Rev. Jeremiah Wright says he was hurt by reaction to his sermons

In a rare interview, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. says media organizations that circulated controversial sound bites of his sermons wanted to paint him as "un-American" or "some sort of fanatic" to bring down Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"I think they wanted to communicate that I am unpatriotic, that I am un-American, that I am filled with hate speech, that I have a cult at Trinity United Church of Christ," Wright tells PBS host Bill Moyers, a member of the same denomination as Wright, the United Church of Christ.

It's Wright's first interview since his comments critical of U.S. policies surfaced on television and the Internet, raising questions about Obama's 20-year association with someone who suggests that the U.S. invited the 9/11 attacks and that the federal government inaugurated the AIDS epidemic to eradicate African Americans.

" 'And by the way, guess who goes to his church, hint, hint, hint?' " Wright adds. "That's what they wanted to communicate. They know nothing about the church."

Wright, who for four decades built his reputation on straight talk and imperviousness to politicians, has been atypically quiet in recent weeks -- canceling four appearances, declining all interview requests and bowing out of a news conference with other clergy. So controversial were his ...

... widely seen remarks that Obama felt forced to give a major speech on racial issues, declining to disavow Wright.

The fiery pastor preached his final sermon at Trinity in February and officially retires next month. This Sunday, he will deliver a sermon at a Dallas church and later speak to the Detroit branch of the NAACP.

Excerpts from the interview were released shortly after the taping this week. The program is scheduled to be broadcast tonight.

In the interview, Wright tells Moyers that people who heard the entire sermons understood his message and that those who chose to air the sound bites had a "devious" agenda.

"The persons who have heard the entire sermon understand the communication perfectly," he says. "When something is taken like a sound bite for a political purpose and put constantly over and over again, looped in the face of the public, that's not a failure to communicate. Those who are doing that are communicating exactly what they want to do, which is to paint me as some sort of fanatic or, as the learned journalist from the New York Times called me, a 'wackadoodle.' " Columnist Maureen Dowd used that term March 23 to describe Wright.

Wright said that he was hurt by the use of the sound bites but that he understood why Obama had harsh words about his statements during a speech on race in Philadelphia. Wright said he was obligated to speak as a pastor, whereas Obama addresses audiences as a politician.

"I don't talk to him about politics," Wright said. "And so he had a political event. He goes out as a politician and says what he has to say as a politician. I continue to be a pastor who speaks to the people of God about the things of God."

For a longer sample of a Wright sermon concerning Obama's opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, see the video below.

-- Manya A. Brachear and Andrew Malcolm

Manya Brachear writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington Bureau.       

Photo: Trinity United Church of Christ

Comments

[katherine]

I don't think Wright saying that Obama "says what he has to say as a politican" is particularly helpful to Obama. Is he trying to make him appear like he was lying about Wright---just "saying what he has to say?" Is he trying to do harm in some way to the Obama campaign?
What do people think?

[Exasperated137]

I don't think Rev Wright is trying to hurt or to help Obama's campaign. Isn't that the whole point he was trying to make? He's a pastor, he speaks as a pastor. Obama is a politician...JUST like Hiliary is and JUST like McCain is...and he speaks as a politician. A doctor speaks as a doctor and a mother speaks as a mother. Come on, people. Additionally, look at Hiliary Clinton. She speaks about how you can't pick your family but you can pick your church. Well...you actually can pick a husband, Hiliary...and you chose to stay with a lying, cheating man who doesn't know what the definition of "is" is. Why? For political reasons and I daresay that she speaks as politician, not a wife.

[PMC]

Rev Wright slammed every group in America outside African Americans in the name of "Black theology." And said horrible things about America. Our country and his!And he wants us to feel sorry for him? All of this while he builds a new 10,000 plus square foot mansion and lives the life of luxury in this country, his country. Wright, you need to take a VERY CLOSE look at your "American" values and your "American" teachings! If they still do not measure up to what you feel they need to be, then move! YOU ARE NOT FORCED TO LIVE IN AMERICA! Noone is. There are 1000's of other countries. Make a choice! And then live with it! I live in America because I want too.

