Obama Attempts Damage Control, Fallout Over Pastor’s Sermons Unclear
Barack Obama speaks at a town hall meeting Saturday in Plainfield, Ind., where he addressed controversial sermons by his former pastor. (AP Photo)
The presidential contenders have all had their share of supporters whose insensitive remarks forced the campaigns to issue disavowals. This week, it was Barack Obama’s turn.
After a series of recorded sermons by Obama’s longtime pastor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. sparked controversy over Wright’s fiery views on race, America and the Sept. 11 attacks, Obama responded Friday by firmly repudiating Wrights’ views in lengthy written statement and a round of cable news interviews.
On Saturday at a town hall meeting in Plainfield, Ind., Obama broached the matter with the public, saying they’ve probably heard comments “that were incendiary and that I completely reject.”
The question now is whether Obama’s response worked, and whether his connection to Wright will haunt the Democratic senator’s campaign and dampen his presidential hopes.
Rival Hillary Clinton has not yet drawn political attention to the sermons, and deflected questions Saturday.
“Ask the Obama campaign,” she said to inquiries about Wright.
Pollster Doug Schoen said it’s unlikely the Wright issue will play big in the primary, but that it poses trouble down the road.
“In a Democratic primary this issue has limited viability and utility,” he said. “In a general election, however … I think this could be a real serious problem for Barack Obama.”
Obama tried to put Wright’s sermons in perspective Saturday, saying: “It reminds me that we’ve got a tragic history when it comes to race in this country … But what I continue to believe in is this country wants to move beyond these kinds of divisions.”
In an interview Friday with FOX News, Obama said he personally never had heard the pastor’s controversial comments, though he joined his Trinity United Church of Christ nearly 20 years ago. He said the sermons now sparking controversy didn’t resemble the ones he remembers from Wright, which, Obama said, stuck to messages of faith, values and helping people in the community.
But Obama’s pastor long has been a lightning rod for controversy. For starters, Wright’s relationship with Louis Farrakhan, once described by Obama as a “close” relationship, has been of concern to many in the Jewish community.
And once Wright’s remarks were publicized last year, Obama backed out of plans to have Wright speak at his Feb. 10, 2007, presidential announcement.
Author Larry Elder said he doesn’t buy Obama’s new, firmer denunciation of Wright.
“How can Barack Obama dis-invite him … and now claim he had no idea that Jeremiah Wright made all these incendiary comments? It doesn’t work,” Elder told FOX News.
There’s too many variables on the campaign trail to measure the direct impact on his poll numbers, but pollster Scott Rasmussen pointed out that Saturday’s Rasmussen daily tracking poll showed Obama nearly tied with Hillary Clinton.
“That’s a big drop from Obama’s 8-point lead a day before,” Rasmussen said.
Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for President Bush, suggested 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.
Wright, who presided over Trinity’s congregation until his retirement earlier this year, officiated Obama’s wedding to Michelle and baptized their two daughters. In Obama’s first book, “Dreams From My Father” from 1995, he writes the pastor had great influence over him in the early 1990s. And it was Wright who delivered a sermon “The Audacity of Hope,” which had such an impact on Obama that he made it the title of his second book, published in 2006. The theme of hope continues to be central to Obama’s surging campaign.
His repudiation of Wright has gradually risen to a crescendo.
Three weeks ago, Obama spoke to the Cleveland Jewish Community Leaders group and was asked about Wright. Obama noted the pastor occasionally was known to “say controversial things,” adding most of those controversial statements were “directed at the African American community.”
Obama assured the Ohio Jewish leaders he never heard anything anti-Semitic, and said “he is like an old uncle who sometimes will say things that I don’t agree with.”
Obama’s camp released a somewhat stronger statement Thursday after FOX News had reported more on Wright’s sermons — in one, he repeatedly said “God damn America,” while in others he blamed the United States for the spread of HIV and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and highlighted what he saw as a racial divide between Obama and Hillary Clinton.
“Senator Obama has said before that he profoundly disagrees with some of the statements and positions of Rev. Wright, who has preached his last sermon as pastor at the church,” Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said. “Senator Obama deplores divisive statements whether they come from his supporters, the supporters of his opponent, talk radio, or anywhere else.”
Then Friday, Obama issued the written statement calling what he’s heard from Wright “inflammatory and appalling.”
Later Friday, Obama told FOX News that he could no longer lay low as he heard more of Wright’s remarks.
“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.”
Democratic strategist Tanya Acker said Friday that Obama has nothing to be sorry for, and his campaign is in the clear.
“There’s no basis for attributing those statements to Barack Obama,” she told FOX News. “We don’t play guilt by association here, and it’s not fair.”
Throughout the campaign, candidates seemingly on a weekly basis have had to respond to, denounce and sometimes fire supporters who made offensive comments. Obama’s foreign policy adviser Samantha Power left the campaign after calling Clinton a “monster” in an interview with a Scottish newspaper. Clinton fundraiser Geraldine Ferraro left the campaign’s finance committee after saying much of the attention being paid to Obama’s campaign was because he is black.
And earlier this month, Republican candidate John McCain distanced himself from Iowa Rep. Steve King after King said terrorists would be “dancing in the streets” if Obama were elected.
Obama said Friday 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 that unpaid post Friday, without elaborating.
Obama said Friday that with Wright retiring from the pulpit, he doesn’t see an issue with his family remaining in the congregation. Wright delivered his final sermon last month and retired as leader of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
FOX News’ Jeff Goldblatt and Bonney Kapp contributed to this report.
