Morris: McCain "doesn't have to" engage in Willie Horton-like campaign because O'Reilly is already doing so
SUMMARY: After airing portions of a controversial sermon by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Sen. Barack Obama's church, Bill O'Reilly -- who described Wright's comments as "anti-American, to say the least" -- asked Dick Morris, "If you were [Sen. John] McCain, do you use this against Obama?" Morris replied, "He doesn't have to. You just did. And the talk radio people around the country" will. Morris continued: "[T]he other media, the other conservative media can make a big deal of it."
On the March 13 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly and Fox News contributor Dick Morris discussed controversial statements made during a sermon by Rev. Jeremiah Wright -- former pastor of Sen. Barack Obama's church, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. After airing a video of portions of Wright's sermon, which O'Reilly described as "anti-American, to say the least," O'Reilly asserted, "This is Willie Horton, who was used to destroy [1988 Democratic presidential candidate] Michael Dukakis' campaign ... times a thousand." He then asked Morris: "If you were [Sen. John] McCain, do you use this against Obama?" Morris replied, "He doesn't have to. You just did. And the talk radio people around the country" will. Morris continued: "[T]he other media, the other conservative media can make a big deal of it."
From the March 13 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: And today, there's yet another race issue from the other side. This man, Chicago preacher Jeremiah Wright, is Barack Obama's pastor. He even married the senator and his wife. Well, Fox News has obtained portions of Reverend Wright's sermons that are anti-American, to say the least. Viewer warning, some offensive material coming up.
WRIGHT [video clip]: Barack knows what it means to be a black man living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich white people. Hillary can never know that. Hillary ain't never been called a [expletive].
Hillary is married to Bill. And Bill have been good to us. No, he ain't. Bill did us just like he did Monica Lewinsky. He was riding dirty. The government gives him the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law, and then wants us to sing "God Bless America." No, no, no. Not God bless America. God damn America. That's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating us citizens as less than human.
We bombed Hiroshima. We bombed in Nagasaki. And we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon. And we never batted an eye. We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans. And now we are indignant, because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back into our own front yard.
O'REILLY: In other words, the USA brought 9-11 on itself. Reverend Rice [sic] recently retired. And today, Barack Obama's office issued this statement:
"Senator Obama ... profoundly disagrees with some of the statements and positions of Reverend Wright. ... Senator Obama deplores divisive statements," unquote.
Now there's no question that Reverend Wright is a problem for Senator Obama. How big a problem remains to be seen. Most Americans love their country and believe it is noble. That kind of extreme rhetoric, the kind that Wright traffics in, is only acceptable to the far left. So Senator Obama will have to deal with this. Just how will be very interesting. And that's the Memo.
[...]
O'REILLY: And now, let's get to the Republicans. This is Willie Horton -- who was used to destroy Michael Dukakis' campaign, a criminal in Massachusetts -- times a thousand. If you were McCain, do you use this against Obama?
MORRIS: He doesn't have to. You just did. And the talk radio people around the country --
O'REILLY: No, but people will forget about it --
MORRIS: Not if --
O'REILLY: If the -- make a series of political commercials --
MORRIS: Yeah, no, no. He who touches this rail dies. It's a third rail.
But you -- but the other media, the other conservative media can make a big deal of it. But I want to just --
O'REILLY: So you say McCain can't directly do it? His campaign can't take this man --
MORRIS: No.
O'REILLY: -- and associate him with Barack Obama?
MORRIS: You've got to let the rest of the movement do that.
UH OH!
It looks like McCain didn't exercise that luxury and is doing damage control!!
A noteworthy exchange from today's Morning Joe with McCain campaign manager Charlie Black:
Charlie Black: What Sen. McCain has said repeatedly, is that these candidates cannot be held accountable for all the views of people who endorse them, or people who befriend them. And fortunately, I heard you report earlier that Sen. Obama has repudiated these very unusual views. But what John McCain believes is that Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton should be held accountable for their public policy views. The things we've described before. Big government vs. small government...
Joe: So this isn't an issue for John McCain.
Charlie Black: I don't think Sen. McCain wants to get in the middle of a discussion about Sen. Obama's former pastor, or his faith. He believes that people who endorse you, people who befriend you, are entitled to their own views, but you are not personally held accountable. That when someone endorses you or befriends you, they are embracing your views - the candidate's views - not the other way around.
"This is Willie Horton -- who was used to destroy Michael Dukakis' campaign, a criminal in Massachusetts -- times a thousand."
And the overstatement of the year award goes to...
BILL O'REILLY!! (clap) (clap) (clap) (clap) (clap) (clap) (clap) (clap) (clap)
And what's with Dick Morris basically laying out the game plan the Republicans have been using the past 10 years? Someone should pull him aside and say "look, we know we do this, but we're not supposed to admit, on camera, that we do this."
So, you can't show stuff, even if true, if it puts a candidate in a bad light?
