Barack Obama thought O.J. did it

In his much-publicized and hashed-over speech on race relations Monday, Barack Obama made a brief reference to the notorious O.J. Simpson murder trial, citing it as an example of the predilection to "tackle race only as spectacle."

Less noticed was the elaboration he provided in an interview aired Monday night on ABC's "Nightline" on the question that once so divided many whites and blacks: did Simpson butcher his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her wrong-place, wrong-time friend, Ron Goldman?

"You remember when, during the O.J. trial ... black and white culture just had these completely opposite reactions and nobody understood it. I'm somebody who was pretty clear that O.J. was guilty," Obama told "Nightline's" Terry Moran.

He continued: "And I was ashamed for my own community to respond in that way, but I also understood what was taking place, which was that reaction had more to do with a sense that somehow the criminal justice system historically had been biased so profoundly that a defeat of that justice system was somehow a victory."

For the full transcript of the interview, go here.

For Obama, the jury remains out on whether he has defused the controversy that enveloped him as attention turned late last week to inflammatory comments uttered over the years by his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. But ...

the latest daily tracking of the public pulse by the Gallup Poll shows he's definitely taken a hit. Among Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters, Hillary Clinton is on the upswing (she's now backed by 49%), while his support has dipped (to 42%).

Notes the Gallup release on the results:  "This is the first time Clinton has held a statistically significant lead in over a month. She last led Obama in Feb. 7-9 polling, just after the Super Tuesday primaries. Since then, the two candidates have usually been in a statistical tie, but Obama has held a lead in several of the polls, most recently in March 11-13 polling."

-- Don Frederick

Photo: O.J. Simpson (Associated Press)

Comments

[joanjay]

well, obama seems to be willing to say anything once he found that the black card isn't working anymore for him. what's next? come out and claim that he's not actually black?

[Dorian]

I am 100% behind Barak Obama. I am white and 69 years old.

It makes me sick to my stomach to read the slander put out by the press.

[Chuck]

I'm somebody who was pretty clear that O.J. was guilty," Obama [said]...

It's interesting that Obama will pass judgment on a man without hearing all the facts. The jury, who did hear all the facts, had reasonable doubt. Get over it.

[George]

What did Barack say about OJ at that time? That is the measure of the man.

[Jason C]

Nice work Mr.Fredrick. Serious, politically neutral reporting about a topic easily turned to "spectacle." New Yorker that I am I have not been a frequent LA Times reader, but I now will be.

[jeannie]

It'll self-correct -- give it time!

[Bookwert]

Yawn. So freakin' what. Save this stuff for the tabloids, okay?

[Van from Seattle]

Don, anyone with any measure of neutrality and a lick of common sense thinks OJ was guilty.

[tom]

For God's sake, reporters, why can't you act like you are covering a presidential race? How is O.J. relevant to the primary? Is this what you really wanted to do when they assigned you to cover a presidential race?

[chi#40]

Sooooo, labamba thinks oj was quilty?? wow, no shot sherlock.. make a good prezzz, got my vote!!

[Angela]

"Barack Obama thought O.J. did it"

Well jeez, who didn't? Really.

[Carol McFarlane]

Ah yes, Clinton is experiencing some success as a result of dividing the country with the S.C. primaries. The first mention of race came when she referred to Obama's likely success among black voters! It will be disappointing in the extreme if the country follows her example, not one that smacks of true leadership, but one that will put America further down on the global rung, in a host of ways.

While other countries have got over the gender and race issue, we in America are still 'struggling' with it? I thought we were the New World, but it seems as it ye Olde Worlde is way ahead of us, as well as points east and beyond. These countries are voting for people of all backgrounds, color and appearance, but we are not only stuck at this issue, we are actually moving backwards.

Any Clinton success will be so tainted with bad feeling, not just in America, but across the world.

Anyone reading world news and reports? People are wanting Barack Obama (in Germany, France, Britain and many other countries) more than we appear to. Do you really think Hillary Clinton will be a popular leader, worldwide, that she will 'promote' unity and diplomacy? She has clearly shown that she does not know how.

This is a dark hour in America, if we can't get beyond race.

[Mike - Sammamish, WA]

Great - now the Press is degrading the campaigns to questions about who thinks OJ Simpson is really guilty. Next I guess we will ask who knows where Jimmy Hoffa is buried (and which candidate knew the guy that killed him -- maybe it was Obama's preacher). Does anyone have the integrity, the intelligence and the strength to deal with the real issues in this country.

