The Rev. Jeremiah Wright was an early concern, Obama aide admits

After he moved to Chicago in the mid-1980s to work as a community organizer, Barack Obama forged close ties with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright -- joining the pastor’s Trinity United Church of Christ in 1988 and using the topic of a Wright sermon, "the audacity of hope," as the title of his most recent best-selling book.

But more than a year ago -- long before some of Wright’s more incendiary sermons became hot-button videos on YouTube, forcing Obama to publicly renounce his pastor last week -- the Obama campaign had a sense that Wright's sharp tongue might spell trouble for the Illinois senator.  (For a sermon sample, click on the Read more line below.)

That was the word anyway Sunday from Obama’s chief strategist, David Axelrod, who acknowledged during a conference call with reporters that Wright was disinvited ...

from Obama's official candidacy announcement on Feb. 10, 2007, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill.

Wright had been expected to lead an invocation of some kind, but never appeared.

“There was no doubt that there was controversy surrounding him,” Axelrod said Sunday.  “And we didn’t want to expose him … [or] make him the target and a distraction on a day when Sen. Obama was going to announce his candidacy.”

So if the savvy Obama campaign knew Wright was a problem a year ago, why did the Illinois senator, a parish member for two decades, wait until last week to disassociate and denounce the minister's inflammatory statements?

The topic is clearly uncomfortable for Obama and his aides, personally and politically. Axelrod's comments came only after prodding from a reporter and after he had initially suggested that Wright’s absence that day was due merely to the fact that the temperature was in the single digits.

And even as Obama has condemned some of Wright’s rhetoric and distanced himself from his longtime spiritual advisor, doing so has not been easy.  Wright remained on an African American religious advisory committee for the campaign until Friday.

“Rev. Wright married him, introduced him, as he said, to the church, brought him into the church, into Christianity, baptized his children,” Axelrod said.  “So this is a painful thing for him because he condemns the things Rev. Wright said, but he also knows him as a person.”

Wright has proven controversial in the past because of his association with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has made anti-Semitic remarks.  But the controversy has grown in recent weeks with the spread of videos from Wright sermons where he condemns the United States for its foreign policy and treatment of blacks and takes on Obama’s rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton.

As Wright put it, “Hillary ain't never been called a nigger!  Hillary has never had her people defined as non-person."

On Friday, Obama posted a message at the Huffington Post website, explaining that he had not seen such sermons in person and saying that he disagreed with them.  "I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy," he wrote.

-- Peter Wallsten

Comments

[goldenstate]

Obama has raised a lot of money for his campaign. It will be interesting to see if the money continues to pour in. I wonder how many of his supporters are having second thoughts now because of Rev. Wright. Only time will tell.

[Andrew]

I think this will blow over...while I find the over-the-top invectives in this blog saddening. No person, not Sen. McCain, not Sen. Clinton nor Sen. Obama can be held to the standard of being judge by all said by those close to them. Show me any signs that Sen. Obama has ever endorsed the Rev. Wrights fiery words that have offended many, and I'll concede Obama's hope is fizzling. Until then, I still see in him a great chance for our Nation to turn a critical page in our national story, one that contains ugly chapters (past and present) concerning race. Therein lies Obama’s true potential...to further the healing dialog, in respect for all sides, so these long festering wounds can be closed.

[Lorraine T]

Sounds like whoever mined for the "worst of Min. Wright" is having a field day... The politics of fear strikes again! First the Bush administration's shameful use of fear and 9/11 and now the fear that somehow an honorable man, Obama, is racists by association and therefore not at all what he appears...

Politics as usual... When one cannot find anything directly to impeach Obama's credibility...find whatever you can and spin...spin...spin....

[ED]

First of all, let me say that I don't support either of the Democratic candidates. Neither of them has an ounce of credibility. We indeed know who Hillary Clinton is. But do we have any idea who Barack Obama is or what he is about??? NOOOOOOO..All that we know for sure is that he speaks well about various high platitudes. There is no substance people!! He cannot answer a direct question about anything that he has done or provide any substantive answers about the ability to accomplish anything that he says. HE IS A POPULIST PEOPLE!! That is to say, he says what is popular to as wide an audience as possible. Populists offer very little substance to what they offer. WE MUST DEMAND SUBSTANTIVE ANSWERS FROM OUR LEADERS!!!!!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE WAKE UP AND DEMAND SUBSTANTIVE ANSWERS!!!!