Morris is correct, McCain doesn't need to show it, but the media should cover it.
Personally I'm glad to see this getting out there. Obama has some splaining to do. Like why someone remains a member of a church with this type of inflamitory hateful rhetoric being spewed.
I believe he has.
Obama should have disassociated himself from Wright & this church a long time ago. It's not just one or two remarks, this so called Preacher has a frigin greatest hits DVD out there including years of hateful rhetoric while the congregation cheered...I'm listening to the radio at work right now [Howie Carr WRKO 680 Boston] & they are playing soundbites from this crazy Rev I haven't heard before. Nobody is going to tell me Obama was never there to hear this crap. He's been there for 20 years. He should have left the church.
Hell, if my Priest was spewing White Supremacist B.S. or suggesting the USA somehow deserved 9/11, I'd find me another church.
I'm willing to listen to Obama explain why he remained a member of this church, but for some it might be too little, too late.
You voted for the moronic Bush twice and have never voted for anyone but a white man, even an incredibly stupid one. All of the institutions in which you participate are dominated by whites. Why would you need a special white supremacist pastor when American society has been white supremacist and anti-Black from the beginning?
And you have nerve to call resistance by Black people hatred?
This former pastor didn't retire that long ago & currently serves on Obama's African-American Religious Leadership Committee.
If one is going to get all over Hillary because of Geraldine Ferraro's remarks & insist Ferraro step down from her minor role in Hillary's campaign, then shouldn't the same standards be applied to Obama?
Sorry, but unless Obama quickly & decisively denounces Wrights remarks & cuts all ties with this divisive pastor, it may change the minds of those on the fence about supporting him. And quite frankly at this point maybe nothing Obama says will be enough for some to consider voting for him.
This former pastor didn't retire that long ago & currently serves on Obama's African-American Religious Leadership Committee.
Jeter, I don't think Wright is still serving on the committee.
And quite frankly at this point maybe nothing Obama says will be enough for some to consider voting for him.
Jeter, THAT was the point in making sure the the videos, which have been available for well over a year, receive MORE public attention.
Who cares what Jeter thinks? He would not vote for Obama if he was the second coming of Jesus Christ. This guy voted for Bush twice while never once thinking of requiring him to dissociate himself from right wingnuts.
Obama should not distance himself from Black people - all white racists want is to get him to play that game so that his power literally fades. This is an old con game. Hopefully Obama will prove to be sophisticated enough to distinguish his ideas and express pluralism without losing his own Black identity.
Eddie,
Just at look at Jeter's post..........now I am not kissin' Jeter's butt because I have more respect for him than that, but there is not a fairer, more independent thinker, on this website than Jeter. If anybody gives candidates the benefit of the doubt and views and comments on items, not through partisan blinders, but with objectiveness and open-mindedness, it's Jeter.
For him to pause and consider Obama as a candidate that he may not support is reason enough for me to urge Obama to address this forcefully and with honest candor. He needs people like Jeter to vote for him if he intends to win against Hillary, or McCain. If he's losing their support over this issue, it can't be discounted as rightwing smear stuff - Jeter isn't that stupid to let that influence his decision.
Obama, I hope you're reading this.
I think I just lost my lunch. Do you two ever stop?
Oh please (vomiting my lunch). Obama needs Jeter??? ROFLMAO Obama needs Black people first and foremost.
MHK, I think I lost my lunch when I saw that you had returned ;-) Where ya been? Jail? Kidding...
Well I bet when the Moonbat bobblehead brigade posts supportive remarks to one another your stomach doesn't get too upset.
Come to think of it, mine does....
"now I am not kissin' Jeter's butt because I have more respect for him than that,"
(Tommy then proceeds to kiss Jeter's butt.)
Kidding!
Jeter is really honest, and when he's wrong he admits it.
I think this won't be a big deal though, because in a general election match-up, Hagee and Obama's pastor are practically the same liability. It would be hypocritical of anyone to vote for McCain over Obama because of this issue.
Though I'm sure some will still vote that way, sadly.
Kissin' butt is pandering, I did no such thing, I was very honest in my post regarding Jeter.
The point is, he is exactly the type of voter that Obama needs to win in the fall, should he become the nominee; if he loses them, he will lose to McCain, in my opinion.
I was kidding Tommy.
Thanks Tommy. Back at ya.
I suppose MHK will puke again ;-)
No, they can't be bothered with these trivial stories. Obama's looney preacher is MUCH more important, right?
Morris' honesty is refreshing...
He flat out told everybody that the Repukes were going to the smear machine. Is this a surprise?
I'm concerned about John McCain and the endorsement he received from Rev. John Hagee. This could destroy his campaign. There is also some buzz today on the internet that Rev. Ted Haggard is going to endorse McCain (as soon as his re-programming is complete in early April), and go on a nationwide bus tour promoting Mr. McBush. Apparently, McCain is pleading with him to stop, but Hagg thinks he can bring him some votes.
