Obama Rejects Anti-U.S. Sermons From Pastor Who Was ‘Like an Uncle’
Barack Obama denounced controversial sermons Friday by his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., shown here at a funeral service at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago in December 2000. (AP Photo)
Barack Obama describes longtime pastor Jeremiah Wright Jr. as “like an uncle” and a spiritual mentor, but the presidential candidate rejected Wright’s fiery anti-U.S. and politically divisive sermons after days of mounting pressure to do so.
Obama told FOX News Friday that he could no longer lay low as Wright’s past sermons, where he condemned the United States as institutionally racist and blamed the government for HIV and the Sept. 11 attacks, were played in heavy rotation on national television.
“Once I saw them I had to be very clear about the fact that these are not statements that I am comfortable with,” Obama said. “I reject them completely — they are not ones that reflect my values or my ideals or Michelle’s.”
Obama called his remarks “inflammatory and appalling” in a written statement Friday.
Though Obama has known Wright for 20 years, he said the pastor has never been active in his campaign and that he is no longer on his African American Religious Leadership Committee. The campaign said Wright left his unpaid post on the committee Friday, but did not elaborate.
Obama, in the interview Friday with FOX News’ Major Garrett, said he has been a member of the church since the early 1990s after working with the congregation as a community organizer on the south side of Chicago.
Obama married his wife Michelle at Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ, had his children baptized by Wright and donated money to the church, but he said he first learned of many of the pastor’s controversial statements, which FOX News reported on a year ago, only when they were aired in the media in recent days.
“None of these statements were ones I had heard myself personally in the pews,” Obama told FOX News.
He said the sermons now sparking controversy didn’t resemble the sermons he remembers from Wright, which, Obama said, stuck to messages of faith, values and helping people in the community.
Obama’s response came as critics called on the Illinois senator and Democratic presidential candidate to do more to distance himself from Wright, who, in a fiery sermon recorded and available on DVD, can be seen and heard saying three times: “God damn America.”
In his recorded sermons, he also questions America’s role in the spread of the AIDS virus and suggests that the United States bore some responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Obama issued his more forceful statement against the sermons Friday afternoon.
“Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy,” he said in the statement. “I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.”
A year ago, Wright defended his beliefs in an often contentious interview on FOX News’ Hannity & Colmes.
“If you’re not going to talk about theology in context, if you’re not going to talk about liberation theology … then you can’t talk about the black value system,” Wright said on the show’s March 1, 2007, broadcast.
Wright said his teachings are based on black liberation theology, which he summed up as “Africans speaking for themselves.”
Wake Forest University professor Terry Matthews, says in a lecture reprinted on the university’s Web site that black liberation theology “seeks to find a way to make the gospel relevant to black people who must struggle daily under the burden of white oppression.”
Wright’s supporters say his sermons accurately portray black America, and they contend his sermons are widely studied by theologians.
“I’ve been at some of those sermons,” the Rev. Dwight Hopkins, a member of the church, told FOX News. “The majority of Wrights’ sermons speak to healing, he challenges the black community … to be more responsible.”
Wright delivered his final sermon last month and retired as leader of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Obama told FOX News he wouldn’t have quit Wright’s congregation if the pastor’s more controversial statements were isolated, but if that became “the tenor or tone on an ongoing basis of his sermons” Obama said he would have quit.
“Obviously they are ones that are from my perspective completely unacceptable and inexcusable,” Obama said.
With the pastor retiring from the pulpit Obama said he doesn’t see an issue in his family remaining part of the congregation.
“If I thought that was the repeated tenor of the church then I wouldn’t feel comfortable, but frankly that has not been my experience at Trinity United Church of Christ.
After the interview was broadcast Friday night on “Hannity & Colmes,” Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for President Bush, suggested on the show that the controversy and the timing of Obama’s disavowal show him to be little more than a shrewd politician.
“I think there’s a reason Republicans I talk to are increasingly looking forward to running against Barack Obama,” Fleischer said.
Click here to read Obama’s full statement on Wright.
FOX News’ Jeff Goldblatt contributed to this report.
CRY BELOVED AMERICA.
This mighty land faces a momentous decision in the months leading up to November 2008; don’t laugh this off as some kind of silly joke or scare tactics; it is neither.
