Barack Obama's minister, Jeremiah Wright, heads South (literally)

For years, it seems, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright has made periodic preaching excursions from his homebase in Chicago to Tampa (anyone familiar with the Windy City's weather -- especially its winter and almost-never-seems-to-arrive spring -- can readily understand the allure of such trips).

Wright, we've learned, annually draws big crowds to sermons he delivers at two predominantly black churches in the area. And next week, he'll be the prime attraction at a revival Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at one of those places of worship.

Think his appearances will generate a bit more coverage than usual?

The St. Petersburg Times' story on Wright's impending visit includes many admiring comments from those who have heard and known him over the years.

Similarly, a Los Angeles Times article earlier this week noted that along with the incendiary statements Wright made from his Chicago perch that now are causing headaches for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, he "also provided uplift. He affirmed the resiliency of the black family, invited married couples in the pews to stand and be cheered, and eventually focused on how to save failing relationships." (Read more here.)

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Daleesp]

Now Senator Obama is speaking as a racist would?

Here is a quote taken from a Philadelphia radio station from Senator Obama:

"The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn't. But she is a typical white person who, uh, if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know, there's a reaction that's been bred into our experiences that don't go away and that sometimes come out in the wrong way and that's just the nature of race in our society. We have to break through it."

His Grandmother is a typical white person??? Senator Obama’s use of words reminds me of Pat Robertston would say about various minority races.

[Sunny Florida]

Ok, this Wright stuff is disturbing, very. But the bigger problem I have for Mr. Obama is his pattern of saying one thing and then distancing himself from those words when the opposite is revealed at a later date. That is called "spin", people. We have a need and right to know Senator Obama from every angle and what he believes when he talks of equality and a "vision" for America. To say that Clinton +/or Obama is at fault for the direction the Democratic campaign has headed, is ludicrous and short-sighted. America is a melting pot of races, genders, culture, etc. and we each have a personal interest in seeing "ourselves" in our President. With that connection comes passion and emotional investment. However, it also must be tempered with information about the candidates (good and bad, without negative "label" attached to said information) so that we can make informed choices, rather than only emotionally-driven ones. To Americans: try to take off the blinders of opinion polls, media spin, mud and excitement and remember what this race is really about: Hiring someone to do the toughest and,arguably, most important job on the planet. Being President of the US isn't about speeches, promises and what-if's - it is about who you believe will get up, everyday, and work their butt off for every hardworking American, because they have a track record of that already. That person is Senator Clinton. She has worked hard and diligently for all Americans, and spent years building strong relationships because she has a passionate vision of what America can be, not just because she's running for President. Vetted, intelligent, tested and hardworking. Senator Clinton is the right choice for me in '08

[Ed]

Well, it took a while, but the media has finally found a way to make this election all about race. We'll make Barack Obama responsible for someone else's words. Then we'll repeat it enough times the world doesn't know the difference. Maybe, just maybe, he has weapons of mass destruction.

[capolitics]

I think the media has turned this into a circus. Five years ago I was attending a church, spoke the pastor, even sang in the church. The pastor over this time said some rather strange things about death, our sins, and the effect of other people on our brothers and sisters. It was only about a handful of sermons that I did not like, the rest of them were fine and up lifiting. But I did not leave for these reasons or run the opposite direction of the pastor when I saw him every sunday. This guilt by association moniker is childish nonsense. I went there for God, not for any preacher. I learned to intelligently consider written passages not agree with a human representative on any subject. I enjoyed the coffee and meeting people every week and their companionship and good intentions, not their private political positions. WE, as a country, need to grow up and out of the gossip mongering sewers. We must look like fools to the rest of the world.

[Shane]

The real tragedy here is that the media just won't let this story go.

For some reason, the media doesn't seem to crucify members of the GOP for associating themselves with hate-spewing right-wing religious types.

They get a free pass.

But that Obama worshiped at a church where the pastor said things that AT TIMES crossed the line, he's somehow tied--inexplicably--responsible for it.

[david peterson]

Obama's moronic minister will not cost him the nomination
be it will cost him the election. The white working class
will see it and be stunned, they will never trust him
when his minister is a get whitey hate monger. Black
racism is ok I guess in the democratic party, as
is male bashing by feminists. The biggest victim wins.