Oh, and Obama has written about this before when it was a scandal before.
Like I said, really don't think it's going to be a big deal.
Thank you. Obama's statement answered at least one question I had...whether he had actually heard Rev. Wright preach the controversial words that are being replayed. Obama says he did not.
I'm satisfied. I hope that this statement by Obama will now get as much air-play as the soundcuts from Rev. Wright has.
I don't think soooooo
Well Pearlene I'll spread the word myself if I hear anybody commenting on it. Of course it will take more than that :-/
Obama & the members of his campaign need to book as much time on the morning shows & nightly political shows as possible.
Thanks DB, I sincerely hope he addresses it in his speeches, his interviews and anyplace else it's asked of him as well as on The Huffington Post.
The rightwing smearers are a ruthless, bloodsucking bunch and they will just marginalize his statements as told on some leftwing blog, you know they will.
I agree with Jeter, I am satisfied, but I don't need as much convincing and if Obama needs to print it on a T-shirt to keep the vultures at bay, so be it. Politics is never fair, so you gotta beat them back when they're coming after you.
"The rightwing smearers are a ruthless, bloodsucking bunch and they will just marginalize his statements as told on some leftwing blog, you know they will."
Tommy, you're sounding more and more like a far-left loon every day. ;)
I agree, but somehow it still appeals to people.
How? I have no idea. Even my super super conservative, redneck step-father-in-law finds O'Reilly ignorant and grating. He watched him for years, and finally said "enough is enough."
Which is the main reason I like Obama, he appeals not to our divisive and partisan side as the Clintons do, and most politicians........but rather to our better side. Maybe I am naive, but I am soooo sick of the Bushes and the Clintons and the nastiness of our political landscape.
I would rather vote for an honest liberal who can work with others, than a conservative who only wants to divide and conquer - I know, some will say, is there any other kind of conservative, yes there are - but at this point, with the voting choices I have, I can't see it.
Oscar the Grouch -
You hit the nail right on the head. Let's take a good honest look at ourselves. How many average Americans regularly attend church on Sundays? Answer .. damn few. Don't get me wrong I'm not making a judgment here. I myself NEVER attend church and I haven't the least amount of remorse because of it.
Now things are different for Barrack Obama. As a presidential candidate he must show a spiritual side - that he is involved in his church - at least now he does. The evangelical crazies would crucify anyone running for office in this country that doesn't portray himself as a God fearin' Bible totin' Christian.
But over the last 20 years that Reverend Wright has been conducting his tirades ( er ... Sermons ), how many of those times has Obama actually been present in the congregation. I'd say damn few. So to infer that Obama listened for lo these past twenty years to all of Wright's vitriol and therefore must believe it is ridiculous.
No ... this is just another Swiftboat attempt by the hate and fear mongering conservative talk show network on behalf of the Republicans.
The High Bogaziddy Mahesh Maserati - Top Ramen
hopmeister;
About 40% of Americans attend church on a regular basis. The problem Obama has is that he has claimed Wright as his mentor. Wright is a race-baiting bigot, who spouts vulgarity and anti-Americanisms on a regular basis. He is a friend of Farrakhan, took a trip with him to Africa to meet with Qadaffi and helped him organize the million man march. He has said a lot of things that are anti-Semitic as well. The tapes the MSM were broadcasting from were from a 'best of' collection that the church sells.
If David Duke were McCain's pastor, would that concern you?
Most Americans who go to Church don't like to hear people ask God to damn the United States. They find race-baiting repugnant. Obama chose Wright, a vulgarity spewing, race-baiting bigot, to be his mentor. I'd guess a lot of Church going people will wonder why he would exercise such poor judgment. And they quite reasonably could conclude that if he is no better judge of character than that, he should not be President of the United States.
I guess white racism is verbotten but black racism is fine. Conservatives condemn all racism - libs are far more selective.
If the priest in my Church praised the KKK and the Nazis while condemning America I would walk out and never return. Why can Barack Hussein Obama not do the same? He wants to have it both ways - how gutless?
The chickens are coming home to roost in the Democrat party. You have been playing the race card forever. Now it is a boomerang that is hitting you on the back side. I love it.
Republicans do not see things in terms of race. Democrats see everything in terms of race. The Dems are splintering along racial lines and hopefully this will cause them to be in the minority for the next generation.
I myself am such a flaming racist that Bobby Jindal is my candidate of choice in the next GOP primary (be it 2012 or 2016). I could care less about Jindal's color or ethnicity. I don't s see him as a hyphenated anything. I see a brilliant man who is going to clean up America.
If the priest in my Church praised the KKK and the Nazis while condemning America I would walk out and never return. Why can Barack Hussein Obama not do the same? (SC)
Obama's pastor praised the KKK and the Nazis while condemning America? Wow. That may be the most shoddily built strawman I've ever seen at this site, and there have been some weak ones.It's people like you that make me wish there was a basic IQ test required before voting.