recently, armed to the teeth with all sorts of "facts" about Obama's America-hating. Several posters have asked these people for their take on Hagee/Parsley, etc.
The response seems to be that these conservatives are completely unaware of the religious nuts supporting(and embraced by) the GOP, while obsessed and pumped full of talking points about the religious nuts even tenuously associated with Obama.
And they still carry on about the Liberal media.
Col.
You are correct, at least regarding me, that I know little of these right-wing ministers. I do not follow them nor belong to their churches. I find the quotes provided here showing them to be bigoted and contrary to my concept of Christianity.
On another note, I do find your attempt to define Obama's relationship to Wright as somehow 'tenuous' to be laughable.
Sadly, our lazy, worthless Media Pimps will rake Obama over the coals while Mavericky McCain sits on the beach waiting for the dust to settle.
Solon,
I agree with you except Obama is running for President. That puts him in a different category whether it is fair or not. I for one do not know if Rev. Wright's comments account for 1% or 50% of his preaching. No matter which case, it is full of anti-American rhetoric, full of anti-white rhetoric, and the Rev. associates fully and gives out awards to an anti-semite and racist like Farrakhan.
Can you honestly say you'd not get up and walk out after hearing those clips by Rev. Wright telling his parishioners to say, "GD America" from the pulpit???
Obama's relationship 20 year relationship gave him plenty of time even by your standards to move if he disagreed. He didn't take it and by his continued presence showed he accepted it. Now that is politically inconvenient to be associated with Rev. Wright, now Obama disavows those statements. Looks to me to be too little too late.
I am not sure which sermon Obama said he missed. However if a preacher said something like that in my congregation, everyone, and I mean everyone, would know about it sooner rather than later.
Everyone has their own standards. If I had heard my minister say 'GD America' I would have started looking the second I found out. It only would have taken one time for me.
Why anyone, especially a bright person like Obama would want to be associated with that type of rhetoric, unless they accepted it, is beyond me.
AA, while I didn't specify Wright here, I probably should have said "...religious nuts and other controversial figures even tenuously associated..." to make it more clear.
That being said, the association even with Wright could be seen as more loose than another candidates endorser who is fully embraced.Obviously, going by the items here over the last few days, there are differnet opinions on this. Some seem to think that if one is a member of a church,group,or other organization, that person must either denounce anyone involved in that group or accept responsibility for 100% of what the leaders and other members says and do
.
Col.
I wouldn't say it had to be 100%. But giving the Wright Award to a racist and anti-semite like Farrakhan? Accompanying Farrakhan to Lybia to see Kadaffi? Telling his congregation to say, "GD America"! Blaming the U.S. for a terrorist attack? Sermons from the pulpit with anti-white hate speech?
C'mon.
Aw, c'mon. He was sorta right. The NY Times is nobody he knows of, because like all good little conservative wingnuts he doesn't acknowledge their existance.
Oh oh! Another one bites the dust!
You'd think they'd at least check out MMFA before making such a statement on te air. I know I would. I'd feel pretty stupid being, like, the third or fourth person to be caught spouting the same bit of ignorance.
Of course, the market for this "information" are themselves fairly ignorant so... MAYBE NOT!
You can't compare the Hagee support with the Wright support. I doubt John McCain has been a regular supporter of Hagee while Obama was married by and his children baptised by Wright. I think there is a significant difference to the connections.
I would hate to have my children exposed to that hate mongering whether I was black or white. One sermon and he'd never see me in a pew again.
Just my middle of the road libratarian viewpoint.
I doubt John McCain has been a regular supporter of Hagee
Hemlock - you're right. McCain was against Hagee before he was for him. Just like most of his position(s) on national policy.
I doubt John McCain has been a regular supporter of Hagee
Based on the pictures I seen of Hagee, you'd have to have a very strong back to regularly support him..... :-)
No matter how Obama denounces or explains the grievance, frustration and anger of many blacks in America, it's useless. All people will see in that video clip is a black Hitler building an army of angry, Afrocentric Christians to oppress whites. The one thing I know about my country is that black agitation is a scary thing to many sections of White America. The biggest fear deep down inside many Americans is of a black man gaining a lot of power and using that power to oppress whites over past injustices such as slavery and Jim Crow. Though Obama is about as unthreatening and bourgeois as Bill Cosby, I repeat: it doesn’t matter.
