The Rev. Jeremiah Wright still haunts Barack Obama

Initial exit poll results from West Virginia's Democratic presidential primary drive home the work that Barack Obama still must do to disassociate himself from his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

The Associated Press reports that 2 in 10 voters said they believe Obama shares Wright's views "a lot," while 3 in 10 said the candidate "somewhat" embraces the preacher's opinions.

In other words, fully 50% of those who trooped to the polls in his own party's primary link Obama to Wright’s views -- presumably, the inflammatory ones that made the reverend a household name, such as "God damn America" and that AIDS might be a government plot aimed at blacks.

--Don Frederick

Comments

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

To Clarify 2 in 10 WV voters. There is a difference.

[Gromit]

Don, Wright's remark was "God damn America," not "goddamn America." He was asking or at least supposing that God should condemn the country for its misdeeds. (This is obvious from context; Wright says -- paraphrasing closely here -- no, not God bless America, [but rather] God damn America, that's in the Bible, etc.)

It's an important distinction from your "goddamn America." He wasn't muttering an expletive, like "stinkin' Russkies."

I hope you'll correct the entry.

[Harold Schnabel]

Oprah Winfrey attended Rev. Wright's church same as Barack Obama. Oprah had the courage to leave the church. Why hasn't Obama followed her lead? Obama has proven to be totally inexperienced, insensitive and in the case of Rev. Wright, evasive and lacking credibility. He would be a poor candidate to become President of our country.

[Luke]

...or this is just a way that these racist bigots can justify not voting for a man because he happens to be black (as readily admitted by W. Va. voters in the front page article on latimes.com). The amount of discrimination that still exists in this country is disgusting at times.

[William]

Don Frederick,

are you a writer working undercover for FoxNews,
or just another Hillary fan attempting to further devide
the Democrat Party?

[Lynn]

Rev. Wright promised to haunt him and will. Even if Rev. Wright disappeared tomorrow, he wouldn't be forgotten as Obama's mentor. His teachings are definitely inside of Barack and others in the church - good and bad.

[PG Henry]

In "pushing back" on Mr. Obama's claim to have the "Popular Vote" (and thus the Nomination) in his pocket, so to speak; why hasn't Hillary Clinton (and/or "her people") reminded Mr. Obama that the President of the United States is NOT elected by "Popular Vote", but rather by "Electoral Votes" apportioned to the various states based on their POPULATION!

To date, by my calculation (as well as that of a number of "Commentator's" I've heard) Hillary Clinton has taken every State with SIGNIFICANT POPULATIONS (NY, CA, TX, PA et. al.), with the exception of Illinois, of which Obama is its "Native Son"!, and that if these various state primary's were actually the "General Election", Mrs. Clinton would have won the election (and all states haven't voted yet). Mr. Obama's "Popularity" is mostly in the smaller states, as well as those smaller states which have a significant minority population. Further, pursuant to the majority of "POLLS" I've heard about, Hillary Supporters overwhelmingly (in all states) maintain that (mostly due to Obama's LACK OF LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE - no real "track record" on his views and/or pertformance in the Senate, given that he's been their for barly two years of which a significant part of that time he's spent "campaigning) they would not vote for Mr. Obama were he to defeat Mrs. Clinton, by "Popular vote" for the Nomination.

I feel that the "Super Delegates" should hold off on their "committments" (to either candidate) until the "Fat Lady Sings"; if the Democratic Party truly wants to
reclaim the "White House", as well as not running the risk of their "Super Delegates" appearing "indecisive" or "wishy washy", the balance of the Primary's should be held before any "Super Delegate" committments are made.

[Gabriel]

I am not sure exit polls are very reliable in any contest, but they sure aren't a reliable bell weather in West Virginia. I may sound elitist here but oh well, West Virginia has the highest rate of citizens who have never gone to college of any state in the Union. The Clinton campaign has gone through great pains to play on West Virginians prejudice and ignorance instead of trying to unite the party. Remember this is a state with a sitting senator who was in the klan!

[Tim]

Well, I believe Sen. Obama has fully broke up with Rev. Wright about a couple of weeks ago, isn't it so?

Then I think its fitting that more Obama supporters around the country and in West Virginia are going around to rebuke that.

It has to be done, as these folks have to be on board, come November. A vote for McCain from them will only make themselves worse off in their latter years. Plus they are retirees.

They need help and Obama can help them.

[bob]

I don't think this poll can be extrapolated to the country as a whole. Consider WV:
Population: Whites 96%, Blacks 3.5%
College Educ. Rate: Dead last at 51st place among US states and territorries.

Why the press continues to make Reverend Wright an issue is beyond me, Obama did everything short of throwing Wright into Mt. Doom on April 30th.

[Core Democrat]

This is a fact. And it will continue. Especially when Americans start reading Obama's OWN books! They are filled with racist comments and Anti-American comments. And Obama was "inspired by a Wright sermon" and titled his book after that sermon. This is NOT something he can denounce 20 years later and say he "did not know." They are his own words.
Obama, if the nominee, will lose in a big way come November. Democrats must accept this or we all lose.