Fox & Friends' Kilmeade distorted Wright's reference to Obama's middle name
SUMMARY: Fox & Friends aired a clip of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor, saying at an NAACP event: "Please run and tell my stuck-on-stupid friends that Arabic is a language; it's not a religion. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama." Correspondent Steve Brown reported that Wright "was actually mocking the people who use Obama's full name to be divisive or derisive." Nevertheless, in later segments, Fox & Friends aired only Wright reciting "Barack Hussein Obama." Co-host Brian Kilmeade introduced one segment by saying, "He's back, and he's still supporting Barack Hussein Obama."
During the April 28 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, correspondent Steve Brown reported on retired Trinity United Church of Christ Rev. Jeremiah Wright's April 27 address to the NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner in which Wright said, "Please run and tell my stuck-on-stupid friends that Arabic is a language; it's not a religion. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama." After broadcasting a portion of Wright's speech, co-host Gretchen Carlson asserted: "I guess a lot of people are still wondering, though, why he would even utter that phrase over and over again because, as we all know, that's what's going to be played all day today and all day tomorrow. And it's not good for Barack Obama, quite frankly." Brown responded that Wright "was actually mocking the people who use Obama's full name to be divisive or derisive." Nonetheless, despite Brown's explanation and despite Brown's having aired the part of the quote that he did, during the next hour of the broadcast, Fox & Friends twice aired only Wright's recitation of "Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama," without the rest of what Brown had aired. At one point, co-host Brian Kilmeade asserted, "He's back, and he's still supporting Barack Hussein Obama."
Brown himself would have made the point more clearly that Wright was "mocking the people who use Obama's full name to be divisive or derisive" if he had aired Wright's full comments related to Obama's name. Wright said:
WRIGHT: Please run and tell my stuck-on-stupid friends that Arabic is a language; it's not a religion. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. There are Arabic-speaking Christians, Arabic-speaking Jews, and Arabic speaking atheists. Arabic is a language; it's not a religion. Stop trying to scare folks by giving them an Arabic name as if it's some sort of a disease.
As Media Matters for America documented, during the February 27 edition of Fox & Friends, while discussing conservative radio host Bill Cunningham's repeated references to Obama's middle name at a rally for Sen. John McCain, Carlson asserted: "[T]he silent thing that nobody is really talking about here is the reason that he was saying the middle name so many times ... is because the connotation is that Barack Obama is a Muslim potentially. His father was a Muslim." Further, during the January 19, 2007, edition of Fox & Friends First, Doocy asked of Obama, "Why didn't anybody ever mention that that man right there was raised -- spent the first decade of his life, raised by his Muslim father -- as a Muslim and was educated in a madrassa?" as the blog Think Progress noted. As Media Matters documented, during the January 22, 2007, edition of Fox & Friends First, Doocy issued a clarification: "We want to clarify something: On Friday of last week, we did the story from the Insight magazine where we talked about how they were quoting that Barack Obama, when he was a child growing up in Indonesia, had attended a madrassa. Well, Mr. Obama's people called and they said that that is absolutely false. They said the idea that Barack Obama went to a radical Muslim school is completely ridiculous. In his book it does say that he went to a mostly Muslim school but not to a madrassa." As Media Matters has repeatedly documented, rumors that Obama is a Muslim are false; Obama is a Christian.
From the April 28 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:
CARLSON: Looking forward to that, as well as continued conversation about Jeremiah Wright now. Changing his tone? Well, Barack Obama's controversial former minister urging racial understanding in a speech to the NAACP.
DOOCY: Steve Brown is live in Detroit, where Wright gave that speech last night. Good morning to you, Steve Brown.
BROWN: Good morning, Steve, Gretchen, Brian. Yeah, Wright delivered the speech if folks were thinking, "You know, well, it could be more of the same of what we saw a couple of weeks ago, snippets from prior sermons that he gave, which were controversial," those folks were probably pretty disappointed. Here is a portion of Wright's speech from last night, which kind of answered some of those critics.
