Pastor Creates ‘Guilt by Association’ Problem for Obama
File: Barack Obama with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, pastor emeritus of Obama's congregation, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. (AP Photo)
Surrogates for Barack Obama on Sunday downplayed the significance of Obama’s relationship to a controversial pastor and suggested the discussion is a diverson from bigger issues in the Democrat presidential race.
“The fact of the matter is people would like to move on to other things,” said Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, characterizing remarks by Obama pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright as “outrageous,” but saying they are not relevant to Obama’s candidacy.
“He’s rejected it. He said no– he doesn’t have any association with it. He finds these comments outrageous,” Dodd, an Obama supporter and former presidential candidate, told “FOX News Sunday.” He added that “guilt by association is not typically American.”
But some political analysts say that comments by Wright could pose a major obstacle for Obama because unlike average Americans, politicians suffer from “guilt by association.”
“This is a man who he chose to be associated with. It’s not a family member. He chose to be associated with Reverend Wright and saw advantage in it. And that’s why he exploited it up to a point when he realized, especially when he was announcing, that he couldn’t have Wright by his side for the announcement in Springfield and now seeks to somehow distance himself. But it speaks to his character, and it speaks to the judgment which is the basis on which Barack Obama has been running his campaign. So I think it could be a big problem,” said National Public Radio national correspondent and FOX News contributor Juan Williams.
It also could suggest an insincerity by Obama, said conservative syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer.
“This, I think, is a huge story because it contradicts the whole persona and appeal of Obama as a man who transcends race,” Krauthammer said. “I think it ought to be explored a lot more deeply.”
Out on the campaign trail on Saturday, Obama was dogged by questions about comments made by his spiritual leader of 20 years, whose quotes have been sprayed over the news in the last several days.
At a town-hall meeting in Indiana, Obama said he was not in the pews when Wright said, for example, the U.S. is run by “rich, white people” or that the U.S. created the AIDS virus to kill African Americans. The Illinois senator said he “completely rejects” the preacher’s controversial sermons, including one in which he said the United States was asking for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks because it had supported “state-sponsored terrorism” against black South Africans and Palestinians.
“Although I knew him and know him as somebody in my church that talked to me about Jesus and family and friendships but clearly, if all I knew were those statements I saw on television, I would be shocked,” Obama said.
Obama who is new to disavowing himself from the remarks, told his audience that people should speak up forcefully against comments like Wright’s.
On Sunday, the United Church of Christ defended Wright’s character.
“The Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.’s character is being assassinated in the public sphere because he has preached a social gospel on behalf of oppressed women, children, and men in America and around the globe,” wrote Rev. John H. Thomas, the church’s General Minister President in a press release.
Meanwhile, Clinton supporters are refusing to jump on the opportunity to attack Obama for his slow response. “I mean, as you know, I prefer Senator Clinton for a whole lot of reasons, but I don’t cast aspersions on Senator Obama for what somebody else said,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Voters should “accept what Obama has said and move on,” said Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.
The Clinton campaign may be following a well-known operating principle of politics, which is when an opponent is shooting himself in the foot, stand back and let him. According to the results of a new, four-day Rasmussen tracking poll out Sunday morning, Obama’s national lead has narrowed to just 3 points over Clinton.
“The Clinton campaign won’t touch this with a 10-foot poll, but they don’t have to. … It will dribble, dribble out for at least a few more days and in this Internet era there’s no limit to what you can” dredge up, said Democratic strategist Susan Estrich.
Estrich said plenty of more information will come up in the weeks leading up to the Pennsylvania and North Carolina primaries.
“I don’t know, this guy didn’t give just two bad sermons, nobody … does the wrong thing just twice,” she said. “We all have to fill space for six weeks, this is how we’ll fill it.”
According to pollster, Scott Rasmussen, the recent controversy and prolonged fight between the Democrats is also turning out to be a gift for presumptive Republican presidential nominee and Arizona Sen. John McCain, whose numbers are up. That’s a fear Democrats are hoping won’t be realized as the discussion over race and sex issues distract from their overall message of defeating McCain.
“I think we have to lift ourselves out of all of that. Look, we’re talking about running for president of the United States. We’re talking about the leader of the free world. We’re talking about the hopes, the aspirations of the American people being placed — and not like any other job in the world, placed on this person. And I think people are much more interested on the ideas, the vision, the judgment, the plans that people have. And that’s why people are drawn to both of these candidates,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking on ABC’s “This Week.” Pelosi has not yet stated her preference for the top of the party ticket.
I find it difficult to simply dismiss this whole thing for Obama as just a ‘cherry picked’ sermon. Wright went to Iran with Farrakhan. People know what Farrakhan stands for regarding the Black Muslim and Nation of Islam. People also know that Ferrakhan is an extreme racist. It would have been extremely clear where Wright stood regarding the whole race/Anit-white/anti-American issue. For those who say: but this is not Obama and he should not be judged by the actions of others; the reply is that he isn’t. I judge Obama on his own actions. He did nothing. He did not leave the church and find another one that was not openly racist. He did not stop supporting the church that was openly racist and anti-American. He did not speak out against what was going on until he was backed into a corner recently. By his own actions he supported what was going on and what that church stood for. It was not peace, love, and Jesus Christ. It was openly Anti-white, Anti-American, Pro-nation of islam, and pro Africa to the expense of his own country. There is nothing with being pro-black. But if any other church would be pro-white blaming the blacks for the world’s evils it would be called racist. Let’s call things as they truly are.