[Nancy]

It is challenge enough for a black man to pursue the presidency. Barack Obama has come this far on a false premise--that he transcends race and other divisions. Obama's choice of Jeremiah Wright as his spiritual mentor for 20 years speakks volumes as to his character. Obama's claim that he is unaware of Wright's racial invective is literally incredible. If he is to have any chance at leading this country, he must explain the dichotomy between his actions and his words without insulting our intelligence. If he does not credibly address this issue it will slowly but surely undermine his credibility and his canidacy.

[doug]

Please people. Don't be as reactionary as the Rev. Or Geraldine Ferrarro, or McCain's supporters Hagee, Falwell et al. They are all firebrands of a certain generation and their time is running out. With your help and mine, Obama can lead us to a better future.

[uncle sam]

I am sick and tired of hearing all these black ministers and politicians beating up on this great country of ours.
If this country is treating them so bad, why don't they go back to Africa and help their fellow blacks from killing each other over tribal differences. No other country in the world has done as much as the USA has done for the African. What other country in the world has the amount of Africans, living and working within its borders? China, Russia, India, Japan, Italy, Germany, etc.
When are we going to start taking responsabilty for our actions, behavior and conditon and stop blaming everyone else, the white man, the system, the goverment. With this kind of thinking and leadership the USA will certainly become a third world nation. I do not believe the founding fathers who signed the constiution forming this great nation would be pleased with the politics and the so-called ministries of today.

[Charles Manning (manning120)]

To voters who don't associate with any of the major religions, the array of Democratic and Republican presidential candidates was a big disappointment. The closest any of them came to expressing a rational idea about religion occurred when Senator Edwards said in a "debate" that as president, he wouldn't rely on prayer to change the weather. I favored Obama early on, but was wary of his relationship with his church long before the recent flare up over Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Eric Roth is totally correct that the media have again failed us, this time by not vetting the candidates as to their religious beliefs. The present controversy should have occurred over a year ago. But as I say, I was suspicious even then. When Edwards dropped out, I was left with Hillary as the least fanatical Christian in the bunch. I still have serious concerns about her religiosity.

Be that as it may, Obama will have to give a "Checkers" speech of monumental persuasiveness to get past this. Otherwise, Pennsylvania will go overwhelmingly for Hillary (assuming Republicans can't vote for Obama) and she'll get the nomination.

[Flatulences ¨R¨us]

Road to the White-house....this is where we are
Bill and Hillary stink

Obama sucks

MCCain wants to bring back the crusades

I will definately travel this road with Ralph Nader

[Irishspacemonk]

Anyone who wastes their time reading all of these comments has to remember that most of the anger towards Obama was already happening, it's just now the people that kept using his full name to disparage Muslims can now use his minister to justify their racist rants. I'd have a lot more belief in their claims if they also denounced the talk-show hosts of the right, and ask all Catholics to give up their church because of how it supported pedophiles.

[somrey]

The unfortunate thing about this whole mess is the impact that "words" have on the youth. Schools across the nation are using this "election time" as a real world model for students. I teach in an inner city high school and I try every day to show my students respect for all people. I teach them that people should not be judged by their color or ethnicity. I teach them that hard work, determination and honesty will take them where ever they plan to go. And I teach them not to rely on excuses but to set themselves apart by taking responsibility and living an authentic life. How undone I feel when I hear Rev. Wright's words and I see him rally his congregation up into a hateful frenzy focused on bigotry and racism. How undone I feel when I see Obama side-step this entire issue instead of clearly responding to it by either defending his point of view or fully condemning Rev. Wright. Doesn't Rev. Wright realize that all people face struggles, all people overcome hurdles, and all people have the option to place blame or to rise above. Lord help the future if we all can't learn to rise above!

[Anna Knapp]

I am afraid that this is not the only place where statements like these are being made in black churches or black newspapers like one published by an attorney on Lake Street in Pasadena. There is a lot of hatred toward the whites which most are not aware of until you encounter it personally. We can't ever lump ALL of any race or religion into one category. I was personally a victim of this kind of discrimination by an L.A. Co. Probation Officer who moved next door to us. She hated whites. Let me tell you. Her mother was a retired judge and she was just as bad. The final upshot was that all I could do was pray for them which is what my pastor always told me to do. We would have been in jail for life if we had done what she did to us and the names she called us. So we grin and bear it and vote for Hillary!