WRIGHT [video clip]: Please run and tell my stuck-on-stupid friends that Arabic is a language; it's not a religion. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama.
BROWN: That was really as close to, you know, addressing the controversy as Wright got during his 40-minute speech last night here at the NAACP's Freedom Fund fundraising dinner.
CARLSON: Steve, it wasn't like, you know -- I guess we would know that he would have a sympathetic audience there. I guess a lot of people are still wondering, though, why he would even utter that phrase over and over again because, as we all know, that's what's going to be played all day today and all day tomorrow. And it's not good for Barack Obama, quite frankly.
BROWN: Well, and before -- as he said on the interview on PBS on Friday, talking about context -- context is important in that particular regard, because he was talking about folks who, you know, who look at things that are different and say that they are divisive. And he was making a point throughout the 40-minute speech about the difference between things just being different and things being divisive, and that was one of the things that he set upon. Almost certainly some folk also jump on that, but in the context, he was actually mocking the people who use Obama's full name to be --
CARLSON: Right
BROWN: -- divisive or derisive.
[...]
WRIGHT [video clip]: Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama.
KILMEADE: He's back, and he's still supporting Barack Hussein Obama, but is Obama still supporting his controversial former pastor? That'll be an interesting question to postulate.
[...]
WRIGHT [video clip]: Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama.
DOOCY: There you have Reverend Wright at the NAACP convention in -- out in Detroit, and right now he is in the National Press Club building in downtown D.C. He's going to be speaking within the five or so minutes. So it will be interesting to see what Reverend Wright has to say today.
I guess in this case Rev Wright is right. Fox and Friends are truly "stuck on stupid".
I don't think Kilmeade understands what the word "postulates" means.
I guess in this case Rev Wright is right. Fox and Friends are truly "stuck on stupid".
All of Fox is "stuck on Stupid".
This is an example of media matters' nitpicky tunnel vision.
There's loads to criticize about the media distortion of the Wright episode(like I just read a Time Magazine piece that Wright's speech to the national press club is a "political disaster for Obama".Obvious media elitism too.)
But somehow MMFA needs to look at the broader picture than it does in this particular piece.
Note to Media and to FAUX.
Rev Wright is not running for President.
Note to everyone:
He's also not in the running for sound mental health, either.
That NAACP speech was hands-down the most schizophrenic, rambling, pathetic thing I have ever seen on TV. What's with his mocking white voices, too, or making complete mistatements about "European music," or claiming that "Handel lovers" look down on Billie Holliday?
The guy's nuts-- a real cringe-fest. And his derogatory imagery is straight out of 1951-- at best. What a mincing embarassment he was-- is this the kind of thing Obama watched every Sunday at church?
that is the one
every Sunday
using his first amendment right you facist
He can say anything he wants to.
Politically, I tend to agree with many of his end-points. But his speech-- his factual premises, his "connections," his rambling explanations, was schizophrenic.
He's like those fairly bright guys who are diagnosed with psychological disorders, who talk at length about everything the world, all at the same time, and think they are explaining everything together.
Anyone who thinks this guy is learned and educated, let alone lucid, has some problems. You know who he reminds me of? Lyndon La Rouche.
I think his points flew right over your head.
Everything flies right over Carlile's head....
"You, PointISmyviewnotthewholepicture, cannot produce ANY evidence of Wright being a racist. "
I can.
How about mocking 'white folk' voices, or claiming that "lovers of George Frederic Handel" hated (or hate-- I couldn't figure out which) Billie Holliday, as well as apparently the entire jazz lexicon, or how "white folk" don't understand "black folk" talk, and that black folk are different than white folk....ad nauseum.
I thought I was listening to some wierd time-machine adventure to, say, 1947 or so. All that was missing was him throwing watermelon to the crowd and claiming that that's the white folks favorite.
POV,
Did you watch his speech last night? I didn't think he was mocking anyone. I watched almost the entire thing and found it to be rather enlightening and thoughtful.
