Was Jeremiah Wright's speech set up by a Clinton supporter?

Well, here's a most interesting connection we just came across.

Everybody is talking today about how much the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's latest unrepentant militant remarks hurt his most prominent parishoner, Sen. Barack Obama, and his chances to win the Democratic presidential nomination and the general election. So much so that the Obama camp realized the latent danger overnight and the candidate was forced to speak out publicly a second time today, as The Ticket noted here earlier today.

There was little doubt left in today's remarks by Obama, who recently said he could no more disown Wright than he could the black community. He pretty much disowned Wright today. Obama described himself as "outraged" and "saddened" by "the spectacle of what we saw yesterday."

But now, it turns out, we should have been paying a little less attention to Wright's speech and the histrionics of his ensuing news conference and taken a peek at....

who was sitting next to him at the head table for the National Press Club event.

It was the Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds, a former editorial board member of USA Today who teaches at the Howard University School of Divinity. An ordained minister, as New York Daily News writer Errol Louis points out in today's column, she was introduced at the press club event as the person "who organized" it.

But guess what? She's also an ardent longtime booster of Obama's sole remaining competitor for the Democratic nomination, none other than Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. It won't take very much at all for Obama supporters to see in Wright's carefully arranged Washington event that was so damaging to Obama the strategic, nefarious manipulation of the Clintons.

Their supporter, Reynolds, helps arrange a speech by the outspoken and egocentric Wright which receives blanket national coverage to the disadvantage of Clinton's opponent. As Louis writes: "The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried. And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted."

Reynolds has not returned e-mails or phone calls seeking comment, but Louis notes the obvious conflict between her political allegiance and her press club arrangements. He quotes a February blog entry of Reynolds saying, "My vote for Hillary in the Maryland primary was my way of saying thank you" to Clinton and her husband for his administration's successes.

In another entry, Reynolds notes critically of Obama, "It is a sad testimony that to protect his credentials as a unifier above the fray, the senator is fueling the media characterization that Rev. Dr. Wright is some retiring old uncle in the church basement."

Louis notes himself about the Wright appearance: "It's hard to exaggerate how bad the actual news conference was. Wright, steeped in an honorable, fiery tradition of Bible-based social criticism, cheapened his arguments and his movement by mugging for the cameras, rolling his eyes, heaping scorn on his critics and acting as if nobody in the room was learned enough to ask him a question."

(UPDATE: Sylvia Smith, the press club president, confirmed today that Reynolds is on the club's speakers committee. She told Michael Calderone on Politico.com that she still doesn't know whom Reynolds supports for president, adding, "Rev. Wright is newsworthy, period.")

--Andrew Malcolm

                                                                                                                            Photo Credit: Getty

Comments

[A White Man for Obama]

Watching and listening to Rev. Wright playing the role of of a self-centered old fool whose time has passed and whose words are meaningful only to himself, I wondered whether the Clintons had a hand in his deliberate attempt to discredit the only credible presidential candidate we have in America.

I have decided that it is very likely that they did.

The net effect of Wright's Rants was to discredit his judgement and arouse suspicion about his motives and his timing. Wright's performance has CLINTONIAN fingerprints all over it

The Clintons are grifters who will resort to any tactic to get back into the White House. Mrs. Clinton's explanation of how she "misremembered" being shot at by snipers indicate that her integrity is as corkscrewed as her harrowing corkscrew landing in Bosnia.

She is a snake oil seller and I'm not buying any.
George Bush has shown her how easy it is to lie to Amerca. She has adopted Rove's dirty tactics, her husband's morals, and Bush's congenital urge to lie. In fact,she and George Bush are so similar that I will write in Barack Obama's name if he is not the Democratic Party nominee.

Wright's diatribe has not affected my intent to vote for Obama any more than a televised outburst by Bozo the Clown would.

[luck91]

Blame the Clinton's? Really? Are American's really this stupid? Did the Clinton's say the nutty things that the rev said for the past 20 years too? Get a clue. The lead story is a speculative headline? Here is a good headline:

Headline: "Was Andrew Malcolm's article influenced by his lack of journalistic integrity to get the truth and instead settled on speculation to make a story?" ...news at 11

[Vote reason not sentiment]

Did anyone watch the NPC Q&A session live? I watched the live stream from cnn. You see Reynolds at the very end full of glee commending the lady who asked the questions "you did very well, i'm proud of you". Struck me as odd at the time now the context speaks for itself.

