Barack Obama just posted a blog entry at HuffPost about the rather incendiary remarks made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright and disassociates himself from those remarks. Indeed he uses the word "condemn" at least three times. He also talks about his views about religion and politics which are very much in line with the Social Gospel.
I think this is clearly aimed at the voters in Pennsylvania, especially the vast rural and conservative areas which have a different mindset than Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. I note, however, he's been much quicker to try to put out this flame; than Hillary Clinton has been in talking about her inconsistent policy positions or the remarks made by her supporters and by herself.
I say good for Obama. He understands what's at stake this year and the way forward.
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6 comments:
It took Obama 20 years to decide he didn't agree with the views of this minister? Not good enough.
A fair question for ya: If a Republican had a relationship for 20 years with a pastor preaching hate like Obambi's, would you let him off the hook like you have with Barack??
McGuire: If you've been reading my column for the last three years both at Blogger and its previous incarnation at Live Spaces, you would know the answer. Obviously, the answer is yes -- I would still let him off the hook.
Ruralsandi: You have a legitimate point. I still say better late than never; and the fact Wright quit the Obama campaign last night as a result of Obama's comments should speak for itself.
Obama was a grown up when he joined the church. He knew then, just as he knows now what it was all about. In 2006, he donated over $20,000 to the church and as far as I know, he's still a member.
Just as a rhetorical point, if a klu klux klan member told you he "condemned" what his leader was saying but still maintained active membership and donated large sums of money, you wouldn't believe a word of it, would you?
tbonealex, four words: Robert Byrd, Lyndon LaRouche.
Obama isn't THAT kind of a Democrat.
For the record, I don't think Obama believes a word of it, but he was nonetheless WAY off base with his criticism of Wright. His criticism was based on two things, disparaging America and degrading individuals, neither of which is even an issue.
There is nothing wrong with disparaging America and Obama has done quite a lot of it himeslf (rightfully so) in his appeal for "change" - the problem rather is a skewed view of history, looking at everything through a racial lense, "degrading" people not indiviudally, on the basis of character (as they should be) but lumping them together by skin color and making generalizations and accusations which perpetuate racial tensions rather than quelling them. This is what Wright's Farrakhan praise was all about, and also what his 9/11 comments were about.
On this issue, Obama had nothing to say.
I also don't buy for a minute that Obama had never heard Wright's more controversial opinions until he began his presidential bid.
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