[BLACKMALE4HILLARY]

Now is the time for Obama supporters to pracitce some of their preaching about UNITY andcome together with Clinton supporters to create a team. Barack's independent candidacy is now, I believe, fatally wounded. His connection to Rev. Wright will cost him crucial support that he would need to win in Nov. For the good of the party and country, Obama needs to accept a position on the ticket with Clinton. Any other scenario would not be acceptable to a large segment of Democratic voters and thus would almost certainly give the election to McCain. With voters in Fla and Mi already disenfranchised, the democrats may, once again, pull defeat from the jaws of victory and hand the GOP another 4-8 yrs in the WH and 100 yrs in Iraq.

[richard jankowski]

i think racism is alive and well in the USA, but i think this shows that blacks are more racist than whites.if whites said what pastor wright said the blacks would be going wild. i think they are given more opportunities today than ever, but it's never enough. the past is always brought up.

[Bill]

I wouldn't vote for Clinton under any circumstances. The last thing this country needs is the White House turned into another Springer episode....again.

[Jeugenen]

THE DARK SIDE OF OBAMA’S PASTOR WRIGHT

OLD PASTOR WRIGHT,
THOUGHT HIMSELF BRIGHT!
BUT GOT IT ALL WRONG,
AND GOT HIMSELF LONG!

NEW YORK TIMES SPIN,
IT STINKS LIKE SIN!
SPEWS OUT HATE,
AND YOU TAKE THE BAIT!

SO SORRY,
END OF STORY!

[Trevor Covington]

The Hillary supporter who just posted their comment should do some real research on Hillary and Bill. Then they should decide whether or not they really want Hillary (who spent a large part of her adult life defending big corporations to make a lot of money) and Bill (who was disbarred from the practice of law for five years for his improprieties while in office) back in the White House.

[maee]

I WILL BE GLAD WHEN WE AS HUMAN BROTHER AND SISTERS CAN GET PASS J. WRIGHT . WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER BLACK WHITE BROWN ETC

WE MUST LOVE EACH OTHERS GOD MADE ALL OF US WE ARE ALL IN AMERICA. SO LETS US GET PASS THIS AND ELECT THE PERSON WE FEEL WILL DO THE BET JOB.
LET US SEEK THE LORD FOR THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB,

TOGETHER WE STAND DIVED WE FALL , OTHER COUNTRYS ARE WATCHING AMERICA,IF WE CANNOT HELP EACH OTHER . HOW CAN WE HELP OTHER COUNTRYS.

.
.

[n.ortega]

If Mr. Obama really wanted to unify the Country, how can he attend a Church where his Pastor says hateful words that foments hatred, bitterness, and resentment. No wonder so many African-Americans still feel like victims if pastors continue to harp on past mistakes instead of preaching about love and forgiveness.

[SynPenguin]

1st thing I agree this has turned into a media circus

2nd and most importatnly America has never been a "melting pot" of anything that is the biggest bunch of crap ever!
I live three blocks away from "Little Mexico" in a Wisconsin city... WISCONSIN! Those Mexican folks didn't "melt".
I use to go to a church that had services only in Polish, those Polish folks didn't "melt"
I carry a Cherokee Nation Card, I am a Native American who lives in the United States, I don't want to "melt" into anything.
Unless every single person that lives in the Unitied States only speaks "American" English, only eats "American" food and has only truly "American" beliefs (what ever those are). Then that will be a melting pot...

We are a big salad bowl, each of us having or own unique being but coming together to change the "flavor" of America and that is the way it should be.

[Rev Don Spitz]

Obama is a racist like his pastor. He sat for 20 years in that church and had to know what that pastor was about. Why is the liberal media giving Obama a pass on his racist beliefs?

[Tara W]

Who will Obama select as his Vice Presidential Candidate?

If Obama has questionable spriritual advisor's, then we need to examine all of his other advisor's. We cannot afford to have questionable individuals in the White House or even second in command.

Tara W.
Http://CenterLine.tv

[babs W]

Right on "capolitics" . You expressed my point of view perfectly.