Quick addon. A lot of people may find this offensive but I think Wright isn't a total nutcase. He said a lot of truths, albeit some of them rudely but true all the same.

But what bothers me the most is that he really did not say anything new and yet Obama renounced him in the strongest terms. Its kindda odd after Obama went out of his way to sidestep throwing him under the bus during his race speech.

The only thing i can imagine is that he was really upset that wright suggested that he was being political about his denouncements of his previous fiery sermons. Kinda made him look like a liar.

If that is the case, I expected that point to be the beef not the AIDS or Farakhan issue. I hope that i'm worng because I admire Obama a lot. He showed strength in character when he stood by his friend but throwing under the bus for repeating the same thing? Or was it the timing? or the willful act of political hostility?

All being said, compared to the rest Obama is still the best. Does not dodge snipper fire, or want to perpetuate bush policies foreign and domestic and has the guts to give unifying the country a good try.

"I served 6 years in the military, does that make me patriotic? How many years did Cheney serve?" AWESOME LINE

[Ann of Virginia]

Why is it that I've seen this item only in the LA Times? I haven't heard a word about it on CNN or anywhere else. As long as the media insists on keeping Dr. Wright in our faces all day long, every day, Senator Obama is not getting any press coverage about the issues that the voters want to hear about.

Like the game of poliltics, it is business as usual with the media. Their concern is ratings and want to keep the bickering between the candidates on the front burner. Long gone are the true journalists, with the exception of PBS.

Former President Clinton signed NAFTA into law. Mark Penn, Senator Clinton's chief strategist, and former President Clinton are pushing for the Colombian Trade Agreement. Mark Penn is no longer her chief strategist but remains on her payroll as an advisor. NAFTA is what officially took the jobs out of this country. I can't understand why the people of the Rust Belt believe Senator Clinton is going to bring jobs back into this country. Of course, this news item got very short coverage. Nothing to what Senator Obama is getting with Dr. Wright's media coverage. If she is the Democratic Party's nominee, Senator McCain will definitely be our next President and the Democratic Party will lose all the new voters that have recently registered.

[Gigi]

Who really cares about Rev Wright. Is he important in these times of economic hardship. The Clintons and Bush's have ruled your country for so long and they're hanging on like a rabid dog. I understand in a way why people admire her, after all its easy to like what you know and you may know the Clintons. I dont live in America but I have prayed for Obama, that he stays strong. He is the smartest most able candidate and the rest of the world is flabergasted by your ignorance America. Obama would never blame Hillary for this outburst by Wright, he is above this. I would even go so far as to say he is a gentleman and if it were Bill competing against Hill, he would turn all the lies she has told against her and absolutely destroy her. But Obama goes along gently gently, wisely wisely and does not out her. Make your choice America but please choose to vote wisely. And remember Hill has already said she will blow up Iran - how many schools or hospitals would another war cost?

[faye mena]

I think people are forgetting that Hillary was out to make Obama un-electable from the start. I think the Clinton campaign started this with the video. If going to church is the worse she could find I think he is a pretty good guy. And how much time if he is out on the road helping people did he spend in that church? Not much! The church had the money and the people to get the things done for poor people that needed the help! If you were him would you walk away from these people that need help and say, SORRY! We'll have to keep looking for help.!!!! The HELP was right there. I understand the 20 years in that church.

[Scylfing]

Yes, and all those stupid things Rev. Wright said were in fact planted in his mind via Jedi Mind Trick by Darth Hillary. He doesn't have an actual will of his own, you see, he's just a puppet for his master.

Come on, you call yourself a journalist and yet you don't know the rules of the National Press Club? You can't feign ignorance with me, you know that Wright was there because you, the press, wanted him there, you want him to put on his show because it generates ratings, it generates hits which in turn generate more money for your corporate owners.