Yeah hearing him mock JFK, LBJ, & Teddy was a bit off putting. I know he was trying to make a point about ebonics, but he blew it big time.
He was a heck of a lot better when he spoke at the National Press Club.
I think people are going out of there way to be offended
His point about accents made sense and quite frankly I think any of us would be twice as miffed and double surly if our name was being dragged through the mud by the political enemies of one of my friends
Besides, those people criticizing the Rev aren't even wearing flag pins so what do those godless commies know anyways
"I think people are going out of there way to be offended"
I wasn't offended at all. I was amazed that a guy with advanced degrees made more factual errors about almost everything in the world, in the shortest time in media history. And thought he was so smart and cool about it.
He knows nothing about "Mozart" or "George Frederic Handel" or "European music" or "do ray me fa sol la te do," for starters. Does this kind of rambling crap pass for learned material in this world of his?
Did Obama eat this kind of stuff up every Sunday?
Jeter,
I don't think he mocked their dialects, but rather tried to imitate them. When I heard the speech last night, I just thought he was trying to talk like them, did you think he was putting them down in any way?
Fridge.
I really thought he was making fun of them and putting them down. Now granted, i dont like the guy but that was my take. I will listen to it again.
Fridge
Just a little....Was he a medic? I beleive he helped after LBJ had a surgery, but that is about all I know about it.
Fried,
It may not have been Wright's intention to mock the trio, but to my ear it sure sounded like that's what he ended up doing. As I wrote in my other post he was attempting to make a point about ebonics & I think it fell flat. Instead he sounded shrill & insulting.
He did, IMO, make a 180 when he spoke at the National Press Club. I'm not a fan of Wright, but I watched his entire speech [including the Q&A session that followed] and I thought he came across pretty well.
Jeter,
Interesting point. After hearing what he said about them, I didn't think it was insulting in the least, but maybe he needs to practice his accents.
FOX "NEWS" only miss the point when it advances their misinformation.
That should get the Fox bedwetters all riled up.
It's interesting that Wright's NAACP was such a cringing embarassment that the MSM has all but ignored showing it today.
What a nutcase-- how anyone could come away from that speech thinking that Wright is anything other than a fool, I don't know. And I actually agreed with much of his earlier g-d America speech!
All but ignored
Are you nuts ? This played out story has been dragged out yet again, this time moreso because the media is miffed the Rev called them out
It's interesting that Wright's NAACP was such a cringing embarassment that the MSM has all but ignored showing it today
WRONG
CNN showed the complete speech at least 2 times. And you might want to watch Soledad O'Brien and Roland Martin's take on the speech. They had a far different view than yours and they were are the NAACP dinner.
Pearl
Of course the liberal CNN probably loved the speech.
POV,
Do any liberals have their own shows on CNN? Who on CNN do you consider liberal?
POV, at least CNN choice to let Rev, Wright speak for himself instead of playing 20 second clips of an 1 hour sermon.
If CNN is liberal I'm damn happy they are!
Pearl
Listen to the coverage of his speech tonight. It is not good. BO will have to make another statment about him tomorrow just to save himself. You heard it here first.
CNN showed the complete speech at least 2 times. And you might want to watch Soledad O'Brien and Roland Martin's take on the speech. They had a far different view than yours and they were are the NAACP dinner.
Of course-- she was mentioned by him!
CNN showed it two times yesterday. Today, they spent much more time on the Press Club speech--- when the NAACP speech was the bigger deal.
Even Olbermann had to question the speech-- the first time in months he hasn't opened the show with 40 minutes of Hillary bashing!
United States of KKK
There's nothing racists about that.
aids invented to kill black people
A little bit out there but not racist.
saying we deserved 911 disrespecting the flag, just for fun.
When did he say this?
The original 911 comment was in the first round of clips......the second was in the last day or two....(getting the recent speeches mixrd up) when he was trying to explain that the us had committed terrorist acts, and should not then be suprised when it happened to us. The flag comment was saying there was no difference between our flag and the flags of other nations.
when he was trying to explain that the us had committed terrorist acts, and should not then be suprised when it happened to us.