The fact of the matter is this was bound to happen sooner or later. You cannot reach the mountain top of political power as a black man without acknowledging the fact we live in a divided America where many whites distrusts blacks and blacks frustrated and angry with whites. Obama often tip-toed around the issue of race and not address it head on -- particularly from the perspective of blacks -- because he didn't want to drive away white voters. This country is just not ready for a black president...not at this time. The wounds have not been healed, and there are many black people who feel that they have not won the fight against racial injustice.
Maybe in the next fifty years or so there will be a black president, where America will be more multiracial, and less divided, than ever. But we're not there yet. Obama's campaign will be written in the history books as a campaign that was ambitious and admirable, but a campaign that's out of step in a post-Clinton/post-Bush era. No adminstration since Johnson's challenged America's blatent contridications of race, and every presidancy since then has failed working-class blacks. Obama had too much against him to survive under such strong racial tension among blacks and whites.
Anyway, I have to log off now, watching these clips and the feverish reaction of this from our press crop and the posters here is too disappointing for me.Forget Willie Horton- this has the potential to "swift boat" Obama into exactly the opposite image of what he is. Decorated war hero Kerry was successfully painted as some kind of anti American coward who lied repeatedly about his record, and now Obama, inspirational, a master orator, wunderkind pol is being morphed into some hysterical black militant. The speed and force of this is shocking. He needs to fix this.
Agree. And the way to fix it is not by his supporters, or even Obama himself, getting into these arguments on the merits of what Wright said and to try and soften or interpret his incendiary remarks. He will never win on that.
I don't see Obama recovering from this. I tried to warn my fellow progressives that this would happen, that the media will paint him to be a Black Nationalist. I'm not even that fond of Obama but it pains me to see this type of media coverage of him. There's no way to dig out of this, the message is clear: Obama hates white people and is ashamed of his country. O'Reilly was correct last night: this is Willie Horton times ten.
I do. I see Barack Obama facing his accusers head-on, and showing them for the racist liars that they are (especially Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Savage, and Levin). All the while earning more respect and propelling him closer to The White House.
Well, it would be helpful if Obama could point to some LIES to denounce. Which of these charges are lies"
1. Obama has attended this church for twenty years.
2. Obama gave $22,000 to this church just last year.
3. Obama chose the Rev. Wright to conduct his wedding ceremony.
4. Obama so respected the Rev. Wright that he used part of one of his sermons- "the Audacity of Hope"- as the title of his book.
Yes, Obama needs to confront and knock down lies. The problem is, its a lot harder to confront and knock down the truth. So he'll probably go after the messenger instead. That will probably work against Hillary, The Doer Of All Things Evil, but I don't see it working in the fall campaign.
Preston,
Lots of stuff in your post. However one part puzzled me.
Your wrote: "No adminstration since Johnson's challenged America's blatent contridications of race, and every presidancy since then has failed working-class blacks."
Can you explain why you believe that to be the case?
Thanks
You are right about this being a potentially destructive issue for the Obama campaign. But now we progressives are in a real bind. If Hillary Clinton steals the nomination from Obama, then African Americans are going to abandon the party. And we on the left know that without the huge black vote, the Democrat Party cannot win.
Let's face facts, Obama has to find some way to deal with this issue in a forceful way - otherwise his chances ( and the DNC's chances) are pretty dim in 2008.
It was coming and black folks knew it was coming. Whether it was said out loud or quietly express, Black folks knew that American is not ready for President Obama and I'm not sure they ever will be. Jackson and Sharpton were too radical and most black folks knew they would never become President but Obama was different and everyone knew it. While the destruction is sad and painful to watch one good thing has happened. I have had my eyes opened about the Clintons and the Democratic party. It's like having a best friend who always told you that your race didn't matter and then finding that same best friend calling you the "N" word. Oh I won't run out and vote Republican, I know where I stand with them, but I've lost any respect I ever had for the Clintons and they party that they belong to.
I do have a question, why now and who gains by showing Rev. Wright's sermons? After all they have been available for well over a year. Why now?