This is an absolute farce of a "story," a farce not only perpetrated by the media who love to gin up controversy, but by the most ardent Obama supporters on the left like those at HuffPost. Now that they can't say "Wright's just telling it like it is about America" (which they'd been saying even two days ago) because their candidate just threw him under the bus, they've had to find some other line of attack that explains away the wrong Reverend. Interestingly enough, the people who buy into the conspiracy theory that Clinton caused this whole Wright debacle are echoing the same "reasoning" that Wright used to justify his "America created AIDS to kill black people" conspiracy that Obama so flatly denied. Such is the cognitive dissonance of conspiracy theorists.

Guh, and people wonder why so many Americans don't vote.

[Gary]

This not surprising at all to me! The life of this entire story line smells of "Clinton Campaign" involvement. Same with the bogus American flag pin, Pledge of Alligiance and who could forget the Bitter/Turn to your faith "controversies". They want to get Sen. Obama away from talking about the real problems that need to be addressed. They use "Rove" tactics just as good as Karl Rove himself. If you tell the lie long enough and to enough people, they will believe it because the news agencies give you their biased spin on what is actually happening. Mrs. Clinton is no "shot and a beer" gal. Check of real estate values in the NY county where she lives... Westchester. It is not exactly low or even close to middle class.

This campaign should be about the issues not muckraking! I switched my party before the 2004 elections from Republican to Democrat because the Republican party had become so devisive and "religious right-wing". I'm thinking "Independent" is the way to go! The Democrats had this election locked up before the "dirt" started being thrown around. McCain could win this... Start mentioning about how he made some kind of deal with "W" and Rove!!! McCain was against almost all "W" stood for and the Republican party came down on him HARD. All of a sudden he stut up and started backing "W". What does that tell you where the next 4 years are going if he gets elected???

Start paying attention to the problems we have instead of manufacturing "dirt" and distractions.

[Andrew Jardine, Hong Kong, China]

I see the hidden hands of the Clintons behind the latest Jeremiah Wright outbursts. The Clinto camp needs something really big to counter Barack Obama and this comes at an ideal time for Hillary and Bill. Most of their ploys have not worked and this could really be damaging to Obama. Has some sort of deal been done with the pastor, whose rants have reached greater and greater heights.

[Kevin S]

You guys are nuts,

one groups sees ghosts everywhere

the other sees nothing.

Hillary is no saviour, neither is Obama.

you guys are killing yourselves and making the Republicans look good.

I guess Power Corrupts is a good adage!

[Awolf]

I admire Sen. Obama for defending his old friend, until he saw that his friendship and loyalty was a one way street. Has this not happened to all of us as we age? An old friend grows in a different direction than we do. We then try to have this friend as a casual friend. Sometimes, though, the old friend becomes so mean, jealous, self-promoting, or so out there, that we have to remove them from our lives in order to preserve our own sanity.

[David]

Good grief... Is there ANYTHING the Obama-ites can't/ won't blame on the "Evil Clintons??" Whatever opinion one has of the Reverend Wright, the man is neither dumb nor weak-willed. Hillary has not manipulated, bribed, cajoled or bewtitched the man into speaking his mind. These are his beliefs- and obviously have been his beliefs for a very long time. Senator Obama's protestations of ignorance are just as disingenuous as "I didn't inhale." Get a clue, people. Obama is no savior, just another (inexperienced, neophyte, shallow) politician- who'll inspire us to a 40 state blowout loss in November!

[DJO]

Conspiracy theory 101: Who will the outcome a particular event or set of events most favor? The most recent outcome of this barrage of black extremist rhetoric by Obama's Reverend Wright is that Obama is "distancing" himself from Wright inevitably favoring Obama in today’s political arena, and, thus, I do believe that this is a ploy with its roots in the Obama camp.

[Mrs. C]

This fiasco will blow over and OBAMA will be viewed as he should be.... a strong, articulate, genius of a candidate that none of his opponents (Hillary or McCain) can hold a candle to.
This "Hollywood" , "Jerry Springer" type of display by Rev. Wright only will reinforce the questions many have about the determination of the Clintons to win the democratic nomination.
Obama will not falter. I equate him to a combination of Bobby Kennedy, Dr, Martin Luther King Jr. and Tom Brokaw. He has all the "right stuff" .... intelligence, vision, experience, integrity, and passion....and Americans need to step back from the theatrics and really evaluate this situation for what it worth. A disgusting display that only hurts the American people's progress along all lines, including racial ones.

