Barack Obama's pastor's words echo through campaign

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright may have stepped down as pastor at Barack Obama's church in Chicago, but his sermons are still echoing through the presidential campaign -- some rather vile ones, as captured in a video that recently made its way to YouTube.

As our friends at The Swamp reported a little while ago, Obama's campaign is trying to put some more distance between the senator and the preacher, but given the focus on race and gender this week, expect this to simmer for a while. 

"It just came to me within the past few weeks, ya'll, why so many folk are hating on Barack Obama," Wright said in the video of a Christmas sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ. "He doesn’t fit the model. He ain't white. He ain't rich and he ain't privileged. Hillary (Clinton) fits the mold."

This from CNN, attributed to an Obama campaign spokesman: "Sen. Obama has said before that he profoundly disagrees with some of the statements and positions of Rev. Wright … Sen. Obama deplores divisive statements, whether they come from his supporters, the supporters of his opponent, talk radio or anywhere else."

He may deplore them, but he'll likely be forced to deal with them. Among Wright's comments about Hillary Clinton: "Hillary was not a black boy raised in a single parent home, Barack was. 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! Hillary can never know that. Hillary ain't never been called a n-----! Hillary has never had her people defined as non-person."

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[scott]

birds of the same feather flock together- in other words humans of the same thoughts think together.

[Alma Ludivina]

I am more in shock with members from the USA goverment who we trust with our taxes and they are acting racists and had monopolized all the congress and goverment positions, we minorities almost 40% of the USA population are ill represented, first time a black tries to be a president and the porcupine skin hair of people who feels entitled gets up. We minorities have embraced Reagan with his dementia, Clinton with his unfeathfullness, Ferraro with her ignorance and nazi philosphy, I had embraced to give my 33% of my salary a year to the goverment, why you people with entitlement do not accept what is obviously good: Senator Obama.
Latinos with Obama

[John Dowd]

I don't know why Obama is being asked to explain for Wright when:

a. He's his pastor, not his campaign manager. Is a candidate accountable for the political leanings of his professor's in university? What is the standard to which Obama is being held and where did it come from?

b. McCain isn't being asked to explain two clergymen who have endorsed him even though their opinions are on the fringe and one of them called the Catholic church a whore and said Katrina happened because God doesn't like gays.

How about some balance?

[Rose]

If Obama is "not guilty by his association" with his eloquent pastor (what a piece of work), then the hooker that messed with the governor of NY is 'not guilty by association with her profession'.
Who goes to a church for ten years, has their children baptised there and is married there and then has any form of disagreement with the pastor's policies and thoughts? Vote for McCain, even Hillary ! But these Obama folks are dangerous!!!

[outtathebox]

This will do in Obama. Though only ABC and FNC have covered this to any degree on TV, the other networks and cable guys will be forced to because of how incindiary it is. Most who hear the rants will be offended, and question how the Obamas could listen to that for 20 years and then be post-racial unifiers. It also is a relevant issue since the Democrats' cultivated racial-identity constituencies are now pitted against each other.

People, get ready for the race riots, either after the DNC convention when Hillary gets anointed, or, should they still go with Obama, after he loses to McCain in November.

[JohnDoe7]

i think hillary is the greater of the two evils, she is in bed with all the political elite and secret societies, with her in power the rich majority will be over-represented, at least Obama will help heal some of the wounds caused by decades of psuedo-desegregation.

[Wendy]

Talk about racist, this is really alarming. Making Oboma the Democratic candidate is going to give McCaine the White house. I'm a Republican, that wants to vote Democrat this election, one thing for sure I will not vote oboma. People need to wise up before its to late.

[CP Cook]

Ferraro got it right. If it was Clinton, not Obama, who was listening to this crap, Clinton would have been crucified already. If Obama were a white man listening to any KKK-like organization, he would not even be considered for a US Senate position.

Why does the media allow this double standard to continue?

[Cindy]

Confronting is a Judeo-Christian tradition. The prophets and disciples do it all through the Bible.

Sounds like you all just want to pat yourselves on the back and pretend you're just perfect.

[Todd Campbell]

You have got to be kidding me. When is this LUNACY going to register with the American population? These comparisons to Kennedy and all this superficial 'He offers change!!!" hype has got to be checked against the very ugly and hate filled reality of Obamas long term, chosen and close personal influences. Liberals see themselves as the party of tolorance...well if that is true, then Obama should be summarily rejected by all of them. Is influences by way of this guy Wright is no less toxic than a guy like David Duke on the far right.

These are very dark days for America when someone of his "caliber" is the democratic front runner. Unbelievable.

[Cynthia]

This is absolutely disgusting. I had a bad feeling about Obama from the beginning, especially with his wife's hatred, but this just tops the cake. It makes me feel sick that someone who is filled with such hate and racism (YES, it is racism that the "reverend" is spouting) has been counseling a would-be president for so long. I believe that Obama has just crafted his image to brainwash people and he is not the great man he claims he is. This sort of stuff creeping out from behind him proves it.

[Crystal]

Uhm lets talk about how Obama has already addressed this issue and that McCain has not rejected or denounced his affiliation with Haggey.

So as McCain would say "My Friends", why isn't O'Reilly talking about tha?

[JMH]

Why is religion part of this campaign? How come when nutjobs like Falwell and Robertson have made crazy statements the religious right isn't indicted as well? Go into any black, christian church in any urban area and you'll find the same thing. Does any sane person honestly believe that Obama is going to get advice from this kook? This is nothing more than fear mongering. It appears that is all the Hillary and Right Wing camps can use now. They have no progressive agenda. Their only mantra is "fear the unkown". That's a great way to go about fixing a country. Keep doing the same crap over and over again and expect a better result. That's called insanity and it's brought to you by the Right Wing wacko's.