Wow…hate speech is not only alive and well in America…but also in American churches. As an educated black man, I’m appalled by Reverend Wright’s comments. We all know that if a white candidate’s spiritual adviser made such comments, that candidate would be forced from the ticket whether he was black or white.
It is time we begin to hold our own people to the same standard that we expect from others. Hate speech is still hate speech.
I HAVE A PASTER. I GO TO CHURCH TO LISTEN TO WHAT HE HAS TO SAY. I TRY TO LIVE BY WHAT HE SAYS. IF I DID NOT AGREE WITH HIM, I WOULD NOT GO BACK ANYMORE. BUT OBAMA, HIS WIFE, AND AFTER BIRTH HIS KIDS, HAVE LISTENED TO THIS PASTOR FOR 20 YEARS. THAT IS 20 YEARS OF LEARNING THE FEELINGS OF THIS MAN OF GOD. AFTER LISTENING TO THIS PASTOR ON TAPE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND I BELIEVE THE LATEST WAS CHRISTMAS DAY OF LAST YEAR I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY MRS OBAMA IN HER HEART DOESN’T HAVE PRIDE IN HER COUNTRY AND I KNOW WHY SENATOR OBAMA’S HEART IS NOT FOR HIS COUNTRY BUT FOR RACE. HE WANTS TO BE A BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I CHALLENGE ANY OPEN MINDED WHITE OR BLACK PERSON TO WATCH THESE VIDEOS. LISTEN TO THE PASTOR AND LOOK AT THE FACES OF THE CONGREGATION IN THE AUDIENCE. THERE IS HATE FOR THEIR COUNTRY, HATE FOR WHITE PEOPLE, AND HATE FOR HIS OPPONENT FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES. LISTEN TO OBAMA’S EXPLANATION OF WHY HE DID NOT WALK AWAY 20 YEARS AGO. THIS MAN IS NOT AUTHENTIC. HE HAS BEEN BRAINWASHED BY THIS MAN HE HAS ADORNED FOR 20 LONG YEARS. THIS PASTER HAS BRAINWASHED OBAMA IN TO BELIEVING HE IS JESUS AND IS GOING TO SAVE THE WORLD. PEOPLE, THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS! THIS MAN MUST BE STOPPED IN HIS TRACKS. WAKE UP AMERICA
If Mr. Wright is this upset with America, maybe he should consider leaving.
If obama has been sleeping with Wright for 20 years he know what is going on.
My question, what else do we not yet know?
Are the Obama followers really this stupid to believe this man does not share Reverend Wright’s views on America and the White race? He can deny it all he wants but in last night’s interview with Major he was constantly studdering and looking for the “right” words. It’s obvious he’s lying. He had to have seen and heard this persons’ sermons during the 20 years he’s been associated with Wright unless he was comotose every time he attended church. In which case what does THAT say about Obama?
Wake up, America!!! This is and has always been a smoke screen and young liberal voters are following this guy like ignorant blind sheep. This is VERY SCARY! Do the research. We do not know anything about this guy. Keep up your investigating and reporting, FOX NEWS. We need you.
I’ve been a lifelong Democrate but if this guy wins the nomination, I’ll definitely be voting for McCain. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
I didn’t know such divisive vitriol still existed. And in a church! But now I understand how Mrs. Obama, a black woman with an elite education, an elite job, living in an elite neighborhood, married to a black man with an elite education, an elite job, living in an elite neighborhood could stand up and say, “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.:” She has spent 20 years listening to the Reverend Wright. Which begs another question: Could she represent this not perfect country to the rest of the world in any kind of constructive light?
We need to move on to more important issues. Barack is the best and just because his pastor said things white americans don’t agree with shouldn’t change americas minds about his ability to lead. GROW UP PEOPLE!!!
FOX is such a hypocrite. Pat Robertson preached after 911 that God was punishing the USA for its sins of homosexuality and abortion. Yet, FOX righteously supported the religious right conservative politicians. The UCC preaches the gospel of social justice. Trinity Church is well respected and attended in Chicago. Please don’t take quotes out of context and slander this minister who you don’t even know.
Comment by Alma Ludivina ………. you are blaming Senator Clinton for this? … come now, that is so pathetic. Obama thinks he can deceive everyone … I always felt he was sneaky, and now I know why!
NOBAMA
Watch Out for the Stones!
True hypocrite’s throw the most stones! Everybody at one time or another has been in a position where they totally disagreed or took a different stance with family, friends or pastor. I’m sure those people are still in your live’s and some influence alot of what you do. NO ONE is perfect! No one follows everything their family, friends or pastor have said or done! Watch out for the stones you throw as they may have a boomerang effect! This attack doesn’t merit the attention it’s getting. The reality is we are in a war we shouldn’t be in spending 12 Billion a month and getting Americans killed senselessly, we are losing homes at an enormous rate, we are losing jobs by the minute, gas prices are off the charts and the Bush administration in totally responsible. McCain is more of the same, Hillary’s so called experience can’t even run a campaign good enough to beat an underdog! Obama has come from being the underdog to becoming the frontrunner! He has demonstrated the ability to pull people together in a way like never before, run an effective campaign that’s generating enormous amounts of money and stay above having to resort to the negative campaign tactics of the past. Obama is the only candidate bringing true change!