[KWinn]

Obama is being punished by the Old Black Guard..oh yeah they do exist..Julian Bond, John Lewis, Andrew Young..all of Clinton's lapdogs and they knew that Rev. Wright would stir up controversy especially when he's speaking to his own kind so what do they do..they invite him under the guise of talking about the "black church" when they knew what he was going to speak on. Obama made the "mistake" of not consulting THEM when he decided to run so he's being punished. Julian Bond even went as far as to send letters to have the Florida and Michigan delegates counted although they were rightfully disqualified because he's a Clinton lapdog and since Obama opposed it the NAACP have been gunning for him since then. It's embarassing to see our Black leaders willing to support this woman in her underhanded racebaiting tactics and on Larry King last night it was disgusting. Please please voters remember these turncoats come re-election time!!

[Nevin]

This presidential election is about the potential impact a candidate might have on your future lives. What possible significance could Reverened Wright have on the lives of ordinary Americans in the future????

Rome is burning while the media fiddles. A plumetting economy, a horrendous money sucking criminal war, environmental threats from all directions - and in this campaign the media focuses on a candidate's pastor - and people acutally allow this to be the story for concern??? Think - an adept black cadniddate, who is extremely bright, moderately progressive, unifying, compassionate and charismatic has his campaign sabotaged by what? ? Objectional parts of his pastor's speech? Could this get any more sublime? This is not just silly season but societal neurosis. Perhaps it is true that America is not mature enough or too far poisoned for someone like Obama. If Hillary becomes the Democratic candidate I may just end up seeing her as the miirror image of a sick, cynical, duplicious society incapabale of redemption.

[faye mena]

I don't think Rev. Wright believes what he was saying. He has over the years just usied these things for attention and make money. I believe he did what he did to Obama because he saw a young black man doing what he could not do because he is now too old and has taken the wrong path to become known. He is a old man with old IDEAS and is jealous. I also believe when he said I will be here jan 21st. He was saying to Obama I will ruin you and you won't be here. I think the American people are to smart not to see through this farce. I just wish some of these news castors had some brains. MSNBC had a guest that had gone to this church in Chicago and said that she never heard anything like that., she also said that she was recommended to that chuch as a place to net work and meet people.. Are you telling me that all 8,000 people including doctors, laywers and officals and white people are all bad judgement people. NO, what this tells me is that these were not normal speeches and if these people did not walk away, why would Obama when he was getting the help that he need for singe mothers, aids people that needed medicine, and homeless family that needed affordable homes. I think this church suppied a need.

[ernie]

obama is damaged goods....unelectable,

[jorge]

This is the only way the Clintons do business.... Not all Black people are for Obama and the ones who are for Hillary will try to do whatever they can to keep him down.... Like Crabs in a Bucket....

[Sue]

Has anyone considered the possibility that this was all set up by Obama and Wright, as a way to get Obama back on the front page looking strong and forceful? What bothers me most about this relationship is Obama's naivete when it comes to judging people. Naivete can be a charming quality in certain circumstances. It isn't a quality I want to see in my president.

[jesse]

Does anyone notice how the GOP is still gunning for Obama? They certainly know that he is the real threat to their agenda and their candidate. Even KARL ROVE is writing articles using twisted statistics to try and bolster Clinton's momentum.

[Jason]

Here we go again. This is just another one of those many times when something goes wrong for Obama and he and/or his supporters put the blame on someone else. Rev. Wright doesn't need anyone's help to do or say what he wants.

Obama's outrage is about worrying how Rev. Wright's comments will affect his run for the presidency.

Back when the snippets of Rev. Wright's controversial comments about the United States surfaced, Obama compared the reverend to an old uncle and made his speech on race. Where was Obama's outrage about the reverend's hateful comments about the United States?

Now that the reverend's speech included Obama i.e., that he is a politician and has to say what he has to say and the comments he made about differences between the races, Obama is now outraged.

