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

[jo jo star]

it is not just obama's pastor but his wife that says really stupid things most amerians would get mad at hearing if it were reported widely in the newspapers. both go to that church, so does obama so you wonder why he says he never heard these things before? think what the republicans will do about this in the election if obama is the dem choice.

[Angel]

As a former member of Trinity United Church of Christ, I would like to say that Pastor Wright is not a racist pig nor does he spout hate. What he does do is tell the truth. I would advise that before you judge, play the tape all the way out. That is listen to his sermon in it's entirety and in it's context. Hear it for yourself instead of what others have said what was said. Peace.

[Arredondo]

What's the deal with the "Jesus is black?" I am Mexican-American (or an American as I like to say). I am a Christian too and I've never had a Mexican Jesus picture in my house. Why would I not have a Mexican Jesus in my house? Well because Jesus was not a Mexican. I wouldn't let my 6 year daughter listen to the blatant hatred and racism I heard from the above YouTube sermon. If I were African-American I would be extremely embarrassed.

[Ash]

Oh You Obama supporters are first of all American Citizens . We should be ashamed of what the pastor has to say about America and since we voted for Obama in the Primaries we should be embarassed about our decision. You should now show some sense and turn your back from the pastor and his follower .

[08AMA]

White folks need to get over this. Black folks are not responsible for your emotional wellbeing.

At least nobody thinks Obama's a Muslim anymore.

[Magic]

Obama has disqualified himself. Self-annihilated. This guy is 100% unelectable against a Republican at this point.

[Niki]

OK folks! We are loosing focus... Barrack Obama represents a Candidate who is a Christian! Remember when the folks wanted us to believe he was muslim? Now they want us to believe he's a racist black man. Hello! dont you rember his white single parent mother and struggling grandparents. Don't you remember when the media kept suggesting over and over that he wasn't black enough! Dont loose focus Barrack Obama is just as white as he is black and no one who has grown to be at peace with themselves can hate half of who they are!

[Texas Democrat]

Obama has listened to this spewing of Anti-American slurs by his minister for many years! He is about 20 years too late for denouncing him! And the real "audacity" is Obama himself. He listens to Anti-American slurs from his own mentor and then asks Americans to vote for him to run America! It is truly unbelievable. And the answer Obama is NO! I hope you hear this from the Democrats before June.. I am a democrat, but I am an American first! But if not, you will hear a loud and clear resounding NO come November!

[Mrknave]

I 'm glad this had happened, It truly goes to to show how people were just waiting to rip Obama a new one. You can't stand this black man, can you? The hate that I'm reading from you so called Americans isn't surprising at all. If the government allowed the same things that happened to blacks not so long ago happen to whites, Asians, Latinos
and others you say GD America too. I know you CAUCERS. If Obama loses, so what. The real americans that can only think in terms of skin color, I hope you get what you want.

[Lord Falcon]

The coverage of this issue by half the media has bullcrap. The church is not anti-American. It is not racist. There are plenty of white people who go to the church.

What the church does do is integrate gospel with black culture, adressing issues that crop up in black communities in particular more than other churches.

Not alot of people go to church every week, and Obama is certainly not one of them. He has, by his own admission, been regular in spurts. It is perfectly reasonable to assume he was not present at the time of those sermons, and that other sermons were not anti-American or particularly racist in nature.

Remember, Wright is a respected and popular pastor. He has done much good for the world. Even those most inflammatory remarks do resonate with many blacks (and other colours, they're just too caught up to admit it), and have a good deal of truth in them.

What the hell is wrong, for example, with slamming America for sponsoring state terrorism? The only completely ridiculous statement was the one about AIDS.

Mccain has his own pastor who is even more divisive on many issues, including referring to gays as the "forces of darkness" and that America is a Christian nation founded to destroy Islam. Yet nobody is reporting about it. Shame on the media.

[Sunny Floridian]

This is just another media tactic to make Senator Obama look bad. Well it won't work......... Rev. Wright is not a racist he teaches Black Liberation. White people you don't and won't understand Black liberation because you're not black. I'm not a racist but you just don't understand. There's nothing in Rev Wright sermon that's racist. He is simply speaking the truth. If you all would stop and take the time and listen at what Rev. Wright is saying & if you're intelligent you'll see that he is speaking the truth. The reason you all are so hot under the collar is because Rev Wright sermons are absolutely the truth. The media has overlooked over 30 years of good works coming from Rev. Wright and his church and taken bits and pieces of a sermon and turned the man into a monster/racist/separtist and other crazy things. The truth of the matter is the media had nothing and I mean nothing dirty about Senator Obama so you started digging into the company he keeps. Well the word of God says No Weapons Formed Against Me (Senator Obama) Will Prosper. Oh the weapons will form but they won't prosper so keep writing and airing all of the non sense about Senator Obama - God sits high and looks low and he knows exactly what happening here.