Snoop,
I wouldn't characterize recent awareness over Obama's relationship to Wright as racism. After all, it is Wright's comments that are causing this reflection, not any white person's comments.
I think America is ready to embrace a black president. Hence the popularity of Obama to this point. I also think the same for a woman as evidenced by Hillary's support. However through this primary, they are attacking each other. Nothing wrong in that. It seems to me the Democrats rely on the politics of identity... that is Obama's race, and Hillary's gender, for their support. Whoever loses the primary will place the blame on some sort of victimhood rather than getting beat. It is natural to do so. The same holds true in the general election if the Democrats lose. It will become the standard meme that the U.S. is not ready. It is unfortunate. Maybe McCain will enlist a black woman to run as his veep so as to deflect that criticism? I think it would be a masterful political move.
Why now? I think it's because the republicans don't want to run against Obama. They see their best chance of success by running against Hillary hence the effort to destroy Obama now. I think you're wrong though, if Obama does get the nod I think he'll win. The racists in this country may never be ready for a black president, but they are getting marginalized because of their mouths. More and more people are realizing just how right we've been on racism still being a problem because of these yokels. Heck, Gibson just lost his show today, that makes 3 within the last few months now!
Snoopy, you may be right about the Republican angle, but there are so many who don't want the change Obama talks about. Too many people are extremely happy with the current situation, and let's be truthful, divisive politics allows those who practice it to retain money and power. In the back of my mind I've been waiting for "the bomb" to drop and unfortunately this may be it. As much as I want him to get the nomination, I don't think it will happen.
Yes, I think in some ways we are marginalizing some of the loud mouth blowhards but I think Democrats need to get their own house in order as well. One thing Obama has taught me in running for President, it's not only Republicans with issues on race, Democrats have issues as well. No, I'm not saying Democrats are on the scale of Republicans regarding issues of race, but I may have given them more credit than they deserve.
That's just my opinion.
Yep, it's the Clintons fault that Obama attended a racist church. Just as I predicted.
It's also the Clintons fault that the Rev. Wright is a racist, and that he married Barack and Michelle. And Bill and Hillary convinced Barack to donate money to Wright and his church. And to stay good friends of the Reverend when any sensible person (and sincere "Uniter") would have stepped away from it quite some time ago.) it's the Clintons fault that all of these FACTS came out.
That's what you are really upset about- that after months of treating Obama like he's made out of crystal, the media is actually starting to point out some flaws in his character. NO FAIR! The CLINTONS must be behind this!!
I expect a lot of tears and gnashing of teeth from the crushed, hurt Obamabots. It's already started, right here. At least you don't have to look for a scapegoat, as long as the Clintons are around, they'll always do just fine.
NBC's Cowan said "Nobody that I know of has asked" Obama about Wright's 9-11 comments -- but NY Times did and he disavowed them
I guess Lee Cowan and the New York Times are not on speaking terms.... :-)
As long as crap like this is routinely propogated with out repurcussions for the perpetrators (ownership of the offending media), little by little the support for Obama will be chipped away. A few independents here, more far rightys there, getting out on election day who would otherwise remain apathetic, to vote against the scary dark skinned guy.
If a significant number of people can become convinced that Obama is the leader of movement with the hidden agenda to oppress along racial lines, to oppress a white majority, then we as a society deserve what ever we get. Once we have succombed to fear mongering like that, the cycle will have to run its course, the facists take over, and eventually the tree of freedom will have to be watered with the blood of patriotic revolutionist again.
Nerzog,
It's simply the lesser of three evils. (Eventually two.)
You can either vote or sit it out. However sitting it out is a half vote for the other guy/gal.
ps. Even though my preferred candidate did not get the nomination, I never took the all-or-nothing approach. Same goes for who wins the election. If it is a Democrat, (and I think it will be,) that is a democracy for ya. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't. America is a great country either way! I love it even with all it's imperfections.
I plan to vote, as well.... just so I can complain about the outcome!
As an Obama supporter I hope that the candidate finds a way to distance himself for Wright before any significant damage is done.
This is a truly big problem for Obama because Wright was an advisor, mentor, friend and spiritual leader. In fact, let's be honest for a minute - Wright had a huge impact on Obama. Obama even got the name for his autobiography, "Audacity of Hope", from a Wright sermon.