[Peter S.]

Barak should not be condemned by this pastor, in fact, if you would actually listen to the man outside the "the popular political viewpoint", this man is sheding light on something we need to take a look at. We hear from this man affirming African Americans continued oppression, strife and resentment in this country. The wealthy white man has used his wealth to create power and the weilding of that power has never been relinquished for several centuries now! His roar is what I've felt burning inside any African Americans I have come to know as friends. We white people are in denial to think that everythings ok now, just because we may not view African Americans as non-people ourselves. White dominance still marches on, we don't see it because we contribute to it everyday without knowing it. Also, the average American is so totally mind controlled by the retoric of our government it is not funny anymore. Anyone who does not seriously question what seems evident to me that 911 was an inside job from the super wealthy and their secret societies yeilding their sick power on world events for their gain is simply in serious conscious denial! Just look hard at how Bush (OIL) and Cheney (DEFENSE) did to us and world events. I don't know about Obama, but we as a people need to guarantee that our President is not owned by the super-wealthy like Clinton and McCain are. I bet the Clinton campaigne wishes they would have taken this tact on Obama a long time ago. The super-wealthy were stunned that Obama came into the lead and now they have assembled and are pulling out all the stops. Believe me, their plan has been to put Hillary in the White House a long time ago. Believe it or not, Bush and Cheney themselves are well aware of this plan. Wake up people to what is actually going on! This is serious stuff!

[David Giles]

BALACK Obama.

I do not care that his skin color is black. He has a balancing act between the black and white voters.
His beliefs will win the Dems.
His charm will win the Repubs.
This shows us how shallow and weak are the roots of our nation.

Eric, Good Post!
Eric Roth | March 16, 2008 at 06:03 PM
Obama failed a very simple test, poor judgment..

[Vivi]

How could Obama and Ms Obama allow their daughters to sit in church listening to profanity and hate rhetoric? Are children privy to these profanity laced sermons? Christianity is not about hate and intolerance. I've never gone to a church where a minister used profanity from the pulpit. What he said about Natalee Holloway was uncalled for and hurtful. It's misleading to say this is typical in black churches.

[David Spielberg]

Here the proof that Obama is lying when he said he knew nothing of Wright's anti-American postures. Mr. Donahue Pres. of the Catholic Assn. send a letter to Obama warning him of such declarations. Check: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977285439

The letter said: "Wright has a record of giving racially inflammatory sermons and has even said that Zionism has an element of 'white racism.' He also blamed the attacks of 9/11 on American foreign policy."

This letter is undeniable proof that Obama knew of this.

[LOI]

there is so much things that is outrageous in ths primaries. from the format of primaries itselt to mockery of candidates. people surged in the sides of obama believing he is a hope of change but we found out its merely a word. hillary maybe the last person you want to be friend but ironically she is the most qualified to govern this country. a candidate should have a spririt of a fighter . clear in vision and straightforward .

[Evelyn]

Senator Obama's campaign is in deep trouble over his closeness to his Pastor because of what the central message of his campaign has been-Change, Unity, Words do Matter. David Axelrod has run a great campaign and has branded Obama and the public has bought it hook line and sinker. Like a Nike Commercial- people have bought into the image- the coolness factor of being an Obama supporter and taking over Washington and changing it.
The trouble is, Obama is a seasoned politician. Part of the system that he says he is going to change. And all of this is going to come out over the spring, over the summer.
People are going to be angry that they were sold something that isn't true. And the Dems might blow their chance at the Presidency.

[Ray]

There is a racial furor just beneath the surface of this country that is just waiting to erupt. I see it most every day in the way looks are exchanged, actions are interpreted and words are spoken. Wright panders to a congregation who would rise and applaud if he said that the world was flat, just because a black man said it was so. People like him can say anything they want without fear of intimidation, persecution or criticism. They are surrounded by a surrogate group, like Sharpton, Jackson, Maxine Waters or Cynthia McKinney who fan the fires of victimhood every time the occasion arises. This gives them a job, a steady source of income and a degree of credibility inside of their ingroup.
Obama needs white America to win in November. He will not admit this but it is written in stone. Comments like this make white America livid and will spell Obama's downfall. It will be another two generations before we are ready for a black president in this country.