He goes through a list of things the U.S. government has done which led to the deaths of many innocent people and he says Americans want to act indignant now that it has happened to them (implying that Americans should have been equally indignant when our government was doing that crap to other people/nations). He was agreeing with the sentiments expressed by someone from the Reagan administration.
"Once again, the United States of KKK, aids invented to kill black people.....all sounds racist to me"
Sounds like he is calling someone else racist to me.
TRUE or FALSE: “This government lied about their belief that all men were created equal.
TRUE or FALSE: “The government lied about the Tuskegee experiment. They purposely infected African American men with syphilis.
TRUE or FALSE: “The government lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq being a threat to the United States peace.
TRUE or FALSE: The government had to pass an amendment to the Constitution to get white women the vote. Then the government had to pass an equal rights amendment to get equal protection under the law for women.
TRUE or FALSE: “Prior to Abraham Lincoln, the government in this country said it was legal to hold African in slavery in perpetuity…when Lincoln got in office, the government changed. Prior to the passing of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, government defined African as slaves, as property. Property, people with no rights to be respected by any whites anywhere.
TRUE or FALSE: “Prior to the Civil Rights and equal accommodation laws of the government in this country, there was backed segregation by the country, legal discrimination by the government, prohibited blacks from voting by the government, you had to eat and sit in separate places by the government, you had sit in different places from white folks because the government said so, and you had to buried in a separate cemetery. It was apartheid, American style, from the cradle to the grave, all because the government backed it up.”
TRUE or FALSE: We went from an intelligent friend to a dumb Dixiecrat. A rich Republican who has never held a job in his life; is against affirmative action (and) against education – I guess he is; against healthcare, against benefits for his own military, and gives tax breaks to the wealthiest contributors to his campaign. Governments change. Sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad.”
Pearl
I was told by Solon, Mary, and many others over and over that the govt could not be racist. So which is it....was the govt acting in a racist way in the Tuskegee experiment? Of course it was. And if the govt had created aids to kill black people, that would be racist as well. But it did not happen. It was a racist thing for Wright to say.
As far as the others things you point out, they are sad, and they are a part of our history. They do NOT represent America in 2008. Wright does not acknowledge that America of 2008 is not the America of 1908, nor the america of the 1800's or the 1700's.
America in 2008 made Wright a wealthy man, and you know he will come out with a book and make even more money off of this. He is a race baitor, and has lined his pockects and become wealth in this country that has treated him so badly.
Col
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/roughsketch/?hpid=topnews
He renewed his belief that the government created AIDS as a means of genocide against people of color ("I believe our government is capable of doing anything").
Sounds racist to me...sorry, but even the KFC buffett cant make this one go away
You understand that the way something sounds to you may not necessarily have much to do with reality, don't you?Probably not.Seems you think bureaucrats are an ethnic group.It may take more than a buffet to fix your problem, but it's a good start. I recommend the Mojo potatoes.
Now I've got to pack for my vacation in Bureaucratia.
Col, whodathunkit, Republicans crying racism.
Thank you Jeremiah Wright for putting yourself out there before the public, using your first amendment right to prove yourself to be the whacked out far left liberal that now your dear friend Obama and the democrat party has to defend before America, or is it still KKKAmerica. Thank you for showing America what the left is all about and 'Keep on Keeping on!'
It's no longer God Bless America, it's God Bless Jeremiah Wright!
carlileb5935
But notice how no one.........no one has disputed your remarks of the racist things he said. No one has challenged you that he said these things, and that they are racist things. Now the focus is the 1st amend. Now the focus is "What have you done." No one is claiming you are wrong. Interesting how the debate changes when you show what racist things he has said just in the last 24 hours.