Also, let's remember that it's not just a single statement from Wright that is troubling. On cable last night there are video clips of Wright screaming "God Damn America" from the pulpit. Wright also claims that the US government deliberately spreads drugs in the black community and murders black children.
Obama needs to quickly defuse the situation by making a statement similar to the following:
sample statement from Obama: "I completely repudiate and denounce the hate-filled and crazy talk of Rev. Wright. Furthermore, I denounce Wright personally as a hate-filled bigot and crazy buffoon. I will have no more communication of any type with Wright and I urge all members of the African American community to turn their backs on this madman."
Obama must act quickly to save his candidacy. I hope he does the right thing because I'm really pulling for his campaign.
Not,
The statement you provided for Obama would go a long way, but his 20 year affiliation with Wright cannot be undone in a few sentences under the pressure of a campaign.
You're right - a few sentences cannot undo all the damage. That is why Obama must be bold and completely distance himself from Wright and then act in a way that shows that Obama has absolutely no link to Wright's hate-filled and racist views.
My worry is that when Obama wins the nomination this issue will continue to tear away at his support among independent votes and truly patriotic Americans who are still considering voting for Obama.
Please - Obama! Do the right thing!!
Go Obama!!!
Actually, there was the now-discredited "Dark Alliance" newspaper story by Gary Webb. However, as wikipedia notes:
Webb's reporting generated a large controversy and the Mercury News backed away from the story, effectively ending Webb's career as a mainstream media journalist. In 2004, Webb was found dead from two self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head, a victim of an apparent suicide.
I didn't know that anyone still believed this fantasy.
Are you KIDDING ME? Webb was found to be right in the substance of what he claimed. The CIAs own investigation showed this. He botched details but the story was overall CORRECT.
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?pid=2066
Webb's tale is a sad one. He was on to something but botched part of how he handled it. He then was blasted and ostracized. He was wrong on some important details but he was, in a way, closer to the truth than many of his establishment media critics who neglected the story of the real CIA-contra-cocaine connection. In 1998, a CIA inspector general's report acknowledged that the CIA had indeed worked with suspected drugrunners while supporting the contras. A Senator named John Kerry had investigated these links years earlier, and the media had mostly ignored his findings. After Webb published his articles, the media spent more time crushing Webb than pursuing the full story. It is only because of Webb's work--as flawed as it was--that the CIA IG inquiry happened. So, then, it is only because of Webb that US citizens have confirmation from the CIA that it partnered up with suspected drug traffickers in the just-say-no years and that the Reagan Administration, consumed with a desire to overthrow the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, allied itself with drug thugs.
http://www.aan.org/gyrobase/Aan/viewArticle?oid=oid%3A889
the New York Times ran a front page story July 17 publicizing a CIA study that said the agency had associated with Nicaraguan coke-dealing rebels,
http://www.albionmonitor.com/9803a/hitz.html
(IPS) WASHINGTON -- CIA officials, while aware that "dozens of individuals and a number of companies" who supported contra rebels in Nicaragua in the 1980s were suspected drug traffickers, did nothing to cut their ties with these people or organizations -- some of whom where bringing drugs into the United States.
CIA Inspector General Frederick R. Hitz revealed this in testimony last week before the House intelligence committee. His statement further undermined CIA efforts to distance itself from drug traffickers who supported contra forces. He revealed, for the first time, a 1982 agreement under which agency officials were not required to report allegations of drug trafficking involving "non-official employees
So if the claim is the CIA brought crack cocaine into inner city neighborhoods that cant be subtantiated but if the claim is that the CIA was INVOLVED with the drug trade that did just that it has been entirely substantiated.
So now We the people know we have kooky supporters on all sides. The bottom line is I have had some "hellraisers in our church that come to visit and you don't even know the message, until it comes out. This pastor is salt piss and vinegar in his veins for the service in the Marines. Ever hear a Marine back down?
We all have them and although we recognize that generation after generation we seek to heal our nation in different more progressive ways through untiy not race. His whole campaign has been that way and I for one as a supporter know we discuss race on our blog all the time and how insensative comments can hurt when one is loose tongued and angry as Reverend Wright. Times are changing and although my Native American Mother, and African American father and Irish Grandmother, there is temperment in our history. But just think of how all these 400 years, we've not once acted violently against our government for love of the very country we serve.