[I Am Me]

I have believed since the beginning of the Presidential race between Clinton and Obama that the media has been extremely unfair to Senator Clinton. We now have both the Pastor Jeremiah Wright story and Tony Rezko. Yet, the media continues to play it down, with the exception of Fox News and give Barack another pass. I find this to be very disturbing because the voters do not have the opportunity to know who is Obama - his character, his judgment, his leadership ability.

It is not possible for Barack to have a spiritual leader and mentor for over 20 years and not know the character of the man. It is not possible for Barack to be associated with Rev. Wright's church and not know the flavor of the leadership. It does not matter if he was in church when these messages were preached, he heard about these messages. Obama is not as isolated from these sermons as he wants the public to believe.

I have heard so many supporters of Sen. Obama say that if Senator Clinton gets the nomination, they will not vote for her. To me this is foolish, and tells me they are following a man and not what is best for the country. However, based upon what venomous posion that Rev. Wright preaches, I now understand their philosophy.

For the voters who care more about what is best for the country and all the people, please get the word out that Obama lacks the judgment to be President of the United States because he has a long standing relationship with a man who hates America, Senator Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton and White America. Apparently, he hates anyone who is not a "Black" man or woman, rather American born or African. I am African American.

[LiberalMasquerade]

“He that lies down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas,” Benjamin Franklin said.

What a great quote. For anyone who is remotely worried about what lies beneath Barack Obama's driving forces, here is an article that is pretty telling.

http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/obama_wright_farrakhan/2008/01/14/64332.html

..“Barack Obama has been very careful not to position himself as Rev. Jesse Jackson or Rev. Al Sharpton as a promoter of ‘The Black Cause. He has been groomed, wisely so, to be seen more as a unifier, rather than one who speaks only for the hurt of black people," noted Louis Farrakhan in the interview with FinalCall.com...

...Just before Obama’s nationally televised campaign kickoff rally last Feb. 10, the candidate disinvited Wright from giving the public invocation. Wright explained: “When [Obama’s] enemies find out that in 1984 I went to Tripoli” to visit Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, “a lot of his Jewish support will dry up quicker than a snowball in hell.”

Sometime last year and in interviews, according to Wright, Obama told him, “'You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we’ve decided is that it’s best for you not to be out there in public.”

Wright is retiring as senior pastor of the church in May. He asked his successor, Otis Moss III, to speak instead, but he declined. However, Obama and his family prayed privately with Wright just before the presidential announcement....

[josh penso]

i really pray that most americans have sense come november. how can any of you out there really believe that obama is not lying about what he knew about his "pastor"? seriously how could he not know that wright was infact this hate filled venomous low iq dirtbag masquerading as a minister? the obvious answer: obama knew and has known all along about this evil person who he claims inspired the audacity of hope. obama is clearly and shamelessly insulting the intelligence of all of us. we will only elect him if we are the foolish masses he thinks we are and in this case we will deserve what he get. america: send obama home. make him not only lose the presidential election but also resign from that revered body the u.s. senate of which his disgraceful anti-americanness should have no part. let's all get real and wake up. josh penso las vegas out.

[Jonesy]

Everyone knows that the preacher and conregation of millions of christian churches have been pro war, pro bush, pro life, anti gay, anti feminism, anti evolution, ....its time to call them on the carpet for views that are out of time out of style, out of step and out of america...

silliness, silliness

[NR Truman]

oh yeah...because women have had it SO EASY...

Fascinating, how a religion introduced to slaves for assimilation purposes is now being used against a "black" man by a black congregation....

[Rob S]

The Obama apologists out there really are too much. Isn’t it obvious that Obama can’t claim that he “abhor(s) divisive politics” AND simultaneously support this pastor for nearly 20 years (Obama has called Pastor Wright his “mentor”). At the very least it brings Obama’s judgment into question. More ominously it suggests that Obama’s platform is not based on “Change you can believe in” but rather a campaign based on duplicity and hypocrisy.