"...no one has disputed your remarks of the racist things he said. No one has challenged you that he said these things, and that they are racist things."- pointofview
I think it's just late and nobody's posting , Pointyhead.Besides, some challenged you to show the racism, and you failed. No need to pile on.You seem to have not gained any insight into anything Wright said, but are just using his words to help with your fears of the old white man being challenged.
Don't worry, Obama wasn't counting on your vote, he probably wrote off the scared old bigot demographic quite a while ago.Just try to stop shaking long enough to pull that lever for McBush.
I supplied many things Col.....(POV)
I won't argue that. Just not any factual or useful things.
Worse than you feared? Seriously? Crawl out from under the bed, turn off talk radio, unbunch your panties and BE A MAN!
You "guys" are so detatched from reality, it is hilarious.
No one has challenged you that he said these things, and that they are racist things.
POV, keep up. Carlileb is a rabid Hillary fan. He has warned that Obama has a snowballs chance in h*ll of winning. The only way to victory was through Hillary. You think I'd run out and respond to him about Wright? No freaking way! He's entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to ignore him when I feel like it!
POV,
If you think Wright is racist, you must think the country is completely run by white people, correct?
POV
Winning? Winning? Where is the prize?
PC,
What have you done to make this country a better place? Have you served this country? Have you served your community? What have you done to help the poor? Have you served your country like Rev. Wright?
Fridge
Lets see.....I was a social worker who worked with abused children, I have worked to clean up crime ridden neighborhoods, I have worked with foster kids, started a progam to help kids, and worked with the mentally ill to name just a few. I have voluntered more to help my community than most I know. Believe it or not, I was able to do this while not blamming america, not being a racist, and strtting in front of the cameras in a little victory dance, and all with out needing body guards supplied by Farrakhan.
What exactly have you done Fridge. You are great at asking questions, lets see ya answer this one. How have you helped your community?
POV,
I asked Proud Conservative or PC what he had done for the country, not you. But since you asked, I taught special education outside of New Orleans in Teach for America. I have given many hours of free legal advice. I volunteered over 200 hours for Legal Aid as attorney last year. I work on a number of pro bono cases each year. I never diminished you personally, POV, I asked PC because his statements are pure vitrol. I can at least have a conversation with you.
I only asked PC what he has done for the country because of his comments about Wright.
I admire your community service, POV and wish more people practiced what they preached. I ask people on this board to watch Reverend Wright's full speeches because I think he deserves to have his words heard in context. The fact that people won't devote 30 minutes to hear someone before judging them is troubling.
I am sorry if I offended you, POV, but my question was for ProudConservative.
I appreciate your honesty on these threads. You have not blamed a lack of military service on college professors like one poster. You have been a stand-up guy. I will never agree that Wright has made any racist statements because, he hasn't. If you believe his statements, you must believe that this government is entirely white, do you believe that?
Again, sorry if any offense was taken, but until some of these posters serve their country like Wright has, they have no room to call him anti-American when he has helped and stood up for so many that the rest of society (obviously, not you, POV) have left behind.
friedbergboy
Fair enough. And in any event one can not post here as i do, and on ocassion stir up emotions.....as i do.....and then take offense to a post. You ask fair questions. Besides, I have been called every name in the book by Solon, and even a few nakes that were not in the book. He told me i was dumber that hair on the barber shop floor, and dumber than dandruf. Now, he did not tell me what was smarter, hair or dandruf, so I am still working on that one.....lol
I also wish more people engaged in community service, and admire the service you provide.
I do enjoy the conversation and the back and forth with you. I think in general the consversation here will get worse once the real election takes off. That of course assumes that the dems eventually pick some one....lol.
Mary
No doubt about Solon. We generally...not always.but generally start out at least kind of civil. Then after a while it is on..lol.
I will tell you why the Wright issue has so many conseratives goiing. For years, almost every conserative leader has been attacked and branded as a racist by the looney left. Have there been some that were racist.....of course. But many good leaders were attacked as being a racist on no evidence, and they were dragged throught the mud.