[macy druff]

Obama's deceptiveness has been exposed. He talks about race but the real problem in America is HATRED that his pastor, Wright, is preaching in the church. What a person of integrity and honesty will attend such a church? Obama has made his candidacy on honesty, judgement and transformation. On all three counts he has failed. He did not show judgement when supporting either the slumlord or his pastor Wright. He supported for the early release of sex offenders in Illinois, he tells us that he is against NAFTA and then his senior advisers tell the Canadian embassy that that is just posturing. He wants to change Washington but coddles corruption in Illinois. He votes to keep porn sites close to the schools and churches. Obama and his wife are both influenced by pastor Wright that manifest in their actions when his wife tells us that she was not proud of America until her Adult life. He does not respect the American flag and when does not put his hand to his chest when singing the Allegiance to the American Flag. Obama's church is nothing diffferent from the Madrassas in Pakistan or other fundamentalist countries.

[Marks]

During that interview, Terry Moran asked Obama:

MORAN: Well, let me press you on that. If I went to a church where white supremacy was preached, what would you think of me?

This is an accusation not a question! Obama and his family sat a thousands of church services where damning politics didn't likely occur.

Nightline has slipped in valued discussion, since Ted Koppel and his associates were fired. I don't watch it anymore and for years that was my favorite show.

It portrays media isn't interested in good qualities of Rev. Wright and those exist. The Pastor blamed government for ills of society and used God's name in vain.

His vanity was video taping those rantings! Rev. Wright needs to explain his words and views. He can branch out and gain new associations. His mind can broaden and become less intolerant eventually. Or he can stay intolerant and act negatively to progress. His retirement could be more bitter than he ever imagined.

The media won't leave alone Rev. Wright now on.

Obama's church wasn't a pit of hatred being ranted and raged. He's not guilty of any bad association. Obama loves the building and what it's done to his family, being married there and children baptized.

Find another church some demand? It's people that have to find new values in themselves. The Church building isn't to blame!

I don't value polls they are meaningless. I do watch closely the repeated accusations by media, the repeated showing of Rev. Wright ranting and what that does to society.

We can go back in history and find a lot of other ranters damning the Federal Government, Supreme Court, Congress, Governors, Mayors, a lot of folks get unpatriotic sometimes.

White hatred of the Federal Government exists.

[yo yo]

What an idot Barack Obama is to have that guy as a pastor. Going to come back to bite him just like we all knew. YOYO

[Bob Cozzi]

OJ was guilty of killing or conspiring to kill his ex-wife.
Obama is, once again, correct in his observations.

It seems to me that a President Obama would be the only one in the Whitehouse press room not talking about race at every turn. What's wrong with the main-stream media? No sex scandals to giggle about so they turn to the school yard "your skin's different. so you must be different" mindless "journalism" we're getting out of CNN, Fox and MSNBC?

Grow up America! We've got far to many real problems that are only being ignored so that a few in the press can play "giggle and point" with our candidates.

[ObamaOsama]

It's interesting how Obama's response to the charge that Wright is racist is, my grandmother is racist as well.
Wow.
This is the dude who claims to be a uniter.
Obama will confront racism with more racism.
Obama=racist crook.

[Bob]

I think that in this time in history, it is about time to shed the stigma of racism in my country. With Obama we have the right person and the right time.

[bob]

Who cares?

[Dave]

If all you really need to do to retain the black bloc vote is be black.. with all respect to Obama, I'm thankful that O.J. isn't running.

[Ruscle]

Ohhh. BIG NEWS DAY TODAY. Obama Thinks OJ did it!!! Stop the Presses!

I was hoping for more depth from the LA Times.

[JaKKKe]

Only a racially-biased all-black jury would have reached a "not guilty" verdict in the OJ trial. We live in sad times--God Bless John McCain!

[Carlos Lopez]

Please,
Let us, s a Natin, acknowledge the relevance of this moment in history. Why not invite people to listen to the full speech and ponder about possibility of actual addressing sensitive racial issues in a harmonious and respectful way, intelligently and humbly. That how can bring the possibilty of healing our social fabric. PLease , let us not linger on issues that can insite affective responses instead of insopiring people to introspect, to think of what is possible. News media plays such an important role in building public opinion and social beliefes. Therefore, this responsiblity requires a strong moral stance and an intelligent editing board.
What is the goal of the LA times ?, to attract public by raising potentially scandalous issues, or to actually participate in the process of a new social conversation leading towards understanding and healing.
humbly yours,
Carlos G Lopez MD

[henry landis]

As a former Obama supporter I find his carefully crafted (and partial) rejection of Rev. Wright "a day late and a dollar short". It's inconceivable to me that, in twenty years of close association, he was unaware of his mentor's hatred of America and support of the hate-monger Farrakhan. His failure to confront Wright, at the time, with the fact that 300,000 americans died in a war to end the evil of slavery does little to enhance his image of either courage OR integrity.