[Ashwin Desai]

To Mike:
Thank you for bringing some sanity to this blog. I read "the Audacity of Hope" sermon in full at the link you provided and I agree with your statement:
"But look at this beautiful sermon, "The audacity of hope" sermon. It is a profoundly Christian sermon, one in which there is only goodness. Read it for yourselves and reflect."

[Charles]

Barack Obama! The President of the United States 2008
After carefully reading all the blogs, It proves my point that most Americans have difficulty with evaluating comments. It was stated that his pastor made those comments not Obama. It seems like to me that readers have never sat under anyone(praecher) and question what was said. Those that were for Obama and choose not to be for him now shows how we allow individuals to guide our footsteps as well as decisions. Twenty years at a church does not make you a believer of anyone, but twenty years reading and studying God's word gave Obama faith to denounce the comments that were made by Wright. Republicans are not ready for a fight as such due to quetionable information that has not surfaced about McCain and Hilary. McCain had no choice but to visit Iraq this week and it wasn't to visit the troops, but to get more money to help fund his campaign.

[Jgrace]

Lies lies lies lies - they're gonna getcha.

wow oh wow oh wow. IF anyone votes for this person, Barack Obama, they live in a cave.

[Melinda M]

Come on everyone, He is not the SAVIOR of the world...Do any of you actually believe that we have a man before us that is as pure as the driven snow. That his 20 year affiliation with a man who absolutely HATES and ABHORES any white person, preaches to thousands that white people are all hateful and premeditators of terrorism in our own country and basically brought on most of all the pain and suffering to our selves since before 9/11, you have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. I was caught up in the hope and change speech's WHICH just goes to show you all that YOU and MYSELF are ready for change, YES WE ARE, we do hunger for hope and goodness but no way, no way do I believe it will come from a man who is attached body and soul to the likes of Mr. Wright.
He is leading all of us to believe that he is on our side, that it doesn't matter the color of our skin we can all be one together and change this world..NO WAY. Do I believe within the bottom of my heart he has any intention of unifying us together, Again NO WAY. He intends on bringing up and restructuring our AMERICA just the way a man like Louis Farrakhan would want it and once he is in office we will have lost our voice to speak at ALL. This is it for us. We get caught up in all his evangelistic savior talk we are in for a big surprise MARK MY WORDS....Please WAKE UP everyone WE really do only want WHAT IS BEST FOR US, OUR CHILDREN'S LIFE and our FUTURE. We now need to undo what we all have done by voting and supporting this Barack Hussein Obama. PLEASE WAKE UP AND LOOK AROUND YOU.

[tiddle]

Truth of matter is, Obama would re-invite this pastor back in his fold after he gets our vote. Obama NEVER has any intention to dissociate himself until he got CAUGHT (or rather the topic of the pastor heats up). If he's been in the church for 20 years, hearing the sermons for 20 years, and he now tells me he's not under the influence, he's either LYING that he doesn't agree with sermons; or that he's LYING that he doesn't agree with the pastor but would still stay under the church and the pastor's wing all these years because the pastor is a powerful man.

And, Obama is so UNoriginal to use someone else (in this case, his pastor's sermon) as book title, not to mention all the other plagiarized acts he had, copying Edwards' and Cinton's policy ideas.

The more I think about is, the more Obama makes me sick.

[presidentbama]

McCain outclassed Clinton 1000 times over, by stating in an interview with Hannity that he "knows Obama and knows he doesn't hold those views" and "you can't judge people by association".

If it comes to McCain vs. Obama, it might be the classiest election we've seen in a while.

[bluestocking]

Rev. Wright's comments about Hillary Clinton and Natalee Holloway show a hostility towards women. Don't we have enough of this in the world? I for one could never vote for President a member of Rev. Wiright's church.
I hope Obama steps down.

[Facinated by all this]

One wonders what is going on behind the scenes. The pundits all seem to be saying the politically correct things. "Obama needs to put this behind him. We have to take him at his word." And so on. But behind the scenes Democratic strategists have to know this is a disaster. Republicans have been salivating about the possibility of running against Clinton, but now, undoubtedly, Obama is their man, a sure looser. They can’t wait to “Swift Boat” this guy. Obama cannot carry white ethnics, the Reagan Democrats, most Independents. Clinton, of course, knows this, but she has to figure some way of capitalizing upon it without being obvious enough to alienate the Black vote come election time. A real time for finesse, since a great many Blacks are quite sympathetic to Wright's bile. It’s going to be really fascinating to see how this plays out. Clinton needs to find some way of keeping this in the news, up to the convention in hopes that she will pull much closer Obama. Then the super delegates can be won over in closed door sessions.