[Seni]

Rev. Wright didn't give us sound bites, he shouted whole paragraphs of hate and anger for this country many black people who don't agree with him. He never acknowledged his statements were wrong. They surely were not the thing of God. Now he tries to act nice and hurt, but not sorry for his hateful remarks. I still believe Obama share Rev. Wright's views, if not he would leave the church and break with Rev. Wright. How many shady characters can you have as close associates and still look to become president of the USA? The answer should be none.

[jim]

Rev. Wright seems to be very deep and insightful....I love to hear thinkers and what they believe it is how I learn. The founding fathers of America, by today's definition, were terrorists fighting against the British. Sometimes we need to change our perspective to change our lives.

[Christo Meyer]

Apparently Reverend Wright has the guts to truly speak out about Christian values, while the pope remained silent (during his recent U.S. visit) about the unnecessary invasion, destruction, and killing being done by the U.S. in Iraq. It looks like the pope is more concerned about maintaining power than speaking out about Christian values. Determining the real causes for hatred against America should be the responsibility of every American voter and soldier.

[CKA]

Is anyone listening to Rev. Jeremiah Wright's NAACP speech this minute? Is there any doubt this man has racist views? At the very least a deep seeded animosity towards other races? "Kennedy stood up and said 'Ask not what your country can do for you...' Europeans are 'different'... Did you hear me O'Reilly?" I can not believe in this great country we live in today we allow such stupidity to be aired. If this were a white man making fun of the way say Al Sharpton, Malcom X, or MLK spoke would it not be national headline news? He would be slammed across papers as a racist, biggot. Fined and fired. I am sick of being a sitting duck too afraid to open my mouth b/c I will be "racist." Yet I am supposed to sit quietly and let comedians, Rev. and whom ever else pleases demean my heritage? Where's the justice in that? Listen to the speech... Dare to say reverse discrimination is not present in our country. Better yet, tell me there are no double standards...

[CJAY]

I FOUND THE NAACP SPEECH ENLIGHTENING. WRIGHT WAS EXPLAINING HOW BLACKS ARE CONSIDERED DEFICIENT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY SPEAK. HE WAS GIVING KENNEDY'S SPEECH AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW HIS PRONOUNCIATION OF "ASK" IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AMERICAN DIALECTS, YET KENNEDY ISN'T CONSIDERED DEFICIENT BECAUSE OF HIS STRANGE BOSTON ACCENT. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO IS A RACIST! I COME IN CONTACT WITH AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS WHO COME TO OUR BOOK SALES WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THEY SPEAK THEIR AFRICAN LANGUAGE TO THE CHILDREN, BUT WHEN THEY CHECK OUT THEIR STACK OF SCIENTIFIC AND MATH BOOKS, AND THEIR CHILDREN'S TEXT BOOKS AND CLASSICS, THEY SPEAK PERFECT ENGLISH. I'VE SEEN THIS SO OFTEN THAT I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT THEY ARE OF SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE WHEN THEY CAN DO SO LIVING IN POVERTY AND EXPERIENCING GENOCIDE FOR YEARS. POVERTY IS POISON, AND WHEN THESE POOR BLACKS ARE OSTRACIZED FROM CHILDHOOD, IT STUNTS THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN. I SEE WHERE WRIGHT'S ANGER COMES FROM, EXPERIENCING ALL OF THE INJUSTICES BECAUSE THEY'RE BLACK. WAKE UP!!!

[Obamamania]

Obama is our Savior. Obama, Ayers, and Reverend Wright are Right! God D*** america! The stupid, bitter, racist "typical white people" of pennsylvania voted for clinton. How disgusting, now they have even more blood on their hands! They ignored their opportunity to redeem themselves for their racist past - slavery - and finally make Michelle proud. How sad. Please no hater responses, but you bitter, typical Indiana white people, please stop buying guns and save it for my reparations check! Obama ''08, Repartions Check, ''09! http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/racism/0108 27.reparations.html

[teddy garcia]

Obama sold his soul to the devil whe he listened to wright for 20 years preaching about hate and divisidness and never once stood up for his ocuntry. This is what you get when you sell your soul, and now the devil whant's a pay back!