I was an Obama supporter, but now I think he needs to drop out of the race. There is nothing he can say that will change the fact that he went to this church and called this man a friend, mentor, spiritual advisor etc for 20 years. He chose this man and this man’s comments. He had a choice he was not forced or born into it. It also shows us now why Michelle said what she said. She was telling the truth. She has never been proud of America. Obama lied when he said he wasn’t present for any of these sermons, I heard there is a tape going to be released on Monday if not before that shows him present for one of them. This was on Fox.
Everyone should see for themselves what Barrack’s church stands for- go to tucc.org Before I join a church I make sure that their core beliefs join up with mine, that we are “like minded”. The following vision statements and mission statements listed as core beliefs of Barrack’s church are as follows: “The fortunate who are among us combine forces with the less fortunate to become agents of change for God who is not pleased with America’s economic mal-distribution!” In their 10 points of vision #4 states that they are “A congregation with a non-negotiable commitment to Africa.” (Maybe Barrack should be running for president then in Africa, I’m looking for a president with a non-negotiable commitment to America!) and #10 under their vision is “A congregation working toward economic-parity. (Maybe he should be running for president in a communist country then?)
I encourage everyone to see for themselves exactly what church he joined and has financially supported and been taught by and influenced by for the last 20 years! Based on the vision statement of his church, he needs to be asked if his loyalty is to Africa or America! Very frightening indeed.
I am not someone that dislikes Senator Obama in fact I found it interesting to listen to him in his battle with Senator Clinton.
What I find hard to believe is that anyone could go to a church for 20 years and not know that the Minister held anti American and racist views. Anyone that has attended church understands the wide range of views of the Minister on life.
It is possible that he missed the numerous times that the Minister went on a rant, is it possible that he never heard of this from other church members?
Obama may distance himself from his Ministers views, but I did not see him denounced his Minister as an anti American or racist individual that is not good for America.
This comes down to judgement. As an individual representing himself associating with someone like the Minister is one thing, as someone that wants to represent the United States as President this is something else.
If Senator Obama cannot use good judgement remaining in a church for 20 years that holds anti American views, how can his judgement be trusted with huge decisions that must be made as President.
This is for Fox News and Lori McMaster,
Who ever is programming this you need to really do your job peoples emails are being left in the email spot and thier names in the name spot. Lori I am going to email you to proof somethingg is wrong here.
Fox please look into this, oh and by the way I am emailing this under Lorie’s email, I did not change it, but I email under Angelica California if you need to contact me.
Is there any truth in Reverend Wrights’ incendiary comments? Are we the only people on earth who has made such comments and did they resign or just apologize? It is a shame that this man is being criticized for summarizing America’s history and saying what many of us (not all of us) of African American decent believe to be true. It is indicative of white America to not recognize how for centuries patriotic rich and poor white Americans’ hypocrisy significantly contributed to us considering their American Dream to be a “Black American Nightmare”. Perhaps we are desensitized to terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Black America and it was not a traumatic event to us because we have grown accustomed to terrorist activity by home grown terrorist here in America who denied blacks citizenship and other freedoms that white folks considered their God given right. Hearing a Black preacher express his views regarding our history is not despicable, but the truth to some degree and sometimes the truth hurt and remember the preacher made those comments not Senator Barack Obama. The Media has now indicated they have to prove Senator Barack was in the pew when the comments were said ; why not determined who else has taken the same position (Hint: 700 Club) and where did the AIDs virus come from and who did the scholars contend were responsible for its appearance? In conclusion, Pastor Wright has a right to freedom of speech. Remember Fox News prides itself on being fair and balanced, are you really? My comments are based on my American experience and should not in any way affect the outcome of Barack Obama’s campaign.
You know I’ve been thinking about the inflamatory statements made by Mr. Wright and trying to figure out what kind of effect has that commuity might have had on Sen. Obama. Based on what Sen. Obama represents for so many people, I believe that he has had a positive effect on him overall. It allowed him to witness the racial divide in America, feeling of separation, and anger in the black community. Sen. Obama has unique experiences that no former president or presidential hopeful has. I believe wholeheartedly that America needs to stop the bleeding and start the healing from the inside, and that Sen. Obama is the one that can do it.
Obama cannot attend a church for 20 years, call the Pastor his mentor and personal family friend, write a book after being inspired by his sermon, and not know and believe in the Pastor’s racist, anit-American beliefs. If Obama thinks we believe his attempt to distance himself from the Pastor, he is wrong. I do not want a President who hates America and who hates white people. This Pastor and Obama are a disgrace to America.
Is Obama really saying that he’s not smart enough to notice that this pastor and long time friend has been passionately preaching hatred towards America and white people for 20 years? Did he also not notice that his wife has never before been proud to be an American? If he becomes president, what else will he refuse to notice?
The anti-American garbage being spilled from Obama’s Pastor is reflected in Michelle Obama’s words (that for the first time in her adult life, she is proud to be an American). Most people choose their church based on their Pastor and to assume these statements are rare instead of the norm is ridiculous. If my Pastor had made these discriminatory statements, I would find me a new church.
I find it hard to believe that Mr. Obama never heard these kind of statements from his pastor in 20 years. The fact is that he has attended that church as did his wife and his children. No one attends a church for that long and doesn’t agree with their preachings. If you think about it, doesn’t it follow statements his wife made and we are told she was misinterpreted. Mr. Obama is a preacher disquised as a politician and is telling people what they want to hear. If elected he would need extremely good guidance as he shows no common sense of his own through whom he associates with. A wise person once said, If it doesn’t make sense it’s a lie.
If he does receive the Democratic nomination, as a Democrat and for the first time for President I will vote Republican. NoBama!