[ReligionStudent]

No one should blame Obama for Wright's words. However, many of the comments are fair in questioning Obama's judgment in attending Wright's church for 20 plus years. Moreover, Obama had Wright on a committee of "black spiritual leaders". Mr. Wright is clearly important to Obama, but do we as a nation want our president to turn to someone who preaches "hate" for spiritual guidance in times of crises? One post is very telling re: Obama's children. Racism begins at home, so I too wonder why Obama and his wife would allow their daughters to learn from someone who preaches anti-white anything. Sure, his sermon focuses on Christian love, but we need it from more than one. All his sermons should focus on the Christian spirit of love. I do not blame Obama for Wright's words, but I do hold him accountable as this calls into question his "judgment" or lack thereof. Many religions emphasize the need of community among like minded people as a way to realize their spiritual goals. Because of this, I wonder if Obama does in secret share Wright's views?

[George]

Obama, as a result of his close relationship with Reverend Jeremiah Wright has become a non-candidate for President of the United States. I was very leery of this untested candidate who has such good power with words, because not much was known about him. The true old story telling us when something or someone is too good to be true, then we likely find someone who is not what we thought he was.

Obama tells us that Reverend Jeremiah Wright in Chicago showed him his way to Christ (do we know what his way was before then?) and he has been a member of Wright’s United Church of Christ for the prior 17 years. Rev. Wright performed his marriage and other ceremonies. Obama tells us he did not hear any of the offensive and anti-American sermons of Rev. Wright, when he was in the pew, though he was a fairly regular church-goer. It appears what we have in Obama is a Harvard Law School graduate who remains oblivious to hateful and vitriolic ranting by his Reverend for so many years.

I see a man caught in a situation he cannot wiggle out of, no matter what words he comes up with. He cannot totally reject his Reverend and admit he was wrong to continue his association with his congregation, since that would be an admission of his terrible judgment for a long time, starting before he even entered politics and continuing until now. He cannot admit that he was aware of Rev. Wright’s hateful thoughts about America and its leadership, but chose to continue attending his Church and not being affected by it or agreeing with it.

No intelligent person would continue attending a congregation where the leader’s ideas and preaching went against a core of beliefs that are very different from the leaders’. If such differences exist it is natural and proper to leave the congregation.

We see an Obama whose words now appear to be a play on untruths which is a great example of the “same old“ rather than “change“. Such a person cannot be considered for this high office.

Finally, there are many capable blacks in this country worthy of the presidency. Its a matter of competency, truthfullness, judgment, experience and non-involvement with persons in the racial or ethnic-divide business.

[SCP]

If you're black and look black you are likely to be reminded most days, if not everyday in America, that you are indeed black. In the first 250 years of existence on this continent blacks were made slaves to whites. For more than one hundred years after that blacks were undeniably second-class citizens to whites. And for the last 50 years most whites have wanted to insist that the country is unaffected by this legacy. I doubt that most white churches want their congregations to examine the reality of racism in America. And I doubt that white media really wants to examine this reality and the part that they want to play in continuing the 'country club privileges' that whites have enjoved for nearly 400 years. The whole world knows that Obama can not overcome this problem but it is 'news' that he's trying.

[Luis Dandelion]

Jeremiah Wright bashes left and right and Europeans and rich and Hillary. Totally indiscriminate. Italians and Swiss people alike - after all, they are Europeans.
Well, I'm European.
The only comparison that comes to mind is: Adolf Hitler.
Some Islamic fundalists' speeches sound exactly the same as Mr. Wright.

Propably Jeremiah Wright's "Church" has hijacked Barack's campaingn for his own sinister purposes.

Maybe that Jeremiah Wright character endorses Barack, but if Barack does not disassociate himself from this hate preacher to the full extend, then he'll be guilty by association.

Supposedly, this "Church" is tax exempt and enjoys privileges, so Mr. Wright can keep on preaching hate under the umbrella of Religion, and feed his own Wallet at the same time.

[Paul Fretheim]

What happened to the separation of church and state? Like I find most sermons, I found Pastor Wright boring. What is news about "rich white men run the country?" If you don't agree with that I suggest you visit Wall Street some time soon and make an informal survey of who you find there.

Jesus was a person of color? Of course he was.

Romans were white? Yes they were.

The theatrical presentation is a trademark of the black church. So what?

Grow up. Obama didn't say these things. Someone else did. Regardless, most of what the pastor said was true.

[Susan Walter]

The thing that I pray for in all of this is civility. I do not like to hear hate fulminating from the mouths of whites or blacks. I have read nasty innuendos coming from the right about Obama who has my whole hearted support, but if, this turns into a fight between blacks and whites then Obama will lose. Personally I will be very sorry to see that happen. Because I did dare to hope. Reverand Wright has the right in this country to say anything he likes, but if he wants to help Obama win an election he must do his talking diplomatically.