We all know that Obama is a good orator. Any good orator who FEELS outrage would give a powerful response to the reverend's comments. Instead, Obama was subdued and hesitant with a lot of ahs in between his words and sentences.

In Rev. Wright's defense, did Obama really think that the reverend would just sit back and let Obama characterize him as an old uncle -- after Obama proudly has said that the reverend is his spiritual and political advisor and even lifted the name of his book, Audicity of Hope, from one of the reverend's sermons?

In his 1993 memoir "Dreams from My Father," Obama recounts in vivid detail his first meeting with Wright in 1985. The pastor warned the community activist that getting involved with Trinity might turn off other black clergy because of the church's radical reputation."

Obama knew that Rev. Wright is radical, and he should have seen this coming and not assumed that the reverend would not defend himself.

[Julie]

kwinn is right:

Obama is being punished by the Old Black Guard..oh yeah they do exist..Julian Bond, John Lewis, Andrew Young..all of Clinton's lapdogs and they knew that Rev. Wright would stir up controversy especially when he's speaking to his own kind so what do they do. they invite him under the guise of talking about the "black church" when they knew what he was going to speak on.

Obama made the "mistake" of not consulting THEM when he decided to run so he's being punished.

Julian Bond even went as far as to send letters to have the Florida and Michigan delegates counted although they were rightfully disqualified because he's a Clinton lapdog and since Obama opposed it the NAACP have been gunning for him since then.

It's embarassing to see our Black leaders willing to support this woman in her underhanded racebaiting tactics and on Larry King last night it was disgusting. Please please voters remember these turncoats come re-election time!!

[John Smart]

Are you kidding with the headline? Is Obama's entire past Clinton's fault? The amount of Kool-Aid the obama fanatics have to ingest to get past all his bad judgement is astounding. Obama is a man of almost no character.

Obama chose this church and this man as his mentor. There is nothing new hear. Obama must never be President.

Ever.

[commander Robert L Herndon]

the asic technique in figuring out who the perpertrator of a crime is , is to see who would benefit. I really used to love Bill, and Hill,but some of the mistakes that they are making are just going to damage Bill's legacy, all behind putting lipstick on a pig. Well now we know who put Wright up to this latest stunt, and to be honest, I would have thought it would have been the McCain camp... let alone a black women or a democrat.
Well let's start our inquiry.Ya gotta admit with the timing and what not, it deserves a look.
robert
p.s and yes Barack should have known better.

[Michael]

I see the hidden hands of the Clintons behind the latest Jeremiah Wright outbursts. The Clinto camp needs something really big to counter Barack Obama and this comes at an ideal time for Hillary and Bill. Most of their ploys have not worked and this could really be damaging to Obama. Has some sort of deal been done with the pastor, whose rants have reached greater and greater heights.

Posted by: Andrew Jardine, Hong Kong, China | April 30, 2008 at 06:40 AM

?????????????

The person or persons who came up with this ridiculous idea that the Clintons are behind this latest outburst of Wright are targeting people who would easily believe such nonsense. If you are truly from China, I am disappointed that you are one of those targeted people. Rev. Wright doesn't need anyone's help to say what he wants to say. If you are a U. S. Obama supporter, I can understand you being one of the targeted people!

[Truth]

GUILTY! This stinks on ice! Hillary Clinton is a disgusting person who will do anything to line her pockets (by selling influence).Now she has gotten to Wright.What a dissapointment she has been.

[juan]

Hillary is at it again.What is she doing?She can not and will not win- do the math.Better yet talk to the old white people who are keeping her alive - they're voting Mccain in the fall.

[Mr Goldstien]

Busted again! This woman is evil and a liar!

[lewinsky]

People can say what they want...Is Cllntons are capable of this, she has already showed who she is during this election. This is the reason why man blacks will not vote for her. I used to have an open mind, now I've reach the point of disgust, if Obama loses I will vote for Mc Cain...I would much rather vote for someone who overtly does quiestionable racist things (like Martin Luther King holiday and fly the confederate flag), instead of voting for someone who pretends they care about minorities and continues playing the race card, under the umbrella of I'm getting him ready for what the republicans will do to him. We'll gee Hillary, thanks for your training. You have single handely kill the democratic party...