This mighty land has only two options for the voter in November. Each choice will be very painful, but there is no other, only these two. I shall keep it short for now:
Either: you dismiss Barack Obama now and run him out of Public Office, or
you elect him in November, inaugurate him in January and impeach him in March.
Wow? Why? I am nuts, you may say that?
The answers are spread through his books [for heaven’s sake, or for the sake of America, read these things] that infernal photo [which he shrugs off as of no importance, even co-ops a well known military man to say many Americans have worn “local costumes” when on foreign soil], the Kenyan Cattle demand [ordinary Americans reacted to that with humor – how, yes how I love Americans with their humor – some with scorn, some tied it to the Clintons – readers all round had a good time] but there is a deeper story behind that Cattle Demand [I shall explain that later – much too long for now]. And finally it spreads over into his links with Farakhan [in one of his books he praises the man] but when he is pressed for it on the stump he realizes it is time to Praise Jesus. Even then he first rejects Farakhan, only when pressed by Hillary does he “reject and denounce” with a condescending smile, and calls it just words.
Mostly America knows almost nothing about this man, except of course, that he is a highly gifted orator. But though many Orators are often hollow/shallow inside and, thus, cause no harm, this man hides the truth because it is an ugly and extremely dangerous truth.
I promised to be short for now and will write more as I put things together but my advice is. America must investigate all of the above, also his voting records, and question him for answers. You can do it now, or you can do it during his impeachment trial. Let the Voters decide, you may say but I say to that, they cannot decide if they don’t have the facts, and the Senator is hiding the facts in any event.
In short to close for now: the Senator is an Interloper and a Liar.
Let me add because some will shout I am; I am not a “closet Republican” neither am I “hoping for Hillary” to return. American voters at last discovered the real Hillary and Television News Readers’ Comments tell the story. But I do find it tragic that the Democratic Party, that once highly esteemed, indeed honored Institution, now find themselves in this mess, having anointed two of the worst possible ego’s to run under their ticket. THAT is sad, very sad indeed.
And [I know I will have to say this many more times as the discussion develops into what must come, so allow me this one for now, please] PLEASE PLEASE AMERICA, you have been at war for some time now [I am not referring to Iraq – it has turned into a terrible mess, maybe because you did not realize at the time that it represented the same war you were into already, and which will continue even if you leave Iraq now] but whether you like or believe it or not, America is at war. WAR AGAINST TERRORISM. CALL IT SCARE TACTICS IF YOU MUST OR IF YOU WISH, BUT AMERICA IS AT WAR, AND FINALLY, the Senator IS NOT THE MAN TO ANSWER THAT PHONE. YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO HAVE THAT MAN AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF of your armed forces, not now or at any other time.
CRY CRY BELOVED AMERICA IF YOU IGNORE THIS.
So Sorry Senator Obama
Half a Truth remains a lie
I have now studied your Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s details and your outright rejection of his views. At last we got some answers.
But it confirms my suspicions: you are badly tainted, Senator. You’ve had twenty years of this? Now I also understand why you blamed President Busch for Iran’s hatred of America, to move attention away from you.
I understand something else too. You knew full well what the result of that would be, as with everything else. You are no Messiah of Unity Senator, indeed you are the Agent for Hate and Destruction. Reject the man now? When the damage has been done, while your lead over Senator Clinton is coming down, and Pennsylvania just ahead?
No Senator, America is getting to understand your plans. You are more vindictive than Senator Clinton. She remains driven by a desire to win, an unhealthy desire yes, but I am sure she is not plotting chaos to destroy America.
You are, Senator. But America will deal with you. America is much bigger than you, Senator. You have done a lot of harm already [as you full well intended], and I fear the aftermath. But America will reject you. Mark my words, sir.
I am African American and I feel that Mr. Obama does not share his pasyor’s opinion. The question that should be asked, does black american churches and people feel simularly to Obama’s pastor? Fox will be alarmed that over 70% do. I have heard these views from many chuches that feel this way. America needs to undestand self awaresness amongist black is not racism. African Americans does not hate America but dislike how it is run and how it negatively affects us. I feel that Senator Obama’s message of hope and change represents the newer generation,that allowing poverty sticken people whatever color you are will not by hendered by old politics. Senator Obama belives that this war should not have been fought and it is driven by wealthy buisnesses that is connected to policticians. To my understanding, Senator Obama feels that millions should be spent on educating Americans so that we do not loose more jobs to out-sourcing instead of this war.