Now it is time for left to see how it feels. Some one they admire, they respect is being labeled a racist. Racial politics is an ugly thing. For the people on left who dont like it, now you know how it feels.
Finally Mary.........just watch. How many here do you think will respond to this post and say well of course POV.....all conseratives are racist....and so on.and so on. The left has played the race card so many times over the years, and labeled the GOP as a whole to be racist.
Just as Bork took all the liberal backlash years ago, Wright is getting the same treatment from angry conseratives now.
You and I cannot experience what it is like to be black in this country; especially someone who grew up in more blatantly racist times. Republican operatives are sliming someone who has actually had a very positive effect on the community he served. They know that making a cartoon image of a brilliant and complex individual will have an effect. But it's pretty damaging to them in the long run.
Just as Bork took all the liberal backlash years ago, Wright is getting the same treatment from angry conseratives now.
The sad part about this "rant" by conservatives is you pick a minster to label, not a presidential candidate not a supreme court nominee but a freaking minster. THAT is what's funny about this "so called rant", you've chosen someone totally unimportant to the future of this country to rant about, a retired minster.
Your outrage is amusing
The dems have used roberstson, fallwell, and billy graham for years to beat up conseratives. Now you have mock outrage because it is a pastor from the left who has caused all the trouble. MMFA goes nuts anytime some one does not bring up Hagee and his words often enough.
You have an amazing double standard Pearl. On this same post you mock conseratives for caring about racism.
And.....as I said yesterday......Obama right now.....on MSNBC is further distancing himself from Wright, and he is being veryyyyy harsh on him.
This is what BO said in his speech
"I am outraged and saddned by Wright;s comments yesterday"
"I many not know him as well as I thought".....BO
"when he equates the unites states war time efforts with terrorism he should be denounced" BO
"I can not prevernt him from making these outrageous remarks".
"When I say I find the comments appalling, I mean it
I am clearly and unequivicoly dennouncing reveren Wrights Comments
I guess BO makes it clear for us all.
Wright declares that some POLICIES of our government are appalling and I agree with him.
POV,
I asked Proud Conservative or PC what he had done for the country, not you. But since you asked, I taught special education outside of New Orleans in Teach for America. I have given many hours of free legal advice. I volunteered over 200 hours for Legal Aid as attorney last year. I work on a number of pro bono cases each year. I never diminished you personally, POV, I asked PC because his statements are pure vitrol. I can at least have a conversation with you.
I only asked PC what he has done for the country because of his comments about Wright.
I admire your community service, POV and wish more people practiced what they preached. I ask people on this board to watch Reverend Wright's full speeches because I think he deserves to have his words heard in context. The fact that people won't devote 30 minutes to hear someone before judging them is troubling.
I am sorry if I offended you, POV, but my question was for ProudConservative.
I appreciate your honesty on these threads. You have not blamed a lack of military service on college professors like one poster. You have been a stand-up guy. I will never agree that Wright has made any racist statements because, he hasn't. If you believe his statements, you must believe that this government is entirely white, do you believe that?
Again, sorry if any offense was taken, but until some of these posters serve their country like Wright has, they have no room to call him anti-American when he has helped and stood up for so many that the rest of society (obviously, not you, POV) have left behind.
This is what the "Good Pastor" said about our flag
“We cannot see how what we are doing is the same thing that Al Qaeda is doing under a different color flag, calling on the name of a different God to sanction and approve our murder,”
Combine that with his racist remarks, and he is quite the role model dont ya think.
POV,
Did you hear the whole context of the sermon? How many thousands of innocent people has our government killed in our names? We are the luckiest country in the world as a full-scale war, outside of the Civil War, has not been fought on our soil.
I hope you listen to the Moyers special and the entire speech. He quoted a Reagan ambassador in the chickens coming home to roost comment. I guess that means you think that Reagan is anti-American, right?
Col,
I have no idea how an interview can be tough to those people unless it starts with false premises, misleading soundbites out of context and control of microphones.
Unreal!