[AJ]

Let's try this:

"HIllary knows what it means to be a woman living in a country and a culture that is controlled by men. Obama can never know that. Obama ain't never been called any of the names thrown at women every day. Obama as a man never had his gender defined as non-person."

[Sasha]

Actually, Hillary -has- had "her people" defined as "a non-person". Remember, African Americans had the right to vote before women did. Women are treated as slaves and lesser humans (if even humans at all) throughout the world, in the Middle East, and third world countries.

[Amanda]

Mr. Obama, you attend your selected church because you believe in what the church stands for as well as its moral understanding as do most Americans. And to know that you are affiliated with a church that relevant uses race in its message is not the "change" our country needs. "Change" would be you standing up for the Christian beliefs and that would represent a God or higher power, depending on your belief, that did not judge you based on your color or gender. Your pastor had one thing right, True, Hillary has probably never struggled like most Americans, including me, but she has achieved some "class." "Classy" enough to know that in order make change you must distance yourself from thinkers who still carry the torch of injustice and racial standards from years past. So, I ask you, why can't your ideas of "change" spark change within your own church? I am sure you have been a member for years at this church and have continued your faithful membership. Those who truly want change...have a VOICE...even when you are the lone man in the crowd. And obviously you have had no voice within your own church. You have said many times, a true leader will fight until change is made. Tell me, how can you make change in America if you can not change things on a local front in your on church? Your own church views America as if they were still in the 1960s. I have read that the pastor has stepped down, which is wonderful. But for how many years has he tainted the pulpit with these racial judgments’ of the60s? Maybe the resigning is too little to late...the hate message has been delivered and of all places to be delivered…it was in a church!

I am Truly Heartbroken about this message. If the election was today and it was you and John McCain, I would cross party lines and vote Republican. This country does not need a leader who will keep quiet to get votes from your own church or community. And then sell himself to America as the man of CHANGE.

[Viki]

Obama is going to this church for 20 years. It not his” old uncle”. It is his minister.
Obama could choose a different church if he disagrees with Rev. Jeremaih Wright.
Obama didn’t, he got married din this church, and he baptized his kids in this church.
One thing is your supporters saying something, another thing you go to church every Sunday and listen to this.
I am shocked. I didn’t pay attention to stories about Obama church until I saw this.
It is not acceptable.

[Ernie Nucup]

As a take off from an old adage goes, tell me who your pastor is and I'll tell you who you are.

[N Saha]

Sad part is Tim Russet, Brian Williams, as well as, CNN and ABC news gurus knew all about these and they never dared to bring it out. How can we trust these jokers.
These millionair corporate employees are doing dis service to the country and they should be ashamed.
Where are the Walter Conkites?

[Playmaker]

Well it is true the associating with ministers my indicate some consensus on the part of the candidate. After all, look how George Bush used his religious to get us into a war -- a crusade, as he called it. This was OK with the neo-cons when it was Pat Robertson, but some how the rules don't apply to the poor black kid from Chigago?

It is this kind of guilt by association that is so divisive. Please, for the sake of the Constitution and our country, let's talk about getting the country back into a state of goodness and charity, rather than perpetuate the nasty, fear mongering, muck raking politics of the right wing.

[Disgusted in Staten Island]

The quote at the bottom of this blog posting, the one described as "deplorable," is 100% factually accurate. When it is "deplorable" in the media for people to state facts, the media have become pathetic parodies of themselves.

[steph]

how is obama not rich? he lives in a one million dollar mansion? how is he not privileged? as a child he went to a private school that cost $14,000 a year. he also went to harvard obviously. Wright's just lying in his sermons and twisting facts to suit his inflammatory screeds.

[Stewart Nusbaumer]

Are those comments supposed to be shocking? It's another wind-bag on the pulpit letting loose. Wait, give me a few hours to work up my outrage. Come on people.

You want to hear fire, listen to me after a bottle of Jack Daniel's when I get into my anti-Semitic tirade. Until a buddy stops me and say gently, "Take it easy Stewart, you're being too hard on yourself."

As for all those out there in America shocked, try dipping your toe into a little reality, and slowly taking a walk down the dark side. There you will see shock!

[Joseph]

""He doesn’t fit the model. He ain't white. He ain't rich and he ain't privileged. Hillary fits the mold."

Not nice, but true, no?

"Hillary was not a black boy raised in a single parent home, Barack was. 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! Hillary can never know that. Hillary ain't never been called a n-----! Hillary has never had her people defined as non-person."

Also not politically correct, but true.

As a white kid myself, I was never called a names because of who I was, either.

I don't think I would like my pastor to talk that way (I prefer that he stay out of politics entirely), but then again, I don't think many people in my (majority-white) church are Democrates.

You may not like the way black preachers talk about politics, but they have led that community from powerlessness (just 2 generations ago) to a position where they may actually make a difference in this primary election.

Until someone shows me something that Pastor Wright said which was simply crazy or wrong, rather than overly frank or offensive, I think I will cut him some slack.

[Paul in NY]

This guy is a NAZI. Obama admits he has been with this guy for 20 years. Combine that with his Hole-in-our-Soul, mean-America wife, and with these two large character in his life, I can see now the sort of beliefs Obama has, and am starting to see through the Obama charade.