Dear Senator Obama
You and me made real progress last night and I take the liberty to include another of my previous requests for information.
“What next?
A junior Senator got to where he is by using tried and tested systems. Now he wants to be a big man, saying he will change everything.
How Senator? You are going to change the system too, which got you to where you are? Tell us, Senator! What is it you are going to Change?
I submit, either you have your own private agenda to further your own interests and destroy what America has always stood for [let me tell you on that point right now, America will not allow that], or you are a liar looking for votes. Which one is it, Sir?
I further submit: You are a Liar, an Imposter with a big mouth, Senator, inside a hollow, but very shallow, one massive empty ego; that is all. You are much worse than your opponent, and you should know full well what Voters seem to think about that.
Let us meet soon as possible in these columns and discuss your side of things. If I was wrong previously I shall apologize on the spot and we can put the matter behind us.
In this way we shall be able to move voters’ reactions to calmer waters to work together for the America we love. But you know, half a truth is still a lie. We need the whole Truth, Senator, the whole and nothing but the Truth. You will have to produce that NOW!!
If I remember correctly Rev. Wright in his interview of 1 March 2007, indicated much of his thinking came from the philosophy of Kawaida. If this is true, I would like more discussion on this subject and to know if Sen. Obama is of the same thinking.
We are all in for big trouble. If Obama doesnt get in now its becasue we and I mean the rest of us are so called racist. So what is going to happen a big uprising in the Black communitiy.
I wouldnt want to be at the Demo convention this year, its going to get ugly. Remeber the one in 68 thats going to look like the good ole Rev Wright’s Sunday School picnic when all heck bracks loose this year. Obama is not who everyone thinks he is, he is looking more like the
anti christ every day. Some if not all will be decieved by his smooth and slick talking of how he is going to make change. The only change you are going to see is who you bow down too.
Has any one heard how and what he is going to change. I think if you knew you would be teriffied if not scared to death that someone has nearly pulled off the biggest scam for the president and gotten this close to being the president of the United States of America.
Wake up American we need change but this is not the person to do. I wonder how much Arab oil money is making it into his coffers by way of the back door. Obama is surely getting it from somewhere. I dont think dear mister Jimmy Carter was able to get the money rolling in like the Obama camp is. Mr Carter was an unknown when he ran for the high office. I hope their is someone checking this out. I can see the Mullah´s praising Allah as I write this, they think they have a foot in the door now.
I would like to say something about Opra also but shame on her I lost all my respect for that woman. She should know better, money always goes to someone´s head now she thinks she leading us to the still waters. Lord help us cause we need it. In God We Trust. God Bless America.
Every hateful & racist word the emotionally unstable hatemonger Wright uttered might just as well have come out of B Hussien Obama’s mouth. They are of like mind- racists. Now we know why his biggot wife Michele has never been proud of America. Now it is perfectly appropriate Obama the America-hater will not place his racist hand over his racist heart during Pledge of Allegiance. They couldn’t care less about the great leaps & bounds began by Martin Luther King Jr….. because when your heart is so filled with hate & racism- this is the over-riding factor which governs your pitiful existance. They are simply racist- period. It’s not even a question of what happened in the PAST– these types would be- and are- racist anyway. Pray to God there are enough caring loving people -who are not racist- who will vote for anyone but this biggot.
So this is what is being said behind closed doors in the black community? This is perfectly acceptable language for a church? These words will cause churchgoers to pat the pastor on the back, to dance and sing and nod their heads in the aisles and pews? This utter hatespeak will cause a current Presidential candidate to attend for 17+ years and donate HUGE sums of money?
Yes America, we have a problem with race. Take a long, hard look at where it comes from.
Does a leapard lose it’s spots? Does Obama think his pastor thinks one way on most Sundays and another way once in a while? Wake up Obama! I believe that he and his family have been sitting and listening to this garbage for 20 years and supporting this church. Now he wishes to distance himself from it. Because he is not being honest about it, I really do not know if he has had a change of view or is he just hoping to “fool” all of us, trying to appeal to both sides of the fence.
And to compare this with other candidates that can’t help who supports them is rediculous. Where you choose to attend church is where you agree to the teachings of the leadership and are learning and growing in that teaching. Otherwise, why bother supporting and attending that church. Obama says he was unaware….I JUST DO NOT ACCEPT THAT.
obama should resign