Wright had even more to say
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/roughsketch/?hpid=topnews
He renewed his belief that the government created AIDS as a means of genocide against people of color ("I believe our government is capable of doing anything").
So Solon, Mary, Pearl, and all those who told me over and over that he neverrrrrrrrr made this claim, I am waiting to hear what you have to say now.
Open Mind
Wow........so it is okay to imply that the govt attempted genocide on its own people. It is okay to suggest and imply that with nooooo evidence.
Thats a real open mind
Wright is an intelligent man who refuses to be a meek and mild preacher. I don't buy everything he says but the criticism of him is myopic and stupid.
Mary
The link provided quotes of his speech. Plain and simple.
I dont care how many times you shout it, you will not change my view, and the views of millions of others that what he says is racist. I cant believe that you can not see how much damage he is doing to BO. I am not a BO supporter, but I would prefer him to HC if it comes to that. I am not alone in thinking Wright is a racist, and each time he speaks, more and more people think that.
As i said before..........Wright may very well do what HC and JM have been unable to do...and that is stop Obamma.
"Wow........so it is okay to imply that the govt attempted genocide on its own people. It is okay to suggest and imply that with nooooo evidence."
The line you quoted was "I believe our government is capable of doing anything". That is not "implying" anything - you are inferring something Wright didn't say. That appears to be a problem with your reasoning. Wright is merely accepting that it is possible.
There is no reasonable scientific evidence that God exists. Does that mean allowing for the mere possibility He exists is wrong? What does that say about those who believe it as a fact? Almost everyone believes in the possibility of things that are not supported by evidence in the conventional sense. Wright did not say it was a matter of fact - which it seems you have mistakenly inferred.
So Fox and Friends thinks that the problem is that the news media will play that Wright clip over and over again and they say it right after they play the clip for the first time of many.
.
This is what BO said in his speech
"I am outraged and saddned by Wright's comments yesterday"
"I many not know him as well as I thought".....BO
"when he equates the unites states war time efforts with terrorism he should be denounced" BO
"I can not prevernt him from making these outrageous remarks". BO
"When I say I find the comments appalling, I mean it
I am clearly and unequivicoly dennouncing reverend Wrights Comments
"He put on a preformance"
I guess BO makes it clear for us all.
Here is more from BO and his question and answer.
"Reverend Wrights outrageousness yesterday shocked and suprised me"
"Ridiculious for Revernd Wright to say US govt had anything to do with AIDS"
Obvisosusly whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed now
I do not subscribe to the views Reverend Wright expressed
Reverend Wrights comments give comfort to those who prey on hate.
There was nonthing construstive yesterday, just a bunch of rants.
Reverend Wtight contradicted everything that I have done in my life.
I did not view the innitial round of sound bites as an attack on the black church.
His comments were unexcusable
So Pearl, What do you have to say now??????
Better yet, POV. What do you say now? I know since this country has no collective attention span that any discussion on these issues would result in more soundbites, so Barack probably did the right thing in issuing a flat repudiation as the general public would not stand for a discussion on these issues.
The terrorism acts and war discussion is an interesting one. Have you ever read MLK quotes on war and the U.S. government?
friedbergboy1422
I have read some of them...probably not enough. The govt and war terrorism question is an interesting one. Just as a discussion about social class and power is for this country. I have always thought that socieo-economics and education were the most important factors in this country...much more so than race.
That conversation does not bother me nearly as much as the AIDS comment did. I was glad to see BO condem that.
POV,
I can only speak from my experiences in Louisiana in Teach for America, but among there was a fair amount of racism in the few poor whites who were in the school and the small town where I taught. Even though they had roughly the same educational levels and class levels as the African American families, some of them (obviously, not all) still felt superior because of their skin color.
I think both of these issues (race, acts during war time and comparisons to terrorism especially when war motives are not clear) deserve discussion and not just when Rev. Wright brings them up. I hope that when the next person sounds off that context is given and a truly fair discussion is held and not one based on soundbites and excerpts that don't even make sense without more context.