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.
Actions speak louder than words and Obama’s response to these shameful comments by his long-time pastor are nothing more than words. Instead of touting “change we can believe,” why doesn’t he give us some words we can believe — especially since that appears to be all his campaign and political repertoire has to offer? To say that he never heard or didn’t know this type of polarizing, bigoted and hateful commentary came from the pulpit of his church is akin to “I didn’t have sex with that woman!” If he were so offended by these comments and the hatred they represent, and he is running on a campaign of change, why didn’t he do something about this years ago and change his place of worship? His passive acceptance of these acts can only be interpreted as tacit endorsement and his current rhetoric is nothing more than an eloquent ruse that quite frankly insults my (average) intelligence.
Obama lied in his latest attempt to control the damage his pastor has made.
here’s an article written by someone who attended Obama’s church last year and Obama WAS there.
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/8/8/194812.shtml
How can you judge a person by his religon, compare to all the turmoil Bush and his republican party have gotten this country into. You judge a person by his character and not by his religon.
We need to stop all the fighting and try to get this country back on the right track, before it’s is to late for everone. We have lost enought troops to this all out unecessary war. It all comes down to the rich verses the poor in oil. Everyone should be open minded by the real reason, why our troops are over there. Stop hiding behind the truth.
This type of comments fall completely in line with the attitude that Michelle Obama projects when she speaks . There is no way in my mind , that Obama hasn’t heard these types of sermons before. He’s seems like a sleezy salesman trying to sell the American people a rotten deal in an attempt to look like a unifier , but I for one don’t buy it.
Hope you guys are paying attention. This guy is giong to be trouble..
This morning at about 8:40 AM I made a comment about this article. It was not mean or nasty, just a comment, and it did not show up. Some comments get put on and some do not. Does fox have certain start up times and shut down times. I am just wondering. I would never get as nasty as some of the writers, and some are down right mean and stupid. But I have a lot of fun just reading the comments. Talk about diversity.
Speaking from the perspective of a spiritual counselor and a pastor:
The issue I see is that this is not a pastor/member of church issue. This is a “relationship” issue that was chosen (a choice) by both thus promoting a question…why would a member choose to have a close relationship with the “head” of a church with such beliefs. Psalms 1:1-Blessed is the man who sits not under the counsel of the ungodly but sits under the counsel of God. Raises the question why would Senator Obama choose to sit under the counsel of the ungodly? …and for the number of years as he has. In this type of relationship regardless of who it is or titles the student becomes a reflection of the mentor (Pastor). People usually shop around for the spirital leadership and belief that will assist them in growing with like beliefs. Most people do not choose to have a relationship with a church with opposite beliefs unless that person realizes that there is a need for righteous change in their personal life. Or that it would be their responsibility to help change the ungodly habits of the leader for God’s purpose and plan.
Years ago before I knew my destiny with God, with no aspirations to pastor or serve God in the capacity I do today, my husband & I realized our family was sitting in a church with Pastors who had resided over our marriage and Christened two of our three children. After a few years we began to hear what we would call ungodly issues coming from the spirit of our Spiritual Leaders and chose to pray for God to show us where He would want us to go “sit under” for spiritual guidance, leadership and growth. Choosing to distance ourselves from the relationship for the purpose of moving forward with righteous intent. This was before we understood the scripture verses such as Ps. 1:1. We had a discerning spirit guiding us that we needed to move rather than stay for emotional or manipulative purposes. We needed to make “relationship” with a spiritual leader who would provide us with the appropriate avenues to please God to grow in His righteous ways.
We found a good and sound body of Christ that we served in for 18 years of good spiritual growth making strong, close relationships over the years that we still have. However, there came another need to move forward as the leadership no longer could provide teaching that could propell us into the realm of serving God. We also began to see and hear slight and improper (twisted) interpretations of scripture with altered Godly counsel coming from the Pastor’s individual’s perspective and agendas after there was a change of Pastors. Knowing by then, because of a history of good teaching for a period of time, the interpretation of Psm. 1:1 we understood we should move out from the ungodly counsel we had grown to appreciate. To separate from ungodly teaching in order to serve a righteous God with a righteous plan for us. Again making a difficult decision to leave those who we love behind who we had and still have relationship with including the Pastor.
The point is we are no longer submitted to ungodly counsel but still have relationship with all. We do not reflect the ungodly counsel or character of those we do not fellowship with any longer, by separating ourselves. We also see tremendous growth and opportunity that we believe we would not have had if we were to have remained where we were. We have made a lot of growth, spiritually, since then and continue to help those who have “fallen asleep” under ungodly counsel no matter where they choose to fellowship. We also continue to pray for those leaders who teach ungodly counsel and we remain available offering relationship to encourage and teach truth to leaders of the church.
America needs to wake up and really smell the stench being waved by the Liberal Left News media that are making any and all excuses for Barack Hussein Obama’s black racist, hate-spewing pastor whom Barack Hussein Obama called HIS MENTOR for the last 20 YEARS!!!
America’s left - are you really that IGNORANT to believe Obama NEVER heard this hate mongering pastor spew his evil words every Sunday for 20 years?? His wife said she’s NEVER been proud of America until now!!!! Also, maybe the media should look into Oprah’s membership in this same hate- filled racist church! She’s been a member listening to this man’s hate for America too. Does she think her pastor is righteous or is she going to back pedal too!? This church spreads HATE.
I don’t know who Obama thinks he is fooling. You don’t affiliate yourself with an individual or a church for twenty years and not be aware of sermons that were preached in that church. For him to say that Wright was like an Old Uncle, he seems to imply that this is some old guy with dimentia. We don’t know much about Obama and after the fact will be a little to late. I question his integrity and that is not the kind of person that needs to be our commander in chief. It is true that you cannot be held responsible for what another individual says but in Obama’s case, he is affiliated with Wright for twenty years. If you don’t agree with what an individual is saying, why would you hang around for twenty minutes much less twenty years. Also, you don’t let just anyone marry you or baptize your children. You have to ask yourself, just how much of what Wright preaches, does Obama take ownership of. Smells like racism to me and that is very sad. All that I can say is God, help us all. Think about someone that won’t pledge allegiance to the flag of our country.
Everyone in America knows of the Bush family close relationship with the Saudi royal family. 13 of the 19 hijackers of the 9/11 were Saudis. Yet again President Bush is not questioned or attacked about his morals or sincerity to the war on terror. Enough with the “you are who you associate yourself with”, for if that is the basis for judging people then there are a lot of credible people who should not be where they are today because of their association with persons of questionable character.