[Anxious Person]

How can someone convince me now that the Hillary Group was not responsible for the first international costume exposed by the press. Or how can someone convince me now that Bill and Hillary were not responsible for the sound bit video presented in You-Tube if they have been associated with the Reveren Wright who now talks like Farrekan. In my mind, I believe Hillary was 100% responsible for the sound bites. She pretends not to be connected but she is very very connected. If not, then where or how did the tape surface? Nobody has ever asked the source of the tape in the real sense of discussion since publication. CAN THE PRESS DIG UP THE SOURCE?
AnxiousPerson.

[Jack]

I am just going to vote for myself at this point. The Clintons are known to have MOB contacts and Obama with his associations with the REV. At this point the people that we have to choose from are just crooks in my point of view. Maybe not McCain, but he is so old that he is going to run into health problems in office (sorry John you have put in your work to be president!), so then we are going to end up electing a VP primarily. I wish the janitor from my high school would run, or some factory worker from americas heart land. That would be a great president.

[Al]

It is not coming up with the idea that Clinton set it up. The person who invited Wright to be in National press club is Rev. Reynold who has been an ardent Clintonite. That is what the Clinton's do. They send their surrugates to do the damaging field work. Eg. James Carville, Lanny Davis, Senator Kerry of Nebraska, Her Camaign Manager Paul Penn, The previously resigned camaign managers and members, That Billionair Black who used to be former BET owner and now Rev. Reynolds. It is not a secret that Hillary has also said that if it were her she would not belong in that church. Who are you guys kidding. Open your eyes. It is Hillary and supporters supported and the conceived idea to bring Rev. Wright to the front. She will do anything to get elected. Watch out America

[james]

No Obama's not perfect. No, I'm sure as hell am not voting for him. Was Hillary behind this? You'd have to be blind, but a fool, not to see that. Anyone who lived through the Clinton years should have seen that coming.

Have people truly brainwashed themselves so much that they dismiss that a Clinton supporter set up an event with the AP to have Jeremiah Wright speak on his most controversial issues -- as anyone but the Clinton campaign's idea? If you're that stupid, then I'm Hillary Clinton and I want you to start sending money to my new paypal account.

[Greg]

You Obama haters tickle me trying to fill in for the POOR JUDGEMENT by Hillary with this. She screwed up with the war on Iraq. And has yet to honestly admit to it or anything else she does wrong. At least Obama isn't too proud and can face that heat in the kitchen.

If you hold Obama accountable, then you must hold all of those Catholics who were fooled by their priest with years of molestation right? Well? Do you? I doubt it very seriously.

And if you hold Obama accountable then you need to hold Hillary accountable for staying with Bill, the one who lied to all of America and stayed through such and embarrassment.

If they had something to do with this it wouldn't surprise me at all. Not after what her buddy George Stephanopolous pulled with the debate and not address any serious issues about Hillary.

If you think this man preached like this every Sunday then part of what he said is dead on. You don't understand the Black Church. You see ONE portion of a sermon, that I guarantee most of you critics did not see it in its entirety, and you think this goes on every week. LOL!

Racism is still very strong in America. So much so that we are back to the house negro and field negro and Barbara is in the house... and it is okay with her. Sad.

If the democrats give this to Hillary it will be the biggest mistake of their existence. I know I will leave the party immediately and become an independent. They will not take my vote for granted any longer. That is a promise.

[Ursa]

It was interesting to learn that Barbara Reynolds, an enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter "organized" the Press Club event. Her website sings praises Clintons and criticizes Obama's book 'Audacity of Hope'.
One can't help but think that for her to stage Wright might have been for her good friends, Bill and Hillary.
I'm wondering how long Wright's book plans have been in place, who offered to publish it and for how much.

Reynolds website: www.reynoldsnews.com

[nazcalito]

A co-worker asked me yesterday if the Clintons had paid Wright off to make trouble. It's pure conspiracy theory, but I kind of wondered about it myself.