[kaye s]

To those who say that "Obama is not responsible for someone else's words" ... you are obsolutely correct. He is not responsible for the vile comments of Rev Wright, but he is responsible for his own actions. We all have a choice of which church we choose to attend ... it's not forced on us. When Obama "chose" to attend a church where Rev Wright, a professed man of God, repeatedly espoused hatred for his fellow man (specifically while men), he was making a statement by his actions. It is very difficult to believe that Obama does not harbor the same sentiments as Wright, otherwise he would have found another church and disassociated himself from Rev Wright. What kind of person would want to sit and listen to a "pastor" defame another race or preach hatred. A pastor is someone that you look to for wisdom and guidance ... not someone who preaches hatred and promotes racism with in the House of God. Wright is a racist lunatic and If Obama had no better sense than to continue his membership at this church, what sort of decisions would he make for this nation if he were sitting in the Oval Office?

[S.F. Carney]

Let me see if I've got this straight.
Hillary Clinton does not have to apologize for her husbands lack of morals. Husbands and wives are supposed to share their thoughts and opinions with each other. There is no relationship closer than that of man and wife. She also does not have to shoulder the blame for the comments Geraldine Ferraro made.
Why then does Mr. Obama have to shoulder the blame for what his minister says.
Do I really have to wear red, white and blue to prove I am a patriot? Does that flag pin on your collar mean you will be the first to take up arms to defend what's right?
Mrs. Obama said, "For the first time... I am proud of my country." Considering how most blacks have been treated, that was a statement of hope for those who told themselves long ago that America would never get past issues like race. America will never give blacks an even playing field. Like Mrs. Obama, I too was beginning to feel a new kind of pride in my country. I wonder if she will still feel the same way when the media gets through with her husband.

[Patrick]

Well the media built him up, you cant cry now that they are the ones bringing him down.

[Bill O'bama]

It is not a question making Barak responsible for the reprehensible sermons of J. Wright, but Barak needs to answer WHY did he listen to such drivel for 20+ years? Why did he support, monetarily also, such a pastor and institution, and why only NOW when it is politically necessary is he trying to say he does not agree with the men he says has been his mentor / spiritual leader / blah blah blah?

This man has shown a lack of JUDGEMENT / LeEADRESHIP and also shown COWARDICE for not standing up to what he knows and should have known was not appropiate. Instead even exposed his impressionable kids to such drivel. His wife already seems to have been drilled with this philosophy - I am for the first time in my adult life proud to be an American...WOW !!

This man Barak stopped wearing his lapel pin after 9/11 !! Know why, because 5 days after 9/11 Wright gave the now famous "chicken coming home to roost" sermon. Must have influenced Barak I am sure since he decided to remove his lapel pin flag, but yet had to use the flad as his prop to save his political sorry ass.

Shame on you Barak. NO JUDGEMENT / NO LEADERSHIP /

Retire and go commiserate with Wright, maybe even co-author some books, milk them "typical white" for speaking engagement fees - what better way to get even with them slave masters.

[Rob Davies]

What's the big deal with Reverend Wright's comments? American foreign policy has been controlled by big business throughout our history. Furthermore, what about CIA murders of South American democratically elected officials, the lack of support of the newly elected president of Argentina, support of Pinochet, Iran-contra, death squads in central america, invasions of Canada, the Philippines, the Spanish-American War and Hawaii. Most Americans have no clue about the real history of our foreign policy history and should do a bit of reading before they open their ignorant mouths. I'm more disturbed by the ignorance of the media and the average American, than the comments of Reverend Wright who happens to be right on the mark.

[Caroline Miniscule]

All those who say Obama should not be held responsible for the words of his pastor please take note of a couple of things: In his first speech on the subject - he denied ever having heard Wright make such inflammatory statements. In his second speech on the subject, after various news media had pointed out that they found it difficult to believe that after attending the church for 20 years that he had never heard any of these things - Obama makes a second speech in which he says, Yes, he did hear those things. So he has just revealed himself to be a liar.

Now, I suppose a politician who has been revealed to tell a ile is not so unusual...but Barack was supposed to be so different. And, then his comments about his grandmother - "afraid of someone she didn't know" - I don't know, I would think that most elderly women would be afraid of people they didn't know.... that's the nature of becoming old in a violent society where the elderly are preyed upon by the young.

[lhal]

Going south? Good, he'll be closer to Guantanamo Bay where he belongs. If he "preached" what he "preaches" in an Islamic Temple in the US, he'd be going to Guantanamo anyway.

[Semour Butts]

Obama will say or do anything it takes to obtain the presidency, It's been said (rightly) that obama wouldn't be in this position were he not a black man. any white man with as little experience as Obamas got would never even be considered for the post...SB