The Barack Obama-Jeremiah Wright link: What first forged it?

Noam Scheiber of the New Republic earlier today astutely focused on what remains the great imponderable in the Barack Obama-Jeremiah Wright relationship: What caused the younger, aspiring pol to first come under the sway of the older, established preacher?

Scheiber rejects as simplistic the two basic theories that abound -- that Obama cynically joined Wright's church as a purely political calculation, or that he saw in the pastor a substitute for the father he basically lacked.

Instead, Scheiber consulted "Obama: From Promise to Power," a biography by David Mendell that probed how the two became linked, an effort helped by insights provided by Wright himself. Scheiber's posting consists mainly of what he rightly terms a "fascinating passage" from Mendell's book. Here's part of it:

"The liberal, Columbia-educated Obama was attracted to Wright's cerebral and inclusive nature, as opposed to the more socially conservative and less educated ministers around Chicago. Wright developed into a counselor and mentor to Obama as Obama sought to understand the power of Christianity in the lives of black Americans, and as he grappled with the complex vagaries of Chicago's black political scene."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[sharon]

With all that has been going on between Hillary Clinton and Obama, people need to remember there is much more to llife.

I just found out I made the Varsity Cheerleading Squad for Narbonne High for the 2008-09. My best friend made the Junior Varsity squad. She couldn't quite actually do the splits.

She would listen to me. I told her to go on a diet! Oh well.
Go Panthers!

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Barack Obama - Jeremiah Wright is not nearly as scandalous as Hillary Clinton - Barbara Reynolds. You now can see how the Clinton machine works.

[Adam]

Why aren't John Hagee's remarks calling for a war in Iran, blaming gays for Katrina, and calling the Catholic church a "whore" being endlessly played on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC? John McCain is being denied this kind of coverage because of the continued Democratic primary fight. If politicians are held accountable for what their pastors believe, John McCain makes the Bush administration look reserved and moderated in their views. Do we really want a president whose goal is to bring about the Apocalypse?

[BARBARA ROBINSON KNOX]

I WAS SO DISHEARTENED TO WITNESS THE BITTERNESS THAT WRIGHT HAS FOR OBAMA AND HOW MUCH LOVE OBAMA HAD FOR HIM. HE REFUSED TO THROW WRIGHT UNDER THE BUS WHEN HIS CAMPAIGN AND MANY SUPPORTERS WERE ADVISING HIM TO, BUT IT NOW APPEARS THAT WRIGHT HAS BEEN ANGRY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, "UNCLE IN THE BASEMENT COMMENT". THE CLINTONS ARE POWERFUL AND WILL DO ANYTHING AND USE ANYBODY FOR POWER. THEY WILL USE YOU AND THEN THROW YOU AWAY. REMEMBER RICHARDSON HOW THEY HAD WHISPERS GOING AROUND THAT HE WAS A STRONG CANDIDATE TO BE HER VICE. AFTER TEXAS AND THE SOUTHWEST, THEY ABANDONED HIM AND HER HISPANIC CAMPAIGN MANAGER.

[margaret kalailani]

The American P. candidacy is so much more important than Wright. Obama denounced his sermons as soon as he first saw them, he has contiued to distance himself from these mad pourings from an apparently very bitter person, Rev. Wright is exactly an example of what Obama is trying to get rid of. While we condem racism, it does nobody any good to become racist yourself! Rev. Wright is off course, help the likes of Obama to get rid of such bitterness from society; give him space to campaign. Ignore the reverend! Margaret London