[scot]

You people are off the wall. So now Obama's mistakes are Clintons fault! Good God you Obamam people will do anything to make you man a saint regardless ofhis own faults! What a bunch of sore loser ignorant dotes you are!!

[Karen]

From one of the original bloggers of the story Ben Smith at Politico "Wright was invited to the National Press Club by a journalist and minister who supports Clinton. The Tribune reports that Wright was invited by Barbara Reynolds, a former USA Today editorial board member who has written on personal blog of her support for Clinton. I don't mean to suggest some kind of plot. Her agenda here seems to have been the same as Wright's: To protect the minister's reputation from, among others, Obama. "[I]t is a sad testimony that to protect his credentials as a unifier above the fray the Senator is fueling the media characterization that Rev. Dr. Wright is some retiring old uncle in the church basement instead of respecting Wright for the towering astute father of progressive social and global causes that he is," Reynolds wrote in March. Reynolds' is well placed to defend Wright. Her bio says she teaches "prophetic ministry and the media" at Howard University's divinity school. ALSO: Richard Prince points out that Reynolds has spoken critically of Clinton as well, after grilling her -- and being dissatisfied with her answer -- on the Ferraro flap. ALSO: She'd first pitched inviting Wright to the press club two years ago."
The first leap of any story is blame Clinton.....looks
like you are all wrong on this.

[John]

What has happened to our electoral process?
I will tell you. It has gone to dogs.

Instead of concentrating on important issues such
as the econonmy, Iraq, etc., the country is basing
its choice for the next possible leader of the most
powerful country in the world on comments by
an obscure pastor and Hillarys imaginary bullet
dogding.

[Francis Scalzi]

This blog, while perporting to raise the question regarding the motives of a member of the National Press Club and rumored Clinton supporter who was responsible for inviting
Reverend Wright right to speak before its annual forum - - is evidently unaware of the larger issue involved. Yes, the Wright speech certainly managed to reignite the furor created by the media. Note that Wright's first controversial speech provided the words, but the media fomented the furor. Forget about Hillary for the moment. Have any of these pundits noticed that while the corporate media have been raising "questions" and "doubts" all along as to Obama's
suitability, and now whether he really agrees with the Reverend or not, they NEVER, NEVER, NEVER "question" John McCain's motives no matter how many religious fundamentalist fanatics (Falwell, Hagee, Parsely) he has been pandering to and embracing ? And how about
McCain's constant flip-flopping, gaming the campaign money system, making blatanty false statements about "al Qaeda in Iraq and Iran", and other loopy mentally addled statements ? The corporate media will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER criticise McCain becasuse HE IS THEIR MAN. And so they have been waging a stealthy interference
campaign in his behalf to scuttle the Obama campaign, and hopfully to convince voters to support Hillary. After that, it will be a campaign to do the Al Gore treatment on Hillary. Do we need remind the pundits about the most recent ABC "debate" that seemed so deliberately designed to embarrass both Obama and Clinton ? Isn't it by now evident that the corporate media have in mind their own faltering fortunes in the market place and desperately need a corporate supporter ( just like Cheney/Bush) in the White House to continue to offer them favors ? So they have inserted themselves into this campaign more than any other ever before to control the process and help their man McCain get the upper hand ? It's NOT a far fetched idea and its verity reveals itself increasingly every day in this campaign.

[J Murphy]

Wow, since Hillary and her operatives will clearly win (by any means necessary, including sponsoring a minstrel show) the nomination, I can't wait to choose which race-baiting war monger I want in the White House! Think she won't invade Iran if she wins? Wait till she reads a poll saying it'll gain her two points before the next election. We'll be in the next day.

That this, this is what we're talking about now--in the middle of a disastrous war (the two major cheerleaders of which are now trying to destroy Obama), an oncoming depression (recession? you wish!) irretrievable national debt, and a health care catastrophe, is truly jaw-dropping. There's nothing like this People-magazine level debate to prove that serious political discourse in this country is dead.

The joke on Clinton is yet to come: the reason the right-wing media has been so keen to help her (see her collaboration, er, interview with Bill O'Reilly, or even that joke of an ABC debate) is that they're maneuvering her into position as the easily beatable candidate. They're going to rehash, ad nauseum, all the sleaze associated with the Clintons, no doubt findling lots more along the way, and she and Bill will drown in their own muck.