We African American see and have seen how the wrong White Peope who have not heart in humanity have put plenty of blemish on our history. It's time to turn the page. There are no Timothy McVeighs in our consciousness toward the government. If you want to stop the diologue of how hurt our men have been in this country, including our congressmen and ministers getting pulled by profiling, then stop hurting the men. Stop excluding various sects of people and rewarding illegals with jobs.
This Nafta has been in effect for over 15 years and destroyed this country and Clinton could have VETOED the bill, but sought out his rethuglican lobbyist and democratil leadership to pass our jobs overseas and to hell with African Americans at the bottom of the economic chain. Would you as an American citizen without lobbyist ties have sold our jobs overseas?
Hell no. I think the voters are a little more patriotic even Jeremiah, and although I don't agree as Obama doesn't agree, that to bring unity, you have to leave the pain at home and listen to all sides, even Jeremiah.
That's how he will govern too, by listening to all sides no matter how angry they are at what has been done to them. Obama is not of slave heritage, and the damage done to most of us, he was shielded from and saw both sides to the situation, of which Hillary, not Bill, cannot understand the pain of exlusion. She's' the inevitable one, haven't you heard Geraldine?
Hillary is no more responsible for Gerri, than Obama is for a retired
So now We the people know we have kooky supporters on all sides. The bottom line is I have had some "hellraisers in our church that come to visit and you don't even know the message, until it comes out. This pastor is salt piss and vinegar in his veins for the service in the Marines. Ever hear a Marine back down?
We all have them and although we recognize that generation after generation we seek to heal our nation in different more progressive ways through untiy not race. His whole campaign has been that way and I for one as a supporter know we discuss race on our blog all the time and how insensative comments can hurt when one is loose tongued and angry as Reverend Wright. Times are changing and although my Native American Mother, and African American father and Irish Grandmother, there is temperment in our history. But just think of how all these 400 years, we've not once acted violently against our government for love of the very country we serve.
We African American see and have seen how the wrong White Peope who have not heart in humanity have put plenty of blemish on our history. It's time to turn the page. There are no Timothy McVeighs in our consciousness toward the government. If you want to stop the diologue of how hurt our men have been in this country, including our congressmen and ministers getting pulled by profiling, then stop hurting the men. Stop excluding various sects of people and rewarding illegals with jobs.
This Nafta has been in effect for over 15 years and destroyed this country and Clinton could have VETOED the bill, but sought out his rethuglican lobbyist and democratil leadership to pass our jobs overseas and to hell with African Americans at the bottom of the economic chain. Would you as an American citizen without lobbyist ties have sold our jobs overseas?
Hell no. I think the voters are a little more patriotic even Jeremiah, and although I don't agree as Obama doesn't agree, that to bring unity, you have to leave the pain at home and listen to all sides, even Jeremiah.
That's how he will govern too, by listening to all sides no matter how angry they are at what has been done to them. Obama is not of slave heritage, and the damage done to most of us, he was shielded from and saw both sides to the situation, of which Hillary, not Bill, cannot understand the pain of exlusion. She's' the inevitable one, haven't you heard Geraldine?
Hillary is no more responsible for Gerri, than Obama is for a retired and angry Marine Preacher.
Most of them don't get down as deep as Jeremiah against the rich like Jesus did at the temple, but that doesn't mean that most of what he says isn't thought about overseas where the dirt was done.
Wrongs done haven't been apologized for and the country has been turned to plastic, borrowing on our grandchildren's incomes to bail us out.
That's not America, that's some corporation thinking to pass it on to the consumer, when things don't fit the quarterly bottom profit line.
We have bigger fish to fry America, do you agree with everything you preacher says. Maybe they weren't in the Marines, but Pat Robertson said to put a hit squad on a sovereigh country called Venezuela, called Chavez.
Do you agree with that? Grow up America, they can't find anyting on Barack personnally, so now the fear distraction the the black masses are mad at whites and will attack you in your homes. Good grief give us a break. We just want to live fairly and equally, and will vote to have that supposed right.