Meantime, I'll be doing something I never thought I'd ever do: voting for Nader. Because this election season proves the system doesn't need to be changed: it needs to be burnt to the ground.

[Dave]

If HC did not think this one up, then someone on her campaign should have. It's brilliant. He's newsworthy, he's outspoken, and if he opens his mouth it hurts the campaign. Why not have a supporter suggest that Wright speak at the National Press Club event. The Clinton campaign does not have to make anything up or exaggerate (like dodging fire on the tarmac in Bosnia). She learned from the best, the Republicans. Let your opponent and supporters destroy themselves by giving them a platform to talk ("I did not have sexual relations with that woman")

[Patriciadc]

On my blog Monday night I speculated that the Rev. Wright's speech at the National Press Club was set up by a possible Hillary supporter who was a member of the speaker's committee. At the time I thought it was a crude joke, however, crudity to the Clintons is, non-existent? They've got plants everywhere.

[deborah]

Michael I just listened to you on Larry King. Your comments on Rev Wright were so real and right on. No caucasian can judge an Afro-American in this country. I am an afro-american woman defended my self against a caucasian male in HI, I was harassed for 4 years and counting. The caucasian males felt I did not have the right to write a letter to his boss and cause him embarassment. No lawyer in this state would take my case. They blocked me from working in real-estate. The women supported their men. You have to live through something like that before you can judge Rev wright. They are speaking from a place of fear and ignorance. And yes Hillary is behind it. It's okay for her to belong to the methodist church that does not accept gay and lesbian relationships and be president but obama can not have a relationship with his pastor who said God Damn America. My grandmother who is half english not by her mother's choice. Told me when I was 8 years old the world is not Fair. Those words have served me well, I don't expect it to be.

[ex-obama supporter]

HILLARY CLINTON HAS THE GOODS.
SHE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'just saw her on Bill Riley who rehearsed his questions and fired away trying to not give her time to catch her breath and she went toe-to-toe on every question.............this woman is brilliant.

i was trying to imagine obama in that same chair with the same questions fired of at him the same way Bill did Clinton..........i envisioned a disaster, a total meltdown, or barack being able to get to about 6 questions answered.

HILLARY IS THE REAL DEAL!

[Finally see the light]

these late comersare jumping on obama's bandwagon because they want to share in all that money he is raising......what a freak show.

when its all said and done, obama cannot possibly win with his proven baggage.

REZKO
AYRES
PASTOR WRIGHT
ELITIST ANTIPATHY STATEMENT
its just not happening, y'alll..it wont fly.

[solfrodisiac]

Yes, hillary clinton is capable of manipulating this press/media chaos. Wright and Reynolds share the pride of Howard University. Wright attended theology school there and Reynolds teaches there. Dangle the carrott to someone who feels like they are receiving an unfair/unjust characterization to the public, of course they are going to bit, chew, eat and swallow to clear their name. Wright is ex-military and very educated. He 'thought' he was clearing up the media's characterization of him. Thanks Dr. Reynolds.?

[Ria]

Seeing the tactics and lengths Hilary Clinton will go to to win this nomination - I am not suprised if she was behind one of her supporters planning this event to bring a Obama down. It scares me what sort of Preident she would be!

[Lillie]

I am not concerned with what Mr. Wright has to say he's a minister and we all know about them. What everyone should be focusing on is who will lead the Democratic party and right now if they don't stop all this foolishness the Republicans will be right back in office and then we will really be out of luck! Hillary and Barack need to come together so we can win this election. I'm all for the womens movements, but we need a strong man to lead us again. Hillary is at an age now that she changes her mind and for that I don't think she's ready to lead this country. (Back in the day she would have been a true killer), but now w/the mood swings and indecisiveness it really worries me. You have all these advisors and apparently they don't know jack! I talk to the everyday man/woman and they are tired of this mud slinging. We just really wish they would just stop and pay attention, because if they don't the Repulicans will be back in the office again. Thanks for my 5